We always come to LBI in September, and it can be tricky to find fine dining options in the off season. Raimondo's is always our favorite, but this year we wanted to try some new (to us) spots as well.
For the off season, Dune 18 is not open every day. However I left a message to make a reservation and they called back promptly (less than 24 hours later) to confirm.
They are BYOB, as most restaurants on the island are. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for indoor on a chilly night and it was cozy and inviting (yet sufficiently spaced).
Our server, Axel, was on point. Quickly opened our wine, brought an ice bucket for the white and a second set of glasses for the red. He answered questions, gave recommendations, and was very friendly.
Food was amazing! We were going to get two salads, but we were intrigued by the prime rib pot sticker appetizer special. So we opted for that, along with the burrata. I loved the freshness of the burrata and the grilled peaches are a perfect complement. The lemon herb oil was so flavorful but so delicate at the same time. The pot stickers were a fun appetizer, very flavorful and I loved the creamy horseradish sauce that accompanied them, along with some dots of sriracha for a little added heat.
Entrees were also fabulous! I ordered the sea bass special. They were out of the side dish it was supposed to come with, so they substituted seafood risotto. That was fine with me because I originally planned to order the halibut with the seafood risotto. The sea bass was a huge portion, and cooked perfectly. I ate the whole thing, because you cannot waste perfectly cooked sea bass! But I was stuffed. The risotto was good but very filling, so at the end I found myself picking out the seafood and leaving some of the rice. My husband ordered the scallops entree and loved the sauce on the scallops and the flavor of the rice. He had been debating between scallops and a steak special that came with lobster Mac and cheese. He opted for the scallops, but the chef accommodated our request for a side of the lobster Mac and cheese. It was huge! Creamy and rich, and full of lobster. We ended up taking most of that home, because it was just too much food. I ate it the next night - it reheated very well!
We unfortunately did not have any room left for dessert, so that will be something to look forward to next time!!
It is clear that there is passion here, from the chef to the staff. The nuances of flavor show time spent designing a well thought out menu. The staff understand the food and also have excellent service skills. It makes for a fantastic overall experience! As far as pricing, it is worth every penny - maybe slightly more than some of the other spots on the island, but one of the top two on the island as far as food quality and service. We will definitely be adding Dune 18 to our "must do" list every time we are in LBI! read more