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Bistro with Raw Bar


Ericandblueboy

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Since I know you've seen it mentioned on the board before, are you not including the HH special at Clyde's?

Clyde's isn't a bistro. I was hoping for something like Balthazar (NYC) or Daniel Boulud Brasserie (LV) or Luke (New Orleans). Doesn't Cafe du Parc have a raw bar? What about Brasserie Beck?

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Going to Brasserie Beck this weekend so I looked at their menu. The seafood platter is ridiculously over-priced compared to what I've had at DBGB in NYC and Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal. I've also perused the menu of the usual suspects - Passion Fish, Hank's, Old Ebbitt Grill, Oceanaire, Blacksalt, Senart's, Kinkead's. Senart's may have the best deal:

Senart's Chilled Seafood Feast

1 Whole Lobster, 6 Oysters, 6 Clams, 6 Shrimp & 6 Mussels $56

But the lack of variety is really pathetic and the mark-up from retail price seem pretty high. I think I can get a 1.25 lb lobster for $10 ($8/lb). I haven't priced oysters or mussels lately but clams are $3.99/lb for cherry stone at H Mart or Great Wall, shrimp with head on is about $3.99/lb. I imagine mussels and oyster are similarly priced. So I can get everything myself for probably $18. Senart's mark-up is only 300%.

Oceanaire: CHILLED SHELLFISH PLATTER

An Iced Platter of Chilled Shrimp, Lobster, Snow Crab

& Fresh Oysters from our Fresh Raw Bar

$28 per person

Of course I have no idea what quantity of each item is supplied.

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Is Old Ebbitt Grill's Happy Hour still the best raw bar deal in town? I don't see much reference to it on the OEG website, so not sure if it is still happening. We've been indulging the last few years, but the price of parking before 6 cuts into the bargain. Last year, we had wonderful oysters ordered separately, but the Orca platter wasn't as good as we remembered. The oysters were kind of plain and the snow crab legs were watery and tasteless. Has anyone had it recently?

Any other suggestions?

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Neither is really a "bistro" in the French or Belgian sense but, two ideas from near opposite ends of the spectrum:

1. Cleveland Park Tackle Box: I'm not a fan of this place and think it pretty mediocre across most of the menu. But, they do have $1 oysters during happy hour and I have found their oysters to be generally decent. Lots of other shellfish. Somewhat half-hearted recc this one.

2. Pearl Dive Oyster Palace: Haven't yet been here (on the schedule for a visit very soon though). Based on all I've heard and read though, this definitely should be considered.

Ah, one other idea not mentioned on this thread which maybe gets axed for being higher priced unless they have some special pricing/deals which I don't know: Passionfish out in Reston. Definitely very good oysters and shellfish. The main thing to figure out there is whether there are good deal times or promotions since it generally runs to fuller pricing.

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Unless you've tried the ones at Fiola (which cost $4.40 each!), I would be very careful about this statement.

<snip> ...the most stunning plate of oysters I’ve ever eaten: from the I Crudi section of the menu, Le Ostriche ($22) was five perfectly white, blotch-free Sunset Beach Oysters, served with cucumber, caviar, and sorrel in crushed oyster water. I’m as price conscious as anyone, and $4.40 per oyster seems like it’s pushing the bounds of sanity, but I’m not only recommending, but urging, everyone to get this plate of perfection – it’s no more expensive per bite than an order of upscale nigiri sushi, and it’s absolutely one of the tip-top plates of food I’ve had in all of 2011, or for that matter, my entire life. I hate the fact that I’m going to spend $22 for this the next time I come here, but I am, and I don’t care if I have to beg, borrow, or steal to do it.

That's some seriously high praise. And, coming clean, I haven't had these magical oysters at Fiola despite having become a big fan of the place after three visits. Need to somehow figure out how to better merge/manage dcdining.com with dr.com since I'm usually more apt to read and learn from the latter than the former. Have to work on that to be sure. Knowing you're not big on self-promotion, I'd really value a post with the dcdining.com review link in each relevant restaurant thread here.

All that said, I will absolutely order these next time at Fiola. But, also maybe fair to say it's not really an apples-to-apples comparison. Fiola isn't only not an oyster bar. It's also not a seafood restaurant. It's a fantastic new Italian with what may be the single best plate of oysters in the city. Also, as fab as it sounds, the preparation with caviar...etc, sorrel, etc...and "crushed oyster water" (whatever that is :D ) is a different level from a place that just gets and serves the highest quality, freshest and widest variety of oysters as the centerpiece of what it does. Also, for a fiend about flavor and texture, I'm not sure how much I'd care that an oyster is "perfectly white" and "blotch-free" (though surely that'd be interesting and nice to see).

All academic I guess. I fully expect to concede your point about the single best plate of oysters in the city sans caveats once I can get back to Fiola to try them. But I can't imagine even dcdining.com (aka you) would answer "Fiola" if asked by a client purporting to love oysters where they should go for an oyster fest. The answer to that, I'll maintain, should be Pearl Dive if it's really about the oysters on offer versus the visuals or preparation/condiments. The fact that great values can be had at PD make it all the more compelling.

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I'm not sure how much I'd care that an oyster is "perfectly white" and "blotch-free" (though surely that'd be interesting and nice to see).

I have a theory (that I may have posed here before): "The bigger, the blacker the blotch, the badder the bivalve." I think clean, splotch-free oysters may be the best oysters, but I'm still not quite sure.

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