Humble Oysters & Bubbles brings a splash of elegance to North Phoenix

At High Street in North Phoenix, the team behind Humble Bistro unveiled a pearl of a destination this fall: Humble Oysters & Bubbles. This chic seafood parlor offers an ocean-inspired escape, showcasing boutique farm-sourced oysters in various creative preparations in a modern 2,300-square-foot restaurant.

When the seafood is paired with an extensive selection of bubbles from around the world – prosecco, Champagne, rosé, crémant and Cava – it’s a celebration of the ocean served with style.

“We’re beyond thrilled to open our new seafood concept on High Street,” says Jorge Gomez, chef and partner at Humble Bistro. “We look forward to welcoming the community in – not just for great seafood but for a ‘not so’ humble experience.”

At the heart of the menu is a selection of Oyster Bites for starters, described by Gomez as “the signature oysters of the house.” The Hama Hama petite oysters, sourced from Hood Canal, Washington, are served as a flight, with prices starting at $9 for three or four during happy hour.

“We shuck it, marinate it and serve it to you in a spoon,” Gomez explains. Guests can choose from sauces like Rosé made with prosecco and shallots; Michelada with Tajin, Clamato and citrus; Cucumber with pickled cucumber; and Dumpling with sesame, soy, chili crisp and furikake.

“Everybody loves the Dumpling,” Gomez adds, “because it has a little heat and a Korean chile base sauce.”

For those looking to up the ante, the $9 Oyster & Shot section of the menu offers pairings such as the Bubbly, an oyster with house sparkling wine; the Michelada, an oyster paired with Volcan tequila, Clamato and Tajin; and Whale Watching, an oyster served with whale gin and Italicus bergamot.

Refinement continues to build with the Fancy Oysters selection, priced between $9 and $15, featuring creations like the Ceviche Oyster with tomato, cilantro and avocado salsa and the indulgent Wagyu Oyster with Wagyu strip, shrimp, caviar and chile aioli.

For the ultimate splurge, there’s the $29 Caviar Oyster Menu, pairing oysters with drinks like Veuve Clicquot YL, Belvedere vodka or Oban’s Little Bay Scotch.

Gomez, originally from Hermosillo, Mexico, has always loved the ocean.

“It’s 45 minutes to Bahia Kino. And one hour to the south, we have San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas,” he says. “My dad tried to take us to those places once a week and eat at the beaches. The oysters over there are fresh out of the ocean, and they schuck it for you.”

For diners who visit the North Phoenix seafood spot, Gomez wants to provide a similar experience.

“We have the best oysters in town, ” Gomez says confidently. “On the fresh oysters’ list, right now we have Malpeque, Haven Gold, Kumiai, Raspberry Point, Pink Moon and more – we try to have six to seven different kinds from the West Coast to the East Coast.”

Gomez’s passion for creating ocean-inspired dishes shines through the menu, which boasts an array of seafood favorites like lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams, crab, scallops and octopus.

From the Steamers section, Gomez recommends the Thai Green Curry & Mussels. It’s a bowl of East Coast mussels in a fragrant green curry sauce with coconut, roasted garlic, shallots, scallions, chile flakes and lemon, served with purple rice.

Another popular item from the Steamers is the Bouillabaise, with clams, mussels, salmon, gulf prawns, squid and octopus in a saffron tomato cream sauce topped with chile flakes, fresh parsley and lemon zest. The hearty $31 dish comes with toasted rustic bread to soak up every last drop of the chef’s version of the French classic.

“We try to have different flavors,” Gomez explains, noting inspiration from Asian, Mexican, Latin American and Indian cuisines.

Beyond the Steamers, his creative flair shines in appetizers like the Caviar Kettle Chips, topped with chile aioli, lime crema, capers, pickled red onion, tobiko and caviar. Then there’s the $12 Shrimp Sliders, inspired by his grandfather’s cooking, featuring Gulf shrimp, tomatillo avocado salsa, spicy mayo and a touch of sea salt served on Hawaiian buns.

“Ceviche, I try to do it a little bit differently,” Gomez explains. “Growing up, my grandfather and grandmother wanted to do shrimp ceviche on the chunky side, so you could see the shrimp. What I’m trying to give you here and showcase is the shrimp; we have a lot of aromatics and nice colors; it’s bright and playful. You have a tomatillo-avocado salsa, jicama, cucumber, a little lemon and the watermelon radish is my favorite.”

A fan favorite, the chef says, is the Lobster Shrimp Roll. A freshly baked croissant is packed with a meaty East Coast lobster tail, Argentine shrimp and gulf prawns that are butter-poached. It comes with a side of hollandaise sauce and for $29, it’s quite a catch.

Gomez is used to mixing things up and wowing diners and even judges, as he’s done on the Food Network multiple times. He competed in two seasons of Guy Fieri’s Guy’s Grocery Games.

“I won $16,000 in one season and the other, I finished in second place,” he says. “And I had four episodes in a show called ‘The Ultimate Summer Cookout,’ and I was also on ‘Chopped.'”

On these shows, the chef had to quickly come up with recipes and ideas that would set him apart. He’s applied that experience to creating Humble’s seafood menu.

Inside the modern seafood parlor, subway tiles, warm wood accents and a concrete bar create a welcoming yet refined vibe. Guests can watch Gomez and his team handcraft their dishes in an open kitchen, adding a personal touch to the experience.

“This is something that I wanted to come over here and create and give a little taste of the ocean,” Gomez says with a smile, “we have a really humble way of cooking that is just about the ingredients, getting the best ingredients possible.”

With its ocean-inspired menu and sparkling drink pairings, Humble Oysters & Bubbles is making waves in North Phoenix.

Humble Oysters & Bubbles

5415 E. High Street