It was Tuesday, July 9 at Saltaire.
“Les has 200 reservations by 5:45 p.m. … The outpouring is even bigger than we thought.”
This was the response from Beth Barnes, a managing member of Saltaire Oyster Bar and Kitchen, when asked if I could pop by for a quick conversation for a piece I was writing for The Record.
Once the word got out that Saltaire was closing its doors on July 14, Beth and her husband Les, the other managing member, were drinking from a fire hose to accommodate the droves of people who showed up to say farewell.
It’s been like Mardi Gras all week with live music and oysters galore. They even had to pull some of the staff from their other restaurant, London Lennie’s, in Queens, to keep it all going.
Saltaire opened in 2015 on Abendroth Avenue in Port Chester, taking over the space of the Willet House steakhouse.
“We took an old grain house and turned it into the freshest oyster bar in town,” Beth said.
Les grew up in the food business and has a degree in hospitality management so he handled all the food and beverage, while Beth was adoringly referred to as the “fishonista” of the establishment given her design flare and love of fashion. She also handled the marketing, public relations, music, events, and promotions.
They were a great team.
Issues with the lease were the cause for the closing and Beth and Les are heartbroken now that the end is here.
I was hoping to include a recipe for this piece, but Beth did not have two seconds to spare. She did, however, thank the community for its overwhelming support and added it has been an honor to be a part of such a “foodie county.”
The team at Saltaire had thousands of followers and oyster lovers stop in during the final nine days, and they loved hearing about everyone’s favorite dishes, stories, and memories.
In the meantime, you can always drive south and check out London Lennie’s in Queens, their other family-run seafood restaurant offering daily fresh-caught fish, sushi, and a raw bar.
