Blue Point, A Welcome Addition to Bay Shore
By Tara Lamberti

I don’t “do” seafood. I never was a fan. However, after eating at Blue Point in Bay Shore, my taste buds have had a change of heart.

For the first time in my life I seriously considered eating Mako, just because it sounded so good. Everything on the menu at Blue Point reads like poetry; sweet spicy cucumber slaw is the type of alliteration that makes my mouth water…and that is just a side dish. It was nearly impossible to decide what to order.

After re-reading the menu a few more times, I was grateful that the benches were covered in such comfortable and adorable cushions. The playful red patterned monkeys on the yellow background were a great contrast to the dark wood of the room. Eventually, with thanks to waitress Mary Maisto, 20, a local who has worked there since January, my friend and I were clued in to the popular dishes.

We settled on calamari for an appetizer. I have attempted to try this dish many times in the past at other places and all were unpleasant: each ring was like a rubber band dipped in Ragu sauce. Not only was the food prepared to perfection, I couldn’t believe I was eating squid! The sauce, which was not your run-of-the-mill marinara. Beardslee whipped up a unique spicy roasted garlic aioli that a person without manners might be tempted stick their fingers in to sop up every last drop.

Their signature dish, Paella is a favorite among customers and the presentation alone explained why. Atop a bed of saffron rice arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner were clams, mussels, chorizo (Spanish sausage similar to soppresada), scallops and shrimp. This is a platter that allows you to sample everything and can include lobster as well if you were so inclined.

Every night there areat least two specialties, one meat and the other fish, on the specialty board. That night, was an off-beat and delicious coca-cola marinated flank steak with a creamy potato salad.

Dessert was an indulgence: Flourless Chocolate Cake with a raspberry sauce. It left me completely satisfied yet not overwhelmingly full. Other menu items included: Seared Tuna, Clams Three Ways, Mini Tuna Tacos with pinapple sauce; Duck Confit Spring Rolls w/ apricot chiracha dipping sauce; For salad their is an Arrugla with goat cheese, sun dried cranberries and toasted pecans; Roasted Beet Salad w/ blue cheese.

Chef Liam Beardslee, 35, is a long-time Fire Islander. Growing up in Brightwaters, he frequently spent summers in Kismet and Fair Harbor and has several cousins living year-round on the beach. He was a chef at The Dock in Fair Harbor, and met his wife there.

After cooking at Soho Grand, Bearlslee gravited towards smaller restaurants to learn the business of owning a restaurants, including The Lemon, Pitchoune and Oznot’s Dish.

With his 13-month-old son Quin and Declan 2 1/2 years-old in tow, it was obvious that this is a family place. The romantic cushions were fashioned by Beardslee’s mother, Dotty known on Fire Island as an expert seamstress. Wife Cher 33, not only designed the dessert menu, she has extensive experience in the business. She managed Lot 61, Julie’s Supper Club in San Francisco, and was an assistant to Eberhardt Mueller’s restaurants.

The name came from the historic bivalve mollusk of Long Island. The restaurant lives up to the name, offering Blue point oysters and clams on the half as well as one west coast variatal oyster every day.

“We always wanted an oyster bar wth the restaurant. Then we thought the most famous oyster in the world are blue point oysters. Its the only oyster Queen Elizabeth I would eat.”

Thursday night clam-bake is my choice to return especially when the live band goes on stage. They also offer catering on and off the grounds and customers can rent out the back room. There aren’t many places that can truly boast that they serve great food at great prices, but Blue Point can say so with certainty. Each entrée is about $20 with appetizers ranging from $6 to $10.

What made Blue Point so appealing was not just the amazing food, but the attentive service. Even the bartender who had to put in some elbow grease to concoct two coveted and hard-to-find mojitos, did so with a smile. Not too many places will take the time to make the popular summer drink, but they make a great one here. And a perk for the singles out there…the staff is pretty attractive as well.

Come by for a cool Hibiscus Ice tea, or try the Queen’s favorite raw food..

Blue Point is located on Fourth Avenue in Bay Shore across from the train station. You can call them at 206-2006