21 Nov Fresh Oysters, Lobsters Rolls and more at Shuck House in the Westfield Century City Food Court

Freshly shucked oysters, lobster rolls, clam chowder and a myriad of seafood options are not what one might think of when thinking of a food court in a shopping mall. Eating in the food court at a shopping mall usually conjures up images of fast food chains offering Chinese food, Mexican food and pizza. But, at the glitzy renovated Westfield Century City Shopping Center, the food court is anything but average and that is where Shuck House is shucking fresh oysters and serving other seafood delights. Shuck House is one of the food options inside the food court. It is not a stand alone restaurant. It is a space where you order at the counter and then can find a seat anywhere in the food court, both inside or outside. But, you can also sit at the bar and if you do, it feels like you are at a restaurant bar, not in a food court. The bright teal signage will remind you of the beach as you watch Chef Edgar freshly shuck oysters. Shuck House is definitely not what you expect from a food court but it is a great surprise. The vibe is casual. The seafood is fresh. And the menu offers affordable seafood options. From the Raw Bar, you can order freshly shucked East Coast oysters, West Coast oysters or Specialty oysters which are served with cocktail sauce, fresh horseradish, Champagne and shallot mignonette and prickly pear mignonette. The prickly pear mignonette was particularly good with the salty east coast oysters. If you prefer Grilled Oysters, they are served three ways – Chipotle, Rockefeller and Garlic Parmesan. The Rockefeller has a little kick to it and they were all delicious! The Raw Bar also includes Peruvian Scallops with grapefruit, ponzu, cilantro, Fresno chili and jicama and a Shrimp Cocktail. The big meaty shrimp are fresh and served with cocktail sauce, horseradish and lemon. The cocktail sauce tastes a bit like a bbq sauce with sweet and spicy notes. Shuck House offers more than a raw bar and grilled oysters. There are soups, salads, sandwiches and main plates. Do not expect to find any chicken options. It is all about seafood and fish. The Good & The Green – this section offers soups and salads The Clam Chowdah is rich and comforting with chunks of potato and clams. The Lobster Bisque is so smooth and silky. My friend said it reminded her of a cashmere sweater. Hand-Helds – this section includes all of the sandwiches, including lobster rolls, a fishwich, fried oyster sliders and fish, shrimp or lobster tacos. The hand-helds come with a choice of one side ranging from french fries, heirloom chips and jasmine rice to citrus slaw, simple salad and roasted corn. Cold-Dressed Lobster Roll has big chunks of lobster and I loved it because it was all about the lobster, and not drowned in mayonnaise as I have had elsewhere. Hot & Buttered Lobster Roll is also filled with large pieces of lobster. The butter is served on the side so that you can decide how much or how little you want on your sandwich. Shrimp Tacos are served in flour tortillas and topped with fresh jimaca, cabbage, pico de gallo and a lovely tamarind-chili sauce. There are also Main Plates which include drunken shellfish, coconut curry mussels, fish-n-chips, ceviche tostada and lobster mac-n-cheese. The menu is rather extensive with lots of options to appeal to anyone. And to enjoy with your meal, order a a glass of wine, beer or a specialty cocktail. The wine list is almost entirely California-based however there is one Bordeaux Blanc which we enjoyed with our oysters. Typically, a trip to the mall was for shopping and when you got hungry, you stopped by the food court. But, I can see myself heading to the Westfield Shopping Mall with the primary intention to eat at Shuck House. And, I may find myself there any day of the week as Shuck House offers a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm with $5 glasses of wine and $1.50 per oyster of the day. Shuck House 10250 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90067 Shuck House is open seven days a week Monday – Thursday from 11 am – 9pm Friday – Saturday from 11am – 10pm Sunday from 11am – 8pm If you can’t make it to the mall, Shuck House is available via UberEats, Grubhub and other delivery services.