Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar

[NY News Team]

The latest to caught the restaurant imperialism fever is none other than Jack and Grace Lamb of Jewel Bako. The couple, within months of opening the Blue Goose Cafe, has opened Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in a townhouse across the street from Jewel Bako. The new place has a French homey decor with the same cute boutique-ish formula as the other two restaurants. However, the menu is rather limited, and while the place can accomodate parties of four without anyone feeling cramped, all four people will have to eat pretty much the same things. Nonetheless, raw seafood lovers will find four to five different kinds of oysters at the raw bar downstairs as well as those monster raw seafood sampler towers (okay, plateau de fruits de mer) that you see in those bistro all over Paris. Those who squirm at the thought of eating anything raw can have the fully cooked tasting menu upstairs. --by Y. Yang

Jack's Luxury Oysters Bar

246 East 5th Street

New York, NY

Tel: (212)673-0338

[bpearis]

didn't this open over a month ago?

[Bond Girl]

Yes, and I need to get out more to do this job better.

[hathor]

We were all looking forward to dinner tonight at Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar, a new venture by the owners of the esteemed Jewel Bako. A rainy Monday night, with good friends and good food, what could be better?

Our friends arrived at the restaurant first, by the time we arrived they each had a glass of champagne. We squirmed our way into the minute restaurant, and wedged ourselves into the seats, and then we waited. There were 4 tables, 2 tables with couples, our table of 4, and a table of 6. I understand there is also a small upstairs. The room itself is charming with a dramatic red banquette and cozy red check wallpaper. It took the maitre'd 15 minutes to come over to our table, we also asked for 2 glasses of champagne, and 5 minutes later we were presented with 2 empty glasses, 5 more minutes later we were poured the champagne. At no time did the waiter/maitre'd smile. In a reasonable amount of time, we were given menus.

Then we waited. The champagne was long gone. My husband kept re-assuring me that he had caught someone's eye, and they would come along to take our order. Eventually the waiter came, and without any romance, preamble, enjoyment or explanation of any sort, he took our order. The menu is expensive and the descriptions do not describe or explain; the waiter was far too inconvenienced to do any explaining. It took quite a bit of waving to have the waiter return to take our wine order.

The amuse bouche was a very lovely pickled quail egg with a bare hint of truffle, it was quite tasty. Unfortunately, as I was in the corner, my little egg cup was sort of thrust at me and then dropped.

The wine was a very tasty New Zealand white, unfortunately I don't remember the name, as I would like to taste again.

We ordered the oysters 6 ways, which you would assume at a Luxury Oyster Bar, would be a signature dish. The 6 oysters, of unknown origin, were set in front of us, and the waiter kindly started to explain the different preparations, but by the time he reached no .4, he lost interest and just sort of drifted off. Fine, we can manage a plate of oysters without too much direction. Unfortunately, the oysters were tepid. Not cold. Not cool. Tepid. Like they had been sitting somewhere for quite some time. The six preparations were unremarkable.

We also shared some very delicious Taylor Bay scallops, easily the cleanest, freshest taste of the evening, some sort of lobster out of the shell, and a shaved asparagus salad, with barely an essence of asparagus.

Also unfortunately, there was no more wine....seems that 1 inch per glass, with 2 glasses being refilled had depleted the bottle. I've served enough bottles of wine to know that we could not possibly have finished that bottle. We paid, we left.... funny, no one asked us how was the meal, no one asked if we would like anything else, let alone dessert.

There was an enormous amount of attention paid to the decorating, the plates, the lovely flatware, but not a drop of enthusiasm was left for the meal itself. So disappointing.

[nypork]

Wow that's too bad, I went there last year when it first opened and had a spectacular dinner. Grace Lamb(didnt know she was the owner at the time) graciously walked us up the steps and sat us down and chattted for awhile. Our waiter was quite attentive and knowledable about the food, but for three of the courses the Chef herself delivered the goods with detailed explanations. But maybe thats the plan, kill them with kindess at first and ride it out on the hoopla you create-I'll have to go back and investigate and see what the problem is.

[hathor]

Hello NYPork! Welcome to eGullet...you are in the good company of many, many pork lovers!

Yeah...we had heard nice things about the restaurant as well, oh well, live and learn.

[Jinmyo]

Another restaurant betrayed by the FOH. Always sad to hear.

[hathor]

Another restaurant betrayed by the FOH. Always sad to hear.

I'm sorry..but what does FOH mean?

[jogoode]

Another restaurant betrayed by the FOH. Always sad to hear.

I'm sorry..but what does FOH mean?

Front of the house .

[StInGeR]

Hathor, after having eaten at JB and gotten to have a good conversation with the owner (Jack Lamb) I'd call them and express your disappointment with the service, oysters etc. I'm not suggesting asking for freebies just talk to Jack and explain everything that happened but that's just me.

Cheers

Tom

[hathor]

Hello Stinger! Hope your ankle is feeling better! I suppose you are right, that would be the polite thing to do....

[StInGeR]

Hello Stinger! Hope your ankle is feeling better! I suppose you are right, that would be the polite thing to do....

Hey hathor, I'm walking again .. ok I take that back I'm limping again and without crutches - thank god for pain meds I actually didn't mean it in a polite way just tell Jack exactly what you thought. Hell Vick told him exactly what she thought about the live shrimp and he accepted it and had a word to the sushi chef about it (to the effect of "pick the customers you do that to".

