DeMun Avenue, a small street between Clayton Road and Wydown Boulevard, is home to a small, budding shopping district. Recently, this quiet street has become home to a few new shops and restaurants, including its newest addition, DeMun Oyster Bar.

The small restaurant is an antique chic dining room, with a large crescent bar that fills the majority of the space. The tilted floor to ceiling windows on two sides of the room takes full advantage of the restaurants corner location and opens up the small room. The light from the street adds to the dimly lit room, creating a romantic setting.

It is a simple room filled with antique light fixtures, posters, and mirrors. A detailed tiled floor accents the simply appointed dining room to create a cozy feeling without the clutter or inevitable claustrophobic feeling of such a small space.

The mismatched heirloom China adds to the restaurants romantic character and charm.

The left wall is filled with a large chalkboard with the title “Today’s Oysters” displayed at the top. There is a list of about seven oysters, of the ten they usually have, available for that night.

The oysters offered each day have been harvested, mostly from the Pacific Northwest, earlier that same morning. The oysters, mussels, and clams are then delivered to the restaurant at five in the afternoon, six days a week.

The menu is simple, on the left side there are detailed descriptions of the ten oysters, any of which they may be offering any given night. On the right they offer mussels, clams, pommes frites, a few salads and soups.

They also offer some entrees including a Shrimp Poorboy sandwich, dinner sized Pan Seared Scallops, Poached Salmon, and Grilled Tenderloin.

The oysters are about as fresh as they come in the Midwest, and are served appropriately on a bed of ice with an incredible Champagne Shallot Mignonette on the side.

The restaurant has a definite New Orleans feel to it, from the Poorboy Sandwich to the light beignets, to the French champagne poster on the wall and the distinct wrought iron detailing on the windows, it is easy to believe the room is situated in the middle of the French Quarter.

The only thing missing was an espresso drink to end the meal. But like the restaurant, the coffee specialties are still growing. And although they have high hopes for having an espresso maker someday, all they have at the moment is a home coffee maker.

The service is friendly, relaxed, and knowledgeable of the different oysters and seafood served.

DeMun Oyster Bar is a great addition to the growing neighborhood, and it will add an element of nightlife somewhat missing from the area. Being the only oyster bar in Clayton, and one of the few in the St. Louis area, it has found a niche that needed to be filled.