National Oyster Day an Aphrodisiac for the Foodies

Celebrity chef Brian Malarkey's restaurant and seafood bar Gabardine in Point Loma, Calif., has a six-course oyster overload tasting menu featuring local Baja oysters shot, raw, baked, stewed, fried and grilled and paired with beer or wine spirits. Nestled in the hills, only steps from the ocean in La Jolla, the Brockton Villa Restaurant showcases chef Mareyja Sisbarro's new seasonal menu. Here fresh daily oysters, featuring a half-dozen served in a half shell with cucumber sake mignonette, lemon, pickled ginger and an option of traditional horseradish cocktail sauce, are all the rage.

Shuckers Oyster Bar in Seattle is one of the city's oldest and most beloved oyster bars. With a daily menu featuring a selection of fresh fish and seafood, Shuckers brims with 13 different kinds of oysters prepared nine ways and features local microbrews as well as the beautifully carved oak paneling and unique original tin ceiling of the haberdashery it was in the 1930s.

Although in the desert, Sin City is no stranger to oysters. Public House at the Venetian, a contemporary tavern known for its vast beer selection and generous portions, serves cuisine that executive chef Anthony Meidenbauer describes as "fun spins on refined food." Crispy oysters with foie gras, golden raisins and cider gastrique is certain to tempt anyone's taste buds. The dish is a great meal to cap off a long day of gambling in Vegas or to kick off a fun night of clubbing.

Fountain's Brunch at Jasmine provides an unparalleled view of the Bellagio fountains paired with an unbelievable brunch experience. Its seafood selection is equally spectacular. Along with Alaskan king crab and vodka-cured lox, the Fountain's Brunch presents an array of freshly shucked oysters on the half shell served with a tasty mignonette sauce. The best part: It's all you can eat.

The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, R.I., hosts multiple upscale dining venues as well as being a historic oceanfront hotel with beautiful views of Easton's Beach. One of its fine-dining venues, The Spiced Pear, serves a New England-style menu including delicious fresh chilled local oysters served with an anjou pear mignonette. Also in Newport in a mansion-turned-hotel, spa and first-class dining destination is the Vanderbilt Grace Hotel, exuding luxury by combining living history with modern service and cuisine. An elegant culinary excursion, the bar menu of Muse restaurant by revered chef Jonathan Cartwright features six or 12 fresh local oysters.

One simply can't go wrong with any of these options.