42nd Street Oyster Bar Almost Killed My Friend
12-23-200942nd Street Oyster Bar has always been an ITB landmark. I’ve always been a big fan of this place as a pre-bang or pre-bar destination. Girls love the “atmosphere” and every guy knows that oysters are the shit because they’re an aphrodisiac, which makes girls wanna hook up (even more than normal).
However, they’ve recently come under fire for serving overpriced average seafood………………….….that makes people sick.
Trust me, I know good (average) seafood from having eaten at the Sanitary Fish Market & Restaurant and Dockside at least 100 times (I’ve got the t-shirts to prove it). So I obviously have no problem paying more than I should for food that is overhyped, as long as I’m at an ITB approved establishment. What I won’t stand for, however, is the possibility of dying; yes dying, after eating dinner at a restaurant.
The ITB insider crew love watching directtv hd after they got someone to install directv satellite dish from a satellite dish offer at InternetLion.com!
“Wednesday evening, I started feeling really bad. All of a sudden, I got so violently ill, we had to go to the emergency room,” said Fields, whose eyes were still red from the illness a week later.
“I felt so bad I thought maybe this could be the end,” he added.
“By this afternoon, the county had roughly 40 reports of sickness, mostly diarrhea and vomiting, from customers who had eaten there in roughly the past week, said Andre Pierce, Wake County’s director of environmental health and safety.
Reports from the popular eatery on West Jones Street are being evaluated, and anyone with similar symptoms should call (919) 856-7400.”
Diarrhea and vomiting, think about how badly that would go over once I got on the Felson’s dance floor. I would actually have to use the bathroom stalls for their intended purpose.
“The common thread has been that people have eaten steamed oysters, and we’ve isolated it down to all of those steamed oysters coming out of Louisiana,” Hurley (the owner) said.
Well there’s the problem. Everyone knows it’s safer, and classier, to eat oysters from North Carolina, where you don’t have to worry about freshwater influx, septic tank overflow, and the remnants of the second worst natural disaster in the history of America (Hurricane Fran was the first, I was without power for TWO whole days). It’s much cooler to have an oyster roast at your own house, where you can ensure that the oysters are from Morehead, or at least somewhere in North Carolina.
At first I thought maybe a busload of commoners, who aren’t used to fine (average at best) dining, ate at 42nd Street and got sick because their palate wasn’t adjusted to such amazing oysters and chicken fingers. I wouldn’t normally care about the well-being of others, but this really hit home on Monday, when I got a call from Mary Caldwell Hovington.
Mary Caldwell H.: “I feel really sick, I’ve been throwing up all morning.”
WNF IV: “Gross. You pregnant again?”
Mary Caldwell H.: “No! Why do guys always automatically assume a girl is pregnant if they say they’re sick?”
WNF IV: “Because they usually are pregnant….”
Mary Caldwell H.: “Well, I’m not pregnant. I think I have food poisoning, I ate some oysters at 42nd Street last night.”
WNF IV: “Oysters? Those are an aphrodisiac, you know. You are totally pregnant. Who was the lucky (now unlucky) guy?”
Mary Caldwell H.: “I’m NOT pregnant, I was out with a girlfriend.”
WNF IV: “Oh, well you probably have food poisoning then. Everyone that’s eaten at 42nd Street has gotten sick, I think it’s some sort of oyster flu. They get their oysters from Louisiana so they’re probably still contaminated by all that Katrina shit.”
Mary Caldwell H.: “I’ve gotta go, I feel sick.”
WNF IV: “Name it after me if it’s a boy.”
