Araw bar is a small restaurant or abar within a restaurant where liveshellfish areshucked and served.[1] Raw bars typically offer a variety of raw and cookedseafood 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 ispaired 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.
Raw bars may serve a selection of rawoysters,clams,quahogs (hard clams),scallops andmussels.[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 ofcocktail prepared with raw oyster. Some also offerceviche, a dish prepared with raw seafood that is cured withcitrus juices, particularly lime.[6][7] Thinly slicedoctopus (octopuscarpaccio) is another raw bar item.[6]
Raw bars sometimes supplement the menu with cooked versions of the same and additional seafoods and shellfish that are typically served cold, such asclam chowder, oysterstew, poachedshrimp,shrimp cocktail, cooked or seared scallops, mussels,crab legs,lobster, curedsalmon,sea urchin andsteamers (steamed clams).[1][2][4][6]
Sometimes lightly cookedliver orfoie gras is a raw bar item.[8]
Theplateau de fruits de mer is a seafood dish sometimes offered by raw bars that is prepared with raw and cooked shellfish and served cold on a platter, usually on a bed of ice.[9]
Raw bars may offer wine orsake to accompany and bepaired with the various foods.[1][6]Condiments, such as cocktail sauce andlemon, 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 andcaviar.[2][4]
Raw bars exist in various cities in theUnited States andMexico.[10] Somebistro-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]
Consuming raw oysters is potentially dangerous as they might contain harmful bacteria. People eating raw oysters might contractvibriosis, an illness typically caused by eating raw seafood. There are reports of human casualties caused by consuming raw oysters.[13]
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