On the list of things you shouldn’t do with oysters, eating them out of a stranger’s trunk in Denver ranks right up near the top. But that’s exactly how the Crackerjax got its start as the signature oyster of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar.
It was the late ‘90s at Jax LoDo, the second outpost to open after the Boulder original (long before Jax became one of the Best Restaurants in Colorado Springs). “A couple of guys pulled up to the back door, the delivery door at Jax LoDo and said, ‘Do you guys want to try some oysters?’” says Adam Reed, director of operations of Big Red F Restaurant Group.
Reed, Dave Query, owner, and Sheila Lucero, now executive chef, proceeded to try these trunk-served oysters with Travis and Ryan Croxton. The cousins had quit their day jobs and resurrected their great-great-grandfather’s oyster leases in the Chesapeake Bay with a new emphasis on sustainability. “They had been working exclusively in New York City with restaurants like Le Bernardin and a couple others that were really well-reputed restaurants,” Reed says. “So we were like, ‘OK, we’ll give these a shot.’ And they were great.”
A short time later, Lucero and Reed were on a skiff in the Chesapeake Bay scouting areas of the Croxton farm. “They let us know the sort of texture, the sort of flavor, the sort of shell size [from specific areas of the aquaculture operation], and we were able to pick and choose,” Reed says. “Since that time, the Crackerjax has been our proprietary oyster that isn’t available anyplace else. It’s what we do every day for happy hour. It’s the one we shuck the most and know the best.”
Reed pulls up a map on Google Earth and shows me the Croxtons’ Rappahannock Oyster Co. Zooming in, the lines of Jax oysters are visible beneath the water’s surface.
Jax knows its oysters. After all, the mollusk is in the restaurant’s name, and flying in fresh oysters and seafood from both coasts daily has been Jax way since the start. Reed puts the lifetime total into the millions when I ask how many oysters the restaurant has served through the years, and Lucero says the record for Rockies opening day at Jax LoDo is 10,000 in a single day.
It’s no surprise then too that Jax has been celebrating Oyster Month as long as Reed can remember. This year is no exception with a month full of events, specials, tastings, giveaways and more, all culminating in National Oyster on the Half Shell Day on March 31. Jax Colorado Springs is also using the festivities to highlight a full spread of budget-friendly weekly specials and happenings. Here’s a preview of Oyster Month specials and tasting notes to guide you as celebrate the mollusk.
Jax Oyster Month Specials and Events
‘90s Hip Hop Tuesdays
It’s Biggie versus Tupac on the sound system and East Coast vs. West Coast on the half shell. But it’s all love, no beef. You can play it both ways.
Dozen Dozens
For every dozen oysters you order all month long, you get an entry to win a free dozen oysters every month for a year.
Oyster and Beer Flights
Follow along as the briny and hoppy pairings unleash a culinary harmony.
1994 Happy Hour
March 31 is National Oyster on the Half Shell Day, and Jax is going full retro. The first 100 guests get a dozen oysters at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster.
How to Eat Oysters at Jax
New to poppin’ rocks? Here are some tips and tasting notes.
“East Coast oysters are typically a little bit cleaner, a little bit brinier, a little bit saltier, a little bit more oceanic,” says Adam Reed, director of operations of Big Red F Restaurant Group. “West Coast oysters are usually a little richer, a little more buttery, a little bit more decadent, typically a little bit more expensive — not always, but often.”
If you want to go purist, just squeeze a lemon wedge and slurp. But you can eat raw oysters on a saltine cracker, with mignonette sauce, horseradish, cocktail sauce or however you want. “There’s no wrong way to eat an oyster,” Reed says.
West Coast Oysters
Royal Miyagi
From British Columbia. You’ll get sweet, creamy, cucumber notes and mild salinity. Pair it with a Bristol Brewing Beehive Honey Wheat.
Kumamoto
Washington raised. The Kumamoto is rich and buttery. It’s small but flavorful with a noticeable sweetness and umami depth. Pair it with the caramel malt notes of a Scottish ale.
East Coast Oysters
Moondancer
Massachusetts. The Moondancer is ocean-forward: bold and briny up front with a subtle sweetness on the back end. It pairs best with Big Red F’s Post Dark Sky Black Lager. A dark beer and seafood, you say? This one is surprisingly light and crisp, and its bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes balance the oyster’s salinity just right.
Crackerjax
Virginia. Now you know the origin story. For its flavor, this classic is bright and briny with a clean finish. “I love our Crackerjax,” Lucero says. “They’re an oyster for everybody. And they’re kind of a gateway oyster for anyone that’s a little trepidatious about getting into oysters. They have a nice balance of flavor and pair really well with all things.”
For a recommendation, go with the crisp floral hop of a Post Cowboy Pilsner.
Find out more about Oyster Month and all things Jax Colorado Springs at jaxfishhouse.com.
