Casual, no fuss, and delicious with a kick- that’s one way to describe the Hideaway Restaurant which is tucked away in the Cove Marina on West Lake Drive. In 2021 after the retirement of the long-time owners- Skip and Freda- a local couple decided to reopen the Hideaway. Charlotte and Zach have continued the Hideaway’s tradition of fresh, simple Mexican style food. This small counter service ‘hideaway’, offers in and out-door seating, a roomy bar, and the perfect casual vibe expected at a dock-side eatery.
In addition to the great food and drinks, they have live music weekly Thursday-Saturday. Be sure to check their website for additional events. For our visit we were lucky enough to be entertained by Kevin the Kind– a terrific local musician.
Although at first glance it may appear simple, the menu offers a wide variety of wonderfully tasty Mexican dishes. Everything can be enjoyed as a snack among friends, or as complete meals. From the Elote– a mouth-watering fire roasted corn slathered with queso fresco and chili mayo, to the Hideaway Crudo, the apps alone are irresistible.
Always enjoying fresh fish, we began with the Hideaway Crudo and Tuna Tostada. The Crudo has a generous portion of thinly sliced yellowfin tuna, sprinkled with delicate cilantro and thin slices of red onion, all resting in a serrano pepper, lime and soy mixture which has a lovely tasty kick to it. Sitting atop a bed of crisp cucumber salad on a crunchy tostada, the perfectly seared tuna is dabbed with a tasty cilantro mayo creating a fresh combination of flavor and texture for their Tuna Tostada.
If fish isn’t your thing, there are many other ways to go. We enjoyed the healthy portion of the Nachos and an order of fresh Guacamole. Accompanied by their crisp house made chips, the smooth and creamy Guacamole was topped with a pretty slice of watermelon radish. Creating a delicious looking and tasting Nacho option, a plate of house made chips are smothered with ground chorizo, a zesty cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Other choices include Mini Empanadas, Dorilocos Fiacro, Flautas, and either the Hideaway or Watermelon Salad.
In addition to the great app selection, you can order from a terrific variety of Tacos– one per order- either: Pescado, Chorizo, Pollo, Carne Asada, Picadillo, Camarones, Carnitas, or Vegano – each served on a 6-inch corn or flour tortilla. The Pescado Taco had a large piece of lightly battered market fish, as well as onion, cabbage, and chili mayo. The Camarones Taco is stuffed with fresh guacamole and marinated grilled shrimp, topped with cilantro and lime mayo. They both have an outstanding flavor combination.
Aside from the Tacos, you can enjoy Burritos, Platos, and Quesadillas made to order with a choice of steak, ground beef, chorizo, chicken, carnitas or shrimp. Each is served with some combination of queso fresco, guac, onions, cheese, rice, and/or beans. New this season is the Breakfast Burrito– served 1-5pm- created with eggs, chorizo, guacamole, rice, beans, and lettuce.
For our final dishes, we had the Chicken Platos, which was a lovely plate of seasoned diced chicken, fresh sliced avocado, flavorful rice, refried beans, queso fresco, and corn tortillas for assembling your own taco or as a side. And a Chihuahua Cheese Quesadilla served with white onion, pico de gallo and sour cream- both were great choices.
The fact that you’re dining on picnic tables with paper plates and plastic utensils becomes secondary as each dish is not only tasty but embellished with fresh greens, herbs, and/or vegetables highlighting the chef’s skillful attention to detail of ingredients, taste, and presentation- Simple and Delicious.
The Hideaway is the perfect location for an afternoon or evening cocktail and nosh. The drinks are creative- with Margaritas offered in 4 varieties: Classico, Sandia which is blended with Mezcal and watermelon, Jamaica which adds a bit of hibiscus, or even a Frozen Margarita. They’re all created with fresh juice and made to order. Of course they have other specialty drinks, like Ranch Water and the light refreshing El Lichi, as well as a complete tequila, beer and wine list. Drink in hand, ordering a few of the sharable apps or tacos would complete your outing.
The Hideaway is located at 364 W Lake Dr., they don’t take reservations, but for info you can email them at info@hideawaymontauk.com or call631-668-8700. They are open Tuesday – Wednesday: 5pm-12am, Thursday – Saturday: 1pm-1am, Sunday: 1pm-9pm. Be sure to stop by for a meal or the daily Happy Hour from 3-5pm with half-off Margaritas and select food items.
