Newsday.com: Dining on Suffolk's South Shore

Dining on Suffolk's South Shore

BY PETER M. GIANOTTI AND JOAN REMINICK
Newsday Restaurant Reviewers

The south shore of Suffolk County, from Amityville to the Moriches, appeals to all appetites. The area sports a broad range of restaurants, from informal fish joints to haute cuisine establishments, from inexpensive to expense-account spots. Here's a cross-section of reliable selections from the area.

BLUE
7 Montauk Hwy.
Blue Point
631-363-6666

Blue comes in a few hues. It's a steak house, but also a spot for some Japanese and new American dishes, all served in a place with two very different dining rooms. The high-ceiling space is preferable. And so are the generous filet mignon, sirloin, rib-eye, T-bone and porterhouse steaks. The wok-seared red snapper and Athenian fettuccine, with feta, both are good.

BLUE POINT RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR
227 Fourth Ave.
Bay Shore
631-206-2006

Uncomplicated and lived-in, this restaurant offers brews on tap, a good raw bar, and some diverting specialties. Try the Stilton cheese fritters, pan-seared tuna, roasted beet salad, steamed lobster, pan-seared striped bass with salsa and polenta, or barbecued chicken with sweet potato gratin and collard greens. Strawberry shortcake is the top sweet.

CUYAH
831 Long Island Ave.
Deer Park
631-242-4352

This order-at-the-counter Jamaican spot is both friendly and attractive, if situated on an industrial stretch of road. It's worth seeking out, however, for such West Indian favorites as goat curry and oxtail stew. The spiced potato and codfish pancakes called "stamp and go" are nothing short of irresistible.

EMERSON'S
69 Deer Park Ave.
Babylon
631-669-2333

Featuring both French and new American cooking, Emerson's has dual appeal. The 50-seater is lively and unpretentious. And the kitchen excels with dishes such as short ribs and grits, pork "filet mignon" with plums, seared halibut with artichoke stew, avocado-and-crab salad, crab cakes with black bean salsa, and flourless chocolate cake.

THE GATSBY
712 Main St.
Islip
631-581-1900

Grand and grandiose, The Gatsby sometimes comes across as a send-up of the romantic. The venerable house where it resides dates to the 1870s. The cuisine is new American and often very good. A sampler: tuna sashimi with fennel and citrusy yuzu, braised lamb shank with creany white beans, grilled shell steak atop vegetables with almond pesto, pork tenderloin with cabbage, and six-layer carrot cake.

IN SEASON
301 W. Main St.
Islip
631-581-1029

Bright and creative, In Season has year-round appeal for its new American food and unfussy style. The winning dishes include lobster "cappuccino," frothy and subtle; savory pumpkin risotto; caramelized sea scallops with cauliflower florets and puree; pan-seared swordfish with olives and feta; braised short ribs; cheesecake; and creme brulee.

LAWAN
13 E. Main St. Patchogue
631-687-1313

An eye-catching conveyance called a samlor (a cross between a rickshaw and a bicycle) is the center of attraction at this very good Thai restaurant in downtown Patchogue. Here, diners can enjoy such specialties as larb, a warm salad of diced pork, followed by a fragrant curry. The classic Pad Thai is always right.

LOUIS XVI
600 S.Ocean Ave.
Patchogue
631-654-8970

Dish for dish, Long Island's best traditional French restaurant, Louis XVI also is the area's most opulent establishment for cuisine. Waterside location, excellent service, and delectable choices, including snapper in a potato crust with balsamic-Port reduction, filet mignon either Perigourdine or Rossini, rack of lamb, braised suckling pig, lobster-crayfish bisque and black truffle-infused corn soup.

SIAM LOTUS
2664 Union Blvd.
Bay Shore
631-968-8196

Thai cuisine sparkles in this modest, boxy eatery near the railroad station. The amiable staff moves things along. Some favorites: spicy shrimp soup, ground pork salad with lime juice and peanuts, chicken curry, deep-fried boneless duck, deep-fried snapper with garlic and chilies, and, to conclude, a scoop of coconut ice cream, and equally refreshing litchis and rambutan.

SMOKEHOUSE GRILL
296 W. Main St.
Sayville
631-589-9600

The barbecued ribs and brisket aren't the only reasons this Sayville newcomer is smokin'. Chef Joe Breaton's well-executed menu breaks with barbecue tradition by offering such items as Peruvian chicken soup and crab and bluefish cakes. Professional service and comfortable surroundings are two pluses.

SOUTHSIDE FISH & CLAM
395 W. Montauk Hwy.
Lindenhurst
631-226-3322

Casual in the extreme, from the picnic benches to the plastic tableware, Southside sticks to basics. Here, they include well-steamed lobsters and simply grilled swordfish, accompanied by a beer. The dining room adjoins the fish market, where you'll be tempted to invest in a lot of take-out seafood, either pristine or prepared.

TELLERS
605 Main St.
Islip
631-277-7070

Tellers is housed in a handsome, vintage bank building, complete with column, high ceiling, and a vault that now is the wine cellar. It's lavish fun. And also very good for steaks and chops. Go for the porterhouse steak for two and the rack of lamb. Pan-seared wild salmon, pan-seared sea scallps and the crabmeat cocktail similarly star.

TENNESSEE JACK'S BBQ
148 Carleton Ave.
East Islip
631-581-9657

Barbecue, which is heating up the South Shore Suffolk restaurant scene, is served in an atmospheric roadhouse, adding to its down-home allure. Standouts include a smoked brisket quesadilla, the deeply smoky barbecued chicken, and, of course, the ribs.

21 MAIN
21 Main St.
West Sayville
631-567-0900

A big, white house devoted to red meat, 21 Main slices in style. It's an easygoing place with genial service and very good steaks. Start with a shrimp or crabmeat cocktail, or the tuna sashimi. Then pick the T-bone for two with Gorgonzola cheese, the hefty rib steak, the sirloin, the filet mignon. Also good: hanger steak with onions and mushrooms.