Summer means that it’s a perfect time to get some fresh seafood like oysters along with a glass of crisp white wine. Pearl Oyster Bar has long been a popular place in the West Village neighborhood where locals and tourists alike flock to the place to get their hands on oysters and lobster roll. I haven’t been back to this place since like 6 years ago when I came with some friends to get a lobster roll for a take-out. My recent re-visit ended up being a pleasant affair.

Oysters can come in a variety of different forms; baked oysters can work wonders at times, but as long as the oysters are fresh, my always go-to option is raw. The blue point oysters that my dining companion and I got were quite fresh and we quickly disposed of the six pieces. I haven’t had mussels in a while, and the Prince Edward Island mussels with wine, mustard and cream were quite a delightful dish with soft mussels and aromatic cream working harmoniously together.

Pearl has been well-known for its lobster roll that I had ordered previously on my past visit (I only remember it being delicious but enormous), so I had to try it again to see if it tasted as good as I had remembered. I always prefer less seasoning when it comes to lobster roll to give maximum effect to the freshness of lobster. The verdict: while the lobster’s portion was quite generous, I just wished they used tad less mayonnaise on top of it. There was no question that the lobster was quite fresh, and while mayonnaise did help enhance its flavor on the first several bites, over time the dish felt slightly heavier. Still, it is one of the better lobster rolls in the city.

The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so either show up early or perhaps do take-out options and walk over to the Washington Square Park nearby. There are some nice wine selections to go along with your meal. Pearl has a classic neighborhood vibe where you feel like you can just show up and enjoy the casual vibe of West Village. For a summer happy hour or dinner, Pearl’s seafood offering is a safe bet.

KenScale: 8.0/10

• Creativity: 7.0/10
• Execution: 8.0/10
• Ingredients: 8.5/10
• Flavor: 7.5/10
• Texture: 8.0/10

Address: 18 Cornelia Street, New York, NY 10014

Telephone: (212) 691-8211

Website: http://www.pearloysterbar.com/