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The idea of the hybrid fascinates us. Think about it. It’s not just about fuel economy. There’s the adorable and ever-vexing platypus (is it a mammal or is it a bird?), James Bond’s ride in The Spy Who Loved Me (car or boat?), Dennis Rodman, Pluto, jeggings. In truth, some of these hybridizations seem to carry more value, more weight in the world than others.

My mind drifts to thoughts of the first family dog, Goldie—the terrier meets obscure hound meets God-knows-what mutt. She had a wisdom that outshined that of the younger and leggier Brandie, our purebred miniature collie. Brandie’s beauty was skin deep and her intelligence was on par with that of a newborn hamster. Goldie was a scholar of the streets, shamanic, zenned out. She was real and unpretentious. And I’m sure she was who she was because of that perfect cocktail of “stuff” that made her her. Not one thing, but several.

Gone are the days of Westminster-Dog-Show America where the purest and the most singular is the best in show. Times are too tough for that kind of dillydally, and there’s too much stimuli competing for our attention. These days, for a business to survive it must hybridize, offer and be lots of things to lots of people. This is especially true in the business of the arts.

In this manner, Fort Greene’s Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has been evolving its way for more than 150 years to its present status as one of the most formidable art spaces in New York City and, perhaps, the country. Don’t be fooled by the name; it ain’t all batons and coattails. Frederick Douglass delivered an address here in 1863. The great pioneer of modern dance Isadora Duncan brought her company to BAM at the turn of the century. More recently, I saw two great productions, Liv Ullman’s take on Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and Rufus Wainwright’s effusive opera Prima Donna.

If the stage is not your thing and you’d rather see something on the big screen, BAM offers major blockbuster pictures as well as a sampling Sundance would be proud of (and it is once a year when the festival brings its winners to Brooklyn). Looking for live music? There’s BAMcafé Live, which features eclectic programming for all tastes.

There is even something for purveyors of the fine arts. BAM’s walls and halls are adorned with little treasures, cementing the fact that even those of us who suffer with the deepest and most profound of attention-related disorders can find a little solace in its warm and multifarious embrace. bam.org.

The Caretaker  // Thru June 17
Harold Pinter’s modern masterpiece explores human compassion, cruelty and loyalty through a tale of two brothers, a homeless man and a decrepit London flat.

An Evening with Anthony Bourdain // June 9
Candid insights about food, work, travels and writing. Audience Q+A.

In case you haven’t noticed, summer is here. It’s time to twist on your gingham-patterned bib, break out the wetnaps and take part in the sloppy afternoons that are part of America’s most celebrated tradition: The backyard barbeque.

Long Island may be a few states too far north of the barbeque belt to claim any part of the heritage, but we have something going for our suburban, metro-NY melting pot that will not disappoint your jonesing for a glutinous, oily-fingered, pants-unbuttoning, post-feast bliss. We have international cuisine, as authentic as the hyphenated Americans who bring them to you courtesy the region’s top restaurants.
Each year, we trudge from chargrill to smokehouse to sister-in-law’s backyard, overwhelmed (a little terrified) of the ubiquitous salty hot dog. Traditions have their merit, but Jesus, man, this is your chance for a little small-time adventure. Consider the spatula your compass and point it toward something a bit more worldly. To help navigate, a few of the Island’s top culinary experts have offered their own favorites of international fare…

Nachos de Nesito
Huntington, Roslyn

There’s a shared sentiment among many that nachos can be tossed together by even the most artless of chefs. Well, the majority might be mistaken on this one, as creating this Mexican favorite depends upon knowing the finer ingredients. First, it’s vital that the tortilla chips are homemade, no exceptions. It’s simple, inexpensive and requires only some light frying of tortilla wedges. Executive Chef Scott Wojcik of Besito opts for the blue corn chip for aesthetic purposes. “The color pops when placed beside the white cheese. Sure, the flavor is similar, but it just looks better.” To further enhance presentation, place a fresh banana leaf in a pan where you can add the first layer of chips followed by all the toppings, which includes grated Chihuahua cheese, chopped chorizo, whole black beans, pickled jalapeños and Mexican crema.

Chihuahua is this toque’s cheese of choice because of its creamy texture and mild flavor (think Monterey Jack, only mellower). “Don’t skimp with the cheese. The better the cheese, the better it’ll melt. It’ll be gooey and delicious, trust me. And as an alternative you can use Monterey Jack or even Gouda.” The whole black beans are added to preserve the tradition of the nacho dish.

“We want to keep it realistic. They are nachos after all,” he laughs. On the other hand, Wojcik says the chorizo—made of fresh ground pork, garlic, chili, allspice, cinnamon and some other spices—is what makes it distinct. “If you can’t make homemade chorizo then make sure you get quality products from a trusted vendor. Choose your ingredients wisely; it makes all the difference.”

Repeat this layering process again by adding a second run of chips and toppings. Place the tray in the oven at 450° F and wait for the cheese to melt, which should take about five minutes. When it’s done immediately add pico de gallo and crema, and serve. “You need the cheese to stay gooey and fresh, so serve it as soon as it’s out of the oven.”

Pisco Sour
Whether the Chileans or the Peruvians invented this frothy, creamy, limey drink is still up for international debate. But what won’t be arguable is the smile you’ll be flashing after a few of these.

¼ cup (2oz) pisco
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp pasteurized egg whites

Preparation
In a blender, whirl three ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice and egg whites. Twirl until smooth and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime.

TIPS:
1. Pico de gallo should be made fresh that day: Diced beefsteak plum tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice.
2. Top with crema (Mexican version of sour cream) because it holds up to heat better and won’t separate.

CEVICHE,
according to La Candela, Hicksville

This traditional South American dish is a cool summer fix that requires only raw fish and a citrus marinade. The real lure of this dish is that there’s no cooking involved. And according to Carlos Biño, the chef at La Candela, “Ceviche is easy. It’s lemon, salt, spices, garlic. It’s easy.” Basically, the marinade “cooks” the protein just as your oven might.

TIPS:
Cut the fish into small pieces so the acid is absorbed fully and faster.
Add some onions, garlic or chili peppers to soften the acidic nature of the mixture.
The flesh will go from a glowing gray to a firm pink-white.
There are no constraints as to how long you let the fish steep (a few minutes up to an hour) but five hours is way too long. You want your fish to be fresh.

Roslyn’s The Meat House knows
GRILLED LAMB

Lamb roasted on a spit is an age-old Greek tradition that requires no more than amateur skill and a little inspiration. Size is the prime indicator of a good cut of meat—the smaller the cut, the younger and less gamey the lamb. Manager Ben Hoza of The Meat House says, “The younger cut, the sweeter the meat. The meat will have more fat and will be tenderer as a result. Anything over a year old is considered mutton and it’ll be tougher.”

Before putting it on the spit, apply a dry rub to the entire lamb, over every crevice. “Use garlic, rosemary, lemon, pepper and mint. The rosemary and mint cut out some of the gaminess. Also, you can mix this rub with olive oil to make a paste so it’s easier to spread on.” Another recognizable flavor to add to the rub, according to Hoza, would be lavender, as it tends to really pop.

When roasting a leg it’s essential to slow cook it for 2-3 hours on low heat. If you decide to grill chops (loin, rib or shoulder) rest it over high heat, and allow it to char a few minutes on each side until you have a crispy outside. For medium rare meat pull it off the grill when your thermometer reads 130° F. “If you cook a whole lamb, know that it’s time consuming but fun,” says Hoza. “It’ll take eight hours to cook or smoke, but when it’s done there’s nothing better.”

Thinly slice the lamb and place the meat in the center of pita bread. Top with tzatziki sauce and chopped tomatoes, and serve.

Tips:
Trim the fat as best as you can to avoid that undesirable toughness. Any reputable butcher will lean the cut for you.

TZATZIKI
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cucumber peeled, seeded, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
10 leaves of fresh mint, chopped
¼ tsp of dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Refrigerate for one hour to set up blend

Ouzo
This Greek liquorice-like aperitif gained popularity after absinthe was deemed the “devil’s drink” in the early 20th century. It’s a silkier ride than its psychedelic predecessor and it’s meant to ignite your appetite before a meal. Serve either chilled or with a splash of water, which leaves it looking milky white (it’s not spit).

Drink with a “fatty” snack like feta cheese or fried zucchini to help absorb the high alcohol content. Make sure you don’t skip that nosh, because after a few of these down the hatch you’ll wonder why the f*%k the ground is moving.

Gazpacho
Chachama Grill style (Patchogue)

This cold raw vegetable soup is the southern Spanish region of Andalusia’s most well known dish. It’s a refreshing summer appetizer, composed of tomatoes, red bell peppers, cilantro, celery, red onions, scallions, cucumbers, garlic and lime juice, all blended with olive oil and rice vinegar.

Chef/Owner Elmer Rubio insists you use the heirloom tomato because of its sweeter, less acidic nature. “Look for a red ripe tomato. And we like to add in a poblano pepper and a chipotle pepper to add a nice smoky taste. I think that’s what’ll make your soup a little different and give it that extra kick.”

Combine all ingredients and blend it down to a purée. After it’s completely smooth, add some pure virgin olive oil and rice vinegar as a dressing. “You want to put it in the refrigerator overnight so the ingredients combine and cool down. The longest you should keep the soup in there is for three days.”

When you’re ready to serve, add a dollop of crabmeat, chopped basil and some sour cream to finish the dish. “The crab complements the dish perfectly. We even like to make soft shell crabs here and serve it with a gazpacho dipping sauce. Your guests will love it.”

TIPS:
Gazpacho should be served chilled, not iced.
Put the tomatoes through a sieve to eliminate seeds in the finished dish. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator.

Jambalaya
As told by Big Daddy’s in Massapequa

This New Orleans barbeque-style “stew” originated in the Caribbean islands. Known for its spice and simplicity, according to Craig Bedell, Head Chef at Big Daddy’s, “You really can’t mess up this dish. It’s like how Italians make their sauce; it’s all a matter of personal taste.” Drawing inspiration from Spain’s paella, Jambalaya is traditionally made of four parts: Smoked meats and fish, vegetables finished with a seafood (or chicken) stock and rice.

Bedell says the most important aspect of putting together this dish is using quality meats and ingredients. First, put the medley of vegetables into a buttered pot. “It’s made up of garlic, onions, peppers and celery. Make sure the vegetables are translucent before you add in the rest of the ingredients.” And there are a variety of smoked meats to choose from (basically, whatever meat you want), but for his recipes Bedell likes to include andouille sausage, boneless chicken thighs and ham. The meat is added to vegetables, braised over high heat and then reduced to simmer for a few hours. “When the chicken thighs start to break apart you know you’re ready to move on.”

At this point you want to add peeled plum tomatoes, white wine, fresh ground pepper, habañero, chili powder, cumin, oregano, parsley and hot sauce, and let it stew for another 10 or 15 minutes. Next add the crawfish tails, shrimp and seafood stock, which is brought to a boil and then left to simmer for another hour. Fold in the rice and stir occasionally.

JAMAICAN RUM PUNCH
For this “lethal” punch, the old saying goes: “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.” I’ll take five or ten of these, and please don’t expect me to utter an ounce of sense by night’s end.

Ingredients
1 cup lime juice
1½ cups Anchor Strawberry Syrup
½ cup honey
2 cups Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
4 cups water
A few whole grains of pimento (allspice)

Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl until the syrup and honey are blended with the other ingredients, then serve over ice.

Tips:
Use leftover meats of any kind: Roast chicken, brisket, even alligator—if you have it.

Brine the meat overnight with sugar and salt before you smoke it. If you can’t smoke the meat at home, go to a reputable smokehouse.

NYC’s Negril Village DEFINES
Jerk Chicken
Recipe courtesy of Chef Paul

You will need the following ingredients to to to prepare jerk chicken for 4 people:

One 3½ lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (may
substitute jalapeños)
2 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp ground allspice
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp ginger
½ cup olive oil
½ cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup orange juice
1 cup white vinegar

Preparation
Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine, as the blender will liquefy them.

Combine all ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce.

Cut chicken into quarters.

Rub sauce into the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later. Leave the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

Cooking
Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade while cooking. For best results, cook on a charcoal barbeque (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).

Serving
Chop each quarter chicken portion into 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver.

Use a wooden spoon (or something similar) to hold the chicken in place while chopping, and be careful, you will be chopping with enough pressure to cut through bone!
** Serve with festival dumplings and salad or rice and peas, or hard bread and the jerk sauce leftover for dipping. **

Hurricane:
The only way to indulge in a Hurricane is if it’s bright red and served in a tall “hurricane lamp” shaped glass, decked with cherries and orange slices. And be careful: This sugary drink might go down easy but it packs a category-5 punch that will have you spinning.

2oz light rum | 2oz dark rum | 2oz passion fruit juice | 1oz orange juice | ½oz fresh lime juice | 1 tbsp simple syrup | 1 tbsp grenadine
Garnish: Orange slice and cherry.  Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

NASSAU

Black & Blue
(631) 385-9255, Huntington  
blackandbluehuntington.com
Concealed off of the main strip in Huntington, Black & Blue is the ideal venue to unwind and enjoy the scene. Grab your coworkers and enjoy half priced drinks and $5 bar menu items Monday through Friday from 4-7pm. Sip on selections from a delicious drink menu while taking in the live, varied music performances that appear Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Black & Blue takes pride in their cocktails. Homemade pineapple-infused vodka sits on the bar waiting to be poured into a cold martini glass, splashed with pineapple juice and garnished with a freshly cut slice of pineapple. Whether sharing or sampling your own meal, items for the table are hard to deny. Mainly sweet with a hint of spice, the signature Thai calamari is loaded with scallions, cilantro and chopped peanuts. An enormous gorgonzola fondue is surrounded by tasty black angus filet tips and flavorful caramelized onion focaccia bread morsels to soak up the warm cheese. But back to the drinks. The Jasmine Teani is a blend of Absolut Pears, fresh lemon, lime juice and jasmine tea-infused simple syrup. A twist on a classic drink, the B & B Lemon Drop is a mixture of Absolut Citron, lemonade and Limoncello (for an extra kick) served in a sugar-rimmed glass. Spice up the workweek with a night of live music, delicious cocktails and fantastic friends.

SUFFOLK

Tide Runners
(631) 728-7373, Hampton Bays
tiderunners.com
Summer is officially here. On Long Island, the season often brings terrible traffic and lines, but it also delivers good times. On your way out east, make a pit stop at Tide Runners in Hampton Bays and breathe in the fresh salty air while throwing back a few cold Coronas. Happy Hour is always stirring on the waterfront deck with live music to jumpstart the weekend. Mingle while watching the sublime sunset and steady parade of boats through Shinnecock Canal. Cool your first sun-kissed tan of the season with a cocktail and munch on Tide Runners’ famous lobster specials. The crowds pile in by boat and car to devour the already too short summer season.

NYC

Beauty & Essex
(212) 614-0146, NYC
beautyandessex.com
Step back into old world elegance of the Prohibition era. Beauty & Essex, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is, quite literally, a hidden treasure. Guests arrive through a Prohibition-style pawn shop. Past the gatekeeper, a monstrous twisted staircase swirls around a giant chandelier dripping with pearls. Inside, music beats, snazzy men and lithe, beautiful women conquer both bars at this two-level venue. Tickle your taste buds while dining in the famous “locket room” with walls draped in vintage lockets. Sister to The Stanton Social, this LES scene shares its sibling’s innovative twist on small plates. Served in bulky spoons, crispy grilled cheese dumplings float in hot tomato soup sprinkled with smoked bacon. Another exquisite tiny dish, the tomato tartare rests on a crispy Parmesan crostino, with a sunny-side-up quail egg on top. Sip on unique cocktails, including the Woodford Wilson: A concoction of bourbon, pineapple, lime, ginger beer and brandied vanilla cherry. For a lighter option, the Beauty Elixir is a mix of gin, cucumber, strawberry and sparkling rosé. The night does not end early here. Head back to the bar and order another round—a dancing session is in order. After all, Beauty & Essex is the place to see and be seen. You never know which Page 6 face you’ll be caught bumping into.

Photo of Beauty & Essex by Melissa Hom

Tiger Lily Café
(631) 476-7080, Port Jefferson

If you tell anyone in Suffolk County that you’re a vegetarian, they will immediately and compulsively order you to eat at Tiger Lily Café (I’m not making this up—try it). Maybe it’s some sort of hypnotic suggestion cooked into their wraps—who can say? Whatever your reason for going, the food is really good and they feature local art (as well as local music at their Acoustic Sunday Sessions).

Bobbique
(631) 447-7744, Patchogue

Blues, beer and barbecue. That sums it up. During the day, Bobbique could pass for a family barbecue restaurant, but after 7 or 8pm on any given evening, it’s not shy about the volume on various smokin’ live blues and rock acts.

Vibe Lounge
(516) 208-6590, Rockville Centre

Remember music clubs? They’re like these big bars where people go just to hear music played by actual people on a stage. They don’t even have a TV with a baseball game on. It’s kinda weird. Anyway, Vibe Lounge is one of those places. Tons of local bands and open mic on Mondays.

The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall
(631) 727-5782, Riverhead

Step into this restored Victorian-era theater and you may wonder if well-dressed ghosts are looking out at you through fancy opera glasses. The Vail-Leavitt is a beautiful, moody centerpiece of Riverhead’s music scene. In addition to giving voice to local original and teen acts in monthly showcases, this nonprofit organization produces the Riverhead Blues Festival each year.

Wham-O, creators of Slip ‘N Slide, introduce Slip ‘N Slide: Craft Beer Hydro-Jovial Edition, a new, homemade variation for the artisan aficionado!

No assembly required!

Instructions

1. Examine components of Slip ‘N Slide: Craft Beer Extreme Hydro-Jovial Edition—one shower curtain, one pint of generic ale/lager and one craft beer in appropriate glassware—while subtly furrowing brow.

2. Pour generic ale/lager on shower curtain.

3. Discard shower curtain and generic ale/lager using emphatic act of strength.

4. Consume craft beer in appropriate glassware.

NASSAU

Effin Gruven
(516) 409-1415, Bellmore

Joseph Dantona does not delineate the ethos of Effin Gruven with a definitive word or aesthetic phrase, enabling his establishment to securely fit within any specific conception.

