1802 Oyster Bar review, Coffin Bay best restaurants | delicious.SA: Regional 50

When your restaurant’s deck has uninterrupted views of gorgeous Coffin Bay and its oyster beds, featuring the briny seafood in a style to suit all-comers makes good sense.

A dish at 1802 Oyster Bar in Coffin Bay.

61 Esplanade, Coffin Bay

[phone]

1802oysterbar.com.au

Travelling to the Eyre Peninsula? See our guide to the region

How do you like your oysters? Fried and marinated in buttermilk and topped with chipotle aioli? Under smoked butter and sourdough crumb? Kilpatrick or just as they are?

When your restaurant’s deck has uninterrupted views of gorgeous Coffin Bay and its oyster beds, featuring the briny seafood in a style to suit all-comers makes good sense.

Owners Andy Williams (chef) and Clare Martin have been in charge for three years now and have established a strong local network to allow them to focus on the Eyre Peninsula, and seafood in particular.

Smaller dishes include Abalini (small abalone) popcorn and wild-caught bluefin tuna tartare with roast beetroot and horseradish aioli.

The chef’s signature dish is kingfish, dry-aged with hay for up to a week to firm the flesh, intensify flavour and allow the skin to puff up like crackling when fried. Depending on the time of year, the fillet might be served with baby peas, lardons, smoky potato cream and another on-trend treat, chicken skin.

Coffin Bay clams with linguine might suit simpler tastes, while there is also a scotch fillet for the carnivores.

Other options include a $60 feasting platter of Boston Bay mussels curry, King George whiting, Spencer Gulf bugs, crisp abalone, octopus, oh, and chorizo.

Time your visit to take in the psychedelic sunset if you can.

Full list: See the best restaurants across all our regions

• Hours: L Mon-Sat D Mon-Fri 
• Bill: E $15.50-$22, Oysters $34-$36 doz M $28.50-$37 D $15
• Wine: Wine list
• Chef: Andrew Williams