Sea Change

Photograph by Bruce Peterson

1. Espelette pepper.
2. Thinly sliced Spanish onion.
3. Sunflower shoots.
4. Buttery cauliflower purée.
5. Cauliflower pickled with sherry vinegar and saffron.
6. Petite Spanish cuttlefish marinated in parsley, chives, and lime zest.
7. Nut-free romesco with roasted peppers, tomatoes, and cuttlefish ink.

After seven years at the helm of the beloved North End seafood haven Neptune Oyster, chef Michael Serpa is striking out on his own this month with Select Oyster Bar, a 32-seat eatery in the heart of the Back Bay. But Serpa’s not just hopping from one classic oyster bar to another—he’s offering a very different take on the genre. Like Neptune, Select will serve up the finest bounty the Atlantic has to offer, but that’s where the ­similarities end: “There are New England oyster bars, but then there are oyster bars in Paris, and oyster bars all over,” Serpa says. In short, this is an eatery with half a dozen bivalves shucked to order, but no lobster rolls and no fried clams. Instead, you’ll find fare inspired by the coastal cuisines of Greece, France, northern Africa, and Spain—including the cuttlefish dish above.

50 Gloucester St., Boston, selectboston.com.