Oh my has the news been bombastic lately. So I thought I would contribute to the dialogue with something positive, delicious and entertaining.
Now that I am in my seventies enjoying great meals is front and center on my enjoyment menu of life. Twenty years ago for a few years I landed in Montauk as sort of a resident guest. The local folks took me in like one might take in a wounded dog. Yes, Divorce renders some men wounded dog syndrome.
That being said living in Montauk increased my dining on fish intake. I actually was paid by the historic weekly “The Montauk Pioneer,” to do local Montauk restaurant reviews! What a wonderful weekly assignment! Needless to say at least one day a week I wasn’t a starving writer/reporter/Journalist!
Sampling the best selections of The Harvest, Gurneys, Gosman’s, Sole East and then Montauk Clam and Chowder House plus the other numerous other venues two times a year never sucked. Not to mention I always was allowed a plus one!
My favorite entree of them all however, came about one gloomy spring day. It was raining, I was bored and by chance landed early evening on opening week at the Clam and Chowder House at Salivar’s Dock. Robbie the then owner had just moved from a location near Star Island to the large space that was once known as Salivar’s an all hours sort of diner and oasis for fishermen, both pro and amateur.
For no reason other than going to a “just opened for the season place,” I stumbled in at the opening hour. It was empty I was the first one in around 5 pm. Usually I always ordered their Lobster dinner, but I looked the menu over and was intrigued by the combination of Fluke, with Italian sauce with parmigiana over spaghetti!
Being 100% Italian I had never actually seen that on any menu anywhere. I decided to go for it.
Wow was it awesome. The Fuke was perfectly “Panko crusted” that was still crispy while buried under Italian tomato sauce and lots of melted parmigiana cheese. Then under it all was steaming spaghetti.
I ordered a glass of Chianti and slowly proceeded to have a best ever first time surprise. I now no longer live In Montauk yet at least once a year I pilgrimage out there just to order this dish.
A dish like this is not for everyone but if you are adventurous in your dining and enjoy both fish and Italian food by all means sample this choice.