New York’s Most Succulent Summer Seafood – 2014
What’s better than ditching your puffy jackets and snow hats and eating ice cream in shorts and flip flops? Lobster Rolls, piles of Crabs dusted with Old Bay, icy raw Oysters, and Fried Clams, that’s what. While New York City may not have an ocean view, you can still joyfully overdose on shellfish this summer, with seafaring dishes from some of the country’s best chefs, such as David Pasternack’s Scallop Crudo at Chelsea newcomer, Barchetta, a Lobster Bake at Extra Fancy, The Clam Belly Rolls at The Clam and more!
Barchetta
Shellfish guru Dave Pasternack recently opened this handsome, Chelsea follow-up to his (alongside Mario Batali) Hell’s Kitchen fixture, Esca, which lovingly showcases Italian seafood. Choose from eleven Crudos, such as Fluke with finger limes, Opah Moonfish with Sicilian Olive Oil and Razor Clams with Melon, as well as four Primi, including Fusilli studded with Surf Clams, and hearty, rustic Contorni, like a smoky, Whole Grilled Local Porgy for two, flavored with capers and rosemary.
Read MoreNavy
As the nautical name would suggest, this sultry, little Soho spot, sporting vintage, WWII-era design flourishes (dig those linen & canvas walls), specializes in all things seafood. “Top Chef” contestant Camille Becerra is helming the kitchen at this buzzing new eatery, peddling dishes the likes of Mussel Toast, smeared with caper aioli on housemade cornmeal bread, as well as Sepia seared on a Plancha, Poached Monkfish Cheeks with roe and seaweed crema, and an eye-catching Whole Trout en Croute, drizzled with an herbaceous sorrel sauce.
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Longtime Joey Campanaro partner, Mike Price, takes the lead in this shellfish-adulating venture, which he’s quick to insist is anything but a clam shack. That means you’ll find white linen-topped tablecloths instead of rough-hewn wooden benches, a well-curated wine list, and a menu that generally avoids anything greasy and fried (the Belly Clam and Lobster Roll is a delectable exception) in favor of Chilled King Crab Legs with creamy mustard, Raw Clams on the half shell, Spaghetti and Clams topped with a sprightly salad, and a juicy, Whole Spring Flounder, strewn with fiddlehead ferns, shitake mushrooms and favas.The Clam
Red Hook Lobster Pound
The last word in Lobster Rolls in Brooklyn, this food truck favorite recently opened their first Manhattan brick-and-mortar shop. Located on Extra Place in the Bowery, the counter service spot sells their signature rolls, overflowing with real Maine lobster meat, as well as a Lobster BLT, Lobster Mac n’ Cheese, a Lobster Caprese Salad, and the perfectly portable Lobster Elote — chunks of succulent lobster and fresh-off-the-cob corn kernels served in a cup.
Read MoreRandazzo’s
A true Brooklyn institution, Randazzo’s has been serving fresh-off-the-boat seafood in Sheepshead Bay since 1916. Clams are an obvious order, either raw, steamed, sautéed, stuffed or fried, floating in chowder or ladled on top of pasta (make sure you ask for an extra side of their famous red sauce). But the second they’re in season, we make a beeline for the expertly fried Soft Shell Crab Sandwich, augmented with little more than a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of tartar sauce, and accompanied by a pile of fat zucchini fries.
Read MoreExtra Fancy
This spacious Williamsburg bar and a restaurant is a favorite of industry folk (Daniel Boulud held his 59th birthday blowout there), so you can bet their seafood-centric menu is top chef-approved. In fact, it reads like a shellfish fanatic’s fever dream, including Cornbread with Uni Butter, Ipswich Clam Sliders, an extensive Raw Bar (think caviar, bottarga, and king crab-topped Oysters), as well as traditional Clam and Lobster Bakes, and a good old-fashioned Fish Fry.
Read MoreBeing that they’re little more than a tiny, exposed shack in walking distance to the seashore, this Queens staple took a major hit during Hurricane Sandy. But they’re back again for beach season, and while there are way better views at their outpost on the boardwalk, you’ll still want to join the cue at the original location for their much-loved Fish Tacos — beer-battered tilapia crowned with cabbage slaw, spicy crema, crunchy radishes and cilantro grown in-house — a rite of passage for seafood lovers. Rockaway Taco
Glady’s
This Brooklyn restaurant recently did a total 180, transforming from a sandwich and small plates spot to a Caribbean-inspired jerk shack. And we’re totally feeling the change now that it’s summer; a menu of Peppered Shrimp, Jerk Lobster and Escovitch Fish, accompanied by refreshing rum drinks, like the “Dark n’ Slushie,” “Kingston Cup” and “Gold Daiquiri,” effectively transports us out of urban Crown Heights and straight to sunny Jamaica.
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