So I just wanted to get the message out to those of you who may be in town for the holidays. I know 42nd Street is always on the list of places to dine if you haven’t been home in a while. Be careful, because you might get sick, or almost die.
i like 42nd street still
I obviously still like 42nd Street, it’s ITB. Just wanted to warn those in my demographic so we don’t end up with a bunch of sick people occupying the stalls at Felson’s or the one stall at The Point.
very true point. it would be a huge buzz kill
In all honesty I was hoping for an ITB obituary for The Boatman instead of this, but thanks for the heads up. By the way some of the kids following you emphatically on twitter are about as cool as cancer and are basically OTB (thought you could use the heads up).
one of those kids lives in knightdale but claims to be ITB
^ thats a joke sorry scewis
no its not a joke. youre right screwis does live in knightdale. even though he claims his zip code is the same as a location itb
Hey so love your blog and all. so sorry to hear about your friends getting sick over at 42nd street Oyster Bar. We were all planning to go there before Saint Mary’s Winter Formal this year. Obviously, now we ought to find another place to go to ( we’ll be going to CCC). Obviously, I go to Saint Mary’s ,and I was wondering if you could give me some sort of advice as to what I could say to the Admissions Office about giving out so much Financial Aid, cause obviously this is how all those Common girls get in. I’m talking about girls from Apex coming to our school. I mean it’s not like it’s a public school so they’re allowed to reject OTB biotches, right? And besides, whenever I see a girl wearing Fake Uggs and Hollister jeans, I literally get nauseous. So what about something like this “I think yall need to be a little more strict with the Admissions process. We already have 3 black girls who board at our school so I think we’re good with the whole diversity thing. So can we please stop letting in all this white trash?” I mean I don’t want to be too harsh but something’s got to give, you know?
As a registered ServSafe instructor and someone who has spent 3+ decades in the food industry, I can say that this has been a terribly unfortunate accident and if it turns out to be the oysters, out of the control of 42nd Street. The verdict is still out.
(I do not work for them and have no affiliation and is not why I am writing this.)
They purchase inspected/approved product just like any other restaurant/grocer does… oyster contamination cannot be “seen.” And I imagine, like most/all restaurants selling oysters, disclaimers are posted in the restaurant regarding the consumption of oysters so your friend had the option to not eat them knowing this.
This could happen anywhere that buys and sells oysters… and including in NC harvested oysters. Your friend could have just as easily bought such oysters in a fish market or grocery store and gotten sick with them at home.
A reputable restaurant who is outstanding in their service and safe food track records should not have to endure slander as you have posted, particularly since even health inspectors have yet to determine the cause. Just yesterday, WRAL reports the HD says it may never be determined, and:
“A very small dose of norovirus is easily transmitted among groups of people. So it could have been brought in by a patron. It could possibly be a food handler who was sick. But in general, it’s very difficult to pinpoint the source of a norovirus,” Pierce said.
Additionally, it is reported that 18 of 300! people got sick 12/19 at an Angus Barn event…norovirus! Yet another of the finer and reputable restaurants in Raleigh area.
Quit eating oysters if you want to eliminate risk. We risk getting sick every time we put something in our mouths.
You obviuosly know nothing about the food service industry or safe food service practices, including how EASY an outbreak can happen! You are much more at risk at home, or at picnics…. it’s a wonder we’re not all dead from things done in our homes. A rather large incident happened in Durham a few years ago when an unpermitted freelance “caterer” cooking illegally fed folks BAKED BEANS that sent over 70 of them to the hospital… bet you had NO idea baked beans could do that!
I am truly sorry about your friend, but do your homework before causing damage to the reputation of one of the better and safer reputable restaurants in our area. I dare say you personally go online and check every restaurant’s sanitation inspection before eating at them. Perhaps doing that and reading some of the reports and infractions of places you frequent in comparison to one incident would be a good education for you.42nd Streets last 3 inspections 98.5, 99 and 98.5….. not often seen in the restaurant world and to be admired…. compare that to where you usually eat without even thinking about it OR taking a glance at their inspection grade and why it is what it is… you may never eat out or there again!!
http://wake.digitalhealthdepartment.com/facilities.cfm?facilityID=496656&v=3
I hope your friend has a speedy recovery…
Hey William,
You finally got your fences through for the beltline….Nice…
Raleigh Council Delays Safety Center Vote, Approves Money For Beltline Fences
who the fuck is wendy and why the fuck did i read that. is she the “wendy”? if so, she should take her ginger err, read headed babble elsewhere…
one of those kids lives in knightdale but claims to be ITB