Pearl Oyster Bar: Restaurant Review

Friendly service and simply prepared delicious seafood make Pearl Oyster Bar a popular choice in the West Village.

Immediately upon being sat at the counter a friendly waiter descends upon us to take our order -- we order drinks and ask for another minute. We read through the menu and chalkboard specials, but clearly those around us know what they want: from the semi-open kitchen plates of crisp fried oysters and galvenized buckets of steamers are making their way to diners around us. We must get the lobster roll($22) and we quickly choose the crab cake($10) and steamers($10). Undecided between the salt baked shrimp($10) and fried oysters($10), we defer to our waitress who suggests the shrimp.

Almost immediately, the steamers arrive -- we dunk tender clams in stock to rinse them and then into clarified butter. Perfect. As the steam pouring out of the bucket begins to fade, three perfectly crisp shrimp arrive. They are briny and crunchy on their own, and served with tartar sauce that can almost be eaten on its own. Before finishing them, our lobster roll and crabcake arrive.

Rich lobster meat is pilled on a lightly toasted bun, with just enough mayonnaise to bind it together the ultra-thin shoestring fries are the perfect foil to the its creaminess. The crab cake has a crisp exterior, and only the slightest amount of breading holding together the lumps of crabmeat. The celery root slaw along side is refreshing and flavorful. The only disappointment of the meal: that we were too full to have a hot fudge sundae for dessert, but that just means we have a good excuse to return.