What’s the number one aphrodisiac food you can eat to boost your drive, if you believe in that sorta thing?  Legend has it that oysters make the heart swoon – as well as a few other things.

With romance on our minds (well, at least mine) my girlfriend and I decided to attend the grand opening of Metropolis, a new oyster room and cocktail bar tucked beneath the Blue Water Grill in Union Square.

The newest project of Chef Adam Raksin, formerly of Per Se, L20, and most recently Günter Seeger, was a truly delicious time. The downstairs eatery is beautifully decorated and definitely worth a look.

But let’s get to the oysters shall we. They were absolutely delectable. Served fresh and opened by a professional oyster shucker with two special secret sauces by Chef Raksin, they slid down your throat nice and smooth.

But let’s not forget about the other fine seafood that was offered, including stuffed clams, lobster tail and calamari to name just a few. It was truly a fisherman’s delight.

One needs to have something to wash it all down with and thankfully mixologist Richard Breitkreutz, formerly of Eleven Madison Park and Craft, was there to assist. We tried several of his cocktail creations and all were delightful.

With mouthwatering food, drink, and even a 4 piece jazz band with a beautiful lead singer with a golden voice, what more could you ask for?  How bout the check, as the oysters were beginning to work their magic, or was that all in my mind?  I’ll let you go find that out for yourselves…

– Michael Riegelman

Metropolis Oyster Room & Cocktail Bar
31 Union Square West
(between East 16th & 17th Streets)
New York, NY  10003
212.533.2500