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.