The LakeHouse Restaurant moved into some impressive new digs this summer. The eatery known for its high-end American cuisine and laid-back local vibe relocated from its small spot on West Main Street to a new building on the Great South Bay that is three times bigger. Guests can now dine on a deck overlooking the water or pull up and anchor at one of the scenic boat slips. But the elegant restaurant hasn’t lost its charm—or knack for creating a menu that leaves guests full and wanting more.
To aid in your selection off the seasonal, market-driven menu, I caught up with owner and chef Matthew Connors for some details about the dishes that have patrons buzzing.
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Grilled Octopus Salad
image: the lakehouse
This appetizer can be summed up in one word: bold. Lightly charred octopus mixed with tender Spanish chorizo delivers the ultimate smoky package. “Chorizo is a hard sausage seasoned with lots of garlic and smoked sweet paprika. There’s a drizzle of chorizo oil, which is olive oil rendered with the natural fat of the chorizo.” It’s dressed in a chickpea purée with pieces of clementine and aged sherry vinegar to create a keen tangy finish.
Crispy Suckling Pig
“Breakfast for dinner” just went to a whole new level. “The pork is cooked for 12 hours at very low temperatures so it forms a crispy skin and adds to the texture of the dish.” Served with a fried quail egg, Parmesan polenta, maple vinaigrette and honey-glazed pearl onion, this is a well-balanced appetizer that puts a delicious spin on your brunch essentials.
Caramelized Local Sea Scallops
image: the lakehouse
This entrée is almost as colorful as the fall foliage. The sea scallops are quickly pan seared, giving them a sweet caramelized crust. Fava beans, fingerling potatoes and pea shoots are all grown in Connors’ garden at the Bayard farm in Oakdale. It’s a very light and invigorating dish because “it’s vegetable driven with no fat other than a drizzling of fruity extra virgin olive and salty strips of Parma prosciutto.”
Crisp Long Island Duck Breast and Crisp Leg Confit
image: the lakehouse
Preparation is key with this entrée. “The duck leg is coated in a salt mixture and cooked in liquefied duck fat overnight at very low oven temperatures to make it extremely tender.” The breast is rubbed in Moroccan spices and roasted to a medium/medium-rare degree to preserve the juices. Served over apricot wheatberry pilaf and dressed in a pomegranate-pistachio glaze, it “cuts through all the natural fat in the duck” and makes cooling off wonderfully sweet.
Pistachio Baked Alaska
Part cake, part ice cream and all toasted. “The pistachio gelato, pistachio sponge cake and sheet of meringue are torched for a smoky encasing.” The vanilla custard sauce spread on top totally trumps a traditional s’mores delivery.
Get food reviewer Richard S take on the LakeHouse in the October issue of Pulse.