UWS @ Momoya Amsterdam

Recently I've really been making my way through restaurants in the upper west side and this past weekend was no exception.

Meeting up with some friends for drinks and appetizers, we decided to give Momoya a whirl.  The modern white interior could be cold but the dimly lit space casts a warm glow to make the restaurant more welcoming.  This sushi restaurant provides mostly traditional and expected options with a few nice additions to the menu.  Since it is trying to be a little more stylish than most traditional restaurants you'll find that some of the portions of non-sushi items on the menu to be on the smaller side.  The stand out item was their delicious presentation of Kumamoto oysters.  Specially prepared with fresh ginger and scallions with a dash of a ponzu-based sauce created by the chef.  The flavors mingled nicely with the oyster, supplementing the usual raw oyster taste with asian flare with just enough prominence as to not overpower the oyster.  However, the dish has only 4 oysters so for $12 a pop it isn't exactly a bargain.  The oysters are served on the


I'll definitely return for their 3-course prix fixe for only $24 which is only offered within the 90 minute window of 5:30p-7p.  I also want to try the "Lobster Special Roll" on the menu.  The lack of description made it very mysterious sounding!

Momoya Amsterdam
427 Amsterdam Avenue
b/w 80th & 81st Street
(212) 580-0007
www.themomoya.com

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UWS @ PJ Clarke's

Although not a chain, PJ Clarke's has a few locations around the city to be accessible from most neighborhoods in Manhattan.  The location off of Broadway is across the street from Lincoln Center so while it does get it's fair share of pre-theater diners, the atmosphere still remains fairly laid back and casual.  For a restaurant with a jukebox it isn't really the most affordable of places, and it has tend to receive it's fair share of bad reviews.  This location is also missing the historic charm of it's predecessor on the east side.

I prefer sitting at the bar of the restaurant because I have direct access to draft beer and the bartenders always seem to have the scoop on the oysters (not to mention it avoids the bad table service that everyone complains about).  PJ's clientele turnover insures that the oysters are always fresh.  Oyster prices aren't as expensive as Pearl or Mary's Fish Camp but are slightly more than Grand Central Oyster Bar.  PJ's keeps a handful of varieties on hand that tend to be the usual suspects, i.e., Wellfleet, Kumamoto, etc.  You can also go the cooked shellfish route with Oyster Rockefeller and Clams Casino. 

This time around I decided to try their Maine Lobster BLT sandwich for $18.70.  PJ's twist on the standard BLT sandwich adds lobster to the mix, providing a rich addition to this old classic.  Be warned, the idea of adding lobster to this sandwich is great in theory but the bacon overpowers the lobster leaving you to wonder if you're even eating lobster at all.  I found myself removing almost all of the bacon to be able to taste the lobster.  Just a bit of bacon remaining, the sandwich then became much more enjoyable for a lobster lover like myself - adding a bit of saltiness cut through the richness of the lobster meat quite nicely.  The drawback wasn't so bad as I then had bacon on the side to eat and let's be honest, who doesn't love to eat smoked thick cut bacon?  If you order this I recommend asking for the bacon on the side so you can easily add it to the sandwich to your taste.

At some point I'll need to return to try the Crab Cake and Crispy Ipswitch Clams sandwiches.  As a side note, I've had a few non-fish related dishes at this locale and the quality was really lacking.  In other words, don't come here unless you want fish.  Unless you're eating the sliders as those are tasty as well.

PJ Clarke's Lincoln Square
44 West 63rd Street
New York, NY 10023
(212) 957-9700
www.pjclarkes.com

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Chelsea @ The Lobster Place

I came to know the Lobster Place quite well over the last three years as I worked only two blocks away from Chelsea Market.  Since it was the two blocks towards the Hudson - and not two blocks toward the rest of humanity near 9th Avenue - my ability to quickly run out to grab a bite was extremely curtailed, and quite frequently limited to Chelsea Market.  The Lobster Place is hard to miss - its expansion in the last year has provided a massive amount of windows facing inwardly to the market walkway. As of now, it is the only place to buy fresh fish as well as sushi within Chelsea Market (or ChelMar as a coworker affectionately called it) but that could of course change at any time since new spaces are constantly opening up within the market.  To the left is countless types of fish and shellfish all on ice and awaiting your culinary inspirations, to the right is the expanded sushi counter and in the back a short order window if you're in the mood for made-to-order rolls.  Outside the store there are bar stools and a bar that is attached to the shop windows provided a place for you to sit and quickly eat your purchased meal.

