Maguire’s Restaurant Review

Maguire’s Restaurant
Ocean Beach, Fire Island

"Lobster taco." With the mere utterance of this magical phrase, birds began to sing and the sun pierces through even the thickest blanket of clouds over Fire Island beaches. Lobster taco. That was the special offering advertised outside Ocean Beach’s Maguire’s restaurant, a Fire Island standby. I imagined this taco in vivid detail as it was described: juicy hunks of succulent lobster slathered with goat cheese and fresh tomato salsa, lovingly wrapped in soft tortillas. Maguire’s was bustling at lunchtime, however, so my lobster taco was deferred – instead, my companion and I strolled through Ocean Beach and along Fire Island beaches to pass the time.

Returning around 3 pm, Maguire’s was still packed – but we were quickly seated on the outdoor deck. Maguire’s boasts a majestic view looking out over the Great South Bay. From our vantage point, we could watch the Fire Island ferry coming in, and then back again to Bay Shore’s Fire Island Ferry terminal. In addition to the expansive outdoor seating area, Maguire’s has a roomy interior that transforms into a dance club after 10 pm; a favorite spot of Fire Island rental tenants and locals alike.

“Lobster taco!” I exclaimed when our waiter arrived to take our order. "I am sorry, we just ran out of that,” he replied. “I haven’t yet taken it off the specials board." Crestfallen, I watched out waiter walk away and wipe the delectable sounding dish off the board. It was gone. What just happened? As it turned out, lobster was also the “Catch of the Day” . . . and therefore equally unavailable. More puzzling still, our waiter then recommended the lobster tail on the menu instead. What the heck? Eventually, we settled on the following “plan B” dishes, the lobster mystery unsolved:

Bubba’s Five Rum Punch ($10.25) Four rums too many? Nah. This Maguire’s creation layered rum upon rum, but poured over ice and served in a tall frosty glass, tasted as harmless as Hawaiian Punch. Do not fear Bubba’s Five Rum Punch . . . from the description I thought I’d be stumbling around Ocean Beach until the last Fire Island ferry back to the mainland, but after one I was feeling refreshed and in control.

Tuna “Pokie” Tartar ($13.50): Served on a long rectangular plate, this dish featured three medallion shaped molds of chopped tuna tartar, each topped with a deep-fried pot sticker triangle—creating an image reminiscent of tiny sailboats. Avocado scoops, passionfruit puree and wasabi vinaigrette were drizzled around the plate’s perimeter, completing the presentation. The light crispiness of the deep-fried pot stickers, buttery texture of the perfectly ripened avocado, and fresh tuna tartar mingled beautifully, while the two sauces added concentrated sweetness and zing. This appetizer foreshadowed the core culinary theme Maguire’s of Ocean Beach: outstanding ingredients are allowed to shine through, minimally altered.

Cold Cantaloupe Soup with Blue Claw Crab ($7.50). Surprisingly, of all the dishes, to me this soup de jour was the most successful. On a day where the mercury soared into the 90s, this cool, refreshing soup was just the thing. Puréed until almost smooth, the vibrantly colored cantaloupe soup was presented simply; topped with a handful of blue claw crab. To my companion, this combination achieved a balance of salty and sweet; to my palate however, the soup was more sweet-upon-sweet, with the crabmeat providing more of a textural than taste sensation. It would have been nice to have had the option of ordering this soup by the cup.

Curried Chicken Salad Wrap ($10): Another fine choice for a sweltering hot Fire Island day, this wrap combined chunks of white meat chicken with apples and raisins, all wrapped up together in a whole wheat flour tortilla. The wrap captured some authenticity of Indian fare flavor, while imparting the spin of casual Fire Island beach dining—achieving an interesting culinary harmony.

Orchietta Pasta (13.50): This savory dish appeared to be a Maguire’s original creation, and therefore was chosen as a substitute for the missing lobster taco. Tossed with sundried tomatoes, baby spinach, roast leeks, marinated portabella mushrooms, parmesan, wine reduction, and finished with black truffle butter, this delectable dish – while not a lobster taco – was nonetheless satisfying and perfectly executed. The orchietta pasta, resembling tiny little World War 1 soldier helmets (they’re supposed to look like tiny ears, but somehow that comparison is unappetizing to me), was cooked al dente. Presentation was lackluster on this dish; just a bowlful of pasta, nothing more.

Crème Brulee Cheesecake ($7): Rich, creamy, and drizzled with raspberry sauce, this decadent indulgence was the perfect post-note to the Maguire’s experience. Absent, however, was the sensation of crème brulee—perhaps its toasted custard goodness too closely matched the cheesecake and was lost in the mix.

I forgive Maguire’s for the lobster taco tease. Taking an optimistic view, it’s likely that the dish was so amazingly delicious that everyone—all the Fire Island rental tenants, locals, day trippers, Ocean Bay Park sojourners—ordered it and wiped it off the menu. Next time I return to Maguire’s, I may opt for their Taste of Fire Island special. Starting July 9th, Monday through Thursday, Maguire’s offers a package deal that includes round-trip Fire Island ferry fare and a 3-course dinner for $41 per person. And, next time I guarantee I will show up to Maguire’s earlier – for the early bird gets the lobster taco.