Ama Ama Oyster Bar & Grill is a pearl for bivalve lovers

For residents of West Seattle, the world is very much their oyster these days. From budget bungalows to seaside condos, they've got their choice of homes; the best beach in the city is their very own; and whether it's a movie, a yoga class or gourmet groceries they're after, there's hardly any reason to leave.

All that was missing was the oyster itself. The nearest neighborhood oyster bar was downtown -- definitely not in the neighborhood. With the arrival of the new Ama Ama Oyster Bar & Grill in the former Ovio Bistro space, now all the pleasures of the half shell are within fork's reach.

Rob Coburn, a budding restaurateur who opened Ama Ama with partner Paige Crandall in mid-October, said he never expected the oyster selection to be such a hit. Oysters make up only a small portion of the seafood-focused menu. But at 50 cents per half shell during the daily 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour, neighborhood residents are quickly learning where to go to feed their oyster craving. One guy, says Coburn, sat at the bar and slurped downed 48 in two hours.

Four or five different varieties, mostly caught locally around Puget Sound or Vancouver Island, rotate throughout the night. The oyster shooter is bathed in house-made Bloody Mary mix, pepper vodka and horseradish crème fraîche. The late-night menu, which runs until midnight, even offers the bivalves "chicken fried," with a wild mushroom mac and cheese accompaniment.

For those who would limit the slippery creatures to their day jobs producing pearls at the bottom of the sea, there are plenty of nonoyster snacks at Ama Ama as well. Try the tender lamb sliders with chili morita sauce on Bakery Nouveau brioche ($3), the black cod maki with Asian barbecue glaze lassoed with seaweed to a bite of sticky rice ($2) and the perfect, crispy, spicy pommes frites ($3). The cocktails are tasty and well crafted, but they're not discounted, so if you can get a buzz off oysters, that's where to indulge.

The dinner menu is a fine showcase for the talents of Chef Brenda Rodriguez, who earned her chops at Flying Fish, became head chef at Ovio Bistro and stayed put to lead the Ama Ama team. Ahi tuna, Manila clams, scallops, black cod and monkfish make regular appearances on an upscale list of entrees, small plates, sliders, soups and salads.

Ama Ama is dark and intimate, sleek and sexy, with latticed wooden screens dividing the candlelit space into dining room, bar, liquor bar, oyster bar and a room for private parties. Still, it's brought down to casual by a cheeky retro '50s theme, with an occasional zebra print or mounted animal head reminding you not to take things too seriously. You're making slurping noises, for Pete's sake, and there's no point trying to hide it.

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