by Sue Giustino
Living in Montauk affords its residents and visitors an array of intriguing choices for dining. One of the tried-and-true favorites which has withstood the test of time-since 2006- is the Inlet Seafood Restaurant. Owned and operated by six local fishermen, and located at the end of East Lake Drive, the two-story building is nestled between their working docks and Gin Beach- on the East side of the Montauk Harbor Inlet. With unlimited breathtaking water views of Montauk Harbor and the Block Island Sound, the Inlet Restaurant offers gorgeous sunsets from each of the in and outdoor dining areas, an extensive variety of boat to table fresh fish options, as well as many other delightful meal choices.
Sitting at a high-top table across from the bar, with a lovely view of the setting sun, we were greeted by our friendly waitress Flora and ordered a few cocktails. If you’re looking for a unique refreshing option, my favorite is the Saki-Tini; a delightful blend of cucumber vodka and saki. In addition to their complete cocktail menu, there also run bar specials; popular this time of year is the Pumkin Martini or the creative Apple Cider cocktail.
Comprised of an array of Raw Bar selections, Salads, Appetizers, Pasta, Land and Sea options, the menu is quite pleasing. Chef Henry Jimenez also creates nightly appetizer, and entrée specials. In addition, Sushi Chef Johnny at the Sushi Bar, has created a great selection of Nori Rolls, Sushi & Sashimi Rolls and Platters, nightly specials, as well as many tasty starters.
We started with the Grilled Octopus, Calamari Salad, and the Inlet Roll. Each was fresh, tender, and delicious. The first is prepared with Grilled Octopus perched upon a traditional Romesco Sauce, and sided with a tasty house salad and a gentle white bean crostini. Curious about the delicious Romesco Sauce I did a bit of research and found that it is a tomato-based sauce originating from the city of Valls, in Catalonia Spain. Made to be eaten with fish, fishermen in this area typically made this sauce from any mixture of roasted tomatoes and garlic, some combination of toasted almonds, pine nuts, or hazelnuts, olive or sunflower oil and nyora peppers. Ground stale bread or flour was at times used as a thickener. or to provide texture. 
I’m not sure how Chef Henry prepares it, but it was a delectable addition to this outstanding dish.
The Grilled Calamari Salad has fresh mixed field greens, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and balsamic dressing garnished with sesame seeds, Calabrian Chili and all topped with perfectly charred calamari. It’s a wonderful alternative to a traditional fried calamari salad.
The Inlet Roll is a blend of spicy crunchy tuna, avocado and siracha & ponzu sauce-this roll doesn’t have rice, it’s light and quite tasty. Looking for some more traditional there are many choices of rolls from which to choose. The Lady Slipper is a gentle arrangement of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, and avocado wrapped in pink soy paper beautifully arranged like a pink fan and plated with a swish of sweet chili sauce. With a red and black tobiko top, the FM Station is delicious combination of salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and avocado. Each of these three rolls, although quite different, are spectacularly fresh, delicious and some of our favorites.
Having always favored the Pan Seared Scallops, when I noticed the sides recently changed, we decided to give it a try. On a bed of creamy cauliflower puree and accompanied with Shimeji Mushrooms with an apple brandy cream sauce the gently seared scallops practically melt in your mouth- such a delightful combination of accenting flavors!
Another terrific meal is the Whole Sea Bass served either Tempura Fried or Grilled and perched upon a bed of garlic and oil sauteed spinach. We choose the crispy tempura option which has a tangy sweet sauce perfectly accenting the tender fish. That along with the contrasting flavors of garlic spinach, makes this dish a wonderful blend of flavors and textures.
One of the specials happened to be one of my favorites, Swordfish. It was blackened, locking in and adding spice to all of the natural fish flavor, and dished with black lentils and perfectly creamy Beurre Blanc Sauce, all garnished with petite pea shoots- a tasty, aromatically and visually pleasing meal.
Straying from the ‘Sea’ options to the ‘Land’, we decided on the highly recommended LI Half Duck. Crisp and flavorful, the duck is cooked with a sweet chili Hoisin sauce and fanned with grilled zucchini chips and roasted fingerling potatoes. Other ‘Land’ options include a roasted Half Chicken, Grilled Pork Chop, Rib Eye Steak, or a Hamburger, each accompanied by a variety of sides.
Although we were unable to add dessert to our meal, be sure to check with the dessert menu for the decadent options available, including the tempting Brownie or Cookie Sunday. However, we did have one after dinner treat- DHR 1658 Bourbon- https://dhr1658.com/ . Easy to sip, this smooth bourbon with tones of banana, ginger, pepper, and a hay finish was imagined right here in Montauk by Cate and Pat Keogh of the Deep Hollow Ranch, and is distilled on the East End of LI. ‘As avid connoisseurs of fine American whiskeys, Pat and Cate have created a craft, single oak barrel-aged bourbon that carries the traditions and honors the heritage of Deep Hollow Ranch.’ As usual, we enjoyed the entire evening; great food, ambiance, cocktails and service.
All summer, the Inlet presented live music in the back yard adjacent to the Montauk Inlet- complete with fire pits, Adirondack chairs, and Corn Hole boards, this casual setting is perfect for gathering pre or post meal, or even for just a cocktail with friends while enjoying the entertainment with a cool breeze off the water.
Coming up on December 14th, the fun continues with their traditional Holiday Party & Boat Parade– tickets are on sale- https://www.instagram.com/inletseafoodmtk/ . “We are proud to say that as a result of last year’s holiday party, we donated $20k to @montaukfoodpantry !! This year we will donate to them AND another local charity.”
Inlet Seafood Restaurant is Open Thursday-Monday for Lunch and Dinner, and offering Locals night Thursday with 25% off, and GUPPIES NIGHT-Kids eat FREE Sunday Dinner. For more information go to- www.inletseafood.com .
