The Verdict is Finally In-- Navy Beach Delivers

Following the e-mails I have received asking if I had a chance to check out Navy Beach, I will leave you in suspense no more-- Navy Beach delivers on everything it promises. The service was fantastic, and everyone was friendly-- they make you happy to be there, and you will leave trying to calculate exactly when you will return (if you can bring yourself to leave!). The food was wonderful-- thoughtful and successful taste combinations provided unexpected twists on traditional flavors. I had the salmon nicoise, a welcome departure from the typical tuna preparation that we are all used to.

As you can see in the picture above, the atmosphere is everything you could hope for from a restaurant with it's own beach-- after lunch I was able to slip into an adirondack

chair overlooking the water and enjoy a cocktail (the Navy Grog was delicious) while drifting away. They have a great lineup of drinks, complete with one that changes daily to weekly-- the Madoff Cocktail.

Now, I timed my visit for a slot where Navy Beach was not crowded, so the vibe will depend on your timing-- typically in Montauk if you want a crowd, you go out on a weekend night, and if you are looking for something more laid back you go out during the week when fewer tourists are in town. Regardless of the speed you pick, Navy Beach will provide you with food, drinks, service and atmosphere to make your visit enjoyable.

Day Trippin: Sag Harbor

The rain held off for most of yesterday, and with bright skies today I am hoping to squeeze in another great run and a fabulous day at the beach. Yesterday I decided to take a road trip in search of some nautical pieces that would add a bit of interest to The Blue Gull Beach House without overwhelming it, and my travels lead me to Sag Harbor.

Sag Harbor is a quaint little area with a rich whaling history-- about a 40 minute drive from Montauk, but you want to go on an off-day when there is little traffic. There are many shops to spend time in, a few restaurants on the main drag, and plenty of yachts bobbing on the water for you to gawk at. There is also a beach nearby, but I did not check it out this time around.

I stopped and grabbed a quick bite at The Corner Bar, which has a good variety of sandwiches, salads and main dishes. I think I mostly enjoyed snapping a few shots of the harbor and sitting in the area around this windmill, which has benches and picnic tables scattered about in the sand. It's a great spot to relax and daydream. What nautical pieces did I finally find? Stay tuned...

Fishbar-- Best Montauk Restaurant?

After this evening, I think not. I read the fabulous advertising and decided to give Fishbar a try-- I walked in, was seated by a seemingly friendly bartender, and so it began. I am actually pretty laid back when it comes to restaurants-- I understand things happen, you have off days, you have busy nights (tonight it was relatively empty) and it actually pains me to write a negative review on a spot in Montauk, but I am always forthright when it comes to my experiences.

I ordered an appetizer, the Thai mussels, and a blood orange margarita. The drink was very tasty-- not too sweet, and filled with interesting flavor. The mussels, while prepared in a very thoughtful and interesting manner, seemed a bit fishy--

perhaps not quite as fresh as they could have been. But then, there was the hair in my food. It was a big turn off for sure. Still, all the while I was trying so hard to like this restaurant-- the decor was simple, yet interesting, and the ads looked so cool-- especially when I saw the chef would be featured on Food Network...I wanted to love it.

I thought, this happens, a simple mistake, I will alert the waiter. The waiter looked at my unfinished dish, took it away, and said nothing. A simple "I am sorry" would have been a great response...a step up could have been a drink on

the house... but he seemed to not care, as if it happens often in the joint, and so I thought how terrible, surely the manager would care about the quality of the food. When I told the manager/bartender, he seemed to not care either-- it pained him to say sorry and he quickly went back to what he was doing. I was shocked, that given their highly-priced menu and seemingly good reputation, that no one cared about a sanitary matter.

I am not a snob-- I eat everywhere, from dives to some of the most fantastic restaurants you could imagine-- but customer service is king and it is something the Fishbar lacked this evening. After my experience, I will not go back, there are too many other great places, from the Dock, to Lenny's, Cyril's, Harvest, Navy Beach, Indian Wells, Star Island, The Lobster Roll and yes, my savior this evening-- Pizza Village, where I am always greeted with a smile and a fabulous pizza.

So, as for Food Network...well, I think the Fishbar's chef needs to spend a bit more time here at home training staff on customer service and keeping their hair nets on.

