Day Boat Cafe
1361 Old Northern Blvd.
Roslyn, NY
516-621-2628
Day Boat Cafe, John Durkin's breezy new restaurant dedicated to simply prepared seafood, is a whitewashed whimsy: New England via Long Island. It's as if he's channeling Cambridge chef Jasper White, the current dean of this particular school of fish.
Less than 40 diners fit into the snug spot, where your thoughts drift to harbors, waves and all those fish shacks that should be this good. The art direction and set decoration are nautical but clean, not kitschy - a painting, prints, some specialty signs, no harpoons. And the sensational desserts are from Durkin's wife, Diane Margaritas of Diane's Bakery. Durkin's other restaurants include the nearby Trattoria Diane and Cafe Diane in Woodbury.
THE BEST
The mandatory starter is Durkin's New England-style clam chowder, full-flavored and right anytime. Fried oysters: a candidate for Long Island's best - sweet, briny, just crisp enough. The mixed fry of scallops, shrimp and mushrooms treads lightly, with a dab of lemon sauce. It's an antidote to every platter of rubberized calamari on Long Island. Of course, the barely bound lobster roll is irresistible, neatly boxed next to a haystack of shoestring fries. Buttery Day Boat scallops have deluxe mashed spuds and asparagus for company. The Long Island bouillabaisse sports chunks of lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams and mussels in a savory broth given a French accent with aioli on toast. Turn Italianate with the bow-tie pasta in a fine marinara floating shrimp and nubbins of zucchini. Great, homey desserts: strawberry-rhubarb, peach, three-berry, Key lime and banana-cream pies. The chocolate pudding awakens memories more than any madeleine. And the thick, quartered ice-cream sandwich, made with Diane's chocolate cookies, has no rival.
THE REST
The roasted fish of the day is straightforward and good, but it's often branzino instead of an LI catch. The crab cake materializes tasty but black-bottomed; the burger, overdone.
BOTTOM LINE
Surf's up. Reviewed by Peter M. Gianotti, 9/18/08.
HoursOpen Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations accepted for four or more
Ambience
Very good
Cuisine
Seafood
Major Credit Cards Accepted
American ExpressDiners Club, MasterCard, Visa accepted.
Price Range
Expensive ($25-$50)
Rating
Good (1 star)
Service
Very good
Wheelchair Access
One-level dining room, but tight.
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North Shore
