Anchor Down Dockside 28 April 2021

By LONG ISLAND WINE DAD May 09, 2021

It is springtime on Long Island, and the seasonal waterside restaurants are reopening. Anchor down is a very local place, and if you do not live in or near Seaford, you surely overlook this gem. Anchor Down is not a gem because of its high-end fine dining food but that it captures the essence of summer on Long Island. For Jo and I, this is very local as we can walk there and stagger back. The menu centered around classic dockside food, fish, burgers, and drinks with a bit of Mediterranean flair in homage to Cardoon's previously located here. The outdoor deck is sunny and adjacent to a broad canal that one can leisurely watch the Swans, Geese, Ducks, and boats sail by. The seafood is consistently fresh and well prepared, as are the other menu items. On this visit, we were a party of three. A fish-loving friend from Connecticut joined us. We opened with a round of drinks, including a Cosmopolitan, Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand Marlborough Oyster Bay 2020), and a Mojito with a splash of Pomegranate. All were very good and required refills.

Jo started with the crispy Dockside wings, buffalo style with just the right amount of heat. Our friend had the Caribbean Salad, which was a field greens salad with charred pineapple, Avocado, Hearts of Palm, Spiced Pepitas, and finished with a Vinaigrette dressing. I went for the Soup Du Jour, a Crab cake chowder consisting of a beautiful creamy corn chowder base with a crab cake sitting on a small dollop of Crème Fraiche. Jo went for the 10oz Lobster Tail, a large tail cooked just right and plated with Baked potato and Broccoli. Our friend and I opted to share a selection of starters for our main entrée. We started with the Mussels in White Wine and Garlic that arrived in a 2LB Mussel pot that was great for sharing. The Mussels were cooked just right and not overcooked at all, swimming in a broth that balanced the wine and garlic. The booth came with dipping bread and was well enjoyed. Of course, as my strange custom, I reassembled the Mussel shells into a creature that looks to be from the movie Alien. Next up was a large pot of Steamers steamed in Old Bay Beer broth. The steamers were large, plump, not overcooked, and not the least bit sandy. Last was the Chilled Seafood Platter for two, a large platter on the ice of Oysters, Clams, crab, and shrimp, all complemented with cocktail sauce and Mignonette (a piquant sauce made with vinegar and shallots). After one more round of drinks and being quite full, we skipped dessert, found our way home, and planned our next visit. If you are looking for a bright, fun dockside place with great food, this is the place and well worth the effort to locate it.