Dantona views Effin Gruven as an evolving entity.

“We are constantly progressing,” says Dantona. “Some people know us as a hippie bar or a craft beer bar, but I just want to provide a chill environment that offers quality and a good time.”

Established in January of 2000, when “customers believed a bar without Bud Light would go out of business in two months,” Effin Gruven promotes quality choice via 18 drafts, 102 bottles and myriad single-evening brewery showcases (e.g., Brooklyn Brewery’s multiple-draft, local eats event on April 26 to release Brooklyn Gold Standard, an unfiltered spring lager).

Gruven also possesses the best Facebook status updates.

Snaps American Bistro
(516) 221-0029, Wantagh
snapsrestaurant.com

Pop. Crackle. Snaps.

Though Scott Bradley, former executive chef of La Coquille and Mirepoix, opposed hamburgers within Snaps American Bistro’s initial presentation, which included eight-course taste menus and an “eclectic vibe often found in New York, not Wantagh,” a gradual infusion of artisanal-charmed comfort items has produced success without compromising vision.

“I can create upscale burgers, and they’re still affordable,” says Bradley, who has also had culinary stints at Daniel and Oceana. “We still have our core dining entrées, which was my initial vision, but customers have more options now.”

Established in February 2004, Snaps American Bistro currently serves 12+ hamburger variations (e.g., Truffle: truffle aioli, truffle cheese, truffle mushroom, caramelized onions and an option for seared foie gras), which can be consumed from banquette or a compact six-draft bar operated by Bradley’s father, a retired fireman.

Food/Beer Matrimony: Five-Spiced Tuna Steak w/Pineapple Rice, Soy Ginger-Lemongrass Sauce and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Ruthless Rye IPA.

SUFFOLK

The Cortland
(631) 260-2220, Bay Shore
thecortland.com

Ben and Bobby Gulinello, broprietors* of The Cortland, agree on craft beer’s increased presence on Long Island since opening their Bay Shore-based establishment in October 2010, but continued growth is crucial for the development of a prosperous culture.

“We’re still in our infancy and there is so much room to expand, whether opening more breweries or serving good beer in bars,” says Bobby, who returned to Long Island following a nine-year stint in Philadelphia, managing “Irish pubs with no creative soul.”

The Cortland, named after The New Cortland House (once located on Main Street in Bay Shore, the hotel ceased operations in 1940), assists aforementioned development with three New York-only drafts, weekly events with proximate businesses and a rotating small-plate menu from adjacent restaurant, The Eatery at Tullulah’s. Recent pours include Port Jeff Brewing Company Ghost Cat Brown Ale, a collaboration with an East Islip homebrew duo and Spider Bite Beer Company Robert’s Spider Wee Heavy, a smoke-malted scotch ale.

*Broprietors = Brothers + Proprietors

T.J. Finley’s
(631) 647-4856, Bay Shore
tjfinleys.com

“As quality beer continues to expand on Long Island, the distinction between specialty bar and bar is gradually narrowing,” says Drew Dvorkin, who opened T.J. Finley’s with Mike McElwee in September 2006. “We strive to not only be the best beer bar, but the best bar, as well.”

To maintain this self-imposed standard, Dvorkin and McElwee created Private Pub, an individualized, pay-per-ounce bar system connecting each patron booth to T.J. Finley’s 26 drafts. Following server activation, customers are able to pour their beer without employee assistance.

“There has always been a physical separation between bartender and patron,” says Dvorkin, who also owns Bronx Ale House and George Keeley (Bronx and Manhattan, respectively). “We’re trying to make our experience more interactive, and hopefully more fun for the customer, too.”

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

Photo of The Cortland by Stephen Lang

MONSOON ASIAN KITCHEN & LOUNGE
Babylon Village (631) 587-4400

Monsoon will knock your socks off. If you are dazzled and delighted by design and décor this restaurant is for you. The Bohlsen Restaurant Group has taken the former Bank of Babylon building (circa 1922) and transformed it into a glittering Asian temple serving Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Korean dishes fashioned to appeal to American palates. Monsoon is dedicated less to authenticity than to creativity and it accomplishes that goal, skewing Asian dishes to American tastes.

This sharp, trendy, modern two-story, 200-seat spot just about screams 21st century with its hip, noisy, youthful vibe, 8- by 12-foot video screen showing custom made films, iPad photo booth for tweeting, 35-foot red tile and black lattice ceiling, second floor state of the art open kitchen with a 20-foot viewing window, 30-foot bar, special effects lighting, 6-foot long communal tables and high-tech entertainment.

“You can’t eat the walls,” as they say, but fortunately the food here is anything but a letdown. The Pan Asian menu is the product of a collaboration that began with brothers Michael and Kurt Bohlsen’s travels to the Orient. The resulting menu was created by Cornelius Gallagher, the Bohlsen’s former corporate chef, and implemented by Executive Chef Michael Wilson. Both chefs are solid restaurant veterans who have worked at one or more of the five other Bohlsen restaurants, as well as world-class eateries in this country and Europe.

Although this family-style sharing menu isn’t a mile long, it offers a diverse array of sushi, dim sum, hot and cold starters and main courses.

Kick off your dinner with the outstanding cubes of crispy pork bellies ($10) with their crusty surface and tangy golden mustard sauce, or the stack of spicy, meaty Korean barbecue chicken wings ($11). The generous mound of crispy duck salad ($14) is also a go. Rather bland Vietnamese summer rolls ($9) were somewhat enlivened by their snappy chili peanut sauce.

Noteworthy mains included, of all things, chicken chow mein ($18). It’s not a throwback to your father’s 1940s and 50s version, but a creative new dark-sauced concoction covered with a delicate mantle of light, crispy bean thread noodles and shrimp with yellow curry ($22), a lively, lovely blend of rich curry and coconut milk. Perfectly prepared sea scallops sporting a ginger-coconut sauce were delectable but pricey ($32 for five), shaking beef ($29) featured top quality filet mignon that’s given an interesting kick from its shishito peppers—unfortunately it arrived at our table lukewarm. But don’t neglect the mellow, wild mushroom chow fun ($9), one of the menu’s tastiest bargains.

All four sweets ($7) scored. Deep fried Oreos came with some gently chili-spiked sauce, a smooth dense ginger crusted cheesecake was enhanced by its caramel sauce, lemongrass crème brûlée boasted fresh raspberries, and an intense flourless chocolate torte was crowned with a scoop of mint ice cream and a splash of raspberry sauce.

Service was swift and sure, at times too swift resulting in more dishes (including a bottle of wine and receptacle holding chop sticks and three sauces) than the smallish table could accommodate.

photos by stephen lang

Read more Food Reviews from Long island Pulse!

MUSE IN THE HARBOR RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE
Sag Harbor (631) 899-4810

Innovation, imagination and creativity are the words that best describe Matthew Guiffrida’s new Muse in the Harbor Restaurant and Lounge in Sag Harbor. Conversely the three words that don’t do justice to his East End enterprise are predictable, standard and ordinary. Every dish on his menu reflects not only his culinary unorthodoxy, but also his whimsical sense of humor. Instead of listing himself as the chef and owner, he proclaims his restaurant “A Chef Matthew Guiffrida Production.” His tuna trio is called “Ménage À Trois,” and then there are “Not Ya Mama’s Meatballs,” the “Soup of the Moment,” “Are You Ready For Smore” and “The Three Little Pigs.” All of which would be cutesy instead of funny if the dishes fell flat. But they don’t.

Aside from a colossal, straightforward, blackened rib eye steak special ($30) with caramelized onions, every dish boasts one or more interesting spins and surprises. A commendable, diverse fall apple salad ($14) contains much more than apples and includes crisp smoked salmon “bacon” and blood orange marmalade Caesar on crispy cheese bread pudding. Boneless short ribs ($28) arrive atop pumpkin gorgonzola polenta with sherry-spiked vegetable demi glace. And while linguini carbonara ($30) routinely comes laced with plenty of pancetta, the one served at Muse also contains jumbo shrimp, P.E.I. mussels and bay scallops.

Diners who enjoy more than one major player on each plate will find a number of diverse options here. Among them is one entrée, The Three Little Pigs—pork three ways—and two starters, including that tuna Ménage À Trois—a fish trio—and the Not Ya Mama’s Meatballs—four mixed-nationality golf ball-sized morsels ($12).

A recent dinner began with a warm, wonderful roll accompanied by butter, olive oil and sun dried tomato. Unfortunately we never received a second or were asked if we wanted one. Aside from that exemplary fall apple salad (it held smoked Gouda, Craisins and sunflower seeds as well as the ingredients mentioned earlier), the BLT chopped salad ($13) was actually a deconstructed wedge salad with all the same ingredients—tomatoes, smoked bacon, grilled peppered croutons, iceberg lettuce and Marsala gorgonzola vinaigrette. That was followed by the three tuna preparations: Tartar, blackened lollypop and seasoned carpaccio. There was less variety among the four meatballs (Asian, Italian, Swedish and Thanksgiving with cranberries and onion compote), but they provided no less taste.

