Inside our members-only oyster social at one of the world’s best restaurants.
For one night only, members of Lesbian Culture Club gathered for a private oyster tasting at MÅURICE, Portland’s beloved neo-Nordic pâtisserie and café and one of the newest entries on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
The space—spare, sunlit, and just a little tucked away—felt built for a slow kind of evening.
We stepped through the blue door and let the rest of the world drop away.
The white tile, the soft clink of glassware, the light beginning to tilt gold—everything about the setting invited a kind of exhale. No performance. No pretense. Just members settling into something small, considered, and well-made.
Oysters led the way. Served cold and clean on trays that didn’t stay full for long. Paired with imported French butter that edged toward cheese, radishes with bite, and bread with just the right amount of crunch.
Nothing crowded the plate. Every element felt intentional.
The wine was sharp and bright, poured without fuss. The room moved like a conversation: soft laughter, heads tilted closer, that shared look when something lands just right.
No one was in a hurry, and everyone belonged.
Toward the end of the night, chef Kristen D. Murray emerged for a quick oyster tutorial.
She pointed out the oyster’s “handsome little opening,” and showed us exactly where to begin.
There was no spectacle—just quiet precision, and a willingness to share the kind of detail most kitchens keep behind the line.
We cracked shells, passed plates, and finished with a citrus dessert she’s been making since she was sixteen. It earned audible gasps. But still, the oysters held the night. Clean. Briny. Alive.
The kind of food that does all the work on its own.
This is what members-only events at Lesbian Culture Club are about. Not exclusivity, but immersion. A pace that lets you actually taste what’s in front of you. A room that doesn’t need explaining. A table full of people who make the whole thing feel easy.
What We Loved
- Private shucking tutorial with chef Kristen D. Murray
- Rich, imported French butter that redefined the genre
- The perfect oyster
- Dessert that tasted of citrus and girlhood
- Members-only space sans strangers
- A slow, intentional night hosted by Lesbian Culture Club
Want in?
Attend the next members-only event and experience it for yourself. Thoughtfully hosted, never overpacked—just the right people, the right setting, and a reason to linger. Whether it’s oysters, cocktails, or something entirely unexpected, you’ll want to be at the table.
Make Reservations at MÅURICE
Grab a table if you want to understand restraint at its most indulgent. The kind of butter that makes you pause mid-sentence. Oysters served so cold they snap. A dessert with sixteen years of muscle memory behind it. This is Portland dining at its most precise. Go hungry, and don’t ask for substitutions.
