I was recently perched at Lelabar for a friend's birthday (great place, by the way, with a fun selection of chocolates and cheese) when I spied their raw bar, brimming with ice and oysters. I steepled my fingertips in anticipation...
...and then remembered it was June.
Cartoons aren't the best place to pick up a basic understanding of physics, but they're not bad for occasional gustatory guidelines. (Those in a hurry, skip to 2:05.)
I don't subscribe to all oldsy-timesy rules about food, and many have argued that the "R-in-the-month" rule is a bogus holdover from European oyster eaters.
Unfortunately, through rigorous trial, error, and expense on my part, the old "R" rule has been proven true enough--a May/June/July/August oyster won't kill you, but they just plain taste better when the water is cold.
Which SUCKS, since cold seafood seems more appropo in the summer, and it's not like those suboptimal oysters get cheaper when it's warm out.
Why, you ask? Well, summertime is lovin' time for oysters, and the energy that would generally go into building fat reserves goes into spawning instead. So what you're left with is a skinnier, waterier oyster that's basically in heat. Yum.
And if it's Gulf Oysters you're eating, it's recommended that you cook them from April to October, tacking an extra 3 months to the "R" rule.
Bivalve devotees need not fret--raw June oysters may leave a gal wanting, but they're perfectly suited to Oyster Stew.
Check out this particularly bacon-studded specimen at Seymour Burton:
Since this one's got potatoes and the aforementioned swine in it, it's technically an Oyster Chowder. But it was very old-school oyster-stewish in spirit; not thickened at all, with cream-based broth more warm than hot, so's not to assault the gently-cooked oysters.
Grand Central Oyster Bar makes a bangin' Oyster Stew (right in front of you, if you're sitting at the north-facing counter) with little more than oysters, oyster liquor, cream, celery salt, Worcestershire and paprika.
It's pretty much like lapping up a bowl of hot milk with oysters floating in it. Which to me, is perfect.
Plus, GCOB always stocks big cups of grated horseradish at the counters, to add a welcome zing to your stew or New England Clam Chowder (formerly known as Giants Chowder).
If digging into seafood-laced dairy's not your thing, Seymour Burton also offers a Fried Oyster & Bacon Sandwich (on grilled brioche with fries, arugula & aioli), and GCOB is overflowing with cooked oyster options (Rockefeller, 'po boys, pan roasts, deep-fried-whole).
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Lelabar
422 Hudson St (at Leroy St)
West Village
NYC, NY 10014
Ph: 212-206-0594
Seymour Burton
511 E 5th St (Btwn Ave A & Ave B)
East Village
NYC, NY 10009
Ph: 212-260-1333
Grand Central Oyster Bar
Grand Central Terminal
89 E 42nd St (at Park Ave)
Midtown East
NYC, NY 10017
Ph: 212-490-6650
F: 212-949-5210
One word of advice regarding GCOB (said out of love and affection for the place): Never eat in the main dining room. Opt for the more laid-back saloon, or the copious counters. They've got the same grub as the dining room, and the less elevated environs make it easier not to take the harried, hardscabble service so personally.
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