Fishbones Hires Dynamic Duo of Chefs

Michael Rottman may be one of the happiest people I know – and that was before he found out that he and one of his best friends were going to take over the kitchen at Fishbones this summer.

If you don’t know , it may be time you found out. Fishbones is the last restaurant on the end of the Oak Bluffs Harbor. A harbor known for restaurants that serve great drinks and also a little food. However, the owners of Fishbones and their new chefs are out to change that image.

, more commonly and widely known as Mikey, is a painter and pastel artist but he has been cooking on the Island since 2007. He arrived, “With two suitcases, about 10 canvases and my paint” and has cooked at Sidecar, Oyster Bar and most recently L’etoile. This year, he and his great friend Al Stubbmann will be co-chefs at Fishbones – with 100% creative freedom.

“We plan to reinvent the Fishbones menu,” said Rottman. “We want it to be casual, but we want bring real food to the harbor. It’s going to be fresh, clean food – no more pre-cooked, frozen products.”

Stubbman is a Culinary Institute of America trained chef who has worked in Boston for the past seven years at such restaurants as Excelsier and Post 390.

“We’re calling ourselves co-cooks,” said Rottman. “He’s a phenomenal chef and I’m so excited to be working with him.”

While the lunch menu won’t change much, how the food is prepared will be different.

“We’re going to bring in our own brisket and make our own corned beef for the Reuben sandwiches,” said Rottman. He also plans to serve his homemade onion rings and a fried calamari with cherry peppers and lemon aioli.

“We’ll have all the food that people love to eat on the harbor, but we’ll do it our way.”

Dinner will feature an array of changing specials – many of them made with local ingredients. Some of the current dinner menu items include: a lobster tail cutlet with fingerling potatoes, asparagus and zucchini in liquid corn-on-the-cob sauce; a six-ounce filet mignon au poivre with potato pancakes, carbonara, creamed spinach and onion jam and finally, pan-seared cod with carrot puree and a fingerling roasted fennel salad with citrus vinaigrette.

As for the atmosphere, changes are planned for that as well. Mainly some art on the walls and some candles on the tables in the evening.

“The view is amazing. This is one of the most romantic spots on the Island and we’re hoping to bring out some of that romance with our food.”

And, speaking of romance, there will also be oysters on the half shell with champagne.

featuring co-cooks Michael Rottman and Al Stubbmann opens this Thursday, May 24th.