E.Haven eatery celebrating 65 th year
By Mark Zaretsky
Register Staff
East Haven- In an era of constant change, and a volatile business in which new restaurants come
and go quicker than people can keep track of them, the Beachhead is a throwback.
You might call it a quiet little Shoreline institution.
But whatever you call it, folks have been flocking there for seafood with a Long Island Sound view
for 6 ½ decades now.
That’s right .The Beachhead, sandwiched between the Sound and the East Haven
Land Trust’ Bradford Creek Reserve at the eastern end of Cosey Beach Avenue, near
the entry Four Beaches Condominium is celebrating its 65th year.
Started by the late Josephine Orifice in 1942 and later operated by the Criscuolo family for 25 years,
the Beachhead has been the baby of Barbara Bucci and Cynthia Fucci for 12 years, since they
bought it from Earl Tucker Jr.and Angelo Moscato.
But while the ownership has changed and more recently, the décor and even the menu have been
updated, certain things haven’t changed.
Like the Beachhead Scampi - shrimp served on a sizzle platter, loaded with garlic and a special
spice mixture, all mixed, all mixed with bread crumbs –which was a menu item long before Fucci and
Bucci came on the scene, is still a reason many come to The Beachhead.
Like The Beachhead’s famous zuppa di pesce, or the baked stuffed clams as big as your fist.
The Beachhead’s owners are continually amazed at how many people they wouldn’t expect to be are
familiar with the place.
As often as not, they’re people who spent summers at the shore when they were much younger.
When we first took over, people would come here from Bethany and Meriden and we’d ask them,’
How do you know?’ said Bucci , a native of New Haven’s Morris Cove section.
`We” ve even had people drive here from New York just for the stuffed clams,”said Fucci,a Hamden
native whose parents owned a cottage nearby when she was young.
We could be snowed in on a snowy winter night, and people walk here “Bucci said.
Some even have been known to come by kayak, she said.
There have been some changes over the years, including the addition of lighter seafood dishes to
the menu. And they ‘ve used transfat-free oil for fried seafood since it first became available 16
months ago.
When we first took over, it was strictly fried food, and now I would say it’s 90 percent sauté,” Fucci
said. ”But we still keep the fried food.”
In addition to food, Fucci and Bucci feature live music, offering jazz about twice a month from the
likes of Laczo Deczi and Chris Depino, who will pay there on Saturday night, and Faye Green and
Myke Ross, who will be there March 16.
“You know, The Beachhead has always done well, no matter who owned it,”
said Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr.
And all through the years,’they always had good food, ”Maturo said. ”My hat‘s off to Barbara and
Cindy. They’re good people”
Charles Schlegel, president of the East Haven Land Trust, is a big fan of The Beachhead. ”It’s really
good. We like to sit at the tables in the front room, by the creek there,”
Schlegel, who had a reunion of all his first cousins at The Beachhead a few years ago, said the
place ha changed “a little bit” over the years.
“I think the ladies have gone a little more toward natural foods…They ‘re into nutrition quite a bit “,
Schlegel said. ”It’s a great anchor for our shore. It’s one that you can recommend to people from
out of town,”
We’ve been going there over 10 years” said Gil Apicella, a Woodbridge CPA who has a condo next
door at Four Beaches that he and his wife spend summers in. The food is good and the people are
very friendly .The service is good … It’s just very, very comfortable and it’s a nice setting”
Be
