Review of the Daretown Troup 60 Oyster/Chicken Salad Dinner

I attended the Daretown Troup 60 Oyster/Chicken Salad Dinner in Pole Tavern, NJ yesterday. The menu included: fried oysters, chicken salad, potato salad, rolls & butter, peas, cranberry sauce, ketchup and horseradish, coffee & tea, and ice cream.

I consider this to be the best oyster dinner in the world. However, I have not had much exposure to oysters dinners outside of South Jersey. But I know, I just know, that this has to be one of the best oyster dinners out there. The fried oysters are always a beautiful golden brown color, mid-sized, and have a briny sweetness- they are also NEVER burnt. The chicken salad is homemade and is about the best I have had outside of a upscale deli. And the pepper hash should be canned and sold in gourmet stores around the nation- it is that good- and even better with a bite of oyster.

My roving reporter (a.k.a. Mom) interviewed the a Scout leader and discovered that they serve around 1100 to 1200 dinners (this includes takeouts). To prep for such a crowd they start their day at 4:30AM. They coat their 110 gallons of oysters three times before frying- perhaps this is why they are always so good!

Here are some photos of the event:

Daretown Oyster Dinner 11-4-2006