I love Lobster Place for its no nonsense sushi options (and it's standoff no nonsense sushi chefs) and it's rolls don't disappoint either.  I've had a decent amount of shrimp rolls in my time but their shrimp roll is quite different.  The shrimp itself is tossed with fresh tarragon, capers, cornichons, parsley, chives and mixed with mayo to provide a fresh and savory treat.  While it sounds waaaay too ingredient heavy (simplicity is usually the key with rolls, right?) it actually is a delectable assortment of flavors with plenty of meat to insure you're not left wanting.  Using the same shrimp they sell within the grocery section of the store insures that they have the freshest meat available to incorporate into the rolls (they sell close to 1 million pounds of lobster alone each year).  Served on a buttered and grill roll for $7.95 (including chips and slaw), it's an easy on the wallet mid-day indulgence.

The Lobster Place
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
(212) 255-5672
www.lobsterplace.com

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UWS @ Cafe Frida Amsterdam

I have been wanting to go to Cafe Frida for ages, so when they opened a new outpost just blocks from my apartment I was excited to check it out.  I'll preface this post by saying that I tend to be a Mexican food snob.  Being originally from southern California I've had a tough time finding what I consider to be great traditional Mexican food in New York.  I've had a few dishes here and there at different restaurants but delivery is usually inconsistent and variety is always lacking on the menu.  It remains to be seen if Cafe Frida will face the same issues so this first review - though positive - I will write with a grain of salt.

The restaurant itself is in the old La Rural space, an Argentinian restaurant that didn't survive long on Amsterdam.  Long and narrow, there is a medium sized bar at the front with a room patio in the back.  The grill behind the bar is is in full view of the restaurant, snapping and sizzling with all the delicious meats and veggies for each new order.  I don't know about you, but an open grill (and for that matter, an open kitchen) always comforts me since everything is in full sight and eliminates the worry that an unhappy staffer might be doing something ugly to your food before it hits your table.  Paranoid yes, but true as well.  Digression - a friend of mine in college worked at an independently owned pizza place where he openly told me they make certain evil customers suffer (the ones that never tip for a delivery, even when they order pizza every Friday night for their family).  They do this by, um, ahem, taking a pizza into the bathroom and making sweet love to it before it goes in the oven.  Blech!  And this was a normal, stand up guy who was always in a good mood so I guess everyone reaches a breaking point.  So if HE and HIS STAFF were doing it well then, let's just say open kitchens are a very good thing.

But I digress.

My BF and I split an order of shrimp machaca flautas and fried fish tacos (fried is the ONLY way it's authentic, as they never serve grilled in Mexico) and decided to start with sharing corn and fresh guacamole.  We initially stuck with the standard margarita (rocks with salt) which we had though were available for the happy hour.  Alas, happy hour prices at the bar only and not the tables so it would be $10 per margarita - at a small restaurant like this!  I dispise when restaurants do this but we decided to deal.  Then the margaritas were delivered - and just about knocked us to the floor.  Holy mole batman!  I don't think I've ever had a stronger margarita in my life.  The heavy handedness provides the economic advantage of getting the most bang for your $11 bucks but the taste absolutely suffers since you can barely taste the rest of the ingredients.

