Are you like me? No matter what time of day, do you have to get a cup of lobster bisque or clam chowder before you get on a boat to Fire Island? If so, you are probably aware there is a war brewing between two historic and landmark eateries:

Nicky's Clam Bar 99 Maple Ave Bay Shore, New York 631.665.6621

The Chowder Bar 123 Maple Ave Bay Shore, New York 631.665.9859

So, here is how I came to the conclusion as to which one deserves to win the "2006 FireIsland.com Bisque Wars" ...

Bay Shore, Long Island, early May 2006. I'm running late for the boat to Ocean Beach. I can see it loaded up and ready to go. I'm going to make it, but barely. Then, a sensation comes over me. I have been here before a 1000 times but this time, I feel as if I'm missing something. And then, it hits me. In all my years coming to Fire Island, I don't think I ever took the trip across the bay without a cup of bisque or soup.

Since I was a kid, my dad would always buy me a cup of hot and delicious lobster bisque when we got to the dock. If we were taking the public ferry, we would get the bisque right there at Nicky's. And if we were taking my dad's boat, we would tend to go to The Chowder Bar right around the corner.

After all these years of tasting two very different bisques, I have finally chosen a favorite ...

It came to me on that just a few weeks ago, when I chose to take a later boat, so I could grab a cup of lobster bisque from Nicky's. I had been through so much that day to make it to the ferry on time. I had fought through the hustle of NYC traffic, stood between two, real nasty-smelling homeless people on the subway, sprinted with my bags to the train, and then piled into a cab with five other people to get to the dock. I was exhausted but elated that I made it to the boat terminal in time.

However, I settled in for the hour's wait for another boat, so I might enjoy a cup of bisque. What I didn't realize when I made this decision was that the Seafood Bisque was going to cost me $6.00 for a small cup and $7.00 for a bowl which I would argue is the size of a average cup. I could not believe I was going to pay this much for a cup of soup, but I was in way-too-deep at this point and had much time to kill. So, I decided to do a little taste test.

I tried not to let the price affect my findings, but, at 6 bucks, I had trouble getting that bitterness off of my pallet.

I took my seafood bisque from Nicky's and went over to the dock to sit and enjoy. I took my time and tried to taste every flavor of this tomato-based creation. It seemed heavy in dried thyme and herbs, and light in chunks of crab and lobster meat. It is good bisque, but just didn't seem to be worth the hard earned dollars. So, I cleared my pallet and took a walk around the block to The Chowder Bar, whose motto is "Once You've Nibbled, We'll Have You Hooked!"

Now, it was immediately comforting to see their normal pricing and bigger servings, $3.75 for a huge bowl and 2.95 for a cup at least twice the size of the one a Nicky's, but I still had to complete the taste test. I sat down at the cozy bar and tried the seafood bisque. In contrast to Nicky's bisque, The Chowder Bar's bisque is light in color, thick in consistency, with a healthy amount of lobster, shrimp, and other creatures of the sea.

Both these restaurants are friendly and comfortable. Both have decent food. But only one can stand as the King of the Fire Island Bisque. In the books, Nicky's will have to be noted as the "Disneyland" of the two. They appear to prey on the unknowing, day-tripping, weekend-warrior crowd. It is, at best, a tourist trap. In contrast, The Chowder Bar must be recognized as a local's favorite. With bigger servings, hearty flavors, better pricing, and a long family run history, this Fire Island landmark stands superior.

Send a letter to the editor

Copyright 2006 Fireisland.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.