Heading further east in our sampling of local restaurants, we stopped at East by Northeast in Montauk. Nestled on the bay just off the main thoroughfare, the gorgeous water view is hard to miss as you pull into the parking lot, immediately putting thoughts of romantic waterfront dining in our heads.

The subdued entry, flanked by an inviting looking bar, led us into the spacious dining room. With two dining areas situated around the wall-to-wall windows and on a raised level behind, each table has the optimum view for the sunset and we were lucky enough to arrive in time.

Upon being seated, we are offered our choice of regular or sparkling water, a welcome option as selecting a wine before deciding on its accompanying meal is often difficult. The table crackers and garlicky hummus spread were also a flavorful alternative to the usual rolls and butter that are often put out almost as an after-thought. Opening our menu, we discovered that if you arrive before 7, they have quite a tasty looking Prix Fixe menu that immediately caught our eye. To round things out, we decided to try a dinner from that as well as a smattering of items from the regular menu.

To start, we ordered the Asian Mixed Green salad and the sashimi plate. The salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, a soy vinaigrette and lotus chips - delicately fried onions - had us intrigued. First time we've tried such a thing on a salad, they didn't disappoint in the taste category. The sashimi platter arrived cleverly arranged with a tic-tac-toe style on the plate, and accompanied by a spicy red pepper puree for some kick. The salmon was that perfect 'buttery melt in your mouth' texture, and the tuna and whitefish had us forgetting the game layout as we worked to clear them from the plate along with the tasty spicy salmon rolls. The narrow dipping bowl of soy sauce required a bit of skill with the chopsticks, but otherwise the dish was flawless.

After ordering a smooth chardonnay from Chile, we surveyed the entree choices. Selecting the lemon thyme roasted chicken with chive whipped potatoes and baby bok choy, the chicken was very tender and expertly seasoned without overpowering. The potatoes and bok choy paired well, and we had no problem clearing the plate. After the beautiful water view and tasty sashimi, we opted to try the fish and chips dish to keep the theme. Arriving in an overflowing basket, the large monkfish and diver scallops were generously portioned and very succulent underneath the golden fried batter. With a spicy mayonnaise dipping sauce, we wished for more room to finish it all off, as well as the thick steak style chips (or fries for those of us on this side of the pond) hidden underneath. Alas, that is what the takeout bag is for. Also during the main course, we had to stop to gawk at the beautiful sunset just next to us, we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful atmosphere.

Deciding to end the night on a sweet note, we tried the coconut rice pudding and the mango sorbet off the dessert menu. The rice pudding will appeal to the sweet tooth at any table, but perfectly portioned to keep you from getting a lecture from your dentist. The mango sorbet was light and fruity with large pieces of mango, as a perfect sorbet should be, and left us refreshed for the drive home without being overstuffed.

In the end, we left East by Northeast very full and happy, already thinking about our next visit to this Montauk treasure.