Growing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s coal and cow country, it was always the height of summer adventure to visit New England, where relatives had a modest summer beach home on Cape Cod. Sandy beaches, tidal pools, and salty waves were a world apart from coal slags, dirt roads, and dairy farms, and indulging in fresh seafood like crab, scallops, and best of all, lobster, felt like the height of indulgence and inculcated a lifelong appreciation for New England seafood.
Jon Taylor had similar childhood experiences of visiting family on both Cape Cod and in Bar Harbor, Maine. His memories are part of every dish he presents at Three Kids Lobster food truck, which is renowned for its lobster rolls, and now Sand Point, the restaurant he opened last fall in the Miracle Hills retail plaza off 114th and Dodge streets.
The interior achieves something somewhat miraculous—a beach-themed restaurant that isn’t cheesy. There are no hanging seafood nets, distressed lobster crates, or other such fishing boat paraphernalia on display. Instead, the light and airy interior mimics a beach with neutrals and terra cotta upholstery on the booths and bar stools, a color that subtly mimics shifting sand. The feel is decidedly upscale, but approachable. The only detraction was the number of big-screen TVs. Call me old-fashioned, but when dining out at a nice establishment, I prefer not to be distracted by revolving images of menu items or sporting events, the latter of which will presumably be broadcast during Husker season.
For my starter, I opted for the whole belly clams, which include the entire clam—the belly, neck, and strip. An iconic New England staple if ever there were one, the mollusks’ diet consists primarily of plankton and algae, which makes them both briny and sweet—and perfect for frying. My order arrived, and I had to chuckle. I selected an appetizer that I assumed would be adequate for one person with enough to share. Instead I received a platter that could best be tucked into by a table of four. The portion, shall we say, was more than generous. At $20, this was the most expensive appetizer on the menu, but given the amount of people it can feed, it felt like a true bargain.
Fried to a delicate crunchiness, the clams had a full, round flavor and were meltingly tender. Accompanied by a lemon wedge (a gentle squeeze provided just enough acidic hint of citrus), the clams were well balanced with Sand Point’s zippy red pepper aioli and tangy tartar sauce. My one quibble was that the clams were “salted like the ocean,” which, in this case, was far too salty. A less robust hand with the salt shaker would certainly be recommended for this dish as well as a good, crisp beer to accompany it rather than the nice, slightly sweet Prosecco I had chosen.
My dining companion settled on a cup of the house-made lobster bisque. This felt like a bit of misnomer, but for the best of reasons. This $5 cup was actually a bowl, another generous portion that more than exceeded what was expected. It arrived with an elegant swirl of cream on top and a shot glass of sherry off to the side—all the better for simultaneously elevating and leveling the creamy richness of the bisque. A proper crustacean stock is made by using the shells—that’s where the fullness of flavor steeps from—and that was abundantly evident in every well-coated spoonful.
For his “Maine Course,” as the menu phrased it, my guest settled on the glazed Atlantic salmon. Sautéed with a rosemary-maple glaze, the large serving size was done to a perfect pink. It flaked easily with a light prod of the fork, but was moist with just enough spring to the touch. The glaze complemented the salmon well, allowing the rosemary, maple, and salmon to play well together, with no flavor overpowering the others. Heaping portions of vegetable risotto and haricots verts, or French green beans, rounded out the dish. The risotto had a nice “bite” texture-wise, while the haricots had just the proper bit of crunch.
For my entree, I couldn’t resist the lobster risotto, easily one of the star standouts on the menu. Creamy and cheesy, the risotto with parmesan comes plated as a squat, flat tower over a ladling of lobster bisque. Topped with a jaunty lobster claw, the tower was studded with peas and mushrooms and filled with a more than generous helping of sweet lobster. I’ve dined at other establishments where lobster servings are somewhat skimpy, so I couldn’t help but be impressed at the sheer quantity included in this mouth-melting melange. The richness of the dish made this a challenge to finish, but I happily conceded defeat and opted to take the remainder home—but it wasn’t for lack of trying to polish off the entire plate.
For dessert, we went for New England staples: my dining companion chose the blueberry pie, whereas I decided on the Boston cream pie. The first dessert had a lovely crust—buttery, flaky, delicate, and reminiscent of a French pastry. Since we dined here in March, blueberries weren’t in peak season, so the fruit was a little lackluster. That’s no fault of the kitchen, and I suspect come summer, blueberry pie will be the most ordered dessert on the menu. My Boston cream pie was sinful—subtly sweet cream was sandwiched between moist cake and topped with dark chocolate and a dollop of Chantilly cream.
Service was friendly and brisk—perhaps a tad too fast for our liking. As soon as we finished one dish, the next appeared automatically. We’re the sort who enjoys to wait a beat or two between courses, so a little slower pace would have been appreciated. We like to linger—it helps make a meal more memorable and provides a chance for food to settle before the next plateful of food arrives.
If you can’t make it to New England’s beaches this summer, opt for the next best thing. Sand Point will satisfy any hankering you might have for clams, lobster et al. Most marvelously, this is a bang-for-your-buck type of establishment, where the food is reasonably priced and the serving sizes are impressively substantial. You can even bring your own wine (stop in the Omaha Wine Company next door beforehand), and for a $15 corkage fee, you can curate what you quaff according to your budget.
We might not have the beaches, waves, and seafood of New England in Nebraska, but we have Sand Point, a “Maine” restaurant for a taste of the Cape.
To view Sand Point’s menu, visit sandpointomaha.com
This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Photo by Bill Sitzmann.
Photo by Bill Sitzmann.
Photo by Bill Sitzmann.
