The LakeHouse All Seasons, All Occasions

The LakeHouse... All Seasons, All Occasions BY MARY WHITE WOOD

Knowing the reputation of The LakeHouse Restaurant, I was excited to visit and meet owners Matthew and Eileen Connors, and Jay Gut. This bayside treasure, located at the southern-most point of Maple Avenue, has established itself as a pillar for fine dining on the south shore. Upon arrival, I was greeted by two beach cruisers leaning against the front walkway and the salty breeze off the Great South Bay. I smiled as I thought of Fire Island. Once inside, I could see Fire Island from the dining room; across the bay, which sparkled in the crisp afternoon sun. “That’s one of the best aspects of visiting for lunch”, Jay explains, “You can see the view”. Inside, what looked like a book club, several businesstype lunches, a few couples, and some ‘ladies who lunch’ all sat near a wall of windows in the dining room, enjoying the magnificent backdrop of the mouth of the bay with the ferries going by. “Lunch is more laid back”, Jay continues, “It’s casual dress and more accessible prices. It’s just lunch, done exceptionally well. On a sunny day people gravitate to the main dining room, but if it’s cold or stormy, everyone wants to sit in the cozy ‘fireplace room’, especially when it’s decorated for the fall holidays.” The different spaces, which also include a private dining room with a long family table and a separate Tap Room, offer a variety of atmospheres designed for enjoying good company and great food. No wonder people have been booking the restaurant for family events like baptisms, birthdays, even

‘celebrations of life’. Having been raised in Bay Shore, this restaurant showcases everything I love about the south shore waterfront. I’d be proud to bring my family here. Chef Matthew Connors grew up here too. After years of serving as chef de cuisine at Veritas in New York City, he and his wife Eileen came home to open a restaurant and be part of the community. And they are building community. “It’s a community of caring people,” Eileen explains. “We have year-round clientele who know food and wine and like what we like. We have employees who have been with us since the beginning, hence becoming our family. We all strive to provide a consistently excellent experience, so our regulars know what to expect. And when they walk in that door, and they are already happy to be here, they’ve just added to the experience of everyone in the house.” “This is much more than a career for us; this is a privilege. We strive every day to be better. We have guests who have been coming for dinner every Tuesday or Thursday for ten years. We need to be better—for them!” Eileen spends all her time in the dining room, ensuring seamless service, and getting feedback from customers. All three owners regularly eat in the dining room themselves. “People speak their minds to us; they are invested in our success. And they treat us kindly

because they know how much we care.” High standards and operational excellence are critical to the entire team. Jay and Matthew designed what they call their ‘dream kitchen’ from a blank slate with operational flow and culinary artistry as the priorities. Jay took me through the spotless, stainless, spacious area, where each prep station was well organized. I pointed to some job aids that ensured key dishes were plated perfectly and remarked, “Ahh consistency!” Jay turned a serious face to me and said “We’ve built our entire reputation on it.” The dinner menu is a mix of several ‘LakeHouse Classics’ that repeat customers won’t let Chef Matthew take off the menu, like the Roasted Berkshire Pork Chop that’s been brined for two days and served with a maple-bacon vinaigrette; and several ‘In Season’ dishes that Chef Matthew changes on a regular basis. The fall dishes emphasize seasonal flavors: root vegetables and comfort foods. Chef Matthew treats his work in the kitchen like an artist, always developing the food and the talent. For lunch, I had the crab cake, moist, flaky and delicate; as well as the tomato bisque, delightfully rich with a swirl of basil infused extra virgin olive oil. The bisque was served with a crème fresh truffled gruyere grilled cheese, which made for indulgent dunking indeed. Paired with a glass of refreshing Prosecco, this was a lunch to savor. And savor I did, while enjoying the view, as Jay had to get back to work and Eileen and Matthew had to step out because they “coach cross country running” locally. After lingering, I walked through the uncrowded parking lot and chuckled at what the locals said about LakeHouse dining after the summer swarms have left the south shore: “We get our restaurant back”.

LUNCH Mon-Fri:12pm-3pm | DINNER Mon-Sat from 5pm; Sunday from 4pm | SUNDAY BRUNCH 10:30am FRIDAY Happy Hour | FRIDAY/SUNDAY Live Music | WEEKLY Prix Fixe Menu | NOV. 3rd – 10th LI Restaurant Week