The guacamole was certainly fresh but not as spicy as I had liked, even though I ordered it hot.  In all fairness, traditional guac isn't really supposed to be that spicy - it only has a little bit of heat.  The corn was delicious although they were a little heavy handed on the contijo.  However, once I saw the main courses making their way to our table I was very excited.  A++ on the fish tacos - they're everything I remember from roadside stands in Mexico and were even served with a side of spicy-creamy avocado cilantro sauce.  Freshly fried fish, a few sliced radishes, fresh cilantro and a side of lime wedges served up on corn tortillas to provide three perfect little tacos.  This size was the larger portion option on the menu but at a whopping $17.50 it was ridiculous not to have come with a single side.  Boo, Cafe Frida! 

Onto the shrimp flautas - three on a plate drizzled with a little creme to be exact.  While they were crispy without being burnt they ended up looking more like taquitos than actual flautas.  They were tasty but again, they tasted like taquitos.  Although, that didn't really matter much to my starving BF as he inhaled the first flauta before I could even take a picture of the place.  The flautas were the more affordable entree at $10 and came served with black beans and rice in a small bucket (yes, you read that right).  Not as impressive tasting as the fish tacos, the flautas were a much more cost effective option.

The bar happy hour(5-7p M-F) has $7 margaritas and we learned it has $1 tacos as well so we'll definitely be back.  I'm really hoping that the rest of the menu is as delicious as those shrimp tacos. 

Cafe Frida Amsterdam
768 Amsterdam Avenue
New York NY 10025
(212) 749-2929
www.cafefrida.com

Apparently many sites haven't yet recognized the new Cafe Frida location so here are the links to the other locale on Columbus:
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Midtown @ Grand Central Oyster Bar - Take 2

On Wednesday I got a call from my BF at 10:30a.  He - having just finished a round of golf in Westchester - wanted to meet for an oyster lunch when his train arrived at Grand Central.  Me - having only woken up about 30 seconds prior to receiving the call - was happy to join him at the Oyster Bar at Grand Central but was a little peeved to think that I could be covering some place new for a post instead of revisiting a familiar locale.  Oh well.

I decided to skip oysters so I could branch out and try something else on the menu.  Once I saw lobster gazpacho on the menu I knew I had to have it, a perfectly cool relief from the warm weather outside.  But then, sitting in front of a huge menu of oysters I realized I was kidding myself if I didn't have at least one oyster off my BF's plate...But since oysters are like Pringles, I went ahead and ordered half a dozen of my own because just one wasn't gonna cut it.  Normally I mix up my orders with something from the east coast as well as the west.  This time, I picked two west coast options both of which were from Washington - Dabob and Olympic Miyagi.

Back to the food.  First, the gazpacho.  Served in a large soup bowl it had about 2 ounces of lobster meat but, since the menu price was $7.95, I expected as much.  The soup was sufficiently spicy but other than tasting like spicy tomato soup it really didn't have much flavor and was undersalted.  No depth.  I definitely think they could do much more to make this dish really pop.  How about so fresh diced cilantro and a squirt of lemon juice on top just before it's served?  Maybe add carmelized onions to contrast with the heat of the broth?  Just some thoughts.

Next up, my oysters (and a taste of my BF's oysters).  I tasted my BF's oysters much to his dismay - all in the interest of this blog, of course - one each of his selection of Mystic River and Blue Diamond (from Rhode Island).  Both were more creamy tasting than usual for east coast oysters but they still had a touch of the taste of the sea.  Both of the Washington varieties I had ordered were actually very very salty tasting, much more so than any other oyster I've tasted from the west coast.  When I say that the Miyagis embody the literal taste and smell of the Pacific, I'm not kidding.  The first one I swallowed triggered a flood of flashbacks for me, remembering growing up swimming in the Pacific Ocean.  I used to swim out past the surfers to avoid getting swept up in the swells, and I could almost see surfers when I swallowed the next oyster.  When I tried the Dabob's they were similar in taste (either that or my palate isn't sophisticated enough to tell the minute differences).

I have to say that for the first time in eating oysters I actually liked the east coast selection served to our table much more so than the west coast.  I tend to gravitate towards the more creamy tasting options of the west coast than the more salty tasting east coast varieties so I guess this is exactly why - despite the lovely childhood swimming memories - I think I preferred the Mystic River and Blue Diamond varieties this time around.

