It’s a little restaurant with big ideas. Minnow At The Galley Ho in New Suffolk is a sustainable seafood restaurant with breathtaking water views on the North Fork, owned and operated by acclaimed restaurateur Andrea Tese. It’s Mediterranean-inspired, featuring a menu that’s mostly fish and vegetable-based.
Andrea takes dock-to-dish to the next level as a restaurateur who owns, operates, and sources fish from her very own pound traps just a few miles from the restaurant by sea. Pound traps are a historic, eco-friendly method used in shallow coastal waters that protects non-target species. Not only does the restaurant focus on the best seafood practices, but the menu also features only organic, locally sourced produce.
There’s a mission to not only serve diners with an excellent, fresh, and locally caught or picked meal, but also to educate them on the concept of sustainable seafood and the fishing methods used for their dish.
“Eating sustainable seafood is not just about the species; it is also about the fishing method. Each year in America, an estimated one to two billion pounds of fish are thrown overboard, dead or dying, due to mainstream commercial fishing practices using nets and dredges. This is called bycatch, or more accurately, bykill. For every pound of seafood that makes it to a dinner plate, so many pounds are wasted,” said Andrea, who grew up eating fried Peconic bay scallops at the old Galley Ho.
The fish on the menu changes daily. A chalkboard is updated with the daily catches and the dishes each is paired with. To start, for lunch, we tried the spicy fish tartare on crispy rice, which offered the perfect bite — made with seabass. Up next was a seabass entrée with the coconut basil poached fish — a delicious mix of coconut milk, basil, ginger, leek, fennel, sweet Italian pepper, and basmati rice. The fish varies based on the catch that morning.
The menu offers a delightful variety of choices. It’s always nice to begin with the “It can’t get more local than this” oysters from Minnow’s neighbor, Peeko. For dinner, you might enjoy options like a crispy fish Almondine, fish oreganata, or spaghetti con crudo. There are also tempting dishes such as Long Island duck frites or the Sicilian lemon risotto.
Sitting on the deck overlooking the very waters your fish came from on a gorgeous summer day, well, it doesn’t get much better than that. Treat yourself to the local catch and savor the fresh dishes that the chef skillfully prepares.