The Albatross Review

Dining outside is advisable at Fire Island’s Ocean Beach Albatross restaurant. Snugly nestled a half-step off the main thoroughfare, the Albatross’s dining patio features a lovely view of a lush garden park. The patio is just secluded enough to grant some semblance of privacy while still allowing the entertainment of people watching, as Fire Island ferry travelers walk to their fire island rental homes and gear up for fun on Fire Island beaches.

As I browsed the menu, I wondered, why the name "Albatross"? I don’t know if Albatrosses are edible. They don’t live around Fire Island. An Albatross usually has negative connotations; it is a symbol of agonizing shame in Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Even more than Coleridge, the Albatross reminds me of a classic Monty Python sketch where a concessions peddler is hawking a tray full of Albatrosses as a snack, calling out "Albatross!" to the audience as he walks up and down the stairs. Sadly these questions, along with other questions about the restaurant’s history and mission, went unanswered, as no one at the Albatross had time to speak with me.

The Albatross is popular among locals, with a menu encompassing everything from traditional pub-grub to more sophisticated seafood offerings. Seared Pepper Crusted Ahi Tuna, Lollipop Lamb Chops, Clams Casino - a diverse array of tempting dishes. I was hoping to get the inside scoop on the Albatross’s best dishes, but I was left to fend for myself. I browsed over a Heineken and enjoyed the scenery, eventually settling on the following trio, two of which came from the daily specials menu:

Shrimp and Lobster Bisque with Sweet Corn ($6) - Served in a decent-sized bowl, this offering was the chunkier-style bisque; thick and creamy, with bits of shrimp and lobster throughout. My ideal bisque is silky smooth, but I wasn’t complaining about this savory bowl. The bisque leaned heavily on the side of shrimp as far as a flavor balance, with corn accentuating the shrimp’s sweetness. A slow burn heat balanced the dish nicely; each spoonful had a mildly spicy delayed finish - satisfying.

Cajun Calamari ($12) - The texture of this calamari was absolutely sublime; as any calamari aficionado knows, preparation can be a dangerous game. Rubbery, tough, overcooked calamari is a culinary disaster. The Albatross Cajun calamari walked the narrow path of calamari success, deep fried to crispy perfection; fresh, piping hot, with a nice meaty texture and slightly crunchy outer crust. Despite the outstanding texture, the dish fell short on creativity and spiciness. Served with a ho-hum marinara, the calamari seemed to waste a golden opportunity for a creative Cajun dipping sauce. The Cajun/Italian cross-over lost me. The Cajun spice was visually apparent on the calamari, yet surprisingly, delivered no Cajun heat whatsoever. In fact, the bisque delivered more heat than the Cajun calamari. I love spicy foods, but the "Cajun" label on this dish was a cruel tease. Why, God? Why? Old spices - and I’m not talking the fragrance - lose their flavor, as do spices that are kept in poorly sealed containers.

Fish Tacos ($10) - Absolutely masterful. The beautiful presentation of this dish made me want to stand up and applaud; it was filled with color and style, reminiscent of a confetti party. The fish in these fish tacos was big, juicy hunks of tuna, marinated or tossed in lime and spices, and cooked medium-rare. Nestled in two warm, soft taco shells, these succulent hunks of tuna were slathered with diced tomatoes, chives, and tiny bits of red and blue tortilla chips, the crunch of which beautifully complemented the tuna’s juicy, meaty texture. A white sauce drizzled over the top added a beautiful aesthetic accent, along with a mild, creamy flavor. The fish tacos were served with jalapeño and radish slivers, along with sides of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Again, the salsa was embarrassingly weak on the spiciness - more like a sweet tomato jam than a spicy salsa - but flavorful and fresh nonetheless.

The Albatross’s ambiance was relaxing and pleasing. Service was prompt and courteous. A 13-year-old busboy was a very good sport in dealing with some One Ocean View (the Fire Island reality show that’s been all over the Fire Island news lately) cast members, who asked him if he thought a girl in their party was "hot."

In coming weeks, The Albatross will be a great alternative for those don’t wish to wait too long for a table - the Island Mermaid will likely be completely inundated from its reality show appearance; great for visiting reality TV show sightseers, but a must-avoid for anyone who wishes to be seated quickly and eat in peace.

However, The Albatross could still benefit from some attention to detail. I had a few tiny ants on my table, crawling near my plate - I’m not the least bit squeamish, so no problem for me - but a bug-phobic’s dining experience might be tainted by the ants. Also, the men’s room was covered with ugly graffiti, which diminishes the class of the entire establishment. A can of paint costs a few bucks, and it’d take very little effort to wipe out the graffiti with a nice fresh coat. Maybe I’ll go back and propose to paint the bathroom in exchange for some more fish tacos.