Summer comes and all I can think of eating is seafood which, around the Gulf Coast, is great. Still, I can't help hankering for the food at a certain restaurant up in NYC.

Okay, I know it's a hike. But if and when you next find yourself in the Big Apple, you should make it to one of Flex Mussels' two restaurants. Yeah, I know, cute name, but the food is seriously great. And a bargain.

Several months ago, I had the chance to eat at their downtown restaurant with my wife. We started dinner with half a dozen Shigoku oysters from British Columbia and a bottle of Cave des Tilleuls Fendant de Vetroz Chasselas ($48), from Switzerland.

This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2011.