Rock and Roll

Last year I had an amazing lobster roll at Lenny's on the Dock, and since I have been on the hunt for new versions in Montauk. After a failed attempt to make one myself with lobster salad bought at Gosman's Fish Market (I was really disappointed in the quality and all the shells in the salad--maybe just a bad batch?) I returned to Lenny's for lunch yesterday. It was just as I had remembered it-- sweet meat, seasoned just enough, with the Rolling Stones playing in the background and the bar humming with tropical drinks and ice cold beer. The seating right near the dock allows you to relax and watch the charter boats come and go. I am looking forward to trying something new this summer, but for now I can count on getting my rock and roll at Lenny's.

Zagat Survey is In: Dave's and Harvest on Top

The newest Zagat Survey on Hamptons restaurants is out for 2010/2011, and Dave's Grill and Harvest on Fort Pond came out with strong scores for the Montauk area. I have blogged about my love for Harvest before, but have not had a chance to drop in at Dave's (although many people have highly recommended it). Dave's looks as though it has a great seafood lineup, and so, I will be making a reservation for the first week of June so that I can try their "Famous Fish Stew"-- I am curious to see just how famous it is!

Navy Beach Opens This Week!

The wait is finally over-- I heard that Navy Beach, the new restaurant on Navy Road, will open for business on Thursday. Their website is up and running, the place looks great and the food sounds fantastic, from lobster pot pies to buttermilk fried chicken. Check out the interior pic to the left from their website. Make your reservations now!

One Fish Two Fish...

If you love to fish, Montauk is the place to be. I recently saw an ad somewhere that described Montauk as a "quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem" and that's about as good of a description as any. A number of boats down at the harbor are ready for hire to take you and your group on daily tours to catch whatever is in season. I am hoping that maybe this summer or fall I can convince my family to go out with me, I think it would be cool!


Lenny's is a great spot to grab lunch, watch them all come back in, and check out the catch of the day. If you want to charter your own boat or dock your boat there are a number of marinas nearby, including the Gone Fishing Marina, Rick's Crabby Cowboy Marina, the Montauk Marine Basin, and Uihlien's Marina. The Montauk Yacht Club and Star Island Yacht Club are also available for dockage, and Star Island has a number of shark tournaments in the summer months. I am hoping to check out the upcoming one in June-- watch out JAWS, here I come!

Flip Flops By Day...Wedge Heels By Night

I love that Montauk is so casual. I can go anywhere I need to go in my flip flops by day, and most places even welcome my flip flops by night. The cool thing is, if I have the urge to dress up, there are places where people can ooh and ahh over my Charles David wedge heels, which I absolutely adore. I bought them last season when my heel got caught in-between those little slats on the dock at the Montauk Yacht Club, and I, without a shred of grace or poise, fell on my arse. So I've learned, there's no heel like a wedge heel. They give me height, they evenly distribute my weight, and reduce my chances of an outright swan dive.

One place I would recommend if you feel like getting fancy in-season is East By Northeast (ENE). Interesting food, great drinks, well dressed folks, and another view of Fort Pond. One place I have not yet ventured into (the long lines and beautiful people had me shy away last year), is The Surf Lodge. I have never been but I've heard all sorts of interesting things about the place. Some locals seem to hate it; visitors seem to love it. Without having been brave enough to venture in myself, I cannot form any sort of opinion-- but I do think they have a cool website. If you've been...let me know how it is...or perhaps I'll finally check it our for myself...

Village of East Hampton

East Hampton is yet another fun area to stop off in on your way out to Montauk. The vibe is not as quaint as Amagansett-- it is harder to describe, with shopping like Manhattan on a small town main street with one hour parking...I won't lie, the parking is a pain. There is an area with two hour parking as well, but for some reason I always feel rushed when I am out and about there.

The shopping does not involve your normal medley of stores, but rather upscale boutiques such as Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany's-- you get the picture. The headquarters of the Hamptons International Film Festival are also located there, as well as a restaurant that I love: Rowdy Hall. They have an amazing vegetarian chili, good burgers-- something for everyone. East Hampton is also home to a restaurant/inn that I am dying to try-- the famed 1770 House. I first saw this spot when it aired on Barefoot Contessa (yes, I watch a lot of Food Network...I should probably watch less and actually cook more!) and I am waiting for the perfect occasion to drop in for a bite.

