The Scottish author Saki (H.H. Munro) wrote in 1911, "You needn't tell me that a man who doesn't love oysters and asparagus and good wines has got a soul, or a stomach either. He's simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed."

Well, call me souless. The only good oyster to me is the one with the pearl in it. Eating one properly, letting it slide and ooze down my throat is an impossibility. It's textural dysfunction. So the other night, as my portly friend eschewed the deep fried calamari (with a great sherry mayonnaise) for oysters at McCormick and Schmick's, I grimaced.

And that was before he made me eat one and started lecturing me on the superiority of the Cotuit oysters, saying East Coast oysters have a cleaner finish. Then he grumbled that there weren't enough East Coasters on the menu and that you couldn't get three of two kinds on the menu--they come in sixes only (unless you buy a plate of one of each of their choice for $11.80). Why, why, why!? he asked.

I didn't know and I didn't care. I wanted to continue munching my Asian crispy spring roll ($6.85), a choice I would not normally make in a seafood chain (they have nearly 40 locations). It was delish, with a remarkably spicy peanut sauce. Things were starting out well, but then McCormick's is a solid and consistent restaurant, which is probably why it has done so well. And they serve far more than oysters in their attractive setting.

It's done in dark wood and forest green, with comfy high booths that cut the noise of its crowded interior. We were early but the bar seems always full, and rightly so, given their extensive happy-hour menu. This night was pleasant and we escaped outside to their agreeable, if usually windy, green umbrella-ed patio overlooking 47th Street on the Plaza's west end, so dramatically changed in the last few years. Just watching people climb the 39 stairs to the restaurant was entertaining.

Our salads came, which normally I find to be excellent here. There are more available at lunch, in both small and large sizes. The menu changes daily, depending upon what's flown in, and it's a huge menu that makes deciding difficult. For a seafood restaurant, there's a good selection of steaks, chicken, pasta and lots of sandwiches and soups for lunch. You can get a half-pound cheeseburger for lunch or dinner and even "chicken fried chicken" was on the dinner menu for those determined for cholesterol overload.

But we opted for fish. I chose mildly: halibut from Kodiak, Alaska ($19.90). Here was the description: "Flattop, grilled with Dijon Glaze and Barley Risotto." (They're fond of capitalizing . . . and of funny cents pricing.) Do you see one word about rosemary? No. Did the attentive, knowledgeable and descriptive waiter mention rosemary? No. Was that its only flavor? Yes. "Rosemary's Baby Halibut" should have been its name.

But enough. The risotto was good and I traded with my companion, a generous soul. His wild sockeye salmon ($20.95), also from Alaska, was spectacular. A bright reddish bronze, it came grilled perfectly, with roasted red potatoes, spinach and a Rockefeller sauce (butter, celery, spinach, parsley, etc.) that was quite scrumptious.

And finally, delectable is the word for dessert. Of the eight listed, try their signature "Chocolate Bag" ($8.55) with white chocolate mousse and fresh berrie--a decadent ending for a relatively healthy meal.

Whether you like seafood, whether you have a soul or a stomach or not, McCormick and Schmick's is a pearl of a place. You can't be unhappy there.