Cheers

Tom

[jeunefilleparis]

Wow that's too bad, I went there last year when it first opened and had a spectacular dinner. Grace Lamb(didnt know she was the owner at the time) graciously walked us up the steps and sat us down and chattted for awhile. Our waiter was quite attentive and knowledable about the food, but for three of the courses the Chef herself delivered the goods with detailed explanations. But maybe thats the plan, kill them with kindess at first and ride it out on the hoopla you create-I'll have to go back and investigate and see what the problem is.

Hauthor- I am really sorry about your experience too as I had a really great meal there back in December. I ll be honest, I know the head chef and the sous chef, but i always watch service at restaurants especially when I know the people there and the waiters did seem attentive and intersted, which is not to say that your meal was like that.

The prices there are definately NOT cheap, but evey course is quite lovingly made. I had the opportunity to talk with Jack several times and he is a funny, quirky intelligent man and I think that he would genuinely like to know that your service was less than stellar. Any good business person, even if it upets them, wants to know about bad service as well as good, so she/he can fix the problems.

I stongly advise you to call him and explain the situation and see what happens.

Lauren

[hathor]

Ok...I'll contact him and let you know how it turns out.

[oakapple]

Steve Cuozzo reviewed Jack's in this week's New York Post. In an article titled "At Jack's, Be Nimble," he liked the food, but was happy about little else:

They run late often at Jack's, the city's most endearing but exasperating restaurant. Overbooking comes easily when the Sunday Times Magazine devotes six "Style" pages to the owners of a place with all of 24 seats.....

The short menu - a harmonious cuvee of French bistro, American raw bar and New Orleans influences - is cheerfully explained by suave French captains against a seductive soundtrack steeped in Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

But diners who may spend $300 for two with wine should know what they're in for. The cozy-looking dining rooms make you feel you're in a house where Vines-Rushing is cooking just for you. But they hurt - especially the knee-knocking banquettes on the main floor, with its oft-photographed gingham walls.

The upstairs room, where only the $75 tasting menu is served, is a dollhouse-scaled New England attic where Mini-Me would feel oversize, and where it takes just one loud voice to drive you bananas. There were, on my last visit, two of them.

And this after what may be a 50-minute wait for your table. The ground floor (with à la carte entrées up to $36) has little room to stand and none to move. I felt like a calf in his pen - and on such nights, Jack's Punishment Oyster Bar would be more like it.

[hathor]

I did send off a letter to Jack and Grace Lamb describing our experience there.

Last night I got a lovely response letter with a sincere apology. The most impressive part of the letter was "Needless to say, we have all read it-every member of the restaurant-and are working to address all weaknesses in service and quality".

What more can anyone ask? To address and try to correct a problem is the best course of action.

They also very generously credited back to us the cost of the meal.

In fairness, we will have to go back again.

Regards.

[jeunefilleparis]

I am so happy to hear that that was their response and though I am not surprised bc Grace and Jack are so wonderful, it does make me happy to hear that is what they said!

will you go back again anytime soon?

[hathor]

will you go back again anytime soon?

We will go back...but not sure when...

[StInGeR]

I did send off a letter to Jack and Grace Lamb describing our experience there.

Last night I got a lovely response letter with a sincere apology.  The most impressive part of the letter was "Needless to say, we have all read it-every member of the restaurant-and are working to address all weaknesses in service and quality".

What more can anyone ask? To address and try to correct a problem is the best course of action.

They also very generously credited back to us the cost of the meal.

In fairness, we will have to go back again.

Regards.

I was actually thinking about this the other day and wondering if you'd put pen to paper or picked up the phone. I'm really glad you did hathor and seriously happy that Jack and Grace didn't disappointment by blowing of the criticism. Let us all know what it's like the next time you go.....

Cheers

Tom

Edit for spelling

Edited May 26, 2004 by StInGeR (log)

[docsconz]

According to Florence Fabricant in the New York Times Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar has moved.

JACK’S LUXURY OYSTER BAR Jack and Grace Lamb are planning to sell the East Village building that housed this boutique restaurant, so they have moved it around the corner into the space formerly taken by another of their restaurants, Jewel Bako Makimono, and changed the menu into one of tasting plates, mainly seafood. The Makimono menu has been incorporated into that of their Jewel Bako restaurant on East Fifth Street: 101 Second Avenue (Sixth Street), (212) 979-1012.

[taion]

JLOB seems to be getting very little attention these days, which is a bit of a pity. I had a very nice meal there on Saturday. They do a 6-course tasting for $50, which is just as impressive a deal as the comparable offering at Degustation (well, assuming no prejudice against seafood or something). The space feels a little bit awkward, and the bar has a bit of an awkward little overhang that blocks view of plating (and that I kept bumping my wine glass into), but the food was very nice.

[mrud]

anyone know the website for jack's? i'd like to go as a walk-in tomorrow night (and maybe start with a drink at pdt)

[taion]

anyone know the website for jack's?  i'd like to go as a walk-in tomorrow night (and maybe start with a drink at pdt)

←

As far as I'm aware, they don't have one.

[mrud]

that would explain why i'm having a difficult time finding it. found a menu on another site but have no idea how recent it is.

thanks taion

[taion]

that would explain why i'm having a difficult time finding it.  found a menu on another site but have no idea how recent it is.

thanks taion

←

Probably not up-to-date at all. Their tasting menu as of last Saturday was something like

Oysters (forget which kind) w/yuzu-chili gelee

Dayboat fluke crudo w/grapes and buttermilk

Confit of arctic char on a Greek yogurt sauce w/deep fried vegetables

Gnocchi in some broth that I forget

Bass of some description? I had this subbed out for a pork shoulder dish because I'd had it before

Spiced hot chocolate with some nougat that I forget

Sorry that my memory is somewhat faulty. I believe they're still in the process of switching things to the Spring stuff, so it might be different or something by tomorrow.