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Grand Central Terminal
89 East 42nd Street
(212) 490-6650

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An Oyster Field Guide

I was checking out shellfish books on Amazon and came across Rowan Jacobsen's "A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in America" and groaned.  A field guide for oysters?  Are you kidding me?  I'm done.  The only thing standing between me and an oyster bender is a quick trip to The Strand to pick it up tonight.  Now the OCD in me will force me to go through the entire book with pen in hand, checking off each variety I have experienced and then relentlessly seek out all other varieties.  I know there are over 200 kinds in North America but I've never seen a list.  Now, I have a comprehensive list.  Just in time for my trip down to South Carolina so I can sample some regional favorites there.

I never really understood people like ornithologists who hike around with a field guide in one hand and binoculars in the other.  But now I kind of get it be cause I'll be wandering around the city with an oyster field guide in one hand and a cocktail fork in the other.

Ugh, I'm totally going to nerd-out over this for sure.

East Village @ Luke's Lobster

So, on the heels of my previous post about the issues in the Gulf I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that you get your shellfish roll fix at Luke's Lobster in the East Village.  Luke's gets it's supplies directly from Luke's father in Maine which means that the already unbelievably cheap price of the rolls will be insulated from any inflation.  When I say cheap I really mean it - you get 4 ounces of luscious lobster in a roll for only $14.  No, that's not a typo.

Now, with that said, you should just be going to Lukes already. No matter about the Gulf.  I'm a big believer in supporting small business - especially since 1/2 of all restaurants in NYC close within their first year of opening - and this place could only be smaller if it was running out of a food truck.  Part of it's charm is the size, creating a casual atmosphere with some stools and a few narrow bars where you can nosh on your food before you head out to your next stop.  It's quite euro in that respect, actually.

Being overly excited about the affordability of the offering, my boyfriend and I went a little overboard on the order.  Since all the rolls come in either 2 ounce or 4 ounce sizes, it was just too tempting not to get more than one.  We both had to get the 4 oz lobster roll and then he also ordered a 4 ounce crab roll while I got the somewhat smaller 2 ounce shrimp roll.  For only $2 more, you can make any 4 ounce roll a "Schooner" which means you get a soda, chips and a pickle.  So of course we had to do that too (cause who wants to be thirsty?).  To top it off, we shared a clam chowder.  Like I said, we went a bit overboard.

The rolls were delicious, bursting with meat and not filler.  The rolls were served with the bread warm and the meat drenched in melted butter - nom nom nom nom....We both gave it a thumbs up.  The only thing that could've improved the offering is to serve the meat warm as well.  While I do enjoy a wee bit of mayo in my roll, I was glad to give it up for the much more substantial serving of meat.

The clam chowder was equally packed with meat and positively tasty.  Luke's abandons the traditionally thick cream broth (sometimes a mask for how few clams are actually in the soup) for something lightly creamy and not overly rich.  The soup - just like his rolls - is packed with meat, just take a look at one of the spoonfulls in the adjacent picture.  

93 E 7th Street
between 1st Ave & Ave A
New York, NY 10009
212-387-8487
www.lukeslobster.com





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UWS @ Gus & Gabriel Gastropub

So after a few non-restaurant reviews, it's time to get back to reviews.  First up, Gus & Gabriel Gastropub.

What drew me to Gus & Gabriel is purely the fact that it is a place that opened up last summer not too far from my apartment and I never had the opportunity to get over there. G&G is located in the old location of the Greek restaurant Kefi, just off of Broadway essentially in the basement of a building.  It has a small room in the front where there are tables adjacent to a small bar with a few flat screens, down a hallway to the back - and past a life size full coat of armor - is a larger room with more tables and TVs.

