Fire Island Sun - Fire Island's Newest Webzine

A DELIGHTFUL DAY AT THE GROVE:

SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH AT THE TOP OF THE BAY BISTRO AND A BEAUTY CONTEST AT CHERRY’S

Text and photos by Jeannie

If location is everything the Top of the Bay Bistro is in the right place as it is the first thing you see as you get off the ferry or water taxi at the Cherry Grove dock.

A long narrow space with cozy dark wood floors and the bar along one side, it is designed so that every table has a window view of the Bay, and even a little deck to stand on, New Orleans style.

Ron King, owner/waiter/whatever…….the hardest worker there.

Talented New Orleans chef, Ryan, who moved to Atlanta after Katrina.

Charming bartender/waiter Darren, also from New Orleans

The weather was as varied as the menu for the Bistro’s famous Sunday Jazz brunch: serene to stormy. I and my two companions started with the house drink: Champagne Sunset, a delightful concoction of champagne, X Rated Passion Liquor and Chambord for color. We also sampled a Bloody Mary which was described as “a meal in itself”.

The nicely varied menu consists of seven choices. Attempting to keep it adventurous we decided to pass on the French Toast with fresh berries although the bread looked quite exotically sliced and beautifully garnished with berries in copious amounts of syrup at a nearby table.

We also passed on a refreshing sounding Arugula salad with cantaloupe, feta cheese, strawberries, balsamic vinegar & basil oil.

Similarly we decided that the Black Angus burger with Danish Bleu cheese and French fries was too traditional but heard that the cheese was exceptional.

Trying to order something unique we considered the Linguini Pasta with shrimp, Andouille sausage & white wine cream sauce but opted instead for the Seafood Gumbo which was served in a bowl with rice. The dark sauce was robust and full bodied, enhanced with red pepper, shrimp, chicken with a slight kick to it (not enough to make you tear but to be definitely noticed) and was an excellent choice.

Although quite common we were interested to see how the traditional brunch favorite, Eggs Benedict, was treated with its Creole Hollandaise. Prettily presented, surrounded by browned diced potatoes, the bulls-eye poached egg, atop a medallion of ham on a round English muffin slice, was tempting to the eye. However the Creole element in the Hollandaise was difficult to detect and the thickness of the bread overpowered the ham and egg atop it. It was nevertheless delicious and satisfying, just not “different”.

The unanimous favorite was the Shrimp and grits dish, surrounded by a mellow white wine sauce flavored with sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms. It was smooth and rich and immediately inspired the adjective “comfort food”. In this case the only drawback was that the restaurant is not equipped to bake its own bread and prefers not to serve commercially prepared bread so we had no way to soak up the sauce except to lick the plate!!!

The music was not New Orleans jazz as anticipated but a sophisticated cool jazz combo. This day the drummer and keyboard player could not come and were replaced by a guitarist which seemed absolutely appropriate to the delightfully intimate, airy ambience making the entire experience relaxing, charming and memorable .

A glance at the dinner menu which featured spinach and artichoke dip, filet fondue with blue cheese dressing, pork medallions, grilled shrimp, Sicialian chicken breast, yellow fin tuna and pasta bistro made a return visit inevitable.

Open 6 nights a week for dinner and drinks and for lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. Call 631 597 6028 for reservations

WHO WILL WEAR THE CROWN AS MISS CHERRY’s?

The judges: Charity (Miss Fire Island ’68), Donna Pirhana (Homecoming Queen ’04), Aurora Stone (Miss Cherry’s ’06), Amanda Judy (Cherry Grove virgin)& Jerry Marks, Joanne Talbot, Pres. CG Doctor’s Fund, Diane Romano, new President of CG Property Assn, & Anthony were instructed in “what is tasteful and what is not” by EmCee Dusty Winds.

“contestants must eat as much friend food from the bar as possible, sleep with a bartender of their choice, and go to lesbian events with Donnie and Jackie”.

THE CONTESTANTS: