Oysters, Baby, Oysters

As a child, oysters were icky. As an adolescent, they made me think of homosexual jokes in “Police Academy.”

But, as an adult, oysters have become what they deserve to be: respected and enjoyed.

Hama Hama and Kumamoto, raw and perfect.

One of my favorite places to eat in Manhattan is the Grand Central Oyster Bar. Located in the heart of NY’s architecturally stunning and beautiful Grand Central Station (and voted #1 oyster bar by the Village Voice), the restaurant serves up all forms of seafood and shellfish quickly and perfectly. Whether it’s a selection of raw oysters, Oysters Rockefeller, sea bass, salmon, scallops, shrimp, soft shell crab, or calamari… you will never go wrong. The prices are very fair compared to other places in the city, so the biggest problem is simply knowing where to stop. Given that I have sampled everything I’ve mentioned, I’ve probably eaten more than 2000 calories in a single sitting- and it was worth it.

In the 10 visits I’ve had there, I’ve never had a faulty dish or an error with the bill. And I’ve always had warm service from friendly waiters and counterpeople alike.

The combination of fresh oysters, excellent seafood, and efficient/friendly service makes this one of my Top 5 Manhattan destinations. It isn’t super-chic, but it’s just straight-up good.

Note: on my last visit this past June, I was told that the Gulf oil spill affected some of the oysters’ availability. BP blames aside, Grand Central Oyster Bar is always worth checking out, even if current events limit the usual selection of raw oysters.