My last visit to The Boathouse in Sackets a few years ago was not a pleasant experience. It was dirty, the help didn't seem to care about anything, and the food was crummy.
New owners took over the restaurant this past winter, giving it a needed gutting, a new menu and a new life with a panoramic view of the harbor.We arrived with some preconceived notions, having heard that the food and the service didn't quite measure up. All restaurants have their "opening jitters" (the new Boathouse opened about two months ago), so there's a good chance that's behind them, and now it's full speed ahead.
You walk past the long bar to get to the open dining room that faces the water.
High ceilings make it a little noisy. There were several families with young kids dining side by side with tables of seniors. We're not sure which category we fit into.
The menu, like the interior of the building, is fresh and new, with homemade soups and step-above starters, tantalizing salads - Caesar, Greek, Caprese, "greens and grapes" and "blue fields" (spinach, walnuts, crumbly blue, raspberry vinaigrette) - steamed seafood treats (clams, mussels, crab legs), a slew of burgers and sandwiches for light dining and a compact list of entrees (eight in all) available after 5 p.m. daily. A list of creative desserts, too.
Our waiter, David (aka Husky) got off to a slow start with our drinks (two right, two wrong), but after that, he hit his stride and things ran smoothly. As a culinary school graduate, I think he appreciated our slightly "upscale" order.
Steamed littleneck clams ($8) were wonderful, served in a white wine/garlic butter broth with a touch of cream. The presentation was beautiful, too, jazzed up with celery, sauteed carrot sticks and dark green pieces of leek. Baguette toast was perfect for sopping up the broth.
Wednesday is wing night, so we tried the Caribbean spiced wings priced at 50 cents each. These were sticky-good and not a bit greasy - almost as though they were baked. In addition to being served with the usual celery and carrot sticks, they were placed in a pool of finely diced pineapple and juice.
A basket of homemade potato chips ($3.75) was very impressive - fresh and warm and supercrisp, very lightly salted. Boy, would these go great with a frosty beer on a warm day.
Caprese salad ($9.50) utilized slices of colorful red and yellow heirloom tomatoes interwoven with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and a vinaigrette made with aged balsamic vinegar. It wasn't a huge portion, but enough to satisfy the discerning customer who would appreciate it. A perfect summertime salad.
French onion soup ($4.95) consisted of caramelized onions swimming in a tasty stock (we thought we detected some Worcestershire in there). Unfortunately, there wasn't enough bread to support the cheese(s) on top (provolone, Gruyere and Parmesan), so a big glob of cheese kind of sank down into the soup rather than riding on top. Nonetheless, it was still enjoyable.
Entrees do not come with salads. In an effort to keep things affordable for the customer, we're seeing more and more restaurants making the salad an option. We didn't receive any bread with the meal either. Not sure if that was an oversight or not.
Chicken piccata ($15.75) was delightful, pan-seared with a classic lemon-butter-caper sauce. Sometimes sides are merely a plate filler, but the kitchen took the extra time to grill asparagus till just al dente and douse the salt potatoes with herbs.
I get scared when I see crab on a menu. So many restaurants try to pass off that imitation stuff for the real thing. At The Boathouse, the crab Alfredo ($7.50) was definitely real crabmeat - king crab out of its shell in a creamy Alfredo sauce with linguine. Sweet and rich and yummy.
Sirloin penne ($16.50) was a pleasant surprise. You won't think steak would work in a pasta dish, but this certainly did - strips of grilled sirloin (you call the doneness) tossed with roasted red peppers, asparagus, fresh basil, pine nuts and grated Gruyere cheese.
I usually shy away from fried fish in a restaurant, but the fish and chips ($13.95) was wonderful. Not sure if the 12-ounce beer-battered haddock was breaded there or came frozen, but the result was excellent - moist and tender haddock with a crisp, tasty, nongreasy coating. Wednesday must be the day they change the oil in the fryer. Fries and house-made tartar accompanied.
Desserts were all good and all priced at $5.50.
Berry cobbler was made with blueberries and strawberries, the cobbler light and airy, the a la mode vanilla ice cream the crowning touch.
The carrot cake recipe must have come from a former popular restaurant in Sackets, because they called it "Old Stone Row" carrot cake. It was loaded with raisins and walnuts, layered with gooey caramel and finished with a thick coating of cream cheese frosting.
Fudgy turtle brownie was overflowing with nuts, doused with caramel and served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Creme brulee was right on the mark, a creamy custard made with real vanilla beans (another thoughtful plus from the kitchen). There was a perfect icelike crust of torched sugar on top.
Our tab for the evening came to $129 before tip. Our waiter's timing was off a bit (coffee arrived way after dessert), but you couldn't argue with his enthusiasm for the food and the restaurant business.
Discriminating wine drinkers take note: there's a very nice wine selection by the bottle and the glass. If you're exploring Sackets someday, you might want to stop by for a taste and enjoy the view of the waterfront, visible from the dining room and the bar.
It appears The Boathouse is about to take its place alongside the other fine restaurants that have made Sackets Harbor a destination for foodies from far and near.
You can contact Walter E. Siebel via e-mail: wsiebel@wdt.net.
The Boathouse Restaurant
214 W. Main St.
Sackets Harbor
646-2092
New ownership, new menu, new decor
HOURS: Dinner seven days a week beginning at 5 p.m. Lunch Thursday through Monday from 11:30 a.m.
Late-night menu (burgers and snacks) at the bar until 1 a.m.
APPETIZER PICKS: Steamed clams, homemade potato chips, Caribbean chicken wings.
ENTREE PICKS: Crab Alfredo, chicken piccata, sirloin penne, fish and chips.
DESSERT PICKS: Carrot cake, berry cobbler, creme brulee.
Rating: 4 forks