Speaking of cranberries, they were also folded into a tasty duck confit that accompanied the equally tasty Wasabi au poivre Long Island duck ($32). The three piggy picks were superb—two thick slices of homemade bacon, pulled pork and teriyaki on an undistinguished Johnny cake and braised pork belly—yes! A pan seared Atlantic salmon ($29) tasted as though it had been cooked just minutes before.

It would be a mistake to pass up Muse’s excellent desserts. The warm zepole in a bag, the double fudge lava cake, the rich cheesecake and especially that airy smore with its dense dark chocolate mousse were all understandably devoured.

Muse, with its mammoth 4- by 8-foot saltwater aquarium, French doors, globe lighting, outdoor deck, faux pressed ceiling, tile walls and appropriately restrained live music (on the Sunday night we visited), is a mellow milieu that nicely captures the Hamptons vibe.

photos by stephen lang

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ANDRRA
East Hampton (631) 329-3663

There are no strikeouts or home runs at Andrra on Three Mile Harbor where the Boathouse had been. From its second floor perch, diners look out on the expansive waters, an especially captivating sight at sunset. In warm weather, the plastic rollups facing the harbor are raised to open the restaurant to the fresh air. The modern interior of this redecorated spot features fresh flowers on each table, paper-covered white tablecloths, a gas fireplace and a white and blue color scheme.

Two accommodating and affable Albanian brothers, Sami and Noti Krasniqi, opened Andrra (dream in Albanian) recently, but they have been in the area for years. Sami, the executive chef, worked for 16 years at Café Max in East Hampton and three and a half years in the same town at Coco in the Maidstone Arms. He works in tandem with consulting chef William S. Valentine, a native Long Islander and Johnson & Wales graduate, best known to locals as the former chef and general manager of the Maidstone Arms, with extensive culinary experience in New Orleans, Los Angeles and the Bahamas.

We had two dining options the night I visited, each with its virtues and shortcomings. The $33 three-course, fixed-price meal cost much less than the a la carte menu. The prix fixe is perfect for frugal, light eaters, but the portions are about half the size of the pricier selections. Its sometimes-diminutive servings (rack of lamb turns out to be two ribs, while the “extra colossal shrimp” is actually two medium-sized pieces) will not satisfy hungry eaters. Additionally, there was no mention of the fixed price possibility on the menu or by our pleasant, seemingly informed waitress. We only learned of its existence when one person in our party, on the way back from a rear restroom, noticed a blackboard sign over the bar.

While some of Andrra’s a la carte offerings are better or worse than others, none will either disappoint or dazzle diners, and virtually all of them are substantially priced. The a la carte rack of lamb costs $43. Only one of the grill by the sea selections is less than the $33 to $36 range, starters top out at $20, side dishes cost $9 and desserts are $11. The lowest priced mains are chicken and two pastas for $25.

Free and fine is the terrific, warm house-made pita bread served with a smidgen of noteworthy garlic parsley butter. That was followed by a standard wedge salad ($14 a la carte), those two respectable shrimp ($17 a la carte for more than two), the herbed carpaccio of beef, rare and paper thin beside a clump of salad ($19) and a seafood chowder ($11) featuring minced prawns, clams and fish in an herb-touched tomato broth.

A fresh, pristine halibut special accompanied by couscous was by far the best entrée sampled. The small, just ok roasted rack of American lamb was escorted by an interesting edamame roasted garlic purée. Valentine’s good soft shell crabs ($34) arrived over chilled greens with dabs of avocado, cumin, coriander and lemon brown butter. There was nothing wrong or unusual about the tender sea scallops ($33) with their citrusy lemon juice and limonetta sauce.

Desserts, including a nothing special baklava, berries with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a rich, dense flourless chocolate cake and a reasonably moist orange cake, provided a suitable finale to the meal.

photos by stephen lang

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Yes, Mother’s Day is that amiable day of brunch and mimosas, but I declare, what says “thanks Pops!” more than steak and/or beer? Check out the Red Zone for great places around LI to get some high quality craft beers and have a rollicking night out with dad (pick up the tab, of course). But for a true trencherman’s experience, head into Nassau County to Frank’s Steaks in either Jericho (516) 338-4595 or Rockville Centre (516) 536-1500 for their Father’s Day Weekend Special from June 15-17, 4-9pm. The centerpiece is the prime, dry aged, Kansas City cut 22oz bone-in steak for $42.95.

I shouldn’t have to reiterate the connection of Long Island and good seafood, but it’s a truism worth repeating. Perennial seafood favorite fatfish in Bay Shore (631) 666-2899 has a raw bar featuring shellfish from local waters. For $3 a piece, there is a trio of oysters—Pirates Coves from Port Jefferson Harbor, Mattitucks from Oyster Bay Harbor and Blue Points from off the south shore, along with Little Neck clams from off the north shore. Don’t miss their wine bar, featuring a 25-bottle roster of local and international vintages and suggested pairings. The Steam Room in Port Jefferson has both a beautiful view of the Harbor and great seafood. Check out their prodigious specials menu. In addition to the generously-portioned lobster dinner ($24.95) and clambake ($29.95), each day from Monday to Thursday features a different buy-one-get-one-free option. Depending on the day, you can get an extra helping of snow crab legs, mussels, steamers or lobster. Both fatfish and The Steam Room feature outdoor musical performances all season long, the perfect melodious accompaniment to a night on the water.

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It is not realistic for expanses of soil and saltwater to be prepared for consumption and served within a culinary establishment. It is fitting, however, for these aforementioned earth-pieces to exist as a principal source, providing ingredients utilized for cookery.

For Ryan Solien, chef d’cuisine of Gulf Coast Kitchen, Long Island is his principal source. “The essence of Tuscan cooking is seasonal availability and fresh, homegrown ingredients,” says Solien, a graduate of California Culinary Academy. “With our access to local produce and seafood on Long Island, cooking in Montauk is a dream.”

Solien joined Gulf Coast Kitchen, a Tuscan-style interpretation of sustainable cuisine positioned within Montauk Yacht Club, in March. Along with consulting chef Gabriele Corcos, he presents an artisan menu designed to convey “elevated simplicity” using Long Island-born ingredients. Simplicity, according to the equation below, induces comfort and, subsequently, satisfaction (indicated by the smiley face emoticon), which Solien aspires to provide patrons.

Simplicity —> Comfort —>  =)

“My goal is to take Tuscan home cooking, which is family-style and comforting, and create that for our customers using what is available in the community,” says Solien. “Instead of branzino, we use bluefish from a local fisherman. A lot of fresh vegetables and herbs from our farms, too. It works.”

Solien, who resides in Rome semi-annually, is conversant with similar, locally-focused situations. Prior to his arrival at Gulf Coast Kitchen, he served as executive chef of Sequoia High Sierra Camp, a secluded, environmentally-conscious retreat in California’s Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Big Sky Mountain Resort in Montana. He also stinted at La Pergola, a Michelin-rated restaurant in Rome. Within each culinary experience, Solien incorporates his surroundings to create clean, health-first recipes.

“When your ingredients are fresh and available within an hour, as a chef, you really can’t ask for more,” he notes.

Though Solien enjoys obtaining inspiration from community-based kitchens, he is also a “junkie for cooking anywhere.” Examples include chef-touring with Godsmack, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Bruce Springsteen and Tool, as well as serving on Cirque du Soleil’s program OVO.

“I was with Bruce when he sold out Madison Square Garden for ten straight shows in 2000 and it was crazy,” says Solien. “But you also learn a lot from putting together a kitchen and breaking it down every night.”

While Solien views each period of his culinary career as education, with Gulf Coast Kitchen and its fresh-recipe ethos, his position as chef d’cuisine represents more than professional lessonry: It embodies family and tradition.

“My parents would dump me at my grandmother’s for the weekend and we would just cook,” laughs Solien. “I remember making gnocchi ravioli with her from scratch. I’ve loved it ever since.”

Signature Dish:
Big Eye Tuna Tartar: An example of Gulf Coast Kitchen’s local-influenced interpretation of Tuscan cuisine, Big Eye Tuna Tartar is prepared with Montauk bigeye tuna, shallots, Italian parsley and lemongrass. Served beneath a crostini and dressed with a truffle-glazed micro salad, Big Eye Tuna Tartar is a “simplistic dish,” says Solien, “but clean and delicious when prepared fresh.”

Campari

Campari is the bitters apéritif of choice for hotspots around the world. The recipe—an infusion of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water—has remained a closely guarded secret since its creation more than 150 years ago. Two words: Simple. Elegant.

Campari Fresh
(seated in chair)

Ingredients
2 parts pineapple juice
1 part Campari
½ part lemon juice

Preparation
Shake all ingredients and pour into a juice glass full of ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple.

Campari Mint Spritz

Ingredients
1 part Campari
1 part cranberry juice
3 parts Prosecco (sparkling white wine)
5 fresh mint leaves

Preparation
Pour all ingredients into a wine glass, add fresh mint leaves to the top
and stir gently.

During his daylong spaceflight on May 15, 1963, Major Gordon Cooper informed the tracking station at Muchea (near Perth, Australia) that a green-colored, glowing object—an “unidentified flying object” or UFO—was rapidly approaching his Mercury capsule. The object observed by Cooper also yielded echoes on the tracking radar at Muchea. Major Cooper is not the only one to see unusual objects while in space. Other astronauts have also observed them during their missions. And we are all aware of countless terrestial “sightings.”

