Waterfront sights are at a top quality in Port Jefferson, in spite of the abundance of eating places there. The loveliest watch may possibly very well be from the second-flooring eating room of the village’s most recent restaurant, P.J. Harbour Club. It will take about the house from the limited-lived Due Baci (2019-2020) and unwell-fated Graceful Rose (2012 to 2015).
Just take a seat in the dining room and you can get in the whole harbor and the hills of Belle Terre beyond it. The room alone is finished up in shades of cream and mocha, with plush upholstery, area rugs and refreshing bouquets.
P.J. Harbour Club, which opened in June, is a collaboration amongst two hospitality veterans: In the kitchen is Joe Guerra, whose 40-year occupation spans luxury motels (together with the Garden City Lodge and the Westbury in Manhattan ), dining places (such as The Four Seasons in Manhattan, Bryant & Cooper in Roslyn and La Marmite in New Hyde Park) and nation golf equipment (most lately, Cold Spring Country Club). Guerra’s companion is Michael Russell, a former Wall Avenue executive who has been a husband or wife and trader in many eating places.
Both gentlemen had been retired when they decided to get again into the restaurant video game. “We were both of those users of the Port Jefferson Place Club,” Guerra recalled. “We have been taking part in a whole lot of golf, and saved hearing from our mates that the area could use a higher-finish cafe.”
Then the Thanks Baci space was for sale. With seating for 72 in the dining room (and one more 60 in the bar and on the deck), it was larger than he’d planned, but still substantially lesser than the accommodations and clubs he’d spent decades in. “It experienced fantastic bones and we thought it experienced a great deal of likely.”
Guerra’s menu is eclectic, ranging from New American (raw tuna ribbons with avocado and yuzu-miso vinaigrette) to Italian (baked clams, pasta, cioppino) and continental (onion soup, Caesar salad). Lots of of the dishes evince a rarefied re-imagining, these as seared shrimp in excess of shellfish mousse, brioche and lobster sauce, or hen breast with dim-meat “rillettes” more than creamed vegetable barley, newborn turnips, sauce supreme and mignonette. You can also see the affect of his possess Portuguese heritage in the bolinhos della casa (shrimp-cod croquettes) and a starter of pork stomach with clams. The entrees include 4 steakhouse selections, such as broiled porterhouse with potato pavé for two, 4 or six people today ($56 for each particular person) and an herbed veal chop with Belgian endive and pancetta cream sauce ($44). Most other mains are underneath $30 starters and salads range from $9 to $22.
P.J. Harbour Club is at 154 W. Broadway, Port Jefferson, 631-309-5800, pjharbourclub.com