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GO FISH: 9 NYC SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS by David Kaufman
Oysters at Mary's Fish Camp (left) and Fishtail by David Burke. Love seafood? If you've been dining in New York lately, you've been in luck—the City seems to have gone mad for the stuff. That only makes sense, considering how New York is surrounded by water; the five boroughs are a natural for fish and shellfish eateries. Indeed, centuries back, the rivers around Gotham overflowed with millions of oysters and other bivalves, many of which are slowly beginning to make a comeback as regional waters are cleaned. In the meantime, New York's top chefs are sourcing regionally and thinking globally, creating ever-changing seafood menus that remain classic but still feature the sort of innovation that has made the City a mecca for foodies. From Brooklyn to Central Park South, each of these seafood restaurants is uniquely fish-focused and displays its chef's and owner's flair in sourcing, scaling and saucing. Here are some of our favorites. Marea Marea is seafood gone fancy. The restaurant has a prime Central Park South location and features dishes by partners Michael White and Chris Cannon, best known for Convivio and Alto in Midtown East.At Marea, the pair remains rooted in Italian cooking but focuses squarely on the sea.The menu is ambitious, expansive and expensive—with a smart-suited crowd to match.They're at their tables for a while, and it's lit-tle wonder why. Appetizers like a selection of crudos (from cuttlefish to yellowfin tuna to a lemony fluke) and a half-dozen types of oysters are as remarkable as the mains—think pastas like fusilli with octopus and bone marrow. There's an extensive seasonal seafood menu—seared sea scallops with shallots and basil, roasted John Dory with chanterelle mushrooms—and simply but expertly prepared whole fish including turbot and sea bream.
Marea • Photo: Daniel Krieger
Oceana For almost two decades, Oceana held a hallowed place on East 54th Street, where it stood as one of Manhattan's first upscale-yet-approachable fish-based eateries. Now the restaurant—from the same folks behind Midtown's haute-Greek Molyvos—has moved a little south and west into a grand address near the Theatre District. Oceana's new home comes with a new à la carte menu in lieu of its prix-fixe past. Chef Ben Pollinger has introduced innovative takes on seafood classics, such as a grilled halibut done saltimboccastyle, along with a raw bar that features shellfish from the tristate region as well as New England. Pollinger can also go more personal, with private dining in a glassed-in area that's reminiscent of a wine cellar, in addition to a cozy chef's table. The new Oceana is swathed in luxury via Brazilian cherry-wood floors and gorgeous marble bars.
Oceana • Courtesy, Oceana
Aqualis Grill Recently opened in Fort Greene, Aqualis Grill is a market-driven eatery that links fishmongers directly to fish eaters. Owner Ani Papa makes his way to the Bronx's Fulton Fish Market three times weekly, where he selects the freshest fare—from swordfish to squid—which he then hands over to chef John Tsakinis for the flame-grilled once-over.The Greek-inspired results range from appetizers like grilled calamari with lemon-saffron vinaigrette—and salmon, ouzo, capers and dill—to an entrée of swordfish steak with steamed wild greens. Non-fish items include perfectly juicy lamb chops and a crisp-skinned half chicken, and there's rich baklava and fruit-topped Greek yogurt for dessert.
Aqualis • Photo: Ian Ference
Marlow & Sons Fans may know the Marlow & Sons folks from Diner, their original American bistro just next door. Both restaurants are definitely Williamsburg affairs—casual, affordable and focused on quality and craft. By day, Marlow is a conventional café, with hot teas, mugs of coffee and fresh baguettes with butter. Come nighttime it slips into something far more serious: the restaurant's Mediterranean-inspired menu places equal emphasis on land and sea.A hearty Spanish tortilla, for instance, is coolly complemented with fresh oysters, while goat cheese–and–leek tarts offer a rich warm-up to a simple fish of the day.And no meal is complete without a retro-style cocktail—from the tarragon-and-tequilaspiked T+T to the jalapeño rum–and–lime juice Acid Wash—or a local artisanal beer or ale.