I hadn't heard anything about the food quality so I walked in with an open mind and excited about trying an oyster po'boy their website shows on their menu, yum!  Alas, when I arrived for lunch today I discovered that the po'boy had just been taken off the menu this week leaving me with just one shellfish menu option to try - Mussels Verde.  With all the mussels I've been eating recently I was extremely disappointed but order the dish as a necessary evil since I was already at the restaurant.  It was listed as an appetizer which I shared with my DBF before we receive our entrees.  All I have to say is WOW - I was completely caught off guard by how deliciously creative this dish is.  These mussels are prepared with a fantastic broth filled with fresh cilantro, salsa verde (duh, the name), garlic, pico de gallo, chunks of tender beef and roasted as well as fresh onions.  The dish was lightly spicy but extremely fresh tasting.  The sauce was thicker because of all the ingredients and left me wanting for some bread to sop it all up.  My memory escapes me but I believe the price of the dish was $8.95 (I'll make sure to confirm that), what ever the price was exactly I remember that it seemed like a great deal for this appetizer.
While the mussels were absolutely fantastic, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the delicious cheddar and pork tater tots served with BBQ and jalapeno fondue dipping sauces.  Just enough crunch on the outside and creamy on the inside and goes perfectly with a beer.  The tots are served with parsley that has been lightly fried so it's a little crunchy, a nice touch.

222 West 79th Street
between Broadway & Amsterdam
New York, NY
212-362-7470
http://www.gusandgabriel.com





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An New Twist on Mignonette

For anyone taking up my suggestions to shop at Fairway and enjoy some shellfish at home, I wanted to pass along an interesting recipe for mignonette from the blog ChezWhat?.  It would guarantee fluidity to a meal with an oyster starter to an asian-inspired entree.  And - on that note - if you're looking for a great asian-inspired fish (as in gills, not shell) entree then check out the recipe I have on a great Asian Salmon dish.

Rethinking Old Dishes

Molecular gastronomy has been become more prevalent in the last few years as chef’s like Jose Andres open restaurants that change the way we eat and think of food – including shellfish.  Check out this 60 Minutes segment on chef Jose Andres where he deconstructs clam chowder for Anderson Cooper.  Watching this interview I was struck by the passion Andres has for food and his zest for life – the camera picks up his energy well so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him becoming part of a reality food show soon.  I hope he opens an outpost in NYC soon (currently he has 8 locations across DC, LA and soon Vegas) because I can’t wait to taste how he will reinvent the way shellfish is prepared and served.

Watch the full Jose Andres segment in it’s entirety or fast forward to 4:50 for a background on molecular gastronomy and the chowder (you’ll still have to go through a commercial or two).

From Oil Spill to Our Tables

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is rife with tragedy - the least of which was all the souls lost in the accident.  Additionally, the oil leak produces a continued assault on the environs and the animals within that we will now see hit us in New York on our plates and wallets.  As weather continues to be an obstacle for cleaning up the BP oil spill in the gulf region, about 80% of the protective barriers that have been installed to contain the spill have been damaged.  With about 5k barrels of oil still leaking every day, fishing in parts of the gulf has shutdown fishing for at least 10 days.  Outside of Alaska and Hawaii, the gulf region accounts for 25% of all the pounds of fish in the US.

So what does this mean for my fellow NYC shellfish lovers?  Well, with Mother’s Day right around the corner – one of the biggest dining days of the year – the supplies will likely be more strained and we’ll start to see prices rise, or even the removal of certain seafood dishes from restaurant menus.  Thus, your shellfish dining experience might begin to change rapidly if we approach a food shortage.  Thanks British Petroleum!

While not all seafood obtained from the gulf will be affected – many parts of the region still can safely harvest shrimp, for instance – panic may also drive up prices to contribute to an overall inflation of the seafood market.  BP has also just reported that they were able to cap one of the three leaks but, unfortunately, this does not lessen the amount of oil flowing into the sea.  However, at least it is a step in the right direction.  The question that no one is how quickly can they cap the other two leaks and how quickly can crews clean up the already released oil?  Right now it’s not a question anyone is able to answer.

