Lure Fishbar - 142 Mercer Street

The decor for this restaurant is phenemonal! As soon as I walked in, I felt a sense of tranquility which was enhanced by the exceptional service we received. The dining room mimics the feel of a luxurious yacht but without the stuffiness that lot of teak usually inspires. Lure has a very comfortable atmosphere (though I did feel a bit underdressed in jeans) and the round, roomy booths are a good place to congregate with a few friends. The people behind this place also run Chinatown Brasserie and Lever House.

The menu is very straight-forward, with a variety of seafood offerings such as oysters, fish prepared several ways, fried seafood baskets, sushi, salads and soups.

My dish: Combo Seafood Basket - Filet of Fish / Crab Cake / Two Crispy Shrimp / Lobster Tail served with Hand Cut Fries, Coleslaw, Cocktail Sauce, & Tartar Sauce - $25. I split this basket with a friend and we both left completely full and happy.

Everything in this basket was prepared perfectly, barely greasy and incredibly juicy and flavorful. The tartar sauce was also unusally good - I think there was some chive in there that really enhanced the flavor of all the seafood.

I'd highly recommend this place to anyone in the Soho area. I'm definitely popping in again for a seafood fix the next time I need one. There's also a great happy hour special: http://www.lurefishbar.com/menus/Lure_HappyHourMenu.pdf

$1 oysters and littleneck clams, $5 cocktails and $4 chicken lollipops. What else do you need?

Lure Fishbar
142 Mercer Street
http://www.lurefishbar.com/index.php

Pearl Oyster Bar

Connie (my always reliable fooding partner) and I decided to head over to Pearl Oyster Bar for lunch today. We'd been to Mary's Fish Shack a few weeks back and wanted to compare the two establishments. I liked the food at Mary's but hated the atmosphere - very cramped, noisy and very "divey". The atmosphere at Pearl was a heck of a lot nicer - it was dim, pleasantly buzzing and spacious in the dining room.

Now, on to the food:

Smoked Atlantic Salmon w/ Johnnycakes & Crème Fraiche

Wow... this was completely and totally awesome. The johnnycakes (cornmeal pancakes) went perfectly with the silky smoothness of the perfectly smoked salmon and Creme Fraiche. I'd order this several times a week if it weren't $10 a plate. This might be something fun (and easy) to make at home... I'll post if I ever get around to it.

Pan-fried cod sandwich with shoestring fries:

The fish was perfectly cooked - really moist, well seasoned and flaky. There was a bit too much mayo on it for my tastes but overall, a great sandwich. The fries were too greasy and not crisp enough for my taste - the fries at Mary's were much better.

Pan Roasted Skate Filet

The fish was really well cooked but someone went a bit overboard on the salt. My lips were tingling a bit after I finished eating my portion. The corn was a nice counterpoint to the fish.

Conclusion? I think I'd have to give the edge to Pearl's - mostly due to the ambiance of the dining room, awesome appetizers and a really good cod sandwich.