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Nautical Elegance On The Sound
Wall’s
Wharf is owned by the Reinhardt Family and has been pleasing guests for over
fifty years. Luke, head chef, has an engaging and friendly personality that was
clearly exhibited the evening of our visit as he checked on guests at the front
door, bar area and dining room. He wants everyone to be happy and
enjoy themselves while out dining. One
of his philosophies, which is strongly implemented in the kitchen of Wall’s
Wharf, is “simple is more.” Luke keeps his dishes as organic as
possible while limiting each to five or less ingredients. 2009 is Luke’s
third year at Wall’s Wharf and has thoroughly enjoyed every minute from
creating imaginative menu options to assisting in remodeling designs.
He is looking forward to many more years.
Every seat at Wall’s Wharf has an admirable scenic view of the Long Island Sound; whether it be beside the wood burning stove in the bar area during a winter evening or a summer sunset from a dining room table through the bay view windows. Upon entering the building the nautical themed bar area is to your immediate left. The wall on the left side of the bar had port holes for windows. The windows directly behind the bartender look out on to the patio area overlooking the Long Island Sound. Each table in the lounge area had an authentic lantern to shed some light for patrons. A large boat anchor, as well as other nautical themed items, decorated the walls. During our visit, we could tell many locals frequent the restaurant as just about everyone seemed to know one another by first name. The
dining room, which is directly down a short hallway as you enter Wall’s Wharf,
is decorated in natural tones. Beige
tablecloths cover each table and are accented by a seasonal floral arrangement.
On each table there was a vase of orange and purple flowers with a
variety of green leaves. The
reoccurring nautical theme appeared in the sailboat paintings found on the walls
of the dining room. A fireplace,
which burns during the winter, is located on the farthest wall from the beach.
A homegrown rose garden is planted directly beneath the bay view windows
of the dining room. Instrumental
background music creates a relaxed ambiance.
Wall’s
Wharf can also cater to any special occasion.
Whether you are interested in a buffet style dinner for 120 people or
would prefer a sit down event with 140, Wall’s Wharf can provide excellent
food accompanied by a beautiful waterview. While
waiting for dinner, a basket of sourdough bread was brought to our table along
with a small bowl of olive oil, seasonings and black olives.
The soft and crusty bread was served warm, and was deliciously accented
by the dipping sauce. While
we enjoyed our dinner, we sampled a 2007 Ferrari-Carrano bottle of Fumé Blanc
Savignon Blanc from Sonoma County. Our
palates were enticed by luscious fruit flavors, pineapple, kiwi grapefruit and
fig with hints of guava on the finish. It
went extremely well with our seafood courses. Wall’s Wharf has seasonal winter and summer menus. Each menu strongly caters towards its designated season. The kitchen staff becomes more creative during the winter months in preparation of their favorite busy season. As we learned firsthand, any plate served at Wall’s Wharf is nothing short of exceptional. Although we did not have the good fortune of tasting any of the salads offered, we did see some appetizing options on the menu. Offered all year round is the Gorgonzola Salad, which is a blend of farm fresh crisp greens tossed in a homemade low fat raspberry dressing topped with crumbled mild gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries and Moroccan oil cured olives. A summer selection that jumped from the menu listings was the Cracklin’ Calamari Salad. Crisp fried calamari, frisee, radicchio, and romaine hearts tossed with chopped scallion, sesame seeds with ginger orange sesame dressing topped with crispy wonton chips.
Our
first course was a special containing an elegant assortment of Alaskan King
Crab, Lobster Tail and a Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail (above) accompanied by a lemon
wedge and a tall shot glass of house made cocktail sauce.
The superb Alaskan King Crab meat was completely removed from its shell
and contributed nicely to the overall presentation. The lobster tail was over 10
ounces and delivered wonderful flavor. The
absolutely delicious Jumbo lump crab cocktail was presented in the rind of half
an orange. The introduction of a nice hint of orange flavor to the exceptionally
fresh crab made it refreshing and satisfying.
The entire dish was very crisp, clean, and simple.
The halved orange was the perfect accent to this special, and the overall
presentation was excellent. It was a great special that offered a nice variety
of seafood. The regular menu also contained a large variety of other fresh seafood
options for appetizers. As
a second course, we enjoyed Homemade Cavatelli Pasta (below left), which was a
recipe passed down from Luke’s grandmother.
The pasta and fresh tomato sauce was served in a parmigiano reggiano
baked shell topped with shavings of fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.
We were impressed as this dish is rather labor intensive as the baked
parmigiano reggiano only has a thirty second window to be molded into the shape
of a bowl. The pasta was homemade
with flour and eggs, which was simply delicious with its modest ingredients.
The pasta and sauce tasted so fresh.
The tomato sauce was made from (sapareizto) pomodoro tomatoes, which are
low acid tomatoes grown in California. The
contrast of fresh and baked parmigiano reggiano cheese created a unique contrast
of flavors. This robust pasta dish was immensely enjoyed by all at the table.
This dish, listed on the summer menu, is normally served with a Bolognese
sauce.
Our
main course, Rack of Lamb (above right), was unbelievable.
It was a nice rack prepared to represent
a petite crown roast. The presentation of the dish was our first tip on
how incredible this meal would be. The
medallions of lamb were arranged in a circular shape around a mound of mashed
potatoes, and the extending bones of the lamb held the swiss chard with a baked
carrot chip adding color and height. We
immediately questioned the sauce as it was too good to be true. The sauce was merely from the same pan of the lamb.
“What you give to the pan, the pan gives back to you,” Luke informed
the table. The tender medallions of
lamb melted in our mouthes. The
mashed potatoes were finished to a perfect creamy texture.
The swiss chard had a bitter taste similar to spinach, which was a great
complement to the meal. Another
option listed on the menu for patrons was the Chilean Sea Bass – pan roasted
and finished with colossal capers, artichoke hearts and a butter, lemon, white
wine sauce. For those steak fans a
Southwestern Cajun Ribeye is offered. The
ribeye is blackened and cooked to your request with sweet mashed potatoes, swiss
chard, and topped with crispy fried onions.
To
finish the evening on an even higher note we devoured a Cherry Creme Crown
(above) for dessert. An artistic
combination of lady fingers, fresh berries, chocolate sauce, cream, and
free-forming sugar. This was a sweet and delicate option for dessert with a very
“homemade” feel and taste. We
thoroughly enjoyed the fact that it was not a heavy desert, and more on the
light side. The
quality of food at Wall’s Wharf was exceptional.
Clearly the kitchen exercises and executes its creativity with each meal.
Not only does this restaurant offer great food, but it also has a
fantastic waterview. Wall’s Wharf
is the perfect place for a quick bite at the bar or a romantic dinner for two.
During the warmer months, Wall’s Wharf is an excellent option after a relaxing
walk on the beach or a stroll through charming Bayville.
Be sure to stop by for a sunset and a delicious dinner – it’s worth
the trip. Brunch is available each weekend on Sunday from 12 – 4 with complimentary bloody Mary’s and mimosas; a great way to finish any summer weekend on Long Island.
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