City Lobster & Steak

On my second adventure biting through the Big Apple, I decided I wanted to check out a good seafood place. I preferred something close to the Times Square area, so after looking around for a bit, I found the perfect restaurant: City Lobster, located at 121 W. 49 Street, between 6th and 7th, in New York, New York. City Lobster is perfectly situated between Times Square and Rockefeller, making it a great spot to dine in either before or after catching a Broadway show. Before I go on with the restaurant, I do have to give you a tip. Although NYC is known as the "City That Never Sleeps", it does, and quite early on the weekdays. If you're planning to go see a Broadway musical on a weekday or a Sunday, make sure you have dinner before the show. Many restaurants close at 10:00 p.m.  and shows can run past 9:30. This one in particular closes at 11:00 pm on the weekdays, so you want to check all the restaurants' individual hours of operation when planning your night. You don't want to be all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Oysters & Crabmeat Rockefeller

Crispy "Point Judith" Calamari

Back to City Lobster... The place is spacious and it wasn't overly full. It has a dining area to the left, the raw bar section in the center, and a bar and lounge to the right of the entrance. I was enthralled that it featured a large selection of delicacies such as Live North Atlantic Lobsters, fresh Alaskan King Crab Legs, and authentic Maryland Lump Crab Cakes as well as a full raw bar with an assortment of Oysters from the East and West coasts. When the server came, he presented us with several menus. Their regular menu, a Restaurant Week Menu and a Spring 2012 Prix-Fixe Menu. We ordered primarily from the last one, adding a few items from the regular menu.   I hadn't had oysters in a while so the minute I saw Baked Mid-Atlantic Oysters & Crabmeat Rockefeller, I knew what I was starting with. They were divine! Three oysters were topped with spinach, a savory crabmeat blend and a cheesy sauce. I probably could order a whole batch of this and eat it as an entrée. Next, we ordered the Crispy "Point Judith" Calamari.  Point Judith, Rhode Island has the largest squid-fishing fleet on the East Coast and is the hub of the squid business in the United States. I can see why. These were excellent. Sometimes calamari can be rubbery if not done well, but these were perfect. They were crispy on the outside and tasty with a soft, slightly chewy texture inside. We actually ordered a second round.

North Atlantic Salmon with Horseradish Crust

Maryland Lump Crabcakes

The first entree we tried was the North Atlantic Salmon with Horseradish Crust. It was delicious. The salmon was moist and flaky and had a buttery taste that was heightened by the horseradish crust. It sat atop a Maine crabmeat beurre fondue and was served with asparagus. We also had the Maryland Lump Crabcakes, which we heard were very popular. Definitely another hit! The seasoning was amazing; bringing out the natural sweetness of the crab, and the chipotle aioli dipping sauce had a welcoming kick to it. The two crabcakes were served with southern corn and sun-cured cranberry relish.

Alaskan King Crab Legs

Seafood Risotto

We looked at the table next to us and saw they ordered king crab legs. They looked fierce! Exchanging glances, we just knew we had to try them.  We asked the waiter for the 20 oz Alaskan King Crab Legs and a side of  their Seafood Risotto. The steamed Alaskan King Crab Legs were colossal and impressive. I loved dipping the succulent, sweet meat  in the warm garlic butter. The Seafood Risotto was rich, creamy and full of flavor. The medley of seafood and saffron came together nicely, and we were fighting for each spoonful.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Creme Brulee Cheesecake

Finally time for dessert. With our prixe-fixe menu, we had several options. We chose the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, served a-la-mode with Vanilla Ice-Cream, and the Genuine "Creme Brulee" Cheesecake. Both desserts were good but not out of this world. The Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie was interesting, with the chocolate adding a new flavor to the traditional take. We found the Creme Brulee Cheesecake was also original; having a smooth, creamy texture.

The service at City Lobster was very good and we enjoyed ourselves. There will definitely be another adventure here on a future trip to NYC. For more information, you can call them at 212-354-1717 or visit them online at http://www.citylobster.com/.