New York City is a coastal city, but for some reason, it’s not really known for its seafood. That has always been a mystery to me, because most other cities and states north of NYC have a great reputation for lobster, fish, oysters and all the other good stuff from the ocean. We are being drowned out by hot dogs and pizza. And maybe rightfully so, we are pretty awesome in those departments. But during this year’s Summer Restaurant Week, I devoted my time and energy to find some really good seafood in the city, because, obviously, there are some excellent restaurants here, that focus on it. You should know about them, and I’m here to let you know.
Oceana
Oceana has always been one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I used to work right around the corner in the Theater District, so I’ve dined there numerous times. They have a great Theater Menu, great Restaurant Week menu, and most importantly, some really good seafood. So I planted myself on the patio, and did some people watching, while indulging in their 3-course menu.
First up was an order of Oysters Rockefeller, a timeless classic, made with Pernod and spinach. Are there ever enough? I’m obsessed with oysters, these made my day. Next, I picked the “Market Fish”, which on that day was Hake A La Plancha with Confit Potatoes and Summer Squash. I had never had Hake before, and I honestly love it! I closed out with the dessert, a Meyer Lemon Parfait, which was absolutely perfect for the very warm day. Accompanied by Terragon Espuma and Gelato, it was exquisite.
The Otter
I made my way downtown to Soho’s Thompson Street to The Otter, a fairly new restaurant. This restaurant is so pretty, and their outside seating is spacious and plentiful. I had heard great things about this place, it was obviously a need to try situation. I can vouch that it is very delicious, and everything was very fresh.
My appetizer consisted of a Halibut Ceviche with Serrano Chili and Avocado. I’ve had plenty of ceviches, but never one with Halibut, and I have to say, I absolutely loved it. I want more. My main dish was a traditional Fish & Chips, made of Mackerel, accompanied with fresh Tartar Sauce. Huge serving, hugely delicious. For dessert I opted for a Pistachio Tiramisu, which was topped with a generous amount of Pistachios. If you’re a pistachio fan, this is the dessert for you! So good.
Oceans
Last, but definitely not least, Oceans is a sprawling, elegant restaurant downtown on Park Avenue South. We were seated right by an icy display of fresh fish and seafood, where the chefs periodically picked up these delicious items to prepare for us diners. To me, that was the best spot in the house, I loved watching this. Needless to say, everything was absolutely fresh.
Here I had another ceviche for the appetizer, served on a tostada, made with aguachile and avocado. It was so good. The main dish was a Black Cod with a sake glaze, bok choi, edamame, shiitake mushrooms and yuzu dashi. Outstanding. A Banoffee Pudding with Banana Custard and Toffee Sauce closed out my dinner, and I left a happy camper.
Leave a Reply