I scoffed 48 oysters on a date and felt fine – but I did have to call in sick to work afterwards

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many will be thinking about the best way to treat their loved one to a romantic evening.

Whether it’s a candlelit dinner, a beautiful bouquet of flowers or a lovely walk along the river, there are plenty of ways to woo your partner that day.

But as I thought about what I could do with my boyfriend of six years, Kartik, my thoughts kept wandering to an October news story in which a woman in Atlanta, Georgia sensationally gulped down 48 oysters on a first date.

The influencer who bears the name EquanaB on TikTok, went viral after she filmed herself ordering four dozen oysters at Fontaine’s Oyster House and noisily downing them during dinner.

And that wasn’t all.

When she finished eating, the woman ordered crab cakes and red skin potatoes, which she said were a “ten out of ten,” and sipped on two lemon drop cocktails throughout the evening.

Her date didn’t think so, and after telling EquanaB he was going to the bathroom, he left and never returned.

EquanaB’s story came and went – sparking countless discussions about whether her date was justified in dumping, and whether she should have offered to pay the bill or not – but I couldn’t help but be entranced to stay.

Soon no one else was talking about it, but I just got more and more questions as the months went by.

How filling are oysters? Is 48 really a lot? Are they calorific? How regularly does EquanaB do this?

I was also baffled by the choice to go to an oyster bar in the first place – are they good date food, after all?

Oysters are theoretically known as the best known aphrodisiac, as they are an extremely rich source of zinc – a crucial mineral for sperm and testosterone production.

But in reality, there aren’t many studies directly linking zinc to sexual health. A study published in the U.S. Library of Medicine found that zinc supplementation increased production of testosterone, the main hormone linked to sex drive, but said there were limited effects on helping alleviate sexual dysfunction in men.

There is also limited research to suggest that adding zinc to your diet helps increase sex drive.

All this to say: I knew it was time to explore things for myself.

When I first asked Kartik how he felt about spending a romantic dinner watching me eat 48 oysters – while he had a meal of his choice – in the Hamburger & Lobster restaurant in Soho, he begged that we bring a third person ‘in case of a medical emergency’.

Since October, he gradually became more and more concerned and watched me wax poetic about “the Oyster Girl,” and now his worst nightmare was coming true. I was no longer just talking about “the Oyster Girl” – I wanted to become “an Oyster Girl.”

Ultimately, he was convinced by my extensive research – which showed that oysters not only contain very few calories, so are unlikely to be filling, but are also incredibly rich in vitamins – and a growing curiosity as to whether EquanaB’s performance was really that intimidating . as it seemed.

When we arrived at the restaurant on Dean Street, the face of our very friendly waiter quickly turned to shock when I asked for 48 oysters.

“Why don’t I get a dozen out and we’ll see how you feel?” he suggested – as Kartik desperately agreed – but I doubled down.

My game plan was to divide the clams into four sets of twelve, as a way to pace myself. I also wanted to make sure I kept it nice and slow.

The first six oysters were basically nothing. I was quite hungry, and they were fresh and absolutely delicious – so they were gone in seconds. I topped mine with a splash of Tabasco while my friend gingerly enjoyed a lobster roll.

We also ordered a bottle of white wine – a recommendation from our waiter – in an attempt to match the two cocktails EquanaB had on her date.

Soon I had the other six ready as well. I realized that putting Tabasco on every lip might not be sustainable because my lips were starting to burn, so I decided to take a break and go for lemons on the next round.

When the first dozen were done, I forgot I was doing anything unusual. Kartik and I just got into a normal conversation and enjoyed our evening.

But by then I was already firmly convinced that I couldn’t imagine doing this on a first date. Not because the oysters were somehow unpleasant or difficult, but because after Kartik finished eating within half an hour, he just had to watch me eat.

In EquanaB’s case, her date had only consumed the drinks.

About an hour later I was already halfway there, with 24 empty oyster shells piled behind me.

For a moment I wondered if EquanaB had really slurped hers loudly, as demonstrated in the video, because I felt my lips drying and decided to spoon them out.

An analogy I often made in my head is that I equated eating 48 oysters with 48 sips of soup.

But while I didn’t necessarily feel bad at the moment, I felt completely neutral, and not even bloated or that full; in fact, I kept stealing Kartik’s fries – I started to feel a bit like I was swimming in the ocean. This wasn’t how you would feel after 24 sips of soup, I decided.

But as I slipped into an oyster-induced daze, the atmosphere in the restaurant lifted as waiters and other diners now seemed curious and excited by my efforts.

Kartik – who had initially started hesitantly – became animated as he applauded me at several points after I knocked back another oyster. I wondered if EquanaB had similar reactions before her date snuck into the bathroom.

It wasn’t until 42 oysters that I really started to wonder if I could finish the whole thing. My friend and I had been talking about the Star Wars movies and whether we liked the Disney movies when – for the first time that evening – I started to feel full.

Kartik was in the middle of a rant about Kylo Ren when I had to ask him to stop talking for a moment because I was starting to feel a little nauseous.

I imagine, in a very different and incomparable context, that this is what marathon runners mean when they “hit the wall” and feel like they can no longer continue.

But after a few spelling words from Kartik, and an encouraging look and thumbs up from our waiter, I found my second wind – broke through ‘the wall’ – and slurped down the last six oysters in a rapid fire round.

I had no side effects (other than feeling a little full) after dinner. A few hours later I even got quite hungry and we ordered a pizza at home.

Plus – and I wasn’t sure if this was related – but I had the most intense, completely dreamless sleep of my life afterward.

I woke up feeling well rested. Perhaps that’s no surprise, as oysters famously contain melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep better and is even used to treat insomnia.

More than an aphrodisiac, I found these shellfish to be an excellent way to ensure a good night’s sleep.

The rest of my weekend after dinner was uneventful until the Sunday evening before work – where a bad takeaway left me feeling nauseous and experiencing cramps.

I wondered if maybe my stomach was just overworked after an experimental weekend, but the most likely answer is that the questionably greasy dish I ordered gave me a touch of food poisoning.

While I applaud EquanaB’s staying power, I still think this is a bizarre first date practice. I only had a third of her entire meal – which included two sides and cocktails – and still felt like I’d been pushed off a pier.

And while we enjoyed our time, I can’t imagine anyone would want to see me methodically eating seafood unless they had been with me for six years.

Even though I’m an oyster lover, I find it hard to see them as a great romantic meal – sometimes I had to dig around my mouth for bits of shell, or try to catch the slippery shellfish in my mouth afterwards. don’t commit enough to a slurp.

But ultimately, I’m not sure I can wholeheartedly advise against eating 48 oysters on a first date.

It was a delicious meal, a conversation starter, and to quote EquanaB himself – who has since released an album titled Oyster Tuesday – ‘you invited me… I’m going to eat!’