Tonight I was invited for a complimentary dinner at the newly reopened Water’s Edge restaurant. The Long Island City restaurant which boasts beautiful views of Manhattan has been around since 1981, but just recently underwent a 1 million dollar renovation. As we crossed the Queensboro Bridge into unknown territory (Wednesdays through Saturdays a ferry delivers patrons from a pickup point on 23rd Street), I felt the frenetic energy of the city slowing fading into the background.
We were given a great table next to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out onto the New York skyline. While the point of the evening was to look enjoy the views of the sparkling city from across the water, it was still impossible not to take note of the décor. The room was very simply decorated, which might be interpreted as traditional but at times felt bland compared to the beauty just out the windows. A more intimate setting might have been achieved with dimmer lights and dark wood as opposed to the white walls that framed the restaurant.
The wine list was extensive. Alyssa and I each had a glass of French pinot noir. To begin, I had the lobster bisque while Alyssa chose the panko crusted oysters which were flavored with guacamole and a red pepper reduction. My lobster bisque was good, but seemed to be lacking something. I also tried one of Alyssa’s oysters and while I love oysters and guacamole separately, together they do not make a great combination.
For the main meal I ordered the miso crusted rack of lamb (rare) and Alyssa had the goat cheese ravioli. The two thick, meaty lamb rocks were served with mashed potatoes and braised bok choy. Once again, I thought the lamb was good but not gastronomically transformative. 
Before desert, I went outside on the deck to have a cigarette. It was astonishingly quiet and beautiful looking over at Manhattan, removed from the noise and New York’s gritty reality, it was easy to see the city that once seduced me.
For desert, I had the mille feuille, which looked much prettier than it tasted. The raspberries were fresh, but the layers of pastry were thin and hard instead of the soft Napoléan cakes I’m used to. That said, the best Napoléan I’ve ever had was in the Ritz in Paris and is the standard against which I measure all other mille feuille/Napoléans.
All in all, the food was satisfactory–filling but not exceptional. The service was great, if not a bit overly-enthusiastic. The real attraction here is the views of New York. I recommend coming on an evening when the ferry is running as a cab was about $20 each way from the Upper East Side. 
