Eat The Shed finds second home in West Sayville Ask and you shall receive. That’s how – Northforker

Pancakes are a favorite at The Shed, now open in West Sayville as well as Huntington. (Credit: Beth Ann Mayer)

Ask and you shall receive.

Thats how The Shed found a second home in West Sayville. Guests of the Huntington location, which opened about two years ago, had been asking owner John Tunney to open another. West Sayville was a popular suggestion, so Tunney spent a few days there perusing the shops and restaurants and talking to the locals.

The people, the town itself, it was really just a familiar kind of place for me when I got there, he said.

A lot of people like ordering things they cant really produce at home.

For Tunney, its always been about the people at his restaurants, which also includes Besito, the Mexican restaurant with Long Island locations in Roslyn, West Islip and Huntington. Hes a self-proclaimed observation nut, something he called a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, hes not kidding when he says he notices a crooked photo. On the other, it helps him anticipate a customers needs.

I see people responding to things, he said.

The Shed has a welcoming feel from the moment guests walk into the restaurant and meet the hosts. Set inside a refurbished mansion, its stylish without being snobby. The white-brick interior has a slightly worn look. The blue-trimmed napkins and tablecloths are also white, and colorful artwork hangs (perfectly aligned) on the walls. But the staff doesnt rest on appearances. Tunney, a father of two, remembers being treated like a second-class diner when he brought his sons out to eat. At his restaurants, families with small children get an instant high chair and rapid snack. The staff is warm, ready to refill guests coffee or water cups before they notice theyre getting low.

Everyone has something they need or want. We try to capture that for people every day, he said. Thats the job, not just serving food. Its giving people what they want before they ask for it.

Tunneys children helped inspire him to open The Shed in Huntington.

They love pancakes, cheeseburgers and grilled cheeses, he said. That discovery and my understanding of what the market was doing, which is heading towards the breakfast/lunch market and becoming a much different market than it was a few years ago, [made way] for The Shed.

The West Sayville restaurant seats 96 indoors more than in Huntington which allows for shorter wait times during cooler months. Even with the parking lot full on a Saturday morning, there was a table for two available (The Shed does not take reservations). The menus are the same, and poached eggs remain a favorite.

A lot of people like ordering things they cant really produce at home, Tunney said. That makes it a tickle-the-senses experience. Its special.

The farmers breakfast (grilled filet mignon tips, two eggs any style, home fries and greens) is hearty and can easily take a diner from brunch to dinner. Lighter fare includes the green scramble (broccoli, spinach, zucchini, scallion, kale pesto, Gouda and dressed greens). The Shed is experimenting with specials, like red velvet pancakes.

And Tunney is mulling expansion. He said two more locations are in the works, potentially for this year, but is mum on where they are as he works to finalize the real estate.

There are definitely a few more coming and soon, he said. There are a lot of people who would like a Shed in their neighborhood. We get so much fan mail.

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Eat The Shed finds second home in West Sayville Ask and you shall receive. That's how - Northforker