Shagwong Restaurant (Montauk)

ABF & I took a spur-of-the-moment trip last weekend to Montauk, the easternmost point of New York (on Long Island). It also just happens to be the site of our second date, waaaaayyyy back in 2008.

I absolutely love lighthouses--there's something so comforting and reassuring about them-- a light guiding ships safely back to solid ground though fair and foul weather alike--and they are also an important part of the scenery in my favorite happy place-the seaside.

All that driving and reminiscing can build up an appetite, and options on a late Sunday night in Montauk are pretty limited. Fortunately, the Shagwong Restaurant was still open. We'd last been there quite a few years ago.

I started with a bowl of their chowder. It's not exactly New England style, but it was still delicious. It was a thinner broth than the creamy New England version, and it had a hefty, smoky flavor from the bacon in the broth. So good!

ABF ordered the fish and chips, a specialty there. The beer batter on this fish is fantastic--I had a delicious, tasty, melt-in-your-mouth bite and loved it. Their tartar sauce is nice and citrusy, too. ABF rated this dish very highly, and he is quite the fish & chips connoisseur.

I was also craving fresh vegetables (yes, this happens!), so I ordered the house salad with blue cheese dressing on the side. It was a super thick and creamy dressing, and a little bit went a long way. It was a fabulous dressing and the salad was fresh, crunchy, tangy, and exactly what I was wanting. It was also bigger than I expected!

Shagwong isn't cheap--I'd put it more in moderate range (fish & chips are $20, which seems a bit high to me, but it's excellent and a big portion, and the salad and chowder were not that expensive, around the $7 dollar range), but the food is just flat-out delicious. The decor is a bit dated, with weathered booths and tables and dim, yellowish lighting, but it's all part of the charm of the place. It's also conveniently located right off Montauk Highway, so it's a perfect stop if you're going to/from the Montauk Lighthouse.

Shagwong Restaurant

774 Main Street

Montauk, NY 11954

(631) 668-3050

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