Marlow & Sons • Photo: Phil Kline
Pearl Oyster Bar Although it recently expanded to include the space next door, Pearl Oyster Bar in the West Village remains one of the City's most authentic small-scale seafood joints. The menu here is Yankee purist: fat lobster rolls, creamy clam chowder rich with smoked bacon, fried oysters and bowls of mussels.There's a clutch of lunchtime sandwiches, too: fried fish or oyster rolls on fluffy buns with shoestring fries. Come dinnertime, there's heartier fare: briny bouillabaisse, whole grilled fish, grilled lobster with creamy corn pudding and meaty roasted scallops. Desserts continue the New England vibe, with blueberry crumble, strawberry-rhubarb pie and a mountainous hot-fudge sundae. Owner Rebecca Charles, who kick-started New York's urban clam-shack craze, still oversees every detail.
Pearl Oyster • Photo: Ian Ference
Mary's Fish Camp Pearl Oyster Bar had a monopoly on the West Village's seafood business until co-owner Mary Redding defected and opened Mary's Fish Camp earlier this decade.The resulting rivalry has been a boon for foodies, even if much of the menu is the same here: fresh oysters and clams, and fried clam and cod sandwiches paired with heaping piles of shoestring potatoes. But Redding's main courses display a clear signature style—and a stronger sense of whimsy. There are summer flounder tacos with pico de gallo, hearty lobster potpie, braised cobia fillet with artichokes and chervil, and grilled wahoo fillets.As for that famed (and contested) lobster roll, Redding does it big, with mayonnaise-moistened meat piled high in a hot dog bun. It's as simple as the restaurant's rustic decor.
Mary’s Fish Camp • Photo: Ian Ference
Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant Set under a vaulted ceiling in the underbelly of Grand Central Station, the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant is a fast-paced, quintessentially New York kind of place that has outlasted many of its far trendier neighbors. Buzzing like a fancy cafeteria, the Oyster Bar serves just about anything you can conjure out of the sea: massive platters of oysters and clams (more than 30 varieties of the former), seared squares of peppery Ecuadoran bigeye tuna, Cajun-grilled grouper, bouillabaisse, oysters Rockefeller—even steaks and chicken for inflexible carnivores. There are pies and sundaes and puddings for dessert, along with a beer list as cosmopolitan as, well, New York itself.
Grand Central Oyster Bar • Photo: Malcolm Brown
Butcher Bay Set on a quiet East Village side street, Butcher Bay is the latest culinary expedition for young, tattooed chef Eric Simpson, formerly of Perry Street in the West Village and Tailor in SoHo. At its heart, Butcher Bay is a neighborhood kind of joint, luring in East Village hipsters who enjoy the joint's grown-up dishes. Simpson is wise to keep the restaurant's menu focused, with mouthwatering mac and cheese, fish tacos with rice and beans, and a warm salad of squid and escarole. Butcher Bay even has a raw bar with fresh oysters. There's so much seafood here, it's hard to believe the intimate space once housed a burger joint.
Butcher Bay • Photo: Ian Ference
Fishtail by David Burke David Burke made a name for himself with his Upper East Side eatery davidburke & donatella (now David Burke Townhouse), serving modern takes on classic American fare. Burke has embraced a similar cooking philosophy at Fishtail, another luxe Upper East Side dining destination tucked away in a jewel box of a town house.At Fishtail, Burke takes seafood to new levels with dishes like angry mussels, lobster carbonara and pretzel-crusted crab cake. The menu also includes more protean fare; consider dishes plainly billed as "Today's Whole Fish & Simple Fish." Small plates like tuna-tartare tacos, tempura calamari and wild-mushroom gnocchi are clearly made for snacking and sharing—as are Burke's now legendary desserts, which range from a traditional apple tart to a shock-inducing cake made of chocolate, ice cream and toffee, which comes with its own bowls and spatulas to lick up leftovers. Best of all, every Sunday, Fishtail offers its $25 "recession special," including a starter, an entrée and a dessert.
Fishtail • Photo: Daniel Krieger
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