It’s that time of the year again; my families annual vacation to The End, also known as Montauk. Located at the very tip of Long Island, NY, lays this quaint surfer town that has somehow kept its traditions intact. It’s the site of the largest commercial and recreational fishing fleet in New York State and the first lighthouse in the state. The best part about Montauk is that town zoning regulations forbid hotel/food chains. This may be the perfect recipe for creating great restaurants. The locals are fortunate to eat here all year round, but for me, it needs to all get done in a week.
My family has it down to a science, we know exactly where we want to eat, what nights, with who and what time. We know the in’s and out’s of how to book a reservation, what time to call, who doesn’t take them and we’ve even gone as far as baking cookies for the hostess to get a table. I mean, its ridiculous, but we take food very seriously. I could skip the sun and beach and just eat here all day.
A delightful surprise for me was venturing to a newly opened up restaurant, Navy Beach. Please take note that it’s very rare for us to try a new Montauk restaurant in it’s infancy, we need to make sure to check with our local friends first, to see if they give it the thumbs up, its like taking a car for a test drive. My cousin Anna also read a good review about this place and booked it for us, so 9 people deep, we showed up to taste as much as we could and then decide if this would be a keeper.
The location is a little hard to find, but worth the adventure, just take find Second House Road and follow the signs. The restaurant is located on a 200 foot private beach and is full of lounge chairs and picnic tables, for people to eat and grab some drinks. Its a popular spot to come to watch the sunset.
The drinks are worth the trip alone. We had ordered the Madoff which changes frequently, so you’re really never sure what you’re going to get. The night I went, it was a mixture fresh raspberries, vodka, St. Germaine, and sweet vermouth.
The menu features everything from cebiches to fried buttermilk chicken. A few highlights I need to point out:
Truffle Mac & Cheese / Mexican Corn you need to order for the table to split, they’re so good
Seafood & Chips lightly battered and fried shrimp / cod / scallops
Pan Roasted Salmon “ w/ garlic noodles & tamarind glaze
Buttermilk Fried Chicken “ w/ cheddar jalapeno cornbread
Navy Burger – onion bacon marmalade / cabot cheddar / hand-cut fries / house pickles
The Burger was one of the best I have ever tasted and the fried chicken was incredible.
Surprising to say this in a town known for its seafood.
Restaurant Info:
Navy Beach
16 Navy Road
Montauk, NY 11954
(631) 668-6868
http://navybeach.com/restaurant/