Dan's Papers - July 20, 2007 -

Fine dining with impressive water views sums up the casual but elegant Beacon Restaurant in Sag Harbor. The restaurant is celebrating its ninth year and boasts a relaxed vibe where people can sit back and enjoy the overall dining experience. Situated about the Sag Harbor Yacht Club, the Beacon's outdoor deck gives you a breathtaking view of the water and sun setting in the background. Upon arrival, David Loewenberg, the restaurant's owner who seemed to know every patron that walked through the door, greeted and sat my party at a table overlooking the water. I viewed the comprehensive menu and after my Beacon experience, I really do not think you can go wrong with any of the fresh, flavorful and all around great dishes. Loewenberg's partner in the restaurant, Sam McCleland, is also the restaurant's chef and my hat's off to him.

The evening began with an assortment of the restaurant's signature appetizers. The most notable were the tuna tartare, steamed mussels and chopped salad. The tuna tartare was served on round bread crisps topped with a slice of fresh cucumber and the perfect combination of tuna, capers, whole grain mustard and red curry paste. "It's to die for," my guest commented as he took a bite from the fresh tuna. The steamed mussels were equally delicious. Beacon uses Prince Edward Island Mussels and serves them with a sauce consisting of garlic, white wine, lemon-thyme, and a touch of cream and garnished with tomatoes. The mussels were very fresh, the sauce matched just right and it seemed like everyone in the restaurant enjoyed them as plates of mussels kept leaving the kitchen. The chopped salad was probably my favorite. It was a combination of romaine and radicchio, a peanut-ginger dressing that added a great nutty flavor to the dish, lightly fried shrimp with the perfect crisp and a succulent flavor, topped with a peanut garnish.

After given a few moments to savor the first course and enjoy the setting, Loewenberg brought us an ample variety of what Beacon offers in the way of entrees. All four of the dishes were delicious and cannot go unmentioned. First was the Halibut Baked in Parchment with sun-dried tomatoes, tatsoi and Toasted Israeli Couscous. The fish was delectably mild and tender. The couscous underneath the white fish had an exotic flavor enhancing the flavor of the dish. Next was the Sesame Crusted Tuna w/ Napa Cabbage-Jicama Slaw and Asian Glaze. The fish melts in the mouth and the crust mixed with some slaw gives the dish a "wow" factor. The Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean and Avocado Salsa was equally delicious. The meat was tender, cooked to liking and topped with avocados and black beans that tasted fresh from the farm. The final entree was the Lobster Rigatoni with Aged Cheddar, Roasted Corn, Basil and cream. This dish was light but addicting. The large chunks of lobster meat with fresh corn and a sauce that perfected the combination of just enough cream with cheese made this dish a must have. We also got to try one of the Beacon's new lunch specials, a lobster roll with tons of lobster mixed with light mayonnaise, thyme and tarragon served with chips.

After tasting all the delicious food, I couldn't even think about dessert, but my dilemma faded when the sweets arrived. All of the desserts are homemade and there wasn't one on the menu that did not appeal to my taste buds. We sampled the Flourless Chocolate Cake, Maple Creme Brulee, Almond Cake and the Beacon Ice Cream sandwich. All were delicious endings to an already superb meal, but the almond cake and ice cream sandwich took the prize. The spongy almond cake was just sweet enough and tasted fantastic with the accompaniment of mascarpone cream and slivered almonds. The ice cream sandwich consisted of two soft homemade chocolate chip cookies sandwiching vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The Beacon really takes this classic frozen treat to a new level.

In addition to great food, the Beacon has an extensive wine list that offers local selections and those from abroad. They also serve a variety of specialty drinks including house spiced vanilla rum, which is worth even just a small taste.

Need I say more about this Sag Harbor gem? Great food and impressive setting are all you need to know about the Beacon so get over there so you can see what I'm talking about.

Beacon is located at 8 W. Water Street in Sag Harbor. They do not take reservations but for more information call (631) 725-708