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About
halfway down Woodcleft Avenue, also known as the famous nautical mile, you will come
across a spacious and festive Japanese restaurant on the water called Bonito. Surely
this is the best sushi around in this classic summertime hot spot in the town of
Freeport. There is something to be said about enjoying fresh seafood presented in
the unique style the Japanese are renowned for, while relaxing in this maritime
setting.
Bonito
has a cozy outdoor tiki bar that is perfect to unwind with a refreshing cocktail in
hand on a hot summers day. When dining inside, slide into a cozy and private tatami
style booth, or experience live knife wielding action while sitting around any of
the five hibachi grills. The outdoor waterside dining area is furnished with tables
and umbrellas so that you may sit and enjoy a leisurely meal while watching an array
of watercraft in action.
In the way of cocktails, we were presented a traditional, tropically inspired Margarita (below left) and Mai Tai (below right), both colorful and delicious. Perfectly chilled and well mixed, garnished with fresh fruit, these cocktails tasted as good as they looked. For those individuals that want something non-alcoholic, these fun and tasty drinks can be made “virgin.”
We
started with a sashimi appetizer (below) that consisted of 8 pieces of colorful,
artfully arranged raw salmon, fluke, tuna and white tuna.
Even the wasabi and ginger hugged one another on the plate in an attractive
manner. This four fish sashimi appetizer was wonderfully
fresh and would make a great choice to start your meal.
Our first roll of the evening was aptly named “Godzilla Roll” (below left), a deep fried creation filled with spicy tuna and avocado. This roll was dipped in just enough tempura batter to give a thin delicate and crunchy coating to the underlying layer of rice and seaweed. The next layer was the flavorful spicy tuna, which made for a very satisfying integration of textures and a bit of heat.
An interesting dish that we found absolutely delightful and shouldn’t be missed was the eel & avocado appetizer with miso sauce (above right). Warm salty eel and rich avocado make a perfect match, wrapped inside a thin crepe-like spring roll that had just the right crispness. The rolls were complimented by an orange infused miso sauce and garnished accordingly with orange slices.
We then went on to enjoy a seasonal Japanese fluke dish called Usuzukuri (above). Thin slices of delicate fluke dangled precariously over the edge of a decorative martini glass. The fair colored fish was sprinkled with orange, green and black caviar overlooking a lagoon of ponzu sauce. Each piece was slightly dipping into the sauce for just the right amount of coating, adding a kiss of vinegary sweetness. Altogether this dish was a fresh, light and unimposing work of art, great for sharing.
We insisted on trying the Bonito Roll (above) not only because it was named after the restaurant but that it had an interesting combination of ingredients. Quartered strawberries and diced cucumbers were bundled together with rice and a single layer of seaweed. The roll was topped with a dollop of lobster salad and green caviar. The result was a fresh and crisp bite of sweet strawberry and crunchy cucumber complimented by the rich, creamy lobster salad. This was definitely a unique and summer inspired delight.
The dessert selections consisted of the usual suspects. However, we do recommend the Green tea ice cream (above). This unique choice was a refreshing way to end our meal. The Green Tea inspired ice cream embodies a rich earthy flavor that cleanses the palate and is light on the stomach. Whether you are spending the day perusing the nautical mile or visiting expressly for the purpose of dining, Bonito Japanese Restaurant is a culinary experience not to be missed. This place is perfect for dinner plans after a day of fun in the sun with family and friends. We also highly recommend the tatami style booth for those romantic occasions where a more private and inimate setting is desired. With it’ fresh and creative sushi, authentic Japanese cuisine, dazzling hibatchi chefs and a soothing waterview, Bonito restaurant will not disappoint.
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