Andrra
Andrra's lobster is served with a beurre blanc sauce. (June 13, 2012) Credit: Doug Young
Sleek as a yacht, Andrra glides into Three Mile Harbor ready to revel.
Moored in the second-story site where The Boathouse and Bostwick's spent recent summers, Andrra overlooks shimmering waters and boats drifting by. It's a polished, contemporary perch, glossy white and navy blue, with a shiny wood rail ready for an elbow and a daydream.
That's apropos. The name stems from the Albanian word for "dream." Andrra's kitchen veers Mediterranean and Adriatic, with an occasional Aegean side trip.
The smooth ride is courtesy of executive chef and co-owner Sami Krasniqi, who comes from Kosovo and, more recently, from Cafe Max in East Hampton. Consulting chef William S. Valentine, a Smithtown native, is best remembered by diners on Long Island for his lively 1990s work at what used to be The Maidstone Arms.
Andrra is, if not tucked away, then at least somewhat secluded. But it does fill up fast on a sunny evening.
Nibble on warm pita bread and herbed olives. Then, pick the plate of mezze, a tasty collection, with a choice of shrimp, scallops or calamari, plus hummus, seared red peppers, roasted-tomato bruschetta, pickled cabbage, snowflakes of Cyprian feta, and ajvar, a red pepper-eggplant relish from Serbia and Croatia.
Toskan BBQ shrimp means flavors sweet and spicy, the shellfish braised with ale and sparked with garlic and smoked paprika. "Stars of the sea" fills a martini glass with lobster meat, shrimp, scallops, octopus, squid and piquillo peppers. But the "lemon emulsion" douses more than dresses.
You're better off with the straightforward, jumbo-lump crabmeat cocktail and the very meaty, loosely bound crabcake, accented with avocado-chile-lime mayo; or baked clams spiked with Mediterranean herbs.
"Mama's mussels" arrive aromatically with a note of ouzo, as well as white wine, shallots, fennel and oven-dried tomatoes. Seafood chowder, red variety, catches prawns, clams and finfish, but in a tomato broth that's a little harsh.
The salad of baby red and yellow beets benefits from a barely there vinaigrette; the shaved fennel-and-orange number, from frisee, arugula, some ricotta salata and pomegranate seeds.
Soft-shell crabs are overcooked. But the "Andrra Lobsta'" stands out, perfectly steamed, split and buttery, an ear of corn for company. A special of broiled halibut, capped with snippets of olive and tomato: excellent.
Contrarians can enjoy pappardelle, with braised beef, root vegetables and Parmesan cheese; a juicy, pan-roasted chicken; and the adroitly roasted rack of lamb, atop an edamame mash and mint pesto.
Baklava, made with walnuts, pistachios and almonds, and a modest Key lime pie top the desserts.
While you're waiting, dream on.
