“Best seat in the house” at Le Dock in Fair Harbor. Photo by Samantha Salerno
Le Dock Restaurant
60 Bay Walk, Fair Harbor • 631-583-5200 • ledockrestaurant.com
By Samantha Salerno
Steps away from the Fair Harbor Ferry Terminal lies a lavish spot to enjoy a fresh meal this summer. Adjacent to the Great South Bay, Le Dock’s location provides the perfect spot to watch the sunset, while indulging in a delicious meal. In 2018, current owner Michael Miller purchased the establishment after previously running a business in Ocean Beach for over 20 years.
Le Dock isn’t your ordinary dining experience – with a unique and simplistic menu, it’s sometimes difficult to decide what to order. “We change our menu options every week,” Miller stated. He also shared that in the coming weeks there will be more dates and times of operation. As of right now, the establishment is only open on Friday and Saturday, from 5-9 p.m.
Upon first glance, the menu seems tame: it appears there are only a few options to choose from, but reading the detailed descriptions of each will make you understand why this seemingly small slew of choices is quite the opposite. Le Dock takes time and care into the preparation of every single one of their dishes, and having this select menu allows the chef to create the perfect flavor combinations.
Being seated at what Miller claims is the “best seat in the house” during golden hour was very charming. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a bar with seating. Its modern and simplistic decor allows for the eye to wander to the pops of color incorporated in the floral displays between each outdoor table. Beginning with starters, there was something for everyone on the menu including classic Fire Island options like shrimp cocktail or crispy fried calamari paired with a delicious marina- ra, but what took home the gold for me was the watermelon salad. Unassumingly fresh and satisfying, the watermelon salad combined grilled peaches, mozzarella and watermelon with a balsamic drizzle overtop. This was a perfect summer appetizer and I hope it makes a return on the ever-changing menu this summer. For entrees, there’s nothing that can compete with the baja fish tacos: A grilled tortilla topped with fresh fish, cabbage, cotija cheese and avocado crema. Some other honorable mentions include the linguine alla vodka, Thai shrimp curry and the Le Dock cheddar burger. Additionally, a wide array of cocktails are offered, which would pair perfectly with any of these flavorful dishes.
As far as dessert goes, I take it pretty seriously. Throughout my entire meal I was anticipating taking a glance at the dessert menu, and let me say I was not disappointed. Although there wasn’t a physical menu to gander at, our waiter (and owner Michael Miller’s son) enlightened us with the choices. A caramel cheesecake, an apple tart, deconstructed can- noli and a chocolate cake. The deconstructed cannoli was like nothing I’ve ever had before. A plate of cannoli cream with a center of gooey fudge, surrounded by small pieces of cannoli shell to dip this was absolutely a 10 out of 10. An honorable mention is the layered chocolate cake, which was quite scrumptious, but overshadowed by the cannoli.
Dining at Le Dock was truly inviting as well as an elegant dining experience. The spectacular view, respectable waitstaff and mouth-watering cuisine are just a few of the things that make this place so wonderful.
