In This Issue

Cys, the Lobster Pot:
"Nantucket as it Used To Be"

Nantucket has plenty of upscale restaurants where you can dress up and have a “dining experience.”  But if what you really want is to kick back, relax, and have an evening of great food and drink with friends and family without breaking the bank, then head to Cy’s.

Located in the heart of town at 15 South Water Street, Cy’s occupies the large white building with green awnings that so many of us knew and loved as the “AC.” 

For nearly a century, Nantucketers have been coming to this address to enjoy themselves.  In the 1920s and 30s, the building housed a pool hall with three card tables and three pool tables.  Tobacco was sold on one side and candy on the other.  In 1937, the building was divided, with Hardy’s Hardware Store in one half and Cy’s Green Coffee Pot, a very well-known and still fondly remembered eatery, in the other.  Forty-one years later, the building was rejoined to create a saloon called the Atlantic Cafe.  In 1986, John O’Connor joined the AC staff and four years later he and his wife Kate bought the business. 

This spring, the baton was passed to a new team:  Michael Gillies, Greg Mehringer, Scott Corry, and Bobby Short.  They reclaimed the old name of this island icon—Cy’s—in honor of “the way Nantucket used to be.”  As Greg said, “we all remember coming here as kids when it was Cy’s...with good food, good prices, and good people.”

Cy’s is so spacious that it stretches from South Water Street back to Easy Street, and the tables in the back dining area have a beautiful view of Nantucket Harbor.  The back lot would be a lovely spot for a patio, and we were told that is a future possibility.

Cy’s is decorated with nautical and Nantucket themes —some authentic and some whimsical—murals, street signs, a life ring—where ever you look, there’s a fun memento.  The layout will be familiar to former patrons:  just inside the large carved wooden door is the huge wrap-around bar.  On one side are tall tables ideal for cocktails and finger foods (a great spot to meet friends for some evening fun), on the other side are cafe tables for those who plan to sit and stay a while.  The most noticeable change is in the back dining room, where the comfy cushioned booths along one side no longer have the tall sides, giving everyone a harbor view.

Whether you’re a bar patron or you’ve come for meal, the waitstaff at Cy’s is friendly and good humored, you might even recognize some of the veteran bartenders from other island spots.  Groups and families are welcomed with the same level of cheerful service as singles and couples.  No matter what your day was like, a visit to Cy’s will help you unwind and bring a smile to your face.

In addition to tall cold brews, frozen specialty drinks, and summer cocktails, each of the four men behind this new eatery has come up with a special cocktail honoring Cy’s.  Cy’s Matters (by Michael Gillies) is a summery concoction of watermelon, mango, and rum.  One Cy’s Fits All (by Bobby Short) is a drink for couples made up of champagne and fruit juice.  The other two cocktails (by Greg and by Scott) are yet to be announced.

The menu at Cy’s is served continuously from 11:30 am, with dinner entrees added from 5 to 10 pm.  The menu is dominated by fresh seafood in a variety of styles, and nightly specials feature fresh catch from island fishermen—but there are plenty of items to please those who don’t partake of fish or shellfish.  A number of the dishes served were inspired by the cookbook One More at Cy’s, on loan from Nantucketer Catherine Stover, who well remember’s Zelda’s cooking at the old Cy’s and speaks highly of the new.  She also reports that both families behind the original Cy’s, the Kaufmans and Zlotins, “are very happy that Cy’s is back!”

Michael Gillies, chef-owner of the Hen House, is in charge of the kitchen at Cy’s.  It will come as no surprise to locals and visitors familiar with Gillies’ food at his popular mid-island breakfast and lunch place that everything served at Cy’s is made in-house.  From dressings to desserts, every item is freshly prepared.  As a result, every dish served is several notches above what you might expect from an eatery with such affordable prices.