It is noteworthy that we may soon be able to detect and track such UFOs, if they exist, from the Custer Institute—not to mention cosmic rays, meteors and lightning—thanks to an experimental radar project being built by several “hams” (amateur radio operators), including myself. I dreamed of building such a radar back in the 1960s, but until recent advances in electronics and computing technology and the lowered expense, such aspirations remained a fantasy. In the meantime, the skies offer no shortage of shows:

•The Eta Aquarids meteor shower will peak this year between May 5 and 6. It will be a weak shower with a rate of around 10 meteors per hour. Look for the meteors in the eastern skies after midnight. This year, however, the full moon is likely to wash out all but the very brightest meteors.

•The full moon falls on May 6. It will be the largest, brightest full moon of the year, being closest to Earth and fully illuminated by the sun.

•There will be an annular solar eclipse on May 20, but it will not be visible from the northeastern US.

•Mars will be big (although not as big as the moon) and bright. Look for the planet, which will appear as a bright orange star, very high in the southwest skies. Through a good telescope, you should be able to discern the polar ice caps as well as some other details.

•Venus will grace the early evening skies, setting in the west-northwest skies about two hours after the sun. The planet will be very bright and quite unmistakable.

Back in the 90s, the Knitting Factory was the place for experimental, jazz and avant-garde music. Sonic Youth played there, as did Cecil Taylor, Gil Scott-Heron and a bunch of other artists who did not fit neatly into a box. In fact, the club itself didn’t fit neatly into any predefined idea of what a music venue should be. It was a performance space, a gallery, a record label and everything in between. It had strange little spaces in which art would happen, and happen fiercely (Anyone remember the Knitactive Soundstage?), and those of us who were in the know flocked to it. Often.

The original Knitting Factory in New York City opened on Houston Street and moved to Leonard Street (in Tribeca) in 1994 until crazy Manhattan rent, among other issues, drove it to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Avenue where it’s been for the last three years. The current space is smaller—maximum capacity is 300—and features killer sound plus a small bar area where the occasional lone organist will spell dark whiskey-stained melodies after the main act has finished. The bar area is particularly interesting at the new Knit. It features a huge wall-to-wall glass window through which barflies and passersby can spy the action on the stage. It’s a nice way to keep an open and inviting vibe, especially on lovely spring evenings when the beautiful and curious make their rounds.

And for everyone else (the discerning and the imaginative, perhaps?), Knitting Factory is still a great destination.  If I were to go to a show this month, I might find myself at the MC Frontalot/Math the Band/Schäffer The Darklord/Jetblack Bullseye show on May 4, headlined by Long Island’s very own Wheatus. The NYC Popfest showcase on the 18th also sounds like it might be a good one and features five bands with eclectic names like Catnaps and Saturday Looks Good to Me. I’m always curious about a band whose name is an independent clause. The Knitting Factory still pushes the musical envelope, albeit a slightly smaller one. Maybe it’s more of a postcard; I don’t know. The truth is, the era of large and well-known eclectic spaces for experimental art is over. Sure, several little cafes and galleries and smaller spaces still welcome the fringe (God bless them), but it may be too expensive and too impossible to celebrate the weird at a large-scale music venue. Even in New York City. Maybe it’s a phase directly connected to the present economic mess. Maybe it’s something else. Who knows? But until the pendulum swings back, I’m glad the Knitting Factory (abridged) is alive and well, and not too far away. bk.knittingfactory.com

Caipiroska Cocktail
A fruity, vodka-based twist on the classic Brazilian caipirinha, this is the ultimate poolside refreshment, especially since most Americans don’t have cachaça (the standard liquor for making caipirinhas) lying around the house. For best results, forage your local farm stand or farmers market for the choicest strawberries, or pick them yourself.

Ingredients (serves two)
4-5oz premium vodka
1 lime cut into wedges
8 hulled strawberries (cut 6 into small pieces)
1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup sour mix
Cracked pepper
Seltzer

Instructions
Muddle (mash up) sugar, ½ lime wedges and chopped strawberries with vodka and sour mix in cocktail shaker, then strain over ice in two 8oz glasses. Add seltzer to fill each glass. Grind pepper on top (optional) and garnish with your choice of fruit using remaining limes and strawberries. Serve. Refresh. Repeat.

If your ideal meal does not include butter, a deep fryer and is fewer than 475 calories, raise your hand. Sound like some hasty trend in weight watching programs? It’s not. Well, it is, but not really.

It is the mission tasked to Robert Mitchell, Executive Chef and partner at Garden City’s newly installed Seasons 52. The restaurant uses natural cooking techniques designed by founder and Culinary Director Clifford Pleau. After seven years at Season 52’s Tampa and Palm Beach Gardens locations, Mitchell is set to exercise the company’s mantra here. “This life can sometimes be a bitter mistress, but I am on a constant journey and Seasons 52 is the perfect destination for me,” Mitchell remarks.

Based on his culinary philosophy of “dressed-up simplicity,” Mitchell says a chef may want to start with the basics, but he must do something to make them appealing to the customer. He relies on seasonal fare and uses light ingredients in minimal quantities to provide rich and exciting flavor. Betraying a down-home upbringing, Mitchell says simple food is always better.

His Kingston, NY-based Greek and Scottish family believed in the community of the table and the chef remembers helping his mom cook as a toddler. His family owned a diner and the Mitchell men were always happy to work in the kitchen. He shares this joy and sees cooking as much a hands-on endeavor as carpentry.

When his turn at a career came, it wasn’t a direct path to the kitchen. However, when he finally decided to become a chef and visit The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, “A light switch went on. I knew that this is what I wanted to do for a living instantly.”

While attending the CIA, he was asked to do an externship at several boutique restaurants, including Oliver Saucy’s Café Maxx in Pompano Beach. Later, at East City Bistro in Delray Beach, Mitchell learned that creativity is not a substitution for imagination.

Perhaps the best way to get a sense of a chef’s values is hearing about the most memorable meal he did not prepare, like one Mitchell enjoyed while in Santorini. Paolo, a fisherman he met, did not speak English, but motioned for Mitchell to join him. They shared a simple meal of crusty bread with bone marrow, fresh Greek olives and simply grilled lamb chops. The food became their language and the meal memorable. “Planning a meal is like a silent movie. It only becomes animated when it is served and people share it. Dining is like a love affair and you don’t know how it is going to end,” Mitchell said.

Signature Dishes:
Artichoke-Stuffed Artichoke and Grilled Spring Asparagus with Crumbled Feta Cheese and Fresh Tomato Caper Salsa. Chef Mitchell’s two seasonal recipes are perfect for summer entertaining or with a light family dinner. Both artichokes and asparagus appear frequently on the Seasons 52 menu, on flatbreads or with an entrée.

Artichoke-Stuffed Artichoke

Ingredients
3 quarts water
1 tbsp Kosher salt
2 each artichokes (med-large)
¼ cup yellow onion, peeled, ¼” diced
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped fine
6 ounce jar marinated artichokes,
drained and chopped (save 1/8 cup of juice)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp Italian breadcrumbs
2 tbsp basil pesto
1½ tsp creamy Caesar dressing
½ tsp coarse ground mustard
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
Drizzle of balsamic glaze

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In large pot, add 3 quarts water and 1 tbsp Kosher salt and bring to boil.
Trim ½” off top of artichokes; trim ¼” off stem and trim spikes off the leaves. Add trimmed artichokes in the boiling water and cover for approximately 20-25 minutes until done. Remove from heat and place artichokes in refrigerator to cool.
In sauté pan, heat 1 tsp olive on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and marinated artichoke. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Place mixture on sheet tray and allow to cool.
Remove artichokes from refrigerator and split in half. Scrape out choke and inner leaves with a tablespoon. Place artichokes cut-side-up on sheet tray and brush with olive oil. Fill each piece with ¼ of the artichoke stuffing mixture. Top each piece with 1 tbsp shredded cheese and bake in 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the artichokes.
Serve as a side dish.

Bite Size Appetizer Option:
Follow procedure above, but do not trim spikes off of artichokes before cooking. Once artichokes are cooked, remove larger leaves and fill each one with some stuffing mix. Top with cheese and lay out on a sheet tray for heating in 350°F oven. Plate on serving platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Note: leftover artichoke heart may be used for salads or garnish.

Serves: 4

GRILLED SPRING ASPARAGUS WITH CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE & FRESH TOMATO CAPER SALSA

Ingredients:
2 quarts water (to boil)
2 quarts ice water
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed ends
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
4-5 spritz extra virgin olive oil
1 cup tomato caper salsa (recipe below)
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Dash of aged balsamic vinegar to finish

Procedure:
Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. *Blanch asparagus by placing in boiling water for 45 seconds. (*Blanching retains the color and does not wash out the nutrients if done quickly.) Remove asparagus from hot water and place in ice water for one minute. Remove asparagus from ice water and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on tray for grilling (or broiling if you don’t want to grill). Season with kosher salt, black pepper and spritz with extra-virgin olive oil.
Wipe grill grate clean. Spritz grill with extra-virgin olive oil and grill asparagus (over hot coals with no flame) to caramelize and obtain grill flavor. Remove from grill and place on serving plate.
Top each portion with tomato caper salsa and Feta cheese (see below).
Serve as a starter, a side dish or as a light entrée to accompany grilled fish or chicken.

