Something’s Fishy on the Upper East Side
You may be familiar with Bay Kitchen Bar in East Hampton. You’re chic like that. It sits on the water, tucked away from the chaos of town and 27, and serves up some of the yummiest seafood around. But whether you’re familiar with it or not, we’ve got good news. From the men who brought you Bay Kitchen Bar comes BKB, a sea-to-table restaurant on the Upper East Side.
We talked with Adam Miller, one of the co-owners of BKB, in the clean, nautical-looking space, and asked what was different or similar about the two dining experiences. “Why the Upper East Side?” we asked. Well, they followed their following – many of their Hamptons regulars reside on the Upper East. As for the menu, a few favorites have stayed the same, like the fluke and the lobster roll, but mostly the Manhattan restaurant has a menu all its own. Even with a different menu, though, the Millers take the same approach. Their emphasis is on the freshest ingredients and they won’t hesitate to take something right off the menu if the catch doesn’t look up to snuff.
Another reason to go to BKB? The cocktails. Maura McGuigan, head of the cocktail program, is whipping up drinks that, besides showing off her own genius, complement the menu. She pointed out to us that what works at a cocktail bar is not the same as what works in a restaurant. So, she takes her cues from the menu’s flavors and ingredients, incorporating things like coconut milk, cinnamon, teas and coffees.
If fish isn’t your thing, don’t fret. BKB’s got some good grub for carnivores, too. In these cold months, with its peaceful blue-toned interior and delicacies from the sea, BKB serves as a good reminder that summer will one day come. Until then, we can eat and drink, and dream of it.