Published March 31, 2017 |
The sign announcing the coming of Drift 82 on the water in Patchogue was posted this week.
Drift 82’s owners – two established restauranteurs — are shooting for a Memorial Day opening.
Work started two weeks ago at the former On the Waterfront location, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and re-opened a couple years later before shutting down for good after last summer.
Drift 82 will be owned and operated by John Sarno, who also owns the Village Idiot Pub in Patchogue, and Tim Kelly, who owns The Lark Pub & Grub in East Northport.
Together the two men opened Village Idiot Irish Pub in Oakdale a year ago this March.
Sarno was quick to dismiss calling the new place Idiot on the Bay.
“When I think of ‘idiots on the bay’ I think of people acting like a–holes on WaveRunners,” he joked.
The owners have gutted the old On the Waterfrtont and are in the process of remodeling the dining area and bar for a more modernized version of a Long Island or Fire Island seafood spot — with rustic, beachfront decor throughout.
The southern side of the restaurant will feature bi-fold windows that will allow for the entire front of Drift 82 to be opened to the salt air.
“When you’re sitting down having dinner you’ll have a full view of the bay — floor to ceiling,” Sarno said.
Half-wall bi-folds will be used on the west side of the building, facing Patchogue River.
On the Waterfrtont was owned and operated for decades by Edward and Mary Halverson. According to Newsday, the Halversons named the place after the 1954 Marlon Brando film by the same name. The Halversons still own the property.
Aside from the makeover, the Drift 82 partners are also ripping up the parking lot and re-pitching the new lot away from the building, which had flooding problems. They are rebuilding the aging gazebo and deck that’s on the river, and replacing damaged docks and boardwalks (photos below).
The outside scene at Drift 82 will be a more casual than inside, with live music, local beer served in cans and blended drinks such as Fire Island Rocket Fuels.
Drift 82 will be located at 82 Brightwood Street, adjacent to Sandspit Marina and the Davis Park Park Ferry Co. terminal.
There is also enough space at the restaurant property for permanent and transient boaters.
“We’ll have our staple buffalo wings, steaks, and other items from Patchogue,” Sarno said. “But we’ll have a lot of seafood, a raw bar, oysters, clams on the half-shells and all that.”
Sarno and Kelly also have the good fortune of borrowing from their existing cooking staffs in order to get rolling come summertime.
“It should be seamless, and it will be a place on the water that has good seafood, which isn’t always the case,” he said. “And we’ll have brunch on weekends, bloody Marys, growlers to go for the ferries.”
“Even egg sandwiches,” Kelly said.
“We’re not closing down until the last ferry’s done,” Sarno added.
Top: John Sarno (foreground) and Tim Kelly putting up a Drift 82 coming soon sign Thursday. (Credit: Michael White)
