Feeding the Thousands

Gosman's, Montauk, NY

Crab-stuffed shrimp

For years and years, Gosman's has been a major tourist attraction. It was founded in 1943 by Robert and Mary Gosman, fish packers and agents for the Fulton Fish Market. It started as a clam bar and now has for sale food (several restaurants,) clothing and tourist services. It has several restaurants, all facing the water (and Montauk has the Atlantic Ocean, the Sound and a lake.)

We ate at Gosman's Dock, the main restaurant which sprawls out before you -- a sea of white table linen and sturdy wooden captain's chairs. Nearly every window has a water view of some kind or the other.

A basket of walnut-raisin bread, sandwich white bread and paper-wrapped assorted crackers came out first.

They had a 1 1/2 lb. lobster for $27.95 which came with cole slaw and French fries. The lobster meat was ... mushy/watery. So much so that I asked my sister-in-law what was wrong with it? (One of her sons is a lobsterman and she knows lobsters.) She said that the lobster may have been molting -- "Perfectly safe to eat!" she reassured me. Yes, well ... lobster-flavored sludge was what it was. The cole slaw was acceptable, but the fries were fat, undercooked and cold. The melted butter with lemon garnish may not have been "real" butter, but more likely those little square containers you get with waffles.

Service was sloppy - my wadded up lobster bib was still in the middle of the table as coffee and desserts were being served. The waiter spilled a glass of white wine all over Richie's shirt. He was truly sorry and Richie was properly nice about it, but ... thank God it wasn't a red wine.

The most damning comment I can make is: high school cafeteria food for $$$$ prices.