So what I suggest is for you to get your shellfish fix NOW while the current product is still in the distribution system.  Fishing shut down only a few days ago so there is a short window before we begin seeing the effects. My recommendations to minimize the impact on your wallet in the near future:

• Check the restaurant’s website and then call ahead.  Find out how (or if) the restaurant is experiencing availability or pricing changes caused by the oil spill.  The price of your favorite dish – or even it’s availability – might make you change your dining destination.
• You’ll need to tap into the extreme ends of the spectrum – small establishments or the mega restaurant chains.  Smaller establishments (talking about the 1 or 2 location kind here) are more likely to have local northeast seafood suppliers and the big chains like Red Lobster (gasp!) obtain their supplies from a variety of sources across the world so effects should be minimized.  The challenge most likely will lie with patronizing the mid-sized establishments such as Legal Seafood or even slightly smaller restaurant groups like Daniel Boulud’s that have 5 or so locations as these restaurants will most likely be obtaining a significant amount of fish from the gulf.  As with the point above, always ask as you might be surprised to hear that they don’t use the supplies down south at all and you could be in the clear.

If you’d like to read more, here is an interesting article from the New York Times.  I anticipate that more media outlets will be addressing this issue and all it's implications (including the impact on the people whose livelihood's depend on capturing and distributing fish from this region).

Times Square @ BXL Cafe

I'll just say upfront that I'm a big fan of BXL aside from their shellfish special.  I love Belgian beer and being a Belgian bar this obviously is already scoring well in my book.  While BXL is located about 100 feet from the noise and crowds of Times Square, it is actually a dark and cozy non-touristy bar the likes of which you might find in the West Village.

The reason why BXL gets profiled here is because they have a fantastic Tuesday night special of all-you-can-eat moules frites.  You have the choice of six different preparations to order but with each round of mussels you can choose a new flavor - enabling you to mix it up.  Each round of mussels is two pounds so unless you haven't eaten for days it is probably unlikely you'd order more than one round.  Not to be missed is the Belgian "mayo" that is served on request for the frites.  For anyone whose been to Europe you know that the white sauce favorite served in lieu of ketchup isn't technically mayo - it's actually much more tangy and tasty.  The sauce paired with their perfectly cooked fries is extremely delish and more than necessary for one serving.

And the best part - it's only $14.95!

BXL Cafe
125 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036-6505
(212) 768-0200

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Reader Requested: Where to Buy Fresh Shellfish

Crispu wrote to me asking for a recommendation for purchasing affordable shellfish for cooking at home.  Great topic to touch on, thanks Crispu!

I'm trying to narrow down the best places in Chinatown that have both affordable and fresh shellfish so stay tuned on that front.  However, if you happen to be uptown then I highly recommend Fairway - specifically the location in Harlem (not the one in the UWS).  The Harlem Fairway has an entire room that is a "cold room" where they keep all their meats, dairy and most importantly fish.  Within the cold room is an entire counter devoted to fresh fish including live lobster, a variety of mussels, oysters, clams, shrimp and prawns.  It's a shellfish lover's paradise!  Not only is their selection great but it is priced affordably for Manhattan.  They frequently have specials on shellfish (as well as other fish) so you can sometimes pick up quite a steal.

Fairway Market
2328 12TH Avenue
New York NY 10027
212.234.3883
8AM-11PM

Greenwich Village @ Pearl Oyster Bar

The funny thing about lobster rolls is that they are so simple in concept but so rarely executed well.  Whether it being too much mayo, too little lobster meat, or slightly stale bread you always expect greatness and end up being disappointed.  Well, never at Pearl. 

Pearl is a must for any lobster roll enthusiast.  You're never longing for meat, and there's never too much mayo.  And, they serve the roll Boston style so its slightly warm with butter which ads a nice touch to the overall experience.  You'll never have to worry about freshness either - since they're known for great rolls they produce a high volume that keeps the supply fresh.

