New Bay Shore 'Beach-Inspired' Restaurant To Host Grand Opening Friday

BAY SHORE, NY — A new "a beach-inspired dining experience" will officially grace Bay Shore's downtown.

Ditch Kitchen & Surf Bar, a located at 25 Bayview Ave., will host its grand opening on Friday, where patrons can expect specials and giveaways.

The first 100 customers will receive a free yucca popper appetizer, an $8 frozen Paloma special available all day, and live music by Graceland Gate will entertain from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Blue Point Oyster Fest will be on site and will sell its first 500 oysters for free, staring at 5 p.m.

Tracy Smith, Ditch co-owner, told Patch the restaurant is a blend of "the best of Southern California and the Hamptons."

Its menu consists of "grab-and-go" type items, such as classic seafood dishes like lobster rolls, tacos, calamari and crab cake sandwiches, while also catering to sit-down entrées like steak, salmon, and fish and chips.

"One of the key things with menu was that we're trying to be like, 'Hey, you just got off the beach, or you're going to the beach," Smith said.

Created by chef Luis Vasquez, the restaurant's "yucca poppers" also add a unique flair to the menu. Similar to jalapeño poppers, Vasquez cooks and mashes yucca, and adds seasonings, creating little "yucca balls." It is then served on a plate with a bed of guacamole and chipotle aioli.

"They are phenomenal," said Smith. "You can't go wrong."

But the "generous" 2,000 square foot building includes a front patio, a dining room and an outdoor back patio space — perfect for either a causal hang-out or a formal date night.

"You can kind of be in that lounge-y environment," said Smith. "But if you're sitting in the middle of the dining room, and somebody wants to order a steak, I still want to be able to cater to that."

Ditch's cocktail menu also reflects on the beach theme, with drinks like frozen Palomas, Island Rum Punch, and a "Hang 10 Marg."

Smith told Patch he has worked in the restaurant business since 2011, managing and even helping open several restaurants in Manhattan and on Long Island.

He met his business partner, Alexandra "Alex" Anderson "years ago" when she began dating her now husband, one of Smith's best friends.

But the idea to open a restaurant together didn't ignite until about three years ago.

"I was trying to hire her to work at this barbecue restaurant that was I was running in Garden City," Smith said. "We met up that weekend at their house. She was like, 'Alright, I'm not going to take the job. But would you want to open up a restaurant together?'"

Smith told Patch that opening his own restaurant was something he "always wanted to do" and enthusiastically said yes.

For the next two and a half years, the duo looked at locations in Bay Shore, but it was hard to find a perfect fit. Some places were too big or were located on Main Street and would have too much street traffic for a first-time restaurant, he said.

The friend group even seriously considered moving to Texas, and checked out several places there, in hopes of finding their ideal location.

"We're like, screw it let's get out of New York, we'll go down to Texas, we'll open a restaurant there," Smith said.

They were planning to return to Texas this March, when they learned of 25 Bayview Ave.'s availability, formerly Lala's Lounge. Anderson and Smith checked it out.

"Immediately, it really felt like our spot," he said.

The name, "Ditch" comes from the same Montauk beach where Smith spent his summers with his grandparents as a child.

"My grandparents had a house off of old West Lake Drive in Montauk. One of the beaches that we would go to all the time was Ditch Plains Beach," said Smith. "So it kind of it just kind of fits."

Smith is originally from East Islip and now lives in Huntington, and Anderson lives in Wading River.

Although they are not from Bay Shore, the duo were both attracted to its growing downtown area.

"The growth of the town is insane. You have the new Shoregate Apartments that are coming in, you have a vibrant dinner and nightlife scene," said Smith. "I feel like Bay Shore has some really awesome restaurants that put a huge focus on the quality of their food."

Since their soft opening two weeks ago, the community has also been more than welcoming, he said.

"We had a couple come in with their two kids," said Smith. "They've been in like four or five times at this point."

It's small things like this, Smith said, as opening his own restaurant was always a lifelong dream.

"There's nothing more enjoyable than having people come in, whether they're having a bad day or a great day, and making that day better," Smith said. "I don't think that there's anything else career wise, that I could think of, that has that same effect."

To learn more about Ditch Kitchen & Surf Bar, or to inquire about private events or catering, visit its website here.