For Chunky Caper Salsa
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 oz extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and diced
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
¼ cup capers, drained and chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 whole lemon, zest and juice
Black pepper to taste
4-5 dashes of Tabasco Chipotle

Procedure:
Zest and juice the lemon. In a small pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until golden brown. Remove garlic from sauté pan and place into a glass bowl. Combine all other ingredients and stir together. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before using.

Serves: 4

The buzzing is faint at the entrance to the Spy Coast Bee Farm. Flying dots flicker across the forest clearing. A large barn at the center dwarfs a well-cared-for group of small houses. The last time I was in a barn was during an antiquing trip to East Hampton. While that one was crammed full of priceless possessions, this one is piled high with multicolored wooden boxes and, at its center, a gleaming steel device resembling a metal alien with a handcrank. Cows or sheep I’d expect in a barn, antiques even. But this? I inch past, turning my attention outside.

I see a white cotton man-figure. The faint buzzing becomes louder. I take one step closer, then another. My eyes widen to the swarm of thousands of miniature menaces around him. I’m going to get stung. I know I’m going to get stung. I hate getting stung. I hope I don’t swat. I’m just a few feet away. Oh God, don’t let me swat my arms.

The cover comes off a box in front of me. I’m frozen at the sight of thousands of bees—a sea of little bodies all moving at once.

I tilt my hand up to peer at a bee on my finger, expecting a monster with an evil smile and furrowed, meaningful eyebrows threatening his sharp stinger at my flesh. But all I see is a tiny creature inquisitively examining my hand with antennae wiggling and probing—no malice. Actually, he’s kind of gently tickling me. The wind picks up, carrying away the smell of burning paper to reveal the scent of the beehive: Strong, musky, primitive. I finally notice the human beneath the buzzing cloud and fixate on his tender, dexterous hands—he’s gloveless.

The “Spy Coast Bee Man” (aka Wayne Vitale) doesn’t fear bee stings. In fact, that flash of pain is little more than a mild occupational hazard. “I’m not afraid,” he says. “Some days I get stung more often than others, depends what mood they’re in and depending on the weather.” This matter-of-fact approach about his “ladies’” love bites betrays Vitale’s real concern: Fostering a thriving collection of beehives at Spy Coast Bee Farm in Setauket—a full-time job, 365 days a year.

“This is my life,” Vitale declares simply, as he stares out at the bee yard, a picture of serenity on a mild spring afternoon. “So when you’re in the yard and you’re hearing the buzzing and they’re landing on you, it’s just a very tranquil thing. They’re really docile creatures,” he adds. The bee is not some vague, buzzing insect to this beekeeper—he can discern where the bees are going and where they’ve been. “I see them bringing in a lot of light pollen,” he observes. Sure enough, dangling off the bees are tiny light-hued masses. “The scout bee found a patch of flowers yielding this light color… He just told everyone in the hive through the waggle dance, ‘Hey, I found a really good score, let’s go get it.’”

The creation of honey begins with nectar foraged from flowers by honeybees. This is brought back to the colony, a locale containing one queen, a few hundred male drones and tens of thousands of female worker bees. The nectar is ingested into the worker bees’ “honey stomachs” where it combines with enzymes and is regurgitated as honey. And that’s where the magic happens. “We don’t know how they do that, specifically. We can’t make honey…only the bees can do that,” says Mary Woltz, East End beekeeper and owner of Bees’ Needs in Sag Harbor. Honey is one of two elements of the honeybees’ simple diet. “Pollen is their protein, honey is their carbohydrate, so they can survive on those two things and those two things alone,” Woltz explains. Humans have yet to duplicate the process artificially.

Spy Coast Bee Farm bees forage for nectar up to six miles away from the farm on the Strongs Neck peninsula, “a really pristine area,” according to Vitale. He credits the clean air from Long Island Sound with encouraging the growth of a variety of flora, resulting in his lauded “Setauket Gold” honey. Before reaping the harvest, however, the bees need to be kept alive and thriving across all four seasons. At the onset of winter, Vitale leaves them to their own devices, as it is too cold to even feed them their cane sugar syrup supplement. During this time, the worker bees form a ball around the queen and flex their wing muscles to maintain 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Worker bees rotate between the inner and outer surfaces of the ball and the whole assemblage migrates throughout the hive, eating honey. At the end of January, the queen begins laying eggs at a clip of 1,500-2,000 per day; this is maintained until mid to late summer. “As soon as you see the first dandelion, it’s gangbusters,” Vitale says, referring to the time around March when nectar and pollen collection begins in earnest.

Out comes the white bee suit and veil, a precaution that seems to be based more on the reputation of bees than how they really are. Light colors only please, because with dark colored clothes “you take on the character of a bear and instinctively they know that the bear invades the hive to get to the brood to get to the honey,” says Vitale. In that case, you may smell bananas, probably the worst thing a beekeeper can smell. That scent is the bee’s “attack” pheromone. And thousands of bees would do just that. As a more important precaution, the beekeeper wields a “smoker” of burning paper that makes the bees drunk with smoke. The smoke interferes with the bees’ pheromone communication, but it also makes them think there is a forest fire. In defense, they gorge themselves on honey in case they have to leave the hive in a hurry—this makes them heavy and sluggish and thus, all the more docile.

Vitale goes to work dismantling a super, one of a stack of wooden boxes containing the hives, lifting covers and removing bug traps to reveal a series of internal frames. “If you notice, I’m moving very slowly…We don’t want to crush the bees.”

In early spring, honey hasn’t entered the equation yet, only the breeding of thousands of bees in brood supers. The beekeeper’s priority at this time is creating grafting queens to put in nuc boxes. After careful extraction of honeycomb from the frames of the super, the grafting begins. The new queen and small colony create a nuclear colony or nuc.

Vitale only fosters local bees to optimize the genetics of his honeybees and control infiltration by harmful pests he finds “disgusting” and “brutal,” like beetles and parasite flies brought with bee colonies from the southern US. “I don’t want it here, so it’s the reason why I only promote local bees. I’m pretty adamant about that,” he declares.

Around mid-April, the honey supers go on top of the brood super. The honey super is a virgin honeycomb that gets filled with honey over three to four weeks. Each bee produces a mere quarter of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. When the product of thousands of bees is compounded, the total yearly production at Spy Coast Bee Farm is around 450-600 pounds, but if Vitale is “fortunate enough to manipulate them properly” in the 2012 season, he could top 1,000 pounds.

Vitale has his strategy down: “As soon as I pull the honey super off I decap it and extract it right away. And I’ll do it all in one clip. I’ll take five to ten boxes off and then spend that whole day just whipping out honey. And then right away it goes into a container and then right from there into a bottle. As soon as I whip them out I put them right back on—twice if it’s a good season,” he says.

After this bonanza, in mid to late summer, the bees start getting ready for winter. Egg laying is curbed and stores are built up. Then in early fall, the drones are kicked out of the hive to die so they won’t eat any of the winter stores. At the onset of winter, the worker bee ball emerges once again.

In the waning light, Vitale tucks his “ladies” in for the day and I make for the car, arms still gently at my sides. As I reach for the door, I’m struck by my newfound awe at these little creatures. Admittedly, I’m also grateful that I never smelled bananas and the only sting of the day was the Spy Coast Bee Man’s deliberate demonstration of “acupuncture” by one reluctant honeybee.

Brood super: A super exclusively for the breeding of honeybees. The honeycomb is mostly filled with developing larvae, instead of just honey.

Nuc Box: Housing for a nuclear colony.

Grafting: Creating queens by extracting one-day-old larvae from honeycombs and placing them in queen cups in a hive with no queen. Worker bees detect a lack of queen and feed the larvae royal jelly, which turns the larvae into a queen.

Queen Cup: A kind of incubation chamber.

Royal Jelly: Nutritious secretion from the glands of worker bees. Fed to larvae initially and queens throughout life.

Nuc: A smaller bee colony centered on grafted queens; a nuclear colony.

Extract: Spin the frames of a super in a centrifuge that looks like a cotton candy machine, whipping the honey to the sides for collection.

Decap: Remove the wax cover on the comb.

BEEhavior has been occurring far longer than modern humans have existed. Bees can be traced back at least 100 million years and the earliest evidence of honey is fossils dating back at least 55 million years. At this time, the ancestors of modern humans greatly resembled squirrels, but as evolution progressed, it would seem that honey played a big part in humans becoming human, especially when it came to the nurturing of our ever-enlarging brains.

Alyssa N. Crittenden, Nutritional Anthropologist from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, concluded that now-extinct early humans living in Africa, Asia and Europe used the earliest known stone tools to cut open beehives and extract large amounts of honey as early as 2.5 million years ago. By this time, hominid fossils began to show a noticeable increase in brain size, and Crittenden says, “The enlarging…brain would have greatly benefitted from the energy provided by even a modest amount of honey. Glucose [a sugar that is one of honey’s major components] plays a critical role in meeting the high metabolic requirements of neural development and function.”

