A 'Reel' Big Change for the Fishery

The former East Rockaway seafood restaurant known as The Fishery is now 'Reel Fish.'

Located at 1 Main Street, the restaurant was badly damaged in Hurricane Sandy and was purchased by new owners on May 20. The location then underwent extensive renovations totaling more than $1 million, which included a complete kitchen, electrical and plumbing overhaul, according to co-owner Shaun Manning. 

The name change was made official on Nov. 1, to give the restaurant a new identity, Manning said. 

"We have a little bit of a difference on the food concept," Manning said. "It’s a little more of a higher-end food, and a very reasonable price point. So we just wanted to have our own identity with the place. Not inherit anyone’s identity, nor tarnish what they had there, we just wanted to be our own identity."

The menu includes "fresher items and daily specials," Manning said. A new menu is printed every day due to market prices, with shellfish and seafood products delivered fresh every day.    

"If something is not in season or hasn’t been caught, the menu has a lot of flexibility," Manning said. "It’s always changing... a lot of creativity to the menu."

One side of the menu contains your staple items: fish and chips, filet of fish, chicken tidbits, steak tidbits, soups, salads etc. The other side is anything fresh, which changes daily, Manning said. 

Popular menu items so far include the cedar-plank salmon, which is grilled on a piece of cedar wood in the oven and broiled. Manning said the lobster was the number one seller in the summertime, as well as the raw seafood towers with clams, oysters and shrimp. 

Reel’s Executive Chef, Adam Goldgell, is currently competing on the Food Network’s “Restaurant Express."He previously appeared on the Food Network show “Chopped."

"He brings a whole new twist to the menu," said Manning. "A new twist to old menu items, give it a new flavor, add a little zest to it. He’s been doing well on the show and very well here."

“While it has changed a lot, a lot of the old menu favorites are on here, a lot of the staff is here," he said. "We want to give you a good product and our number one goal is to take care of the community and the people around here.”

For more info., visit Reel Fish's website and Facebook page.