On Saturday, February 25th, I attended the 2nd Annual Fuel Charleston Oyster Roast. The open-air atmosphere of Fuel makes it the perfect place for an oyster roast. The event was complete with live music, oyster shucking stations, and a wide selection of beer from Blue Point Brewing Company. Not only did I get to feast on some delicious oysters, I also had the opportunity to interview the owner, Justin Broome.
About Fuel
First things first, let's talk about the history of Fuel. Ten years ago, the owner, Justin Broome, converted a run-down gas station into the successful Caribbean-fusion restaurant that stands there today. They are famous for their happy hour cocktails and jerk chicken sandwich. In fact, their jerk chicken sandwich is so good that it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.
The Setup
Fuel had all the necessary components of an oyster roast ready to go when we arrived. For me, oysters are all about the toppings. They had a wide range of toppings including: hot sauce, lemon juice, horseradish, and cocktail sauce. The ultimate topping combination was horseradish, cocktail sauce, and lemon juice.
To complement the oysters, Fuel also had a selection of tasty beverages and barbecue. After a healthy feast of oysters, I had the BBQ sandwich (pictured above) and it was the perfect way to end the day. The coleslaw was fresh and crunchy and the perfect complement to the rich barbecue pork.
The Star of the Show: the Oysters
The oysters were everything you want them to be: salty, briny, and fresh. This was my first experience shucking oysters and I had a great time doing it. It's so exciting when you finally crack the oyster open and get to dress it up with all the toppings.
The element of the oyster roast that surprised me the most was that the oysters were not from Charleston. The owner explained to me that they got the oysters from Virginia because the product in Charleston was tainted by the hurricane, so they wanted to try a different supplier.
Interview with the Owner
The owner and creator of Fuel, Justin Broome, was very hospitable and I learned a lot about the history of Fuel from him. When he started Fuel ten years ago, there was a lack of ethnic food in Charleston. He wanted to bring a taste of the Caribbean to Charleston and us foodies are forever grateful for that. Fuel's spicy food served alongside a cold cocktail on a sunny day is my definition of perfection.
What was it really like to be on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives?
I was lucky enough to get the inside scoop on what being on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives is really like. Justin told me about how customers come from all over the country just because they saw his restaurant on Triple D. Triple D also helped Fuel "get on the map" as Justin put it, because their location is out of the way from the usual tourist foot traffic. Triple D did help Fuel along the way, but their authentic food and relaxing atmosphere is what truly makes them successful.