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Calypso Cay by Nina Fredrizzi
My friend J.P. loves Sirius Satellite Radio’s Margaritaville Channel. He’s pretty convinced that Margaritaville is the only channel on satellite radio, and he lugged his Sirius boom box thousands of miles on vacation to the Caribbean so he could hear Jimmy Buffet playing in his natural habitat. When he’s working on his boat, J.P. will connect a string of electric cords from the house to his radio so he can listen to Margaritaville at edge of the dock—200 yards away. It won’t be long before Parrotheads like JP start flocking to the new Calypso Cay Restaurant in Brewerton, which opened officially July 21st. With a waterfront view of the Oneida River, bars chock-full with cold beer and margaritas and—of course—Jimmy Buffet blaring in the background, Calypso Cay promises a considerable departure from your average CNY dining experience, no airfare required. Bringing a taste of the tropics to customers is nothing new for Calypso Cay’s owner, Patrick Hartough, who used to own a travel agency. Located on Dockside Drive, to the left of the Route 11 Bridge in Brewerton, Calypso is every inch the low-key Caribbean getaway. A sandy, nautical display, and a faux palm tree in the entranceway, greet patrons as they wend their way up the restaurant’s driveway. Inside, polished wood accents meet the serene blue and yellow hues of the tropics in a simple, clean décor that suits Calypso’s beachy, open-air vibe. The restaurant’s young, friendly staff is outfitted in blue Hawaiian-print sarongs, and scurries back and forth through Calypso’s bustling rooms and its two full-service bars. Even on a Tuesday when I visited, Calypso was packed to the gills with guests eager to take advantage of the balmy summer night. Your best bet when planning a visit is to call ahead and reserve a spot at one of the restaurant’s twelve outdoor umbrella tables. There’s little that’s formal about Calypso’s waterfront, where guests sit on bar stools and help themselves to condiments contained in empty Landshark beer boxes. But that’s what makes it so much fun. There’s also little about the view that’s less than stellar - a view that’s only enhanced by the addition of an electric blue palm tree, burning brightly against the horizon as twilight slips slowly into dusk. As an appetizer, the garlic and ale clam steamers are rich and tender, their flavor heightened by a rich reduction of diced plum tomatoes, scallions and garlic. Other original sandwiches include the Malibu coconut fish po-boy with mango salsa ($7.95), and a lobster and seafood wrap with Caribbean-seasoned mayo ($10.95). Calypso Cay Restaurant
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