Today, the other half of the honeybees’ existence is more important than ever. In the act of retrieving nectar, the bees pollinate plants—making them a vital part of modern agriculture. “One in every three bites of food you eat had a honeybee involved,”  Woltz explains. Half of the country’s beekeepers crisscross the US every growing season transporting two million bee colonies to pollinate such staples as almonds, apples, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, cranberries, cucumbers, sunflowers, watermelon and much more.  And not just human food. Hay and alfalfa consumed by animals supplying dairy and meat know the honeybee well.

In recent years, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) hit, and has eradicaded more than one third of all bee colonies annually. When CCD strikes a colony, the bees fly off and never return, leaving behind doomed young, honey and pollen. Both Vitale and Woltz cite pesticides as a major contributing factor to CCD, and Vitale asserts that that the prevalence of diesel fumes from farm equipment and vehicles, along with the constant transportation between pollination stops, leaves the bees “severely stressed out.” An official statement by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) also mentions pesticides, along with parasites, pathogens and viruses. Stress and weakened immune systems in honeybee colonies caused by adverse food and water conditions are also possible causes. Vitale theorizes that all these factors mess up their navigation system and they can’t find their way back to the hive—a death sentence.

The USDA acknowledged that the recent sequencing of the honeybee genome and a deeper understanding of manmade or natural conditions or substances could result in the breeding of more resilient bees, stopping CCD cold. Imagine: Genetically modified super-bees.

Until that day it’s frustrating to those in the trenches who are doing their best to sustain the delicate interconnection that is the bee colony. “It’s staggering when you really think about the role of the honeybee in our food system, and how relatively lightly we have taken what’s going on,” says Woltz. “With them goes a huge chunk of our produce—our fruits, our vegetables. Most of the vitamin content goes if the honeybee goes.”

Happenings on Main Street
Northport, northportarts.org

In addition to being really pretty, Northport Village Park is like a second home to any number of artists and musicians during the summer months. The “Happenings On Main Street” concert series kicks off in May and runs through early September, featuring local acoustic acts like Miles to Dayton, Caroline Doctorow, and Steve and Sandy Edwards. What’s especially unique about this family-picnic-style concert series is its focus on original music. Get this year’s schedule at the website.

Page One Restaurant
(516) 676-2800, Glen Cove

A “Stimulus and Bail Out” menu as well as bar specials on music nights means this American bistro and bar manages to blend upscale with affordable. Page One features select musical and cabaret performances and a Wednesday open mic night. If you go to the open mic, there’s a chance your performance will be filmed (which you may find either delightful or daunting).

“Distinguished Artists” Library Concert Series
(516) 797-7900, Town of Oyster Bay

For several years now, the Town of Oyster Bay has been sponsoring a free concert series in libraries around Nassau County. If you are looking for a musical experience that is not the usual blues-and-beer scene, or if you just like the idea of someone making noise in a library on purpose, you may want to check out this series. Performances range from classical and opera to folk and world music.

NASSAU

Sip City
(516) 482-1500, Great Neck
http://www.sipcity.net
Wind down and let loose at one of Great Neck’s newer hangouts. Conveniently situated on bustling Middle Neck Road, Sip City twists classic American cuisine with international favorites to flare up your taste buds. Offering live entertainment to a 30-and-older crowd, this savvy restaurant and lounge is a relaxed yet eventful night out. Let off some steam with Happy Hour specials every day from 4-7pm, including $5 appetizers. If you don’t have the courage for American Idol, grab the mic at Tuesday’s karaoke night, creating a scene with lots of laughs and good-neighborly entertainment. DJs start the weekend early on Thursday night and crowds come ready to mingle. Round up your coworkers and closest friends for a memorable night out, any day of the week.

SUFFOLK

Monsoon
(631) 587-4400, Babylon
http://www.monsoonny.com
Babylon’s newest addition comes in a grand package—the bank. The Bohlsen Restaurant Group transformed the old Bank of Babylon into an Asian kitchen and lounge. Showing meticulous attention to detail, Monsoon’s Asian-inspired fare and ambiance recreates the authentic experience of the Bohlsen’s trip abroad to Asia. This dramatic two-level eatery draws a mature after-work crowd and explosive flavors are found within every bite (and sip). Among Monsoon’s creative sushi rolls, the Japanese Cowboy is bursting with savory sliced bbq kobe beef, lobster and avocado. Monsoon takes standard Asian cuisine like fried rice, and adds lobster, shrimp, egg and scallions to make a deluxe seafood dish like none other. The Bloody Samurai is one sharp Asian-themed drink, mixing Hangar 1 Chipotle vodka, tomato juice, wasabi and Sriracha. The Babylon Express, a refreshing cucumber drink, mixes vodka with St-Germain, pineapple and lime juice. After cracking into one of their infamous rated R fortune cookies, finish your last drink by the bar and enjoy the DJ who spins to the crowd.

NYC

Rosa Mexicano
(212) 533-3350, NYC
http://www.rosamexicano.com
Tequila is a ruthless potion, but when it’s handled well, nobody gets hurt. Rosa Mexicano takes pride in their vast tequila selection, authentic Mexican cuisine and vibrant architecture. It’s not every day you get to dine next to a cascading stream of water featuring sequentially diving dolls. Kick it after work with Rosa’s signature pomegranate margarita frozen to perfection or any of their tequila cocktails on the rocks. Both the El Mezcalito, a combination of fresh strawberries, Tanteo jalapeño-infused silver tequila, mezcal, lemon and organic agave, and the La Mandarina, a refreshing mixture of muddled tangerine, basil, silver tequila, lemon and agave will smooth any rough patch.

“Tequila flights,” a trio of tequilas to sample, are served with a shot of sangrita, the traditional Mexican chaser made with chilis, lime and orange juice. Wash down half-price appetizers with Happy Hour (Sunday through Thursday, 4-7pm) drink specials, including half-price margaritas and sangria, and select imported beers for a budget-friendly $3.

Photo of Monsoon by Jim Lennon

Life is Brewery:
1) I Suck at Frogger IIPA: Our 9.70% ABV amalgam of Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Columbus HOPS over 8-bit automobiles, crocodile-stuffed rivers and excessive logs. But only for seven seconds or less. I need more quarters.
2) Pseudo Homeless Dirt Beard Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout: Seven malts. Cellared in oak bourbon for 26 months. Darker than my rarely-washed, Hellenic beard.
3) Superfluous Comma-Hyphen Usage Pale Ale: An American-style, amber-hued, assertively-hopped, aromatically-complex, pine-clean, descriptive-descriptive pale ale. Phew.

NASSAU

Press 195
(516) 536-1950, Rockville Centre
press195.com

Established in October of 2010, Press 195’s third location for progressive paninis (other sites exist in Park Slope, Brooklyn and Bayside, Queens) is an opportunity for Brian Karp, executive chef and one of four proprietors, to “present the menu to suburban consumers seeking a neighborhood place.

“With the close proximity to our Bayside location and the amount of local breweries present on Long Island, we felt Rockville Centre was a natural choice for expansion,” says Karp, who has created 40 hot-pressed panini options (e.g. bresaola/shaved asparagus/Parmigiano-Reggiano/lemon/roasted garlic spread).

Press also pours eight local drafts, including Barrier Brewing Company Unimperial IPA, a citrus-clouded, table IIPA; Port Jeff Brewing Company Schooner Ale, a 6.5% ABV equilibrium of caramel and bitter hops; and Sixpoint Craft Ales Sehr Crisp Pilsner.

Corry’s Ale House
(516) 809-7818, Wantagh
corrysalehouse.com

“Everyone in Wantagh only served Bud and Bud Light,” recalls Helen Corry, owner of Corry’s Ale House with husband, John. “But now Mulcahy’s has added some craft beer, and Wantagh Inn, too. It’s great to see some variety.”

The Corrys, who also own Shackletons in Franklin Square, established Corry’s Ale House in September of 2010, after monitoring the Long Island Railroad-cuddling space “for almost twenty years.” Following stints as Sunshine Florist & Plants and, most recently, Brick & Rail Restaurant, 3274 Railroad Avenue now pours 20 drafts, including Goose Island Beer Company Matilda, a Belgian-style pale with yeast, citrus, banana and slight funk.

“Our customers love Matilda, so that’s one of our main drafts,” says Corry. “We also added a lot of local beers since February, like Spider Bite Beer Company and Greenport Harbor Brewing Company.”
A collection of small-batch Irish whiskeys is also forthcoming.

Super Neat FYI: Though my transcendental search for leprechauns on Long Island (documented within our March issue) was unsuccessful, my quest shall never cease.

SUFFOLK

La Tavola Trattoria
(631) 750-6900, Sayville
latavolasayville.com

The fraternal trio of Joe, Jimmy and Leo DeNicola, proprietors of Ruvo (Greenlawn and Port Jefferson) and Del Fuego (Saint James), offer “a refined approach to rustic-style Italian” with La Tavola Trattoria, according to manager James Caporuscio.

“It’s not just lasagna or baked ziti on a plate,” says Caporuscio, who suggests housemade gnocchi, comprising potato and sheep’s milk ricotta, with bolognese as “a good indicator of the cuisine.”

