LONG ISLAND In the Region Recently Riverbay was closed for six weeks for renovations, reopening in mid-March. Regulars will notice a few changes. The raw bar has shifted to the opposite side of the foyer, and a sushi bar has been added. The look, however, is the same: an Old New York, turn-of-the-20th-century fish house with lots of dark wood and antique light fixtures. There is a nautical theme throughout, from black-and-white photographs of the old days at Pappas to drawings of fish, seascapes and boats. The Poll family has a restaurant empire. Dean Poll, who owns Riverbay, also runs the Boathouse in Central Park. His brothers, Gillis and George, own Bryant & Cooper Steakhouse in Roslyn, Majors steakhouses in East Meadow and Woodbury and Cipollini, an Italian restaurant, in Manhasset; they plan to open Toku, an Asian restaurant in Manhasset, by the end of this month. Still, fish propelled the family’s fortunes, and Riverbay upholds the tradition. There was a new menu in place when the restaurant reopened, but regulars complained so much that Dean Poll reinstated the old one. There is one change: about half the entrees are à la carte in steakhouse fashion. Diners can choose their fish and pick side dishes (priced from $3 to $6) to go with them. Those entrees top out at about $20. The chef’s specialties on the menu, served with appropriate accompaniments, run from $22 to $28. Among the specials, one night a whole branzino was a perfect pick: moist, flaky, delicious. Other specials that scored — at higher prices than the menu offerings — were sautéed soft-shell crabs ($32) and a delicate Dover sole boned at tableside ($36). From the à la carte list, Chatham cod was thick and snowy white. Fish on that list come with a choice of six warm sauces; the chive beurre blanc was a winner. Chef’s specialties that more than made the grade were swordfish Milanese topped with baby arugula, halved grape tomatoes and chopped red onion, and sesame-seared tuna served sushi rare with accompaniments of wasabi mustard, pickled ginger and a miso sauce. Seared sea scallops were abundant and sweet, but their haystack French fries had turned soggy from mingling with the blood-orange sauce on the plate. Start the meal with the exemplary shrimp cocktail (four large firm ones on a bed of ice) or the lump crab meat cocktail. The no-filler crab cakes, with corn relish and chunky tartar sauce, were another fine opener. The Manhattan clam chowder, rich with tomatoes, also delivered, but baked clams were chewy. Salads were inconsistent. The beet salad was undermined by a sweet Port wine glaze, too many leafy greens compared with beets, and unannounced blackberries in the mix. The Caesar was a composed salad with delicious cheese toasts and large wedges of romaine. The green salad was a disappointment. It was billed as having a blue cheese vinaigrette, but ours was tossed in an ordinary vinaigrette with a ramekin of creamy blue cheese dressing on the side. Among the side dishes sampled, the flavorful hash browns, the crunchy asparagus and the spinach sautéed with garlic were first-rate. The Belgian fries, which arrived in a charming paper cone, were hard rather than crisp. A basket of assorted breads and very good warm biscuits arrived at the beginning of the meal. We were never offered more of those great biscuits, however. One night service was slipshod, with runners having no idea who ordered what. Another time we had a sharp waiter who saw that things were done right. Riverbay serves a good creamy rice pudding, a warm flaky apple strudel and a rich molten-center chocolate cake atop a mound of whipped cream. Only a Key lime pie failed to make the grade. Its texture was as solid as cheesecake and its flavor not tart enough. Riverbay Seafood www.riverbayrestaurant.com VERY GOOD THE SPACE Old New York-style fish house. Wheelchair accessibility. (Call for directions to wheelchair entrance.) THE CROWD Casual, noisy; couples and small groups. Few children. THE BAR Large horseshoe with a sushi bar on one side. List of 68 wines, $18 to $98. THE BILL Lunch entrees $12 to $18, dinner entrees $17 to $42. American Express, Visa and MasterCard accepted. WHAT WE LIKE Biscuits, shrimp cocktail, crab cocktail, Manhattan clam chowder, crab cakes; soft-shell crabs, Dover sole, branzino, Chatham cod, swordfish Milanese, sesame-seared tuna; rice pudding, apple strudel, molten-center chocolate cake. IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday to Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday brunch: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations accepted for eight or more. Call a half-hour ahead to be put on the waiting list. Reviewed June 17, 2007 |
