I am an oyster fiend. You may think that with my recent transplant to the West Coast, I'd be in oyster heaven right now, but there's a catch: I'm an Atlantic oyster fiend. Oyster experts may tell me that the smaller, creamier, more robustly flavored Pacific oyster is the true connoisseur's oyster. They'll say that Atlantic oysters taste mostly of salty brine, and have a thinner, more watery texture. Maybe they're right. But I'm an oyster fiend, not a connoisseur, and no matter how often I try a Pacific oyster (and, having worked as an oyster shucker in the past, I've tried many times), I just can't get past a flavor that, to me, tastes...off.