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In This Issue
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The Summer House Beachside Bistro - Flip-Flops, Fine Wine, and Fabulous Food
Our summer excursion to The Summer House Beachside Bistro was at the end of a hot, still August day. On the flagstone patio on ‘Sconset Beach that is the dining room for this alfresco eatery, we found the breeze that had eluded us all afternoon, and we settled in comfortably at a table under a wide market umbrella for a meal that was spectacular.
This is the only island restaurant that offers upscale dining, impressive wines, and unmatched location with a fun and casual ambiance where flip-flops are as acceptable as Valentino and where jackets and ties are frowned upon.
The Beachside Bistro opens at 11:30 a.m. for lunch. Sun worshippers can take in the rays while sipping frozen drinks and savoring a Chilled Jumbo Shrimp Platter or the Lobster Parisienne Salad. The umbrellas offer plenty of shady tables for guests who’ve had their fill of sun and just came to fill up on other luncheon offerings from the extensive menu that includes sushi, Tuna Tartar, Fruit with Lemon Sorbet, Chef’s Caviar Selection, Pizza Margarita, a hefty Wagu Kobe Beef Burger, succulent Mussels steamed in white wine and shallots, and more.
  
Cocktails are served throughout the afternoon — the Bistro’s experienced bartenders are happy to demonstrate their skills with a Blueberry Martini, a perfect Strawberry Daiquiri, or “The Sunset,” a colorful and cooling concoction that layers strawberry daiquiri, creamsicle, and pina colada.
Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m., with several stunning entrees added to many of the daytime selections. Chef Charles Salliou is back this season as executive chef, and his attention to detail and command of kitchen is remarkable. His dishes are characterized by intensity of flavor: nothing is hidden, every ingredient adds to the whole without sacrificing its integrity. Salliou’s passion about food is evident in each item served at the Beachside Bistro. Everything is prepared from scratch with flawless technique. There’s often a surprise or two: a last-minute change in a dish to take advantage of the freshest ingredients or an extra special that is simply over the top.
Adding to the experience is the intuitive skill of Wine Director Richard Thompson, who has an uncanny talent for selecting just the right wine for the meal and the guests. Thompson has improved what was already a very good selection. This season, there are more champagnes, some amazing chardonnays, French reds (even some rated at 100 points), more international choices, and some truly great half bottles.
The Bistro staff is professional—many of them returned from last summer, after spending the winter at restaurants in Palm Beach—and it shows in service that is head-and-shoulder above many in-town eateries with greener waitstaff. Manager Joseph Kouyoumjian is often present to welcome guests and ensure their experience is memorable.
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Soup is not usually the first choice to start a meal on a warm August evening. But Nantucket Clam Chowder at the Summer House Beachside Bistro is not your usual chowder. Light and flavorful, it’s full of fresh clams, carrot, celery, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, and bits of smoky bacon.
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The very essence of lobster, Chef Salliou’s Lobster Bisque is the best you’ll ever taste. Full bodied and velvety smooth, the deep red-orange bisque is richly flavored. Vermont cream is added before the bisque is fully reduced to add a whisper of sweetness. It’s finished witha squiggle of creme fraiche and a spoonful of caviar. |
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Sushi is a popular summertime choice. The Beachside Bistro has managed to make their sushi stand out from the rest available on-island: here, you can order your sushi without rice. Rolled instead with thinly sliced cucumber, the delicate flavors of the fresh fish are highlighted and the sushi is more refreshing—not to mention, fully South Beach Diet compliant. |
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Another starter that is ideal to share around the table is the Assorted Mediterranean Tapas. Conversation stopped when this colorful array of vibrantly flavored tidbits and spreads served with a basket of toasted pita triangles arrived at table. With briny kalamata olives, smooth and garlicky hummus, tender artichoke hearts tossed with mellow sundried tomatoes, roasted red and yellow peppers, baba ghanoush, and cucumber-tomato-red onion salad all sharing the platter, there is something to please every taste. Each Mediterranean delight was distinctly flavored and very different.
