Panko Crusted Fluke Parmigiana Over Spaghetti Always A Winner At Salivar’s Clam & Chowder House

Montauk in August can be very busy. In recent years some people believe it has become a touch pricey too. If you are on a fixed income like I am eating out anywhere on the east end is an ouch when the check comes around.

That being said I have to share my favorite entree’ in Montauk. Between 2005 & 2009 I was paid to do restaurant reviews for the Montauk Pioneer a historical weekly that was the forefather of Dan’s Papers founded by Fan Rattiner himself. Being paid to dine a few times a year at The Harvest, Shagwong, Gurney’s, The Montauk Yacht Club, The Crows Nest, Soleil East, and places no longer in existence like O’Murphy’s and Lenny’s was specifically great eating. Many times the chefs would prepare special treats and desserts just for me. It was a great job.

However one place that never wanted or needed a review was the Westlake Clam and Chowder House. Never taking reservations all season long they had at least an hour wait and no one cared! It was a Mecca for fishermen and they all would congregate around the bar and talk fishing. Sometimes it was a bummer when the table was ready because the bar conversations were that good. But the food was always worth the wait.

It was way back in 2005 when I had dinner with a commercial fisherman about his new boat while preparing for an article on Lobsters that I first sampled their Pan Crusted Fluke Parmigiana over spaghetti. At that time the restaurant was located right off the entrance to Star Island on Westlake Drive. Being 100% Italian never in my life had I ever sampled fish with red tomato sauce and parmigiana cheese.

For me it was an instant home run. Living in the Ditch Plains trailer camp, lol, in a rented room I was always 5 minutes away. I would get to the restaurant usually after payday. No Direct deposit in those days. Except for the Covid years I always somehow have eating this dish at least once a year, even though I now life 50 miles away in East Patchogue. Thursday August 21st I finally got there in 2025. It was the first restaurant meal I have had since I fractured my foot in three places .

A bartender named “Bishop,” was very informative about all things Salivar’s Clam and Chowder House. The live music drawing hundreds of folks as well as owners new baby. He laughed when I told him I didn’t need the menu.

The panko crusted fluke was so tasty especially especially with the hot melted parmigiana cheese adding to my tastebuds going wild . It was so good I was determined to write this up afterwards. I recommend you give it a try.