	Even the Zucchini Sticks, which turned out to be one of our table favorites, are hand-cut and hand-breaded.  The seasoned bread crumbs are golden brown and crunchy, and the zucchini inside crisp and fresh.  The horseradish herb sauce served alongside adds just the right amount of zing.
	Also terrific for sharing ‘round the table are the Calamari and the Mozzarella Sticks.  Impressively tender with a deliciously crunchy coating, the rings and tentacles of calamari are served with a sensational sweet chili, cilantro, and lime dipping sauce that we were tempted to just pour overtop.
	The Mozzarella Sticks are a fun and tasty change from the usual version:  for these, a sizeable strip of cheese is wrapped in bread and topped with crispy crumbs.  Kids will love them, and so did we! Cy’s Quahog Chowder is an adaptation from the chowder that used to be served at Cy’s Green Coffee Pot.  Gillies, who considers using a pre-made base as “cheating,” prepares it daily from scratch.  His version is a classic—simple and flavorful, creamy, and full of clams and potatoes.  It pairs perfectly with one of the eight different sandwiches served at Cy’s.
	You will not want to share the Lump Crab Cake, though it’s big enough for two.  Thick and moist and nearly solid crabmeat, the top and bottom are sauteed to an appealing golden brown.  This comes with a side of the same sweet chili, cilantro, and lime sauce that we loved with the calamari, though we must admit that we like the crab cake best on its own.
	We were very impressed with their Classic Lobster Roll.  Served classic New England style in a hot dog roll (but an extra long one), the salad is made from large chunks of freshly steamed lobster, some chopped celery and onion for added crunch, with just enough seasoned mayonnaise folded in to hold it together.  The flavor is pure lobster!
	Another Cy’s sandwich sure to be a favorite is the “TLB Rollup,” an unlikely and uncommonly good combination of house-smoked turkey breast, smoky bacon, and sweet lobster meat.  Rolled with lettuce and tomato in a wrap, the sandwich is thick and tasty and hearty enough to make a meal.
	You can’t operate a proper pub without a great burger, and Cy’s has got one! Their hefty Half-Pound Black Angus Burger, is grilled and served with onion, lettuce, tomato, and a pile of hot and crispy batter-dipped fries.
	You can also make a meal out of salads at Cy’s.  Their classic Caesar Salad has just the right blend of creamy and tangy dressing, fresh romaine, and crunchy croutons.  We tried it topped with Fried Oysters, a combo we’ve never before been offered and one we found absolutely delicious!  The Caesar can also be ordered with shrimp or with chicken.
	Another winner is Cy’s Lobster Salad.  This is the same superb lobster salad served in their Lobster Roll, but for this dish it is presented on fresh leaves of tender-crisp butter lettuce tossed in a champagne vinaigrette with sweet grape tomatoes.  Champagne and lobster for lunch at a price that won’t break the bank...you can’t beat that!
	In addition to the appetizers, salads, and sandwiches served all day, Cy’s also offers raw bar selections and lobsters.  Lobsters are kept in a tank till they’re ordered:  from 1-1/4 pound all the way up to 5-pounders—sharing one of those big boys can be a fun and tasty experience for a family.  Lobsters can be ordered Boiled, Baked, or Baked Stuffed, and we highly recommend the latter.  The sweet, moist lobster meat is topped with a seafood stuffing that is every bit as good as what is underneath: scallop, cod, shrimp, and seasoned crumbs sauteed in butter and finished with white wine.
	At 5 pm, eight entrees (plus nightly specials) become available, expanding the menu to include Grilled Rib-Eye Steak, Pan-Seared Chicken Breast, and even more dishes showcasing fresh fish and shellfish.  Cy’s has brought back the ever-popular Fried Seafood Dinner.  A pile of whole belly clams (these are the ones that do not taste like rubber bands!) nudges up against moist sea scallops and succulent shrimp on the large platter.  A squeeze of lemon or a dollop of the tartar sauce or cocktail sauce provided are all you need for this feast!
	Shrimp are the star of the show on the Baked Stuffed Shrimp entree.  Five plump shrimp are curled around generous spoonfuls of the same fantastic and flavorful stuffing that is so good on the Baked Stuffed Lobster. The entree is served with long grain and wild rice and a colorful mix of perfectly steamed vegetables.  A basket of house-made dinner bread is also brought to table when you order an entree.  The selection changes frequently (the breads are baked every afternoon); we tried a warm crusty herb roll and moist cranberry cornbread.
	Those who remember the original Cy’s will remember Zelda’s Baked Stuffed Sole.  Gillies’ version is very similar:  two filets of sole wrapped around the seafood stuffing, baked, and served in a pool of zippy sour cream, herb sauce that really brightens the dish.  This, too, comes with sides of rice and vegetables.
	The AC was famous for its brownie sundaes, and Cy’s aims to please long-time patrons with their version of the Brownie Supreme.  Theirs is built on an enormous square of warm, chocolately brownie with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting lusciously down overtop.  Chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry finish this a classic big enough for two.
	The Tipsy Pudding is another of Zelda’s recipes from Cy’s Green Coffee Pot.  The exact ingredients of this aptly named dessert are secret, but we can describe this as a very tasty cake and vanilla pudding doused in at least two different kinds of alcohol, topped with ice cream, whipped cream, and a cherry.