S&D Oyster Co

The oysters did indeed taste fresh, tender and delicate -- not at all fishy. The fish was cooked just right and the Creole rice that came with it was yummy. The coleslaw - not too gooey, not too dry -- was spectacular. So good, in fact, it alone justifies a return visit. Besides to-die-for lemon meringue pie and scrumptious bread pudding with whiskey sauce, dessert options include vanilla ice cream or pineapple sherbet. The restaurant attracts an eclectic mix of downtown and Uptown business people, shoppers from Highland Park and hip urbanites. There's often a line out the door. It's an old-timey place that serves butter with its crackers and doesn't make customers have to ask for a glass of water. Ownership and management have stayed much the same since it opened 30 years ago, as has the menu. Besides attracting a loyal customer base, S&D also has a faithful crew, with several employees having been on staff since the beginning.