42 replies to this topic

[SobaAddict70]

In any event, the oyster pan roast is the same, wonderfully silky concoction that Mimi Sheraton called elegant in The New York Times in 1983 and that the restaurant has been serving practically since its opening in 1913.

Oyster Bar and Restaurant (Sam Sifton) (from the NYTimes DIGEST update for the weekend of 7 May 2004 to 9 May 2004. Scroll down for the appropriate link.)


Soba

[Suzanne F]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Fried clam bellies.

[Holly Moore]

Had a plate of Ipswich Fried Clams for lunch. Way overbreaded and cooked and not much flavor. But the cavernous space in the bowels of Grand Central almost makes up for it. Next time I'll stick to oysters.

[Busboy]

Has the oyster pan roast from the Grand Central cookbook for dinner last night. Damn good.

But not as good as at the Oyster Bar.

[Jmahl]

Stopped in at the Oyster Bar a few years ago at about 6:00 p.m., and a couple across the counter shared a bowl of chowder and a bottle of champagne before catching their train.

Class -- New York Class.

NYC ex-pat.

Jmahl

[Daniel]

Had a plate of Ipswich Fried Clams for lunch.  Way overbreaded and cooked and not much flavor.  But the cavernous space in the bowels of Grand Central almost makes up for it.  Next time I'll stick to oysters.

I must say the Grand Central Oyster Bar is an amazing place. Location, history, and experience alone, its worth going to.. Its a major tourist attraction, it isnt too crowded, and you dont get ripped off .. That is, if you order correctly.. Very few things besides the Raw Bar work... But it might be one of the best oyster bars I've been to... Mad selections .. Before calculating in its priceless location..

I have eaten countless dinners there.. But the most memorable times are sitting at the bar.. With friends, by myself. Just sitting in the basement of The Worlds Greatest Train Station, with no cell phone connection, eating Oysters and drinking Beers..

Edited by Daniel, 19 January 2006 - 06:49 PM.

[wfnugent]

I am a Naval Architect (ship designer) so I always head for the often-overlooked bar to look at the ship models and maritime memorabilia. A seat at the bar, a pan roast and a good glass of wine or a beer and everything, I mean EVERYTHING is better in my world.

It is one of my very favorite things to do in New York. (A martini at the New York Yacht Club is pretty darn good too, but I have to wait until I am invited.)

Give me oysters and beer
for dinner every day of the year
and I'll be fine, I'll be fine.
-J. Buffett.

[Jmahl]

Went to the Oyster Bar on April 28th. Shame, Shame. Always loved the place. We were a group of 12. The service was more than slow. The red clam chowder was cold and tasted like it came out of can. When we brought it to an idiot manager’s attention he said, “ It was our fault for not having reservations.” Our tab came to $273.88 and it was not worth it. A New York Landmark living on its reputation. Sad!

Gentlemen, please get your act together. I would love to go back and report how things have improved.

[k43]

It goes further and further downhill, while the prices go up and up.

I use to go fairly often for the New England Clam Chowder, which was rich, well flavored and not expensive.

Alas, I got it yesterday and my last reason to go there is gone. The price was $2.00 higher, and the container was 20% smaller. It used to have several clam bellies, but this time it was only tiny chopped bits with the texture of shoe leather. The liquid was OK, but it was WAY too salty.

Farewell GCOB.

[Jmahl]

It goes further and further downhill, while the prices go up and up.

I use to go fairly often for the New England Clam Chowder, which was rich, well flavored and not expensive.

Alas, I got it yesterday and my last reason to go there is gone.  The price was $2.00 higher, and the container was 20% smaller.  It used to have several clam bellies, but this time it was only tiny chopped bits with the texture of shoe leather.  The liquid was OK, but it was WAY too salty.

Farewell GCOB.

Oh the shame of it. Anyone from the GCOB have the good sense to check out this site?

Jmahl

[robert brown]

I find the Oyster Bar useful as a prelude to a knish or some other food at some other restaurant (usually Menchenko Tei around the corner which doesn't serve knishes, but I couldn't resist the pun). I meet up with friends and we'll sit at the bar and order an assortment of oysters. All are farmed (but getting them wild is all but impossible anywhere you go) and in a game of hit and miss, it's mostly misses. I stick to the oysters from Long Island and points north. Even though one in four or five may have a lot of liquor and taste fresh and profound, the exercise is nonetheless fun. Sometimes you even strike up an interesting conversation with a stranger at the next seat. I've tried the oyster stew, pan roast and the New England clam chowder, none of which are very profound or flavorful. I think you have to be nuts to eat any fish there.

[weinoo]

Of course, your actual mileage may vary, but I had a pretty damn good lunch here just the other day...

Lunchtime. Hunger. New York City. What are there, like a thousand places to eat? Actually, there’s probably more, especially if you count all the street meat that’s around; carts, trucks, kiosks, people selling tamales out of their granny carts, sidewalk food sold by squatting women in Chinatown - and on and on.

Now compound that hunger problem with finding yourself in one of those places in New York City that sees a million people a day; people scurrying through its grand spaces, not there to eat but on their way from somewhere or to somewhere, generally in a hurry. And it happened to me last week (though I wasn’t in a hurry), when I ended up here, to visit that store at the top of the stairs…



Normally, giant railroad terminals aren’t thought of as great places to eat (well, maybe in Italy, where you can often find a decent panini and a perfect espresso); they’re usually where you can grab a crappy sandwich or half-cooked hot dog, on your way, as I said, to or from somewhere. Grand Central actually has a food court in its lower level, which certainly does a booming business at lunch. But look a little further underground and you’ll stumble across this…



Its official name is Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, and it has been sitting in the lower level of Grand Central Terminal for practically 100 years, falling into decline in the late 60s to early 70’s then rescued, renovated and now once again feeding hundreds of seafood happy customers on a daily basis. Don’t forget to check out the Gustavino tiled ceiling in this landmarked building…



I like to grab a seat at the counter, because that way you get fed fast and you get to watch the show…



Remember, this ain’t Le Bernardin folks. So start off with a bowl of clam chowder (I like Manhattan-style)…



Chock full of briny clams (get there early), slightly spicy and with a handful of those oyster crackers crushed into it, it hit the spot. Then I moved onto the real reason I was here…



Perhaps the finest oyster po-boy you can find in the city, simply loaded with perfectly fried oysters, a little shredded lettuce and a swab of tartar sauce to top it all off. A squeeze of lemon brought it to perfection…under $10! Even though I like the counter at lunch, the full menu is serious. Plenty of daily/seasonal specials. And the oysters? On any given day, the blackboard menu is likely to offer up at least 2 dozen varieties…



I don't get here for lunch as often as I should, but for food this good, in a beautiful and historically landmarked building, it's worth a trip. And that goes for whether you're hopping on a train or not.

[kathryn]

Also available for takeout, if you're in a hurry:
http://midtownlunch....-take-out-menu/