While wine-pairing events are hosted within La Tavola Trattoria’s main space, an amiable mash of vegetable illustrations, antique chairs and leather banquettes, beer dinners, such as Long Ireland Beer Company’s four-courser in March, are presented in the adjoining bar. “It provides a casual feeling for the night, and seems to work well,” says Caporuscio.

For the aforementioned dinner, which celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, La Tavola Trattoria’s culinary team transformed Arancini­—fried rice balls with fennel sausage and provolone—into McArancini, substituting corned beef, sauerkraut and rye crumbs.

Food/Beer Matrimony: Rigatoni with Veal Meatballs, Tomato Basil Sauce & Blue Point Brewing Company Hoptical Illusion

Kodiak’s Restaurant Bar
(631) 414-7055, Farmingdale
kodiaksrestaurant.net

Poppin’ bottles of Rodenbach, like a blizzard.

William Mason, former proprietor of Oragin (see: exuberant, repetitive motion of fist toward sky, synced with percussive thump), ceased discoteca operations and opted for craft because “Beer on Long Island was raging, and we wanted in.”

“It’s been great for business,” says Mason, who opened Kodiak’s in May 2010 with Michael Kahoud, Michael LaRosa and Michael Mason. “The customers have an extensive knowledge of beer, so I learn something new daily.”

For individuals who possess an appreciation for category, Kodiak’s menu organizes 48 drafts (two 24-draft towers, which perimeter cluster-rows of booths) and 150+ bottles by style. Clown Shoes Beer Clementine, a Belgian-style white spiced ale with coriander and orange peel, chills with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Kellerweis and Speakeasy Ales & Lagers White Lightning in the “Wheat and Rye” section.

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

Photo of Press 195 by Stephen Lang

There are about 160 Master Sommeliers in the world and only three reasons why I’m not one of them. There are three parts to the exam, including the famed blind tasting portion, which gets both praise and ridicule depending on one’s view or ability to pass that particular part. I fall on the praise side because the exercise does have value.

The idea of blind tasting, for the general wine consumer, is usually the classic Hollywood portrayal. Everyone has seen a version, maybe even in real life. Some blowhard is asked to pontificate on a random glass of wine. He (most frequently a guy with a big ego) sniffs (loudly), swirls, sniffs again, sips, slurps (again, loudly) and then spits or swallows the wine. After a minute or so, the taster begins spouting big ideas about the wine, often stabbing at a couple of impressions before declaring (quite pompously) his final verdict. “An excellent Pinot Noir from the La Tache vineyard in Vosne-Romanee, umm, vintage…1995. From rows of vines near the top of the hill, closest to La Grand Rue vineyard. Oh, and the grapes were picked in the morning. It was about 12 degrees Celsius—that would be 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit.” Obvious nonsense.

This type of blind tasting is a waste of time and brain cells, but that should not discount its real value. Blind tasting forces us to depend on our senses for tasting a beverage, the important senses of smell and taste. Even the finish is mostly about the aromas. Taste only represents about 30 percent of the quality and pleasure of a wine. Wine regions and brands all depend on image, and tasting a wine blind takes image out of the equation so all you’re left with is taste. When a wine critic reviews a wine they have tasted blind it is much more valuable and credible. We’re human—we can’t help but have certain expectations when sampling a bottle of famous or expensive wine. But these expectations cloud our judgment. Very few wine reviews are done through the blind tasting method and that is a shame. We pay a premium for wine from certain regions or famed producers, and that premium is only based on image. Sometimes we are lucky when image and taste coincide—sometimes we’re not. It’s a disappointing and costly experience.

Blind tasting is something all professional wine buyers should do on a regular basis, but it can also be done by all wine drinkers. Not to show off or prove anything, but to experience wine without any preconceived notions. It also gives wine drinkers the opportunity to really experience wine in a far more nuanced manner. Remember, blind tasting is not an exact science, and even the greatest tasters are frequently wrong. It’s all about the experience. Harry Waugh, one of Britain’s most famed wine writers and critics, was asked once if he had ever confused a Bordeaux for a Burgundy. His response was, “Not since lunch.” Buying wine by the glass is an excellent way to try blind tasting.

Wines made from certain grapes have their own particular aromas.
Here are a few as a guide.

Lighter red grapes
(Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc) have notes of red cherry, red raspberry and/or cranberry.

Heavier red grapes
(Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) have notes of black cherry, blackberries, plums and/or blueberries.

Lighter un-oaked white grapes
(Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc) have notes of green apple, lemon and lime.

Aromatic white grapes
(Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Viognier) have aromas of pear, peach and tropical fruits.

ORTO
Miller Place (631) 473-0014

It all started with Kitchen A Bistro, a small cramped spot in a Saint James mini strip shopping center. Smoke from the kitchen often filtered across the room and people squeezed into the limited standing space inside or sat in their cars outside waiting to be summoned to a table. Despite its limitations, chef/owner Eric Lomando’s very modest first venture quickly attracted the attention of diners to this unique, very individualistic, very honest, little restaurant.

Patrons were invited to bring their own wine and were not charged a corkage fee, and prices were modest at his cash-on-the-barrelhead, no-credit-card venture. Most of the food on his ever- changing French-Mediterranean menu was delicious and much of it broke the usual steak-chicken-fish mold so common elsewhere. Some of the best dishes were the simplest, yet others provided unexpected complexity. The word spread and the tiny one-of-a-kind eatery moved to the standalone former Mirabelle quarters down the road in Saint James. The original Kitchen A Bistro became Kitchen A Trattoria, a rustic Italian winner offering robust renderings of Italian comfort food.

In February, Orto (it means “vegetable garden”), Mr. Lomando’s third restaurant, opened in Miller Place and was almost immediately embraced by the fans he had made at his previous endeavors. A bit more upscale and sophisticated, this second rustic Italian effort is housed in the charming Daniel Miller House, circa 1824. It retains its historical lineage while offering an array of cutting-edge dishes and ingredients that probably nobody ever heard of in 1824. It’s a calm, comfortable place with enough nooks and crannies to make it interesting for small groups of diners, while the main dining room offers a soaring barn-like wooden ceiling with crossed beams, pillars, a tile floor, an old fashioned fireplace with a stove insert and appropriately mellow American songbook-style music.

Among the commendable antipasti was a crostino of farm egg, pistachio, pesto and mortadella ($13) similar to a layered uptown version of fried egg, bologna and toast. Roasted cauliflower ($9), with shaved Parmigiano and a bagna cauda vinaigrette that infused the dish with the flavors of olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovies was a rustic success, as was farro salad ($9), given a creative mix of taste and textural contrast from its roasted mushrooms, feta and charred onions.

A primi course with dishes available as either appetizers ($12) or entrées ($20) offered a rustic, peasanty orecchiette with handfuls of crumbled sausage and kale, garganelli with pork shoulder ragu, a jumble of tubular egg-based pasta and tender, moist, fall-from-the-bone quality pork pieces and roasted butternut squash ravioli—pillowy squares, delicate yet subtly flavorful.

All secondi or entrées cost $23 and justify the price. The straightforward baked lamb and potato stew is another welcome nod to earthy simplicity while the sautéed trigger fish with cauliflower purée and mushroom broth is a flawless dish of impeccable quality­—in fact one of the finest fish dishes I’ve ever eaten.

All desserts on Orto’s non-cliché menu are $6.50. They batted four for four. The lemon ricotta cheesecake with just a touch of citrus was a light delight. An ethereal flan was surrounded by tiny fruit squares, pear crostata had a buttery crust that would do a gourmet bakery proud, and a chocolate-almond orange cake with a side of hazelnut gelato featured a crunchy brownie-style surface. Add an unobtrusive, well-informed waitstaff, Eric Lomando—a master chef worthy of the title—and his menu of unduplicated creations with their inspired mix of obvious and unusual ingredients, and you have one of the Island’s most outstanding restaurants.

photos by stephen lang

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INSIGNIA
Smithtown (631) 656-8100

Anthony Scotto, the visionary restaurateur obviously hasn’t heard about the recession. Neither have the youthful foodies who jam his palatial new restaurant in Smithtown most nights. After his steak and sushi format succeeded big time at Blackstone Steakhouse in Melville and Rare 650 in Syosset, he’s now pushing the envelope at Insignia, a monument to excess if ever there was one.

On a recent weeknight, there was a long line of cars waiting to get to the parking valets. The valets didn’t open car doors for arriving women, but did open doors when they departed. After disembarking, diners enter a castle-like, half rustic, half royal-style standalone mansion complete with turret. To the left is a slightly too loud, massive mahogany dining room with a high-beamed ceiling in a wheel design, a glass-walled two-story wine room and a sparkling, sophisticated sushi bar with eye-popping chandeliers and overhead glass cubes that are reminiscent of oversized ice cubes. Patrons order drinks from iPads and gulp hard after one look at the over-the-top menu prices. (More about them later.)

To the right is a noisy scene featuring a gargantuan bar and lounge that’s packed, sometimes five to 10 deep with a flesh market crowd of mostly 20- to 40-year-olds, heavy on females dressed to the nines. They seemed more interested in males than meals in-between downing $15 drinks. The room boasts what must be the world’s largest TV projection screen. Heavy beat music fills the air, which, along with the high decibel sound from the mob at the bar, filters into the dining room, making it almost as loud a milieu.

Prices at Insignia stamp it as the ultