No plans Saturday? Hit L&W.
Credit: L&W Oyster Co.
Cracking crab legs and lobster claws is much more fun when you’ve got friends around (and you’re less likely to feel ridiculous in that bib when others are donning them too). Gather your friends at one of these seafood fests and wave goodbye to summer.
Crab-a-palooza is a real thing at Back Forty (190 Ave. A, 212-388-1990) and fish fiends are in luck — it’s taking place through this weekend. The culmination of the eatery’s summer Tuesday night crab boils, this weeklong celebration has you combing through a mess of crabs dumped on your table. On Thursday and Saturday, the restaurant will stick to a Chesapeake-style party, with corn bread, potatoes, string beans and more. On Friday, the Gulf-style party will feature crabs plus pho noodles with cilantro, chilies, scallions and sriracha. Not to be outdone, Back Forty’s sister restaurant, Back Forty West (70 Prince St., 212-219-8570) is throwing a similar Lobster Maine-ia through Saturday.
At Carmine’s (2450 Broadway, 212-362-2200), the portions are served family-style, so order the restaurant’s Italian clambake for two only if you and your guest are pretty hungry. It comes with a salad or bowl of pasta to start, then two one-pound lobsters, six baked clams, 12 mussels, roasted potatoes and polenta. The meal will set you back $65.
The upscale seafood shack L&W Oyster Co. (254 Fifth Ave., 212-203-7772) hosts New England-style lobster dinners on Tuesday and Saturday nights, which include steamed or stuffed lobster, grilled corn on the cob, potato salad, homemade cheddar goldfish and shots of strawberry lemonade. The menu is for even-numbered parties and is $29.50 per person.
Naragansset Brewing Company is teaming up with Perilla (9 Jones St., 212-929-6868) for a series of three-course seafood dinners, Monday nights through Sept. 23. Dig into crab salad, Johnny cakes (fried cornmeal cakes), fried clams, slow-poached flaked hake, sausage, a coffee-based dessert and more. All courses will be paired with the New England brew. Cost is $55 per person.
The seafood plateaus at DBGB (199 Bowery, 212-933-5300) come in three sizes depending on how hungry your table is. If you want to treat yourself and your guests like royalty, opt for the Royale: In it you’ll find oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp, periwinkles and whelks, tuna tartare, razor clams, crab claws and lobster tail. The Royale is $99 per person, but $37 and $69 plateaus are available as well.
If you can’t make it to the clambake …
Bring it to you!City Grit’s Carolina Clambakes showcase shrimp, crab or lobster, all seasoned Cajun or “lowcountry” style. Attendees also get sides like dill potato salad and creole cornbread. These catered affairs start at $55 per person (not including transportation and staffing) with a 20-person minimum. Email events@citygritnyc.com to learn more.
Go now
Oceana (120 W. 49th St., 212-759-5941) is Michelin-starred, which can sometimes mean long reservation waits and high prices, but the eatery’s pop-up lobster stand next door is decidedly more low-key. Swing by before Labor Day for classic Maine lobster rolls ($18), plus chocolate whoopie pies, chips and sodas. The stand is open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and takes phone orders for pickup.
