Gwendolen G.
Google
Gorgeous waterfront setting, tasteful yet casual vibe, very good food, not great service, expensive.
This place, the old Galley Ho in New Suffolk, just opened as Minnow. It’s ambitious, in serving all organic/sustainably caught veg and seafood, but it’s not up to speed and has some issues.
Our server was pleasant and eager, but clueless. We (2 people) waited 35 minutes to be asked if we wanted a drink, and 20 more for the drink to come. The Grey Goose on the rocks with olives had 3 teensy olives loose at the bottom of the glass. We had to tell our server we were ready to order. Our apps did not come out together. Mains did. The menu says “we are a small kitchen trying to do big things. In lieu of coursing, our dishes are made to share, and served as ready.” If the portions were indeed sharing size, that might be fine, but overall, it’s just awkward when one person has their food and the other does not.
Sat with empty drinks until we grabbed the waiter again. This place serves all organic veggies/sustainably caught seafood, and everything was clearly very fresh. It’s a concept we want to support. The black bass ceviche was good, although a more assertive marinade would be nice; it didn’t taste very citrusy. It was a bowl of lightly marinated fish chunks with a small amount of cilantro and onion. We added a few big squeezes of lemon. My clams on the half-shell were tiny; I think they should use larger little necks/top necks so we actually get a decent mouthful. The clams were not very sweet, so I can tell they came from the bay, perhaps even from somewhere to the west. Clams from our local inlets are sweeter.
Mains were (put in front of the wrong persons) deep-fried tilefish almandine batons and fluke oreganata with a “petit salad” that turned out to be sautéed Swiss chard. The buerre blanc sauce on the fluke was a little too subtle and I really couldn’t detect oregano. Swiss chard can be tough, so if they’re sourcing local organic, they might want to specify young leaves for their greens. I’m fine with older greens as I understand their nature, but the average person might have an issue. I would not have chosen this if I had known the “salad” was cooked chard. I supposed I could have asked, but I assumed the word “salad” was being used in the usual sense.
Overall, the food could use more impact, flavor and color. Some more fresh veggies, brighter sauces, some colorful garnish, etc. The foundations of the dishes are very good, though.
I was not a fan of the glassware and cutlery. I get that the vibe is “seafood shack,” but the glassware is a thick, flared, faceted tumbler, and drinking a blood-orange martini on the rocks from such a clunky glass was underwhelming. The cutlery is mismatched stainless steel, and I get the aesthetic, but it’s that really thin, pressed stuff that’s kind of rough on the edges and not very pleasant to hold.
The price point here is $$$, and for that reason, I think they need to offer more complex, technically excellent food, use better glass and tableware, serve courses together properly, and train the staff. I do love the intention, and I hope they improve. I hate seeing people with a great concept go under. The location cannot be beat on a nice day; get a table on the deck. I would go again if I saw a new thing on the menu that particularly appealed, but not during a busy time. The talk around town is that people have high hopes for that location as it’s so well-loved, and really, really want a place that is casual yet upscale, with good quality food and decent portions, high-ish prices okay but $19 a drink and $40 for a small bit of fish is not going to cut it. They need a regular clientele if they want to survive, because New Suffolk is not a large, walking village with an endless supply of hungry tourists. People around here have money, especially retirees, and they want a local place to get a nice dinner. This place will be fine in season, but winter will be a challenge. I suggest they be Minnow in the summer, and just way more Galley Ho the rest of the year.
