The Italian Fisherman restaurant is billed as a “unique waterfront culinary and socializing experience.” This eatery introduces two excellent menus, the Classico Menu (presents gourmet food that will make your mouth water merely from the smell of the food) and the Water Grill Menu (offers an experience that you won’t want to miss). So, it shouldn’t be a surprising statement when I mention that our hard-to-please palates immediately began to scream…Eureka! Eureka! After that, four people were smiling pleasantly as the waitress led us to an outside deck where we could enjoy a transfixed view of the Lake with each tasty bite. I could tell right away that this was going to be an extraordinary culinary happening.

The Italian Fisherman Classico Menu & Prices

The Classico Menu…is outstanding to say the least bringing forth “Lovely Beverages” that spotlights everything from the Big Dirty (Grey Goose Vodka crisp and chilled straight up, a splash of olive juice, gorgonzola stuffed olives with a twist), to Lime in the Coconut drinks (a handcraft colada on the rocks, pineapple and coconut vodkas, coconut cream, pineapple juice, sours, topped with lime zest, and toasted coconut). In addition, the menu reminds you of their handcrafted beverages you can order and also, an extensive wine list. This particular eatery had been tailor made for four people who couldn’t wait to drink and eat an exceptional culinary thrill.

From the Appetizer’s list of plenty, the four of us promptly plunged into the Momma’s Mussels’ ($17.00) dish with every invited taste bud possible. I’m talking about phenomenal fresh Mussels sautéed in lemony butter, white wine, olive oil, garlic and herbs to die for! After all, the menu warns you to be prepared to scream Momma Mia, when you eat this dish and I instantly understood why. For in my mind I screamed Momma Mia over and over again until the entire dish of scrumptious delight disappeared completely from sight. Actually, my mouth is still screaming Momma Mia as I write about this dining experience!

Since it had been our first visit to this dining spot, as a group, we decided to order two entrees from the Classico Menu and another two entrees from the Water Grill Menu. The two entrées from the Classico Menu were Lola’s Lobster Ravioli ($28) and Key West Shrimp and Scallops ($29). My goodness, I thought to myself. We may never leave this place. As a matter of fact, we’ll all probably need stretcher service to our boat!

The Italian Fisherman Classico Food Quality

The excellently prepared Lobster Ravioli sauce took our minds to the farthest points of the culinary arts’ world. It’s lemon-sage Lobster tail surrounded by homemade ravioli filled with lobster and sun-dried tomato with ricotta, then dribbled with a fresh lemon butter-basil sauce, boasted out loud on our forks every time one of us placed it into our mouth. Oh yeah! Oh heck yeah! This dish never had a chance with four different forks sticking, pulling and cutting the “gosh-darn-it-you’re-mine,” out of each delicious bite!

Their expertly composed sauce took our tongues on a sleigh ride with each raging gulp. What I really appreciated though is that it hadn’t been “over-salted.” Without ego, I sent my sincere complements to the restaurant’s chef. I’d say that again if he would teach me how to prepare this dish in private. Believe me, I would be the envy of every dinner party!

The Key West Shrimp and Scallops matched the previous course’s smell, taste and satisfaction. To understand how good this dish is read the following words. Jumbo shrimp and pan seared scallops served over a bed of lemon-garlic risotto with fresh spinach and grilled asparagus. You can believe how this dish passed from person to person to person to person. Everybody joined together singing its praise hallelujah, hallelujah! Each careful taste brought a special melody of flavored praise. Someone even mentioned that this dish is extremely decadent and then, asked for more.

The Italian Fisherman Grill Menu Prices & Food Quality

The Water Grill Menu…dished out a very different selection of “oh, no you didn’t!” While both menus offer good selections of meat dishes from steak to sandwiches, the two entrees we ordered were completely different from the Classico Menu. Our first choice was the Seared Scallop Sliders ($16). The Seared Scallops included an Asian slaw, fresh tomatoes, crispy onion straws, and it finished with a cilantro lime-aioli. Now, I must admit that this menu asked diners not to scream “WOW,’” with their mouths open. But, that didn’t work with our group. In fact, I was afraid that there might be an all out rebellion. Delicious, delicious and more delicious, were the comments made by all. This dish is definitely a must for diners with discreet palates. There were four individuals sitting at our table who constantly gulped without expressing another word and that’s saying a lot.

The second entrée almost started a riot and I mean it, for we ordered the delectable Baja Fish Tacos ($16). Ah huh, that’s what I said. This anxious dish of piping hot (I want you badly) released the hidden monsters of our digestion system. I swear that I could hear our stomachs roaring.” yell, yell, yell), in-between humming and singing as though it’d gone completely mad. If we had swords, believe me, we’d all have been Zorro, the dashing hero.

The Baja Fish Tacos introduced soft tortillas filled with fresh grilled citrus tilapia, pico de gallo, cilantro-Vidalia slaw and finished with a wasabi aioli and fresh limes. Did somebody say, “Shut Your Mouth? Because, there wasn’t any conversation at our table at the moment! No one even took a drink. They just chewed, that’s all. I remember us all announcing at different times about how efficient and friendly our waitress was and how she’d brought to our table four magnificent dishes. Add our articulate speech to the outdoor patio’s picturesque view of the beautiful Chautauqua Lake and I’m sure you get the picture.

As we walked around Bemus Point hoping the air would help us regain consciousness, the Kuhn’s recommended a brief visit to the famous Hotel Lenhart.

THE ITALIAN FISHERMAN…61 LAKESIDE DRIVE
BEMUS POINT, NEW YORK 14712
716-368-7000
OPEN SEASONALLY
http://www.italianfisherman.com