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Faith Graham

News 12 Staff

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Welcome back this week on News 12, the Bronx. We're highlighting some of the best businesses here in the borough. And tonight we're taking you to City Island where News Twelve's Faith Graham is posted up at Johnny's Reef. A neighborhood staple. Faith joins us now has a looking over there. Faith. It is looking good and it is smelling even better. We are here at Johnny's Reef on City Island. If you've ever been to this neighborhood, you're probably familiar with them. They are known for their mouthwatering seafood, their iconic views. If you take a look over here, you can see all the water out here. They have the cafeteria style seating and tonight we are joined by the owner Ted Carris. He is going to show us all of the hottest items on their menu. But first Ted, you guys have been around here for 60 years. What do you think it is that keeps all of these customers here coming back? I think it's just, you know, we have high quality seafood, we have great turnovers. So the product is always fresh, all the clams, everything just turns over. So we always have fresh stuff coming out all the time and we have beautiful views, a wide variety of food that you can choose from. And it's just a very casual place that you could come multiple times in a week and eat something different, different price point, different meal. So, speaking of all of this food here, we have a huge display. Tell us about some of the items on the menu that people just get drawn to. Ok. Right here. We have our fried shrimp platter, which is our number one seller always has been. But then we have all the other great stuff, calamari. We have our whiting our fresh fried lobster tails, fresh scallops, filet of soul, no bones. And then we have our whole red snapper here. And then on the lighter side, we have our lobster rolls, our shrimp salad. We have some steam items. Everything can be steamed as well. I just brought out the steamed shrimp and the steamed lobster tails. We have some fresh clams, corn on the cob, our snow crab legs and three of our signature cocktails are strawberry daiquiri, Hennessy Colada and our peanuts. And being that you guys are seasonal. You open in March and then you wrap up in November. What's the reaction each spring when you open the doors? People are very excited. You know, once we have that first nice day, everybody comes out and they thank us for opening again. They miss us. We have the best customers in the world we sell to everybody, all different types of people. And they're really fantastic and they really, they come from all over, you know, people that have left New York, they'll come in and say, you know, we moved to Florida 15 years ago, but every time we come to New York, we want to come visit Johnny's Reef to see you guys and always very happy when they come back and you're on City Island. It's such a tight knit community. What do you think it is about City Island? That makes it so special that you guys just want to continue doing business here. We've been here so long. The community is great and you know, really, we have great workers. Our employees are great. 90% of them come back every year. We have very low turnover. And like I said, our clientele is the best in the world, the salt of the earth, the people here in New York City and they actually, they come from Queens, they come from, you know, New Jersey, Connecticut from all over. So it's great, you know, and for the people that I have never been here, what's the one item you would recommend? Well, you have to have the fried shrimp platter, but you can't go wrong with the fried lobster tails. They're delicious, right? You guys heard it here. If you want to kick off your summer season here on City Island, you have to check out Johnny's Reef because I can tell you this food not only looks amazing, but it also smells amazing and we are about to dive right into it. I'll send it back to you guys in studio. All right. Thank you, Faith Monday and Wednesday starting at five PM. We take you along for a visit to some of the best spots the Bronx has to offer, see if your favorite place makes our list. Join us for best of the Bronx Monday and Wednesday starting at five PM only here on news 12.

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Welcome back everyone. This week on News 12, we are bringing you the best of the Bronx. And tonight we're taking you to City Island, highlighting an iconic staple for the summer news Twelve's Faith Graham joining us right now. She is at Johnny's Reef. I would recognize those iconic yellow menu boards anywhere. Faith. How are things going over there? You? That's right. We are here at Johnny's Reef and it is going great. We have been here for a few hours now. We came here a little bit before five. So we did enjoy some dinner earlier and as the night has gone on, it has really just started to get packed with people. I mean, everybody knows that Johnny's Reef. If you live in the Bronx, if you live near City Island, as mentioned, you recognize this room. They are known for their icon, seafood, their outdoor seating overlooking the water. It has beautiful views. You can grab your food in here and then go outside. But a lot of people do decide to eat inside and they are known for all of their mouth watering food. And I can tell you you can smell it in here tonight, they have crabs, clams, lobster rolls and just about anything you can imagine when it comes to seafood. They have it also have American food too. If you're not into seafood, they have a little bit of something for, for everyone. And tonight we did have a chance to speak with some customers. They have quite the spread. You can see all of this food here. This is just a sneak peek at some of the items on their menu. And you were telling us earlier you guys love coming here. What about it? Makes you guys keep coming back the food. The food is great. And what is that right there that you're eating? Everything, everything, fish, fish, fish and chips, lobster tails and calamari and all kind of stuff. And she is not the only one if you had over here. You have even more people eating here inside enjoying all of their food. They say they too keep coming back. What do you have? Oh, ok. I got the, I got the calamari shrimp with the, with the uh french fries. Delicious. First time here I enjoyed it. And you know what I'm saying? Two thumbs up, word up. And when you were looking at the menu, what made you choose these items? The price? They got nice prices out here. You know what I'm saying? Like I said, first time out here and I like the prices and everything is good out here. Yeah. And that's exactly what the owner was saying earlier. We were speaking with him. He told us you can come here just about any night of the week and you can get a completely different meal because that is how extensive their menu is. They opened in March because they are seasonal and they will be open through November. So if you want to kick off your summer, come out here, City Island, come here to this restaurant at Johnny's Reef. You really will find something you like. I'll send it back to you guys in the studio. Great food at a great price. At a great location. You can't ask for much more than that faith. But I do want to ask you, you said you got to have the food earlier. What did you, what did you have? How was it? Right. We had some fish sticks. We had a lobster roll. It was actually my first time ever having a lobster roll and I'm very happy that it happened right here because it was delicious. All right. Well, not a bad assignment tonight. That's for sure. Faith. Have a great time there. Thanks for showing us a great location here in the Bronx. I can't complain. No, you can't. Monday and Wednesday. We want to remind you starting at five PM. We're gonna take you along for a visit to some of the best spots. The boogie downs got to offer, see their favorite places. See if they make our list. Join us for best of the Bronx Monday and Wednesday starting at five PM right here on news. 12.

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News 12 is taking a trip to the end of City Island, where Johnny's Reef is bringing New Yorkers memorable seafood meals all spring and summer long. 

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Best of The Bronx: Johnny's Reef on City Island bringing delicious seafood all summer long

News 12 is taking a trip to the end of City Island, where Johnny's Reef is bringing New Yorkers memorable seafood meals all spring and summer long.

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