Raw bar

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Raw oysters on the half-shell served with cocktail sauce and mignonette sauce Oysters with mignonette sauce and cocktail sauce.jpg
Raw oysters on the half-shell served with cocktail sauce and mignonette sauce

A raw bar is a small restaurant or a bar within a restaurant where live shellfish are shucked and served. [1] Raw bars typically offer a variety of raw and cooked seafood and shellfish that is served cold. Seafood-based dishes may also be offered, and additional, non-seafood foods may also be part of the fare. Raw bars may offer alcoholic beverages such as oyster shooters, as well as wine and sake that is paired with various foods. Additional accompaniments may include condiments, sauces and foods such as lemon and lime. Several restaurants in the United States offer raw bars, some of which are seasonal.

Contents

Fare

A plateau de fruits de mer Mariscada.jpg
A plateau de fruits de mer

Raw seafood

Raw bars may serve a selection of raw oysters, clams, quahogs (hard clams), scallops and mussels. [1] [2] [3] [4] Varieties of hard clam may include littlenecks, which are less than 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in size, and cherrystones, which are up to 2 inches (5 cm). [3] [5] Various types of oysters may be served. [4] Some raw bars may offer oyster shooters, [1] a type of cocktail prepared with raw oyster. Some also offer ceviche, a dish prepared with raw seafood that is cured with citrus juices, particularly lime. [6] [7] Thinly sliced octopus (octopus carpaccio) is another raw bar item. [6]

Cooked seafood

Raw bars sometimes supplement the menu with cooked versions of the same and additional seafoods and shellfish that are typically served cold, such as clam chowder, oyster stew, poached shrimp, shrimp cocktail, cooked or seared scallops, mussels, crab legs, lobster, cured salmon, sea urchin and steamers (steamed clams). [1] [2] [4] [6]

Other cooked foods

Sometimes lightly cooked liver or foie gras is a raw bar item. [8]

Dishes

The plateau de fruits de mer is a seafood dish sometimes offered by raw bars that is prepared with raw and cooked shellfish and cold on a platter, usually on a bed of ice. [9]

Accompaniments and condiments

Raw bars may offer wine or sake to accompany and be paired with the various foods. [1] [6] Condiments, such as cocktail sauce and lemon, may be available, which are typically served with raw oysters. [3] These may also be used on other foods. Other food additions may include lime, tomato, chili peppers, mignonette sauce and caviar. [2] [4]

Restaurants

A raw bar at a Shanahan's restaurant Shanahansrawbar.jpg
A raw bar at a Shanahan's restaurant

Raw bars exist in various cities in the United States, such as Jay's Restaurant in New York City, which has a raw bar. [10] Some bistro-style restaurants offer a raw bar. [4] Some restaurants offer a seasonal raw bar, such as Grand Banks restaurant in New York City [11] and Bagley & Shakespeare in London. [12]

Health risk

Consuming raw oysters is potentially dangerous as they might contain harmful bacteria. People eating raw oysters might contract vibriosis, an illness typically caused by eating raw seafood. There are reports of human casualties caused by consuming raw oysters. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shellfish</span> Culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates

Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some are found in freshwater. In addition, a few species of land crabs are eaten, for example Cardisoma guanhumi in the Caribbean. Shellfish are among the most common food allergens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceviche</span> Dish of marinated raw seafood

Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche is a dish consisting of fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings, recognized by UNESCO as an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, although different versions of ceviche are part of the culinary culture of various Spanish-American countries along the Pacific Ocean where each one is native: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru. In Peru it is also considered a flagship dish and cultural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remoulade</span> Mayonnaise-based cold sauce

Rémoulade is a cold sauce. Although similar to tartar sauce, it is often more yellowish, sometimes flavored with curry, and often contains chopped pickles or piccalilli. It can also contain horseradish, paprika, anchovies, capers and a host of other items.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipping sauce</span> Type of sauce

A dip or dip sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Dips are used to add flavor or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, chopped raw vegetables, fruits, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, potato chips, tortilla chips, falafel, and sometimes even whole sandwiches in the case of jus. Unlike other sauces, instead of applying the sauce to the food, the food is typically placed or dipped into the sauce.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocktail sauce</span> Condiment served usually with seafoods

Cocktail sauce, also known as seafood sauce, is one of several types of cold or room temperature sauces often served as part of a dish referred to as a seafood cocktail or as a condiment with other seafoods. The sauce, and the dish for which it is named, are often credited to British celebrity chef Fanny Cradock, but seafood cocktails predate her 1967 recipe by some years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prawn cocktail</span> Shellfish appetizer

Prawn cocktail, also known as shrimp cocktail, is a seafood dish consisting of shelled, cooked prawns in a Marie Rose sauce or cocktail sauce, served in a glass. It was the most popular hors d'œuvre in Great Britain, as well as in the United States, from the 1960s to the late 1980s. According to the English food writer Nigel Slater, the prawn cocktail "has spent most of see-sawing from the height of fashion to the laughably passé" and is now often served with a degree of irony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seafood boil</span> Type of social event involving the consumption of seafood