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| Our favorite among the sharing platters this season is the Fruit de Mer Platter. This is “pick of the kitchen” from whatever is freshest, and the Bistro is one restaurant where you can feel comfortable putting yourself in the hands of the chef! Garde manger Danielle Feble assembles splendid assortments of fish and shellfish. Our party of four feasted on huge chilled shrimp, split king crab legs, succulent lobster tail, delicate seared tuna, lump Maryland crabmeat, and lightly breaded calamari. Not only is every element of this platter very fresh and perfectly prepared, but it is effortless—no prying out of shells or cracking of claws! Four dipping sauces are served alongside: American cocktail sauce, an excellent French cocktail sauce, a superb saffron aioli, and a sweet chili mirin sauce with a distinct afterburn. And the Domaine Caillot Le Limozin that Thompson chose for us was the perfect accompaniment. |
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After a day in the hot sun, sometimes a light meal is best, and the Summer House Beachside Bistro offers several selections to fit the bill. The Wagu Kobe Beef Burger on the lunch menu is also offered at dinner, as are a number of the salads. But for a true taste of seaside Nantucket, try the Monster Lobster Roll. “Monster” might be a slight overstatement, but you won’t go away hungry if you order this generously-sized sandwich. Tucked into the slightly sweet brioche roll (you weren’t really expecting a toasted hot dog bun, were you?) is a fresh lobster salad to beat all. Large chunks of succulent lobster meat are tossed in a light herb aioli and topped with juicy chunks of chopped tomato.
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For those who have spent the day working up an appetite, the Beachside Bistro has more than a half a dozen sensational entrees to satisfy the soul. The heartiest we tried is the Shrimp and Lobster Linguini Fra Diablo. This plateful of tender pasta tossed in spicy, garlicky marinara with plenty of plump shrimp and fresh lobster meat will fill you up fast. It was particularly memorable eaten with the Darioush Cabernet chosen by Richard Thompson, who described this dark, seductive, and immense wine as “the next cult wine coming out of Napa.” |
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Even better is the Veal Chop in Mushroom Sauce. The impossibly tender veal is served in a pool of veal stock, with just a touch of cream, and a field of wild mushrooms. A simple and perfectly prepared jasmine rice served alongside soaks up the sauce to become something ethereal. Even the vegetables are gorgeous: roasted zucchini, squash, and tomato dusted with fennel, sage, parsley, and thyme on a bed of sweet caramelized onions. |
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Our absolute favorite entree was a Monkfish special that we can only hope Chef Salliou adds to the regular offerings. Nothing short of inspired, this dish was created from chunks of fresh monkfish arranged around a timbale of rice and doused with a shrimp and saffron sauce. The shrimp was not too strong for the fish, the fish holds its own against the shrimp, and the saffron melds the flavors together. This dish alone is well worth another trek out to Siasconset! |
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Beachside Bistro desserts are made fresh on the premises at the whim of the chef. Order the Pineapple Sorbet if you want a light finish. The intensely flavored sorbet is served in a half pineapple with fresh berries and apricot sauce. |
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Or try the classic Berries Romanoff, blueberries and strawberries in Grand Marnier and topped with whipped cream and almonds. |
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The Fried Cheesecake is every bit as sinful as it sounds and every bit as good, with a sugary, crisp shell, soft cheese filling, and berries all around. |
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The best accompaniment to the incomparable Chateau d’Yquem offered by the half-bottle at the Bistro is the Chocolate Lava Cake, topped with vanilla ice cream and served in rings of chocolate sauce and caramel sauce..
As the sun sets over the Atlantic and the sky grows dark and then bright again with stars, the sounds of the surf blend into your conversation, and you realize that you have, finally, had the kind of evening that vacation is all about.
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Summer House Beachside Bistro
Ocean Ave., ‘Sconset • 508-257-4542
www.thesummerhouse.com
Serving Lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dinner seatings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Outdoor Seating • Available for Private Functions
Accepts major credit cards, cash, & island checks
NRTA Shuttle Service is available to ‘Sconset
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