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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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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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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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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