Additionally, the shoe string fries add a salty element that cuts through the creaminess of the mouth of the sandwich.  Quite a nice accompaniment.  The cost of the roll is high at $27 but they deliver in full and never leave you wanting with my one exception [here comes a complaint]: I'd like the meat warmed.  I think the warm bun with the lobster meat slightly warmed would make this role pure perfection.

On the raw bar oyster front there isn't much of a selection - two varieties at most which is ironic considering the establishment's name.  There is also a fried oyster sandwich which is to die for.

The biggest problem with Pearl is the demand - there are never a shortage of patrons at dinner time and there's no reservations.  If you go, I HIGHLY recommend lunch.  Still no reservations available but you can walk right in and pony up to the marble bar if you arrive at 12:30p.


18 Cornelia Street

between Bleecker & W 4th St.

(212) 691-8211

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Midtown East @ Grand Central Oyster Bar

An oldie but goodie, this establishment has been located in Grand Central for 97 years.  I recommend heading to the back of the establishment through the saloon doors, it screams typical old New York with a super long bar to saddle up at, every inch of the room is decked out in old wood with even older bartenders there to serve you.

The number one attraction for me to the Oyster Bar is the variety - anywhere from 20 to 40 different types of oysters available for the tasting every day.  This picture is just their average daily offering, with types ranging from common to the NYC area, like Bluepoints from Long Island, to more rare types such as Yaquina from Oregon.  The restaurant has been using the same tried and true oyster farm suppliers for over 60 years - some of them since the shop originally opened.  The Oyster Bar also goes through over 5,000 pounds of oysters per week so you can bet whatever you order is the freshest selection in all of NYC.

For my most recent trip, I opted to order my favorite variety (Kumamoto from Cali) plus three new varieties - Bras D'Or (Nova Scotia), Shigoku (Washington), and Ninigret (Rhode Island).  The Shigoku is only available at the Oyster Bar for the next two weeks and I highly recommend it.  It was clean with a light creamy taste and was more on the petit size, which is what I personally prefer.  Both the Bras D'Or (pronounced bra door) and the Ninigret tasted much more like salt water, since it was from the east coast is to be expected.  Cocktail sauce is on the spicy side (which I love) and they serve you a whole jar of horseradish on the side, if you're so inclined to make it even spicier.  They also load you up with oyster crackers.

This place gets pretty busy immediately after work as commuters cruise in to kill a little time before they hop on Metro North to head home.  I recommend going on a weekend or after 8p on a weekday to avoid any crowds and get a seat at the bar.  I'm a fan of sitting at a restaurant's bar since it gives you the ability to settle in without any pressure from a waiter to leave.  And, if you plan on having a few rounds of oysters then you want to take time to really enjoy them.  Besides, then the bartenders will take care of refilling your drinks without any delay which scores extra points in my book.

They also have a decent new england clam chowder that I find to be a great primer before settling into having oysters.

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Grand Central Terminal
89 East 42nd Street
(212) 490-6650

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UWS @ Cafe du Soleil

Moules Frites for $19.95, mmmmm....You can also order them as an app for only $12.95 but who wants to limit themselves like that?  You can actually get 50% off your meal on Fridays and Saturdays after 9p if you friend them on Facebook so you could potentially get a moules frites entree for only $10!

The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and the restaurant has plenty of seating for a neighborhood cafe.  When the weather is warm they extend seating to the sidewalk so you can get a bit of fresh air while you dine.

But let's get back to talking about the mussels.  The mussels are from Newfoundland and two preparation options helps keep the choices simple:  Moules Marinieres (white wine and shallots) and Moules Provencales (Fresh tomato sauce, garlic and basil).  Sadly, they've retired the Thai curry version of the dish.  Apparently it wasn't as popular as the other two but I have to say it was absolutely delicious (R.I.P.).

They seem to go through quite a bit of mussels each week which helps keep their produce fresh.  I've never had a problem with their mussels - they always seem to take them out early enough so that they aren't overcooked and rubbery.  And, their frites are garlic frites - with chunks of roasted garlic  - yummy!  Some of the frites tend to be a little on the soggy side but I somehow still find them tastey.