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oyster bar</span> Restaurant that serves oysters

An oyster bar, also known as an oyster saloon, oyster house or a raw bar service, is a restaurant specializing in serving oysters, or a section of a restaurant which serves oysters buffet-style. Oysters have been consumed since ancient times and were common tavern food in Europe, but the oyster bar as a distinct restaurant began making an appearance in the 18th century.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian American celebration of Christmas Eve with dishes of fish and other seafood. It is not a "feast" in the sense of "holiday", but rather a grand meal. Christmas Eve is a vigil or fasting day, and the abundance of seafood reflects the observance of abstinence from meat until the feast of Christmas Day itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chilean cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Chile

Chilean cuisine stems mainly from the combination of traditional Spanish cuisine, Chilean Mapuche culture and local ingredients, with later important influences from other European cuisines, particularly from Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The food tradition and recipes in Chile are notable for the variety of flavours and ingredients, with the country's diverse geography and climate hosting a wide range of agricultural produce, fruits and vegetables. The long coastline and the peoples' relationship with the Pacific Ocean add an immense array of seafood to Chilean cuisine, with the country's waters home to unique species of fish, molluscs, crustaceans and algae, thanks to the oxygen-rich water carried in by the Humboldt Current. Chile is also one of the world's largest producers of wine and many Chilean recipes are enhanced and accompanied by local wines. The confection dulce de leche was invented in Chile and is one of the country's most notable contributions to world cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plateau de fruits de mer</span> French seafood dish

A plateau de fruits de mer is a seafood dish of raw and cooked shellfish served cold on a platter, usually on a bed of ice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of New Orleans</span> Culinary traditions of New Orleans, Louisiana, US

The cuisine of New Orleans encompasses common dishes and foods in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is perhaps the most distinctively recognized regional cuisine in the United States. Some of the dishes originated in New Orleans, while others are common and popular in the city and surrounding areas, such as the Mississippi River Delta and southern Louisiana. The cuisine of New Orleans is heavily influenced by Creole cuisine, Cajun cuisine, and soul food. Later on, due to immigration, Italian cuisine and Sicilian cuisine also has some influence on the cuisine of New Orleans. Seafood also plays a prominent part in the cuisine. Dishes invented in New Orleans include po' boy and muffuletta sandwiches, oysters Rockefeller and oysters Bienville, pompano en papillote, and bananas Foster, among others.

Bahamian cuisine refers to the foods and beverages of The Bahamas. It includes seafood such as fish, shellfish, lobster, crab, and conch, as well as tropical fruits, rice, peas, pigeon peas, and pork. Popular seasonings commonly used in dishes include chilies, lime, tomatoes, onions, garlic, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, rum, and coconut. Rum-based beverages are popular on the islands. Since the Bahamas consist of a multitude of islands, notable culinary variations exist.

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A seafood restaurant is a restaurant that specializes in seafood cuisine and seafood dishes, such as fish and shellfish. Dishes may include freshwater fish. The concept may focus upon the preparation and service of fresh seafood,. Some seafood restaurants also provide retail sales of seafood that consumers take home to prepare. Seafood restaurants may have a marine-themed decor, with decorations such as fish nets, nautical images and buoys. Fare can vary due to seasonality in fish availability and in the fishing industry. Seafood restaurants may offer additional non-seafood items, such as chicken and beef dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seafood pizza</span> Variety of pizza with seafood toppings

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 The New Basics Cookbook – Julee Rosso. p. 21.
  3. 1 2 3 New England – Mara Vorhees. pp. 46-47.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Keller, Thomas (2006). The Complete Keller. Artisan Books. pp. 36-41. ISBN   157965293X
  5. The Naturalist's Guide to the Atlantic Seashore - Scott W. Shumway. p. 167.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Mowery, Lauren (June 27, 2014). "What Wines Pair Well With Your Raw Bar Dishes, Per NYC's Somms". Village Voice . Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  7. Ceviche: Citrus juices make fresh fish a tangy flavor sensation | UTSanDiego.com
  8. TAG|RAW BAR makes us melt with foie gras | Westword
  9. Braly, Ann (June 19, 2013). "Easy Bistro's Erik Niel in 'Best Chefs of America'". Chattanooga Times Free Press . Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  10. Brady, John (January 1985). "Looking for Mr. Raw Bar". Cincinnati Magazine . pp. D5-D13.
  11. Fabricant, Florence (July 1, 2014). "Grand Banks to Offer Dining and a Raw Bar on a Tall Ship". The New York Times . Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  12. "Bagley & Shakespeare". London Riverside Walks.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. "A woman died after contracting flesh-eating bacteria from eating raw oysters — here's why a food poisoning expert avoids the food". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-01-16.