Las Vegas Weekly

Shucking delicious: P.J. Clarke’s Oyster & Beer Fest

Oysters at P.J. Clarke’s.

I’m so full. And I didn’t even compete in the oyster-eating contest. There’s no way I could have taken down El Toro Jimenez, who plowed through 35 in a minute flat. Guess that’s why Nintendo Wii’s competitive eating game has a character based on him.

I’m full because after I ate an oyster sampler plate (East Coast and West Coast), I ordered a burger. I didn’t intend to—this was P.J. Clarke’s Oyster & Beer festival, after all—but when I saw the guy at the table next to mine eating one, my mouth demanded it. Washed it down with two glasses of riesling and a cup of the event’s giveaway beer: Tenaya Creek’s caramel- and toffee-accented Calico Brown Ale.

Top prize of the afternoon went to P.J.’s very own head shucker Daniel, who cut up 80 oysters in 10 minutes. Sure, it’s impressive, but if you’ve watched Daniel shuck before, it’s not surprising. That guy shucks oysters like Jason Bourne reloads guns.