A cull is a lobster that’s lost one of its claws; a pistol is one that lost both claws, usually due to predators. The Cull & Pistol is a Michelin-recommended seafood restaurant located in the heart of Chelsea Market.

My friend, who recently moved to the nearby Lantern, frequents them weekly for their dozen varieties of oysters on the half-shell offered half-price happy hour during happy hour from 4 to 6 pm Monday through Friday. That’s why she skipped the oysters as we met for lunch, not happy hour, with Dames in from out of town for our Les Dames d’Escoffier conference.

To start, we shared their frito misto with crispy calamari, peeled fried shrimp, two pieces of fried sole with lemon and a flavorful chive aioli ($17), and their Pistols On Horseback ($16). That’s fried oysters wrapped in jamón ibérico on mini herb crêpes with pickled red onion and smoked aioli. Both yummy.

Lobster rolls are offered chilled (Maine-style) or in hot butter (Connecticut-style). Even though I lived in Connecticut for half my life, I’m a chilled lobster gal. Theirs came with chilled mayo, scallion lobster salad in a toasted split-top bun ($35), and an abundance of Old Bay fries.

Also recommended is their little gem ($16) salad with red beets, whipped ricotta, hazelnuts and beet honey drizzled with a red wine vinaigrette and the grilled head-on Caledonia blue shrimp ($18) with salsa verde.

I recommend a visit if you’re in the area at Little Island or Chelsea Piers.

Cull & Pistol
Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave,
New York, NY 10011
646-568-1223
cullandpistol.com/