Asian-inspired Street Food on the Green opens in Montauk

Montauk has a fantastic sushi scene, and it makes sense — the seaside location, fishing as industry, a tourist season that draws even more diners to the village. There’s one person responsible for much of that growth: Jun “Johnny” Lin. A local celebrity of sorts, he’s been connecting local fishermen with restaurants and sushi chefs since 2007. Now he's opened his third sushi spot in the hamlet, the sit-down Street Food on the Green.

“People are interested in eating good food and they search out sushi here," said Lin’s manager, Karin Wanag, of the infatuation with Montauk sushi. "It’s fresh fish, right off the docks — most from Gosman’s Fish Market — besides salmon and whatever else isn’t local.”

With both indoor and outdoor seating, Street Food on the Green’s Asian-inspired menu is loaded with such fish. Rolls like classic tuna ($12) run simpler than specialty ones like the Diamond ($20), a trifecta of spicy fish — tuna, salmon and scallops — doused in eel sauce. There are poke bowls (from $16), and hot menu items including pork and chive dumplings ($12), veggie spring rolls ($8), scallion pancakes filled with spicy lobster ($23) and a hoison-roasted duck wrap ($15). Local catch, udon-stir fries, and an assortment of hibachi plates (from $26) round out the menu. A raw bar and daily specials alternate depending on the day’s catch.

Lin, born in Fujian, China, came to the States in 1999 at the age of 17. He took quickly to the art of making sushi, working alongside a cousin at a Japanese restaurant. Lin ended up in Montauk when Inlet Seafood was looking for a sushi chef.

“The first day I came to Montauk, I just loved it. It’s very similar to my hometown — next to the ocean, lots of fishermen. I really hated the city; this felt right,” Lin said. As sushi became more and more popular in Montauk, Lin assisted restaurants looking to add sushi to their menus for the summer season. Most of the chefs came from Queens or Manhattan, and were his sushi students. Matching chefs with restaurants, Lin would also help find them lodging for the season and assist in crafting menus. Although Lin’s now in the restaurant business for himself, he still works with many of Montauk’s sushi spots, including Inlet, West Lake Fish House and Wasabi Beach.

Lin's also behind two of Montauk’s other sushi spots: Street Food Market, which offers a grab-and-go takeout menu plus produce, nonalcoholic beverages and bubble tea; and Seaside House Bar, a sliver of a sushi spot just off the harbor.

Street Food on the Green, 99 The Plaza, Montauk, 631-238-5653.  Open noon-10 p.m. daily. Closed for six weeks in January and February.

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.