#ShuckingAwesome: Fresh Oysters and Handcrafted Cocktails at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar

Freshly shucked oysters on ice with the succulent and briny sweet notes of the ocean on a half shell, there's just nothing better to pair with your soothing cocktail. Everyone has a favorite bar in the metro but when you're craving for oysters with your cocktails, there's only a handful of options. Salt and Ice Oyster Bar changes all that with the freshest oysters flown in from Aklan along with other seafood specialties for one of the more exciting bar concepts to look forward to this year. Read on and come on in for a peek at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar...

Oysters just the way you like it, that's the game-winning play at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar. Bonifacio Global City's newest bar concept at Uptown Parade comes from Visum Ventures, Inc. led by John Michael Hilton, the same group behind Koomi Natural Drinking Yogurt (for more on Koomi, see my previous posts, #GuiltlessGoodness Comes To Robinsons Magnolia with koomi Natural Drinking Yogurt and #GuiltlessGoodness: Avo Nice Day with Koomi PH), Zig Healthy Made Happy (see more on their healthy offerings my post, #HealthyMadeHappy: Add A Vibrant Splash of Color to Healthy Dining with Zig Healthy Made Happy), T2 Tea by Leaf Beverages (more on their tea selection on my earlier post at Tea Done Differently with T2 Tea from Leaf Beverages PH) and Oh My Greek. Known for their innovative concepts, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar fits right in with their growing and diversified portfolio of brands. 

Located at Uptown Parade in Bonifacio Global City, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar offers an al fresco area in tune with the new normal. And with the cool breeze of the season, it's the perfect spot for cocktails. And freshly shucked oysters. The looming surge in cases from the latest variant of the bug threatens to dampen the start of another year in the new normal and it's becoming clear that living with the lingering virus is here to stay. As we slowly transition and adapt to the new normal, dining out as we know it will also change layered with minimum health and safety protocols including the wearing of face masks and social distancing as part of the daily routine. The culinary landscape continues to evolve with changing consumer habits as exciting innovations and refreshing new concepts like Salt and Ice Oyster Bar adds a refreshing vibe to the local bar scene. 

Inside, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar exudes the classic bar vibe with vibrant splashes of colors, graphics and neon finished by wooden accents for an elegant space. But this is just a pop-up and all temporary as Salt and Ice Oyster Bar will be redesigned for its formal launch later next month. It's all a dry run for an even better experience. 

Meanwhile, get straight down to business by sampling some of Salt and Ice Oyster Bar's selection of handcrafted cocktails like the Eternal Rose (P 470) for a sneak preview of even better things yet to come... 

...with its soothing blend of gin, rose syrup, lemon and passion fruit delivering mildly sweet, fruity and smoky hints with each sip...

...or the Sail with Me Jack (P 440) with Sailor Jerry, jackfruit, honey and lemon bitters. The tasty duo does more than just wet the beak, it opens up endless possibilities for a memorable evening at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar.

The New Kid on the Block (P 420) with Hendricks Gin, lemon, grapefruit, lemongrass and peach bitters brings bright and vibrant notes to the palate...

...best paired with the Root Chips (P 140), a crisp medley of deep-fried and paper-thin slices of ube, cassava and kamote chips served with a creamy dip. And that's just the proverbial tip of the iceberg at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar. 

Get lit by the Light It Up (P 450) with its deep, mildly smoky notes with flavorful layers of cherry, orange and macadamia hints with each soothing sip. Almost like an Old-Fashioned, this is my cocktail of choice for an evening at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar.  

But it's the fresh oysters flown in direct from Aklan that shares the limelight with the handcrafted cocktails to complete a unique story at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar. Plump, succulent oysters on the half shell on ice with that fresh and clean briny sweetness, each bite brings the flavors of the ocean to the palate washed down perfectly by your cocktail of choice.  

The Natural Oysters at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar are priced at P 50 each, so go ahead and order up a half dozen for starters. 

Simple and uncluttered yet packed with real and bold flavors, the Natural Oysters are the perfect starter for an evening of infinite possibilities at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar. 

Another round of cocktails calls for one more order of Natural Oysters. A true oyster bar with all the goods, from fresh oysters to cocktails down to the cool playlist combine for a casual evening made even more special at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar.  

A sharp and mildly spicy vinegar dip is served with the oysters adding a contrasting layer of flavor for that perfect finish. With countless bars in the metro, here's one that's in a class of its own. Offering the freshest oysters and handcrafted cocktails, it's about time we had a real oyster bar in the metro. 

How do you like your oysters? Salt and Ice Oyster Bar offers a tempting variety of oyster dishes, like the Oyster Mornay (P 60 each) baked and draped in a creamy bechamel sauce with cheese...

...and the savory Oyster Kilpatrick (P 60 each) topped with bacon slathered in a thick sauce of ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce bringing its own distinct combination of flavors.  

Then, there's the Oyster Tempura (P 60 each) with its delicately crisp batter and a dab of Japanese mayo for a flavorful play on textural contrasts with each bite. The richness of the oysters comes through, draping the palate with a briny sweetness. 

With plump and succulent oysters to satisfy any mood or craving, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar clearly sets the bar for one of the newest dives to look forward to in 2022.  

Priced at P 50 to P 60 each, you can enjoy the tempting oyster selection with your cocktail all night long at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar without busting your wallet. A nibble with a tipple and more, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar is clearly one of the newest concepts to watch out for in the new year.

But there's more to Salt and Ice Oyster Bar than just oysters and cocktails...

Absolute must-try seafood dishes at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar include the Singaporean Chili Prawns (P 680) with plump fresh prawns in chili and garlic, the Pan Seared Scallops (P 650) on pea puree topped with Parmesan crisps, the Sea Urchin Pasta (P 525) with salmon roe on spaghetti and Prawn Pizza (P 575) as well as savory specialties like Twice Cooked Pork Belly (P 480), Truffle Mushroom Risotto (P 485), Wagyu Sliders (P 495) and Wagyu Ribeye (P 4,750). Cocktails with tasty bites or a sumptuous dinner, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar has it covered. 

Leave it to Salt and Ice Oyster Bar to surprise you with their creative libations. The Aperol Sour is an off-the-menu creation by the award-winning mixologists at Salt and Ice Oyster Bar, just one of many tempting surprises prepared just for you.

From starters to mains and cocktails in between, Salt and Ice Oyster Bar caps your evening with indulgent desserts like the Dark Chocolate Shards (P 280) made with premium dark chocolate, almonds, dried cranberries, cacao nibs and sea salt...

....or the indulgent Nutella Pizza (P 575) with fresh strawberries and blueberries dusted with crushed pistachios. It's playfully inventive dishes like these that make Salt and Ice Oyster Bar different and special to start the new year.

As cases for the new Omicron variant continue to rise in the metro, the food service sector is once again operating on a limited capacity to curb the spread of the pandemic. But things will get better with the vaccination roll out finally gaining momentum. But some things never change, even in a disruptive new normal. Like a good bar. And the freshest oysters paired with a soothing cocktail. Here's a toast to the new year, and to new concepts like Salt and Ice Oyster Bar...