Beach House Dish: Lovin' the Locals

I heard some buzz on the dining scene for this week-- The Montauk Yacht Club Resort and Marina is offering a 10% discount for locals on food and beverage purchases at their Gulf Coast Kitchen, Hurricane Alley, and Barracuda Bar and Turtle Lounge for the entire season. South Fork residents can register for a savings card when they dine before Memorial Day, and the card can be used on spa and lodging purchases as well. The photo to the left was taken earlier this month: you can see the Yacht Club's famous lighthouse, and some of their rooms which feature cabana-like outer decks in the distance.

Fort Pond Area

Montauk is surrounded by beautiful waterviews. It's a great place to get in the car, drive along the coast and just soak everything in. One of my favorite spots for taking pictures is at Fort Pond Bay, inbetween the Montauket and Duryea's Lobster Deck and Seafood Market. This strip is a prime sunset-watching spot.

As some of you know, I am getting ready to photograph a wedding this upcoming Labor Day in Annapolis Maryland, another great coastal town. You can view some engagement pictures that I took of the couple in Washington, D.C. here. They are really excited for their big day, and I am thrilled to be a small part of it!

This next group of pictures also features Fort Pond, and these were taken at one of my favorite spots for a group dinner, Harvest. They specialize in family-style dining, and my Aunt Patty claims that they have the best seafood she has ever tasted (note: she does eat a lot of seafood). Harvest has a seafood bruschetta on the menu that's pretty amazing-- picture a big overflowing tray of mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops with a delicious buttery sauce and yummy bread to soak everything up with.

I am still determining who reigns supreme in Montauk in terms of seafood (The Dock is also excellent and high on my list), but Harvest has great food, drinks and atmosphere. In the summer months you can feed the swans, ducks and coy right off of their little dock on Fort Pond; but unfortunately, during my last trip there the dock was underwater due to the flooding Montauk experienced following the last storm (see the above picture on the left where the water comes all the way up the dock's ramp).

Summer Dish 2010

There is something extraordinary about spending mornings on the beach. The inviting colors of the sky, the soothing rythm of the receding tide, and the overall calm make the first hours of the day spent on sand very special for me. It signals the beginning-- a day that exists only in its planning stages. Montauk is a town filled with rich tradition, but much like beach mornings, exists in its planning stages to some extent. This adds a real element of excitement to the area, and affords the opportunity for the continued growth of a unique beach town.

So, what growth is in store for summer 2010? Well, in addition to Navy Beach, there are some other new restaurants slated to open. First, the owners of Bostwick's Seafood Grill and Cherrystone's Clam and Lobster Shack will merge these two East Hampton favorites to create "Bostwick's Chowder House." We can expect some great chowders and raw bar items from their new location on Montauk Highway. The menu will of course, feature their signature lobster roll (we need to figure out who serves it up best before the summer is over) and the new space will include a "casual atmosphere" with a "beach and seaside theme." Love it. Surfboards and a full bar...thank you, gods of summer.

Both of these new hot spots will face some tough competition from Serafina East Hampton, which will occupy the former Matto location. Also featuring a "beachy" and "casual atmosphere," Serafina will dish up "creative pastas and risottos," and the thin crust pizza that has earned them fame throughout Manhattan. Envision a pied piper-ish line of city slickers drooling on their way out to this new Hamptons location. Well...they'll have to get in line.

New Montauk Restaurant

I recently heard some buzz on a new restaurant in Montauk: Navy Beach. The restaurant has been described as "a beachfront restaurant and bar...serving coastal comfort food in a laid back family friendly environment." Hamptons.com wrote a full article on the restaurant, and it's official website can be found here. In the past few years a number of great restaurants have opened in the Amagansett/Montauk area-- my current favorites include Harvest and Indian Wells Tavern...yummy.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

This rain is driving me crazy! But I tell you what, if I had to build an ark or just a boat for play, it would probably look a little something like this one. I shot this photo last year while at the Topside Bar at Gosman's, one of my favorite spots to daydream when it's not too crowded. If you go for an early afternoon drink, or a late lunch, you will see some amazing boats coming back from sea. The Gosman's Dock area is within walking distance from the beach house, and there are a number of quaint little shops to visit, a large restaurant, a cafe, a sushi bar (I have not tried their sushi yet, but I've heard it's awesome). In the summer months they sometimes host free concerts and other forms of live music, once the official calendar of events shapes up I will be sure to post it. For now, I am just waiting for the skies to clear, and daydreaming about summer 2010!