In days of old, sailors were often tattooed with swallows that symbolized love and loyalty, given that the bird chooses a mate for life and returns to the same nesting area every year. Swallow East, a seaside restaurant on the docks in Montauk, similarly uses the bird to symbolize guests who return time and again to enjoy the restaurant’s new American cuisine. Chef James Tchinnis, whose prior experience includes establishments such as New York’s legendary Le Cirque, has established here his own culinary niche. “I like to cook what I like to eat,” says James. That translates into a small-plate menu that is akin to an ample tasting menu. Diners are encouraged to try an assortment of dishes family-style, making for a fun culinary outing.
I test the waters with char-broiled Montauk pearls—local oysters braised with red wine, vinegar, shallots and hints of basil, anchovies and parmesan cheese. Scrumptious is an understatement. I revel in the fresh taste of a scallop green-papaya salad topped off with the aguachiles. Then I’m on to curried mussels in a base that includes coconut milk and ginger. The dish is so heavenly that, like the swallow, I’m sure to return repeatedly to this nesting place for another.
Dockside Dining
Taking a break between morsels, I walk out on the docks in front of the restaurant. It’s a Sunday, and that means reggae night. A three-piece band rocks it at just the right decibel level so as not to interfere with small talk around the dinner tables. Visitors meander along the water’s edge admiring dozens of charter fishing boats patiently waiting for sunrise to begin their journeys. A mere 100 feet or so away, trawlers are lined up besides Gosman’s Fish Market, which supplies establishments throughout Long Island. Swallow East’s location means the offerings don’t get any fresher than at the restaurant. Gosman’s “literally walks their fish over to us,” adds Chef Tchinnis, so the seafood specials are “a la minute.”
The restaurant itself has an airy setting. An enclosed patio beside the docks offers great people and boat-watching, though I preferred the ambience of the warm, wood interior dining room with its ambient lighting. The restaurant seats slightly over 100 guests and on weekend nights from summer to early fall those seats are usually occupied for much of the night. The food is so good that it attracts Montauk day trippers and locals alike, as well as regulars from nearby towns like East Hampton. (Scan the faces beneath baseball caps and you might spot Steven Spielberg or other celebrities who’ve caught the Swallow East bug).
Comfort Foods and Craft Beers
Back at my table my server brings over a Chinese take-out box, which contains the restaurant’s sweet and sour take on fried calamari. It’s a little sweet for my taste. More intriguing for me is an oyster po-boy tossed in rice flour with bits of cabbage, cucumber and Korean chili paste. Sampling small plates like the latter, I’m won over by the restaurant’s interesting combinations of crispy and crunchy textures and intriguing blends of spices and seasonings. Menu offerings change monthly, though there’s always one or more staple comfort food items like a popular macaroni and cheese with orzo, peas, bacon and asiago.
After a dish with a spicy zing, I take a cool swig of a local craft beer from the Montauk Brewing Company. Selections include the refreshing Summer Ale, a light caramel malt blend; Wave Chaser, which intends to fill the drinker’s sails and an India Pale Ale with tropical and pine aromas. Then there’s Driftwood Ale, known for its dark copper color and toasty, nutty flavors. Swallow East’s bar is spacious, so there’s plenty of room for hanging out with friends.
The sun soon sets on my tasting experience, as the gulls along the docks tuck in for the night and the area’s swallows return to their nests. The lights of Swallow East are aglow despite the darkness of the adjacent docks where local fisherman will in due time be hoisting up their anchors and heading again to sea. And so will begin yet another day in hopes of more fresh catches for the lucky few at Swallow East to savor.
