Story and Photos by Ed Williams
Peter Dissin intends to end his career with the opening of his grande finale restaurant Fayette Street Oyster House & Grill in Conshohocken.
Peter Dissin is eyeing retirement—and he has every intention of going out with a bang. After helming Pinefish in Philadelphia’s Washington Square for five years, the restaurateur and chef has packed up his concept and moved it to Conshohocken, rebranding it the Fayette Street Oyster House & Grill. “COVID restrictions were pretty devastating to many smaller restaurants in Philadelphia,” says Dissin. “I discovered this space and community, and I haven’t looked back,”
Studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Dissin honed his skills at his father’s establishments and several other restaurants in the Philadelphia area. His cooking style favors complex sauces and preparations for small seafood plates and larger entrees. There is no raw bar at Fayette Street—but there are plenty of fresh oysters to be had. We sampled a small selection of varieties from both coasts—and our littleneck clams casino was warm and buttery.
Be prepared for large portions. The swordfish chop was one of the biggest we’ve seen, and the perfectly cooked tomahawk steak was a monster. Our heap of PE Mussels came in a lightly seasoned broth, which we sopped up eagerly with the accompanying bread. Other popular menu items include the jumbo crab cake, the ahi tuna, a whole branzino and a juicy Wagyu burger.
The cocktail program is partially curated by the mysterious Lê from Hop Sing Laundromat in Philadelphia. The ho-hum presentation didn’t quite measure up to the hype, but the drinks were tasty enough. As a handsome happy hour crowd flooded the place on a Thursday afternoon, we savored a vodka-based Bebe Rose (with strawberry, lime and frothy egg white) and the Best Damn Sour, a damn-good take on a whiskey sour (also with frothed with egg white). Red and white wines are well represented, and there’s a focused brew list.
Fayette Street’s interior doesn’t differ all that much from that of the previous tenant—though a few cosmetic alterations do give it a more urban feel. Teal-colored walls brighten things considerably, and whitewashed stacked stones add texture. The cushy, contemporary gold-colored chairs also evoke warmth.
We ended our meal on a high note with slices of a rich cheesecake and phenomenal blueberry pie. The latter is served almost year-round. Talk about a great way to keep summer relevant.
Blueberry pie
FAYETTE STREET OYSTER HOUSE & GRILL 128 Fayette St., Conshohocken, (215) 802-0490, fayettestoysterhouse.com
COST: $7–$65.
ATMOSPHERE: Eclectic.
HOURS: 4–9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 4–9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4–8 p.m. Sunday.
ATTIRE: Business casual.
EXTRAS: An ample happy hour menu 4–6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday with great food and drink specials.