This place has different nightly specials throughout the week (like $12.95 steak night on Mondays) so you might be faced with a bit of a wait if you decide to go for dinner.  It's a cute but not overly romantic spot for a date where you could have some wine at the bar while sharing the moules frites.

Cafe du Soleil 

2723 Broadway @ 104th Street
New York, NY

(212) 316-5000

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West Village @ Fish

I've been going to Fish for years now.  What I love about Fish is that for a restaurant with a respectable raw bar offering there is zero pretense.  It's a small hole in the wall on Bleecker next to John's Pizza that would be easy to miss if you didn't notice the colorful window next to the bar.  Fish is super casual and it tends to fill up quickly by 7pm on a weekday so I'd recommend getting their early since there is pretty limited seating.

The waitstaff is very nice but not very knowledgeable about the goods.  But they make up for it with a great casual eating atmosphere.  Fish is the kind of place where you can go in for a drink and a few clams at the bar and end up staying waaaaaay longer than you intended. 

What drew me last week to Fish was an aching for crabs - I'd been to Maryland last weekend and didn't get the chance to have any so I needed a fix, badly.  Fish has an all-you-can-eat Maryland Blue Crabs special everyday from 12p-4p for only $22.  I'd never had crabs at Fish - I've had pretty much every shellfish related thing BUT that - so I was intrigued.  Being that both my BF and I are unemployed right now (thanks economy!) it also seemed like a great way to kill some time on a weekday.  

Our waitress covered our table in newspaper, handed us bibs, crackers (I was a little disappointed that we weren't getting mallets), and a bucket.  The crabs came out on trays and were dumped on our newspaper-covered table.  However, it was about 50 minutes from ordering to the crabs arriving on our table which seemed insanely long since the restaurant was less than half full.  

The crabs were prepared by steaming them in beer and completely covering them in Old Bay seasoning - delicious.  Right now the blue crabs are early in the season so they're pretty small - making it a real challenge to get meat from the crab.  I'd recommend waiting until mid-May before partaking in this deal if you want to get a little more meat for your cracking efforts.

Not to be forgotten are some of their other great specials.  One of my favorites is the cleverly named "Red, White & Blue" which includes your choice of either 6 Blue Point oysters or 6 Littleneck clams plus your choice of a glass of red or white wine or a pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon -  all for only $8.

They also have $1 oyster nights and a Lobster Feast (1 1/4 lb lobster, steamers, corn and yummy fries) that I highly recommend for only $18.


Fish
280 Bleecker Street 
between 7th Avenue South & Morton St.
(212) 727-2879

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Calling All New York City Shellfish Fans

Have you ever had that craving for oysters or a yearning crab legs and had no idea of a place in your NYC neighborhood to get them? Or maybe you felt like indulging in a plate of moules frites but are trying to stick to a budget in the tight economy. Well, I've been there and it is positively irritating. You end up always checking sites like Yelp or Citysearch and end up with the same suggestions over and over again. And sigh, complaining that there isn't a centralized site dedicate to the luscious taste of shellfish.

It's bullocks.

Let's change that. This blog will try to assemble information on who is serving shellfish where as well as let you know when to mark your calendars for deals or specials. I'll be indescriminant on locale - restaurants and bars across the five bouroughs that have any types of shellfish are fair game. From lobsters and shrimp to clams and mussels.

I'll cover the quality of the shellfish selection - variety, freshness and cleanliness (after all, shucking is somewhat of an art). And, not to be missed, I'll also include details on the establishment such as ambiance, location, hours, prices and specials as well as employee knowledge (is someone just reading a chalkboard to you or do they know key details about the selection?).

Got any favorites, a neighborhood gem? Or horrible villainous place that should be exposed for the awful locale it is? Share it with me and I'll cover it.

Just looking at this photo I took at Hog's Island in San Francisco's Ferry Building is making me crazy thinking about my next oyster. I can't wait for my fix tomorrow.