Steamboat Landing: Drop anchor at Glen Cove waterfront eatery. 76 Shore Road, Glen Cove

By Carol Brock

Steamboat Landing

76 Shore Rd.
Glen Cove
516-759-3921

A blazing 38 torches line Steamboat Landing’s two-sided outdoor patio overlooking a boat-filled waterfront. It’s quite a sight to see the torches set ablaze at dusk, one by one, and then to bask in their light. That’s my favorite time to dine at Steamboat Landing where, in the late-1900s, steamboats did dock. Others thrill to dine there simply for the view of the sunset over Roslyn Harbor.

The dining area on Glen Cove Marina and the adjoining waterfront Tiki bar on Glen Cove Creek are equally large. Enter and be seated at a table with an umbrella, or continue on and head for the bar to spend the evening. There’s live music nightly and a barbecue at midnight on Saturday.

A cold seafood bar is listed. So my dining companion quickly decided on a half dozen Little Neck clams on the half shell. A half pound lobster cocktail was a possibility as well as a jumbo shrimp cocktail and a crabmeat cocktail. As she forked into her first clam she stopped mid air between plate and lip. The Boat was being “moored” on a table nearby. The Boat is a boat loaded with shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters and crab cocktail, for two — $75. You can go it solo with The Dinghy with all the seafood, but half the quantity, for $40.

On the other hand, I was intrigued by the announcement of the Prince Edward Island mussels with seven variations: lobster sauce, coconut cream, pesto, au poivre and more. It was a huge bowl of mussels flanked by an ample mound of waffled fries. The fries have their own dipping sauce, a fluffy onion. This is definitely a meal in itself, a great way to go at luncheon accompanied by beer as they do over there. I remembered being in a seaside town in France where mussels and fries was featured in every bistro. My mussels’ creamy peppercorn sauce (the au poivre version) was delicious but I was not impressed by the small mussels and I know Prince Edward Island would not have been.

We split a warm sesame-crusted goat cheese salad with candied walnuts, fresh pears, baby greens and a raspberry vinaigrette. Really delicious and it would be perfect to order in lieu of dessert.

Sesame crusted tuna was a must for her, and she delighted in the ginger sauce. In fact she checked her doggy bag to be sure that it was the right one.

That was OK with me. Pan-roasted salmon and shrimp, my choice, was perfection. It was moist, marvelous salmon nicely presented — a mound of rice with ultra-fresh, whole green beans arranged, log-like, over it with the salmon and shrimp on top coated with creamy tarragon shrimp sauce.

Steamboat Landing’s executive chef, Ray, likes serving pairings. Duos of shrimps and scallops (with white wine, touch of tomato, cream, garlic butter); or grilled swordfish and shrimp scampi (with lemon, white wine, garlic compound butter) for instance.

Dessert for my companion was half frozen, creamy goodness — soft vanilla ice cream with pralines and shaved chocolate adorned with a strawberry and whipped cream. I went for the simple life, a dish of strawberry ice cream. With each spoonful I had visions of June’s strawberry bazaars.

Coming by boat? You can dock at Steamboat Landing without charge. For luncheon or takeouts consider: baked crab sandwich, turkey and goat cheese sandwich, grilled pastrami and Swiss, a Greek salad chicken pita or a fried shrimp sandwich. There are pastas — penne shrimp and broccoli, linguini with white clam sauce and rigatoni alla vodka — as well as raviolis (ricotta, tomato basil and spinach). And chicken dishes and steaks (a sizzling NY strip, bone in, or filet mignon with shiitake mushrooms) round out the menu.

Come to Steamboat Landing rain or shine. Note that on rainy days the drinks and appetizers are half price. And Steamboat Landing is open in winter.

The Bottom Line

Torch light and sunset dining. Outdoor dining patio fronts Glen Cove Marina. Outdoor Tiki Bar (nightly music and Saturday midnight barbecues) fronts Glen Cove Creek. Free docking for boats. Well-orchestrated seafood menu. Cold seafood bar featuring “The Boat” for two or “The Dinghy” for one.

Chef’s Choice

New England Clam Chowder (in a bread bowl)…$7.95

Coconut Fried Shrimp (peanut noodles, orange dipping sauce)…$12.95

Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat (baked with cream, lobster sauce)…$16.95

Chilean Sea Bass (pan roasted, chopped tomato, capers, lemon, over spinach)…$20

Filet Mignon & Shiitake Mushrooms (sautéed shallots, port wine demi glaze)…$25.95

Penne Shrimp and Broccoli (sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil)…$17.95

Homemade Cheese Cake…$4.75

Chocolate Decadence…$4.75

Cuisine: Seafood. Cold seafood bar.

Setting: Outdoor patios overlooking marina & Glen Cove Creek

Service: Very nice