Dan's Papers - July 13, 2007 -

The Bayview Inn is another dining gem of the North Fork, tucked away in a very tranquil spot at the very end of South Jamesport Avenue, literally right by Peconic Bay. This is a restaurant we always enjoy visiting because apart from the relaxed charm of the Inn, with its very atmospheric bar and inside and outdoor dining rooms, Tom Lopez, the Chef de Cuisine, is another of Long Islands culinary gems. Tom is a great enthusiast for all that he does and is always researching new dishes where he can use the great wealth of wonderfully fresh local produce, fish and meat available to him.

On arrival, he asked us to place ourselves in his hands because he wanted us to experience some of the dishes, which will be on his menu, either as regular dishes or specials in the weeks to come. Naturally, we had no hesitation in agreeing to this and sipped a glass of the Lenz Chardonnay specially blended for them and nibbled on warm crisp bread. As we waited with keen expectation for our first course, taking care not to eat too much bread because we knew from previous experience that Tom was not going to let us leave hungry!

First came one of our very favorite appetizers, lightly seared Hudson Valley foie gras that was sumptuously decadent and thankfully was not overwhelmed with a heavy sauce, as too often happens to this delicacy. Tom just used a small amount of a Madeira based sauce to complement the foie gras and the result, we unanimously agreed, was without any doubt the best foie gras presentation we have ever tasted.

Next, came a halved avocado stuffed with crabmeat, apple wood smoked bacon and rice wine cilantro dressing. This was a perfect follow up as its astringency was a great palate cleanser and the crab was outstandingly tasty and fresh. Fresh was the key note of the local Jamesport Pye Coast oysters that followed and Tom told us that they come from a friend of his just down the block. They came with mignonette and red sauces for dipping but these really should be savored without any adornment - sometimes you just cannot improve on Mother Nature!

New Zealand cockles were full of flavor and the possillipo sauce with them, based on white wine garlic tomatoes and herbs demanded dunking and mopping up with the bread. Another great dish.

There was no way that we could do justice to one of their large veal chops so Tom prepared a grilled veal paillard that came with some absolutely delectable local Swiss chard. Very tender, the veal had great texture and taste.

Then came one of Tom's favorite specials that some of his regular clientele call ahead and request specially. Tuscan style lobster is lightly coated in its shell, then deep-fried and served with a spicy garlic wine, lemon based sauce. Now, if you read my reviews regularly you will know that where shellfish is concerned I usually go for the minimalist treatment but I have to say that this interpretation results in a very flavorful and original taste. A word of warning though for the uninitiated. If you think handling a simple steamed lobster is tricky - be careful of this. It is not a dish to order if you are out to impress your date. It requires work to get to the meat, even though it comes cracked, and you will end up being very glad of the hot wet towel that is thoughtfully provided when you have finished your final extraction.

Tom also now produces the desserts. The local blueberry crepe and a local peach frangipane tart were both exceptional.

As we enjoyed our espresso we looked back with great pleasure on an excellent meal prepared by a master craftsman, who can be proud of his talents and again it was obvious why the Bayview Inn has become such a Mecca for discerning diners from far and wide and has so many regular repeat customers.

The menu is well constructed with something for all tastes and the specials are changed each Friday. They have a good, fairly priced wine list with wines by the glass at $8 and bottles starting at $26. Appetizers are from $7 to 12; main courses from $21 to 35. The Bay View Inn is open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday.