BONEFISH GRILL: UNBEATABLE

Four-star restaurant at Shops at Nanuet 

BY DYLAN SKRILOFF

The only problem with the Bonefish Grill, located at the Shops at Nanuet, is that the food is so good you might keep eating until you gain a few pounds.

When stepping into the Bonefish Grill one certainly expects a good meal, but the food is a notch or two above expectations. While all the dishes are good, there are a few that are simply exceptional. And while the prices are not cheap, they are not out of reach either.

Bonefish considers their Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer a signature dish and it isn’t hard to see why. The shrimp dish tastes so good it almost feels like dessert, but don’t worry, it won’t ruin your appetite as long as you don’t go overboard. Continuing on the shrimp theme, I had the chance to try the Thai Coconut Shrimp at Bonefish and it also did not disappoint. They are simply delicious. I felt spoiled.

Bonefish may have outsmarted themselves with their calamari presentation, however. Instead of going the traditional route and offering marinara sauce, a vinaigrette is their default option. The good news is Bonefish encourages you to make special requests. So, if you are a calamari fan and aren’t keen on the idea of dipping your calamari in vinaigrette, simply tell your waiter or waitress. Problem solved. Marinara galore.

During my most recent Bonefish visit my main course was filet mignon. As Bonefish is a seafood-oriented restaurant, I was thrilled to find my properly cooked rare filet was tender and well-suited to my taste buds. Bonefish Grill is a sister franchise to Outback Steakhouse, but overall the food is better at Bonefish and even the steak competes well with their relative.

The most impressive dish I’ve had at Bonefish is their Ahi Tuna Steak. I was not prepared to be confronted with something that tasted impossibly good. It is difficult to pinpoint what makes the dish so temptuous. It was actually a surprise that a simple tuna could taste that good.

Delicious.

Bonefish has about a dozen seafood entrees available for dinner, though I have yet to sample most of them. I have had occasion to taste Bonefish’s crab cakes, chicken dinner entree and fish tacos, all to my satisfaction.

Freshly made sauces complement the menu choices, which also include bowls such as pad thai, and too many other dishes to list.

Bonefish could rest on their culinary laurels and most likely make plenty of money based on their location and quality of product, but that is not the philosophy of Nanuet general manager Kaira Grundig. The Seattle native comes from a family of restaurateurs and the love of the craft is in her blood.

Grundig is taking the opportunity to dive head first into the Rockland community and attempting to make Bonefish Grill a household name, as well as a friendly neighbor. This approach will also certainly help the location’s bottom line, as community goodwill will lead to customer loyalty, as well as new customers. Bonefish is already pretty busy most of the time, so we’re not sure how Kaira is going to handle her ever-increasing volume of customers!

Some 2015 events Bonefish Grill in Nanuet has participated in include the Lemonade Stand for Summer Concert Series at the Shops; New City Rotary Food and Wine Festival to End Hunger; Center For Safety and Change Charity Night; Schools to End Poverty Charity Night with the Vietnam Veterans and the Sunrise Rotary ARC food show at the Pearl River Hilton.

And there’s more: the Breast Cancer Awareness week at the Shops; the Firemen’s Cook off Judge; Helping Hands organization to house and feed the homeless; The Nanuet Street Fair 2015 and The Chamber of Commerce Tent Event Food Show.

Grundig said she hopes to take an active role in the Nanuet Chamber of Commerce. Bonefish is a clothes donation drop off for People to People, the food pantry that Bonefish also donates excess food to. The restaurant does its best to avoid letting food go to waste in dumpsters and instead feeds the needy with its extra supplies.

We here at the Rockland County Times commend Grundig on her approach to the restaurant business and the same good attitude that she shines on the community shows up in her restaurant’s food.

Bonefish also has a full Sunday brunch menu for those interested. The corporation has a very helpful website at: www.bonefishgrill.com.

The Nanuet location’s hours are: Mon-Thu: 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Fri-Sat: 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; and Sun: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Address: 2142 Fashion Drive, Nanuet, NY 10954
Phone number: 845-624-3760

Check the place out, you won’t be disappointed.