The first time I came upon Anastasio’s Steakhouse in East Haven, I wasn’t there to eat. It was last July, and my son
and I were following the shoreline from New Haven, systematically checking out every little strip of sand, whether we were welcome or not.
But Silver Sands Beach is no little strip of sand but a full-blown, crescent-shaped beach. Here is a view of it from its western reach,
and here from its eastern reach.
Parked at Silver Sands Beach & Tennis Club,
we spied Anastasio’s Steakhouse,
to which I vowed to return someday.
That day came earlier this week. My wife and daughter spent the day packing for an overseas trip to attend our son’s college graduation, while I worked up a serious appetite hiking on Sleeping Giant
with our friend Carrol.
In the evening, I surprised my wife, taking her to Anastasio’s Steakhouse for dinner at sunset.
My wife
and I began by ordering an inexpensive but pleasing Nero d’Avola,
then dug into a basket of breads,
which I’m guessing were baked at the Anastasio’s on Wooster Street.
For our appetizers, we enjoyed clams casino,
escargots,
and seared scallops in a luscious creamy pesto sauce.
Our complimentary salads came with balsamic vinegar and Gorgonzola cheese.
And then our nice waitress, Gina,
brought our shared steak, a 20-ounce certified Angus New York strip, which the kitchen was kind enough to split for us.
We finished with espresso
and a slab of wonderful bread pudding.
On the way out, my wife consorted with a number of celebrities,
including The King,
and then settled into her role and shared the throne with her real king.
The next morning, I took my wife and daughter to JFK Airport, enjoying exceptional views of the Manhattan skyline as traffic stalled out on the Whitestone Bridge.
Anastasio’s Steakhouse, 640-656 Silver Sands Road, Building 1, East Haven, 203-467-1858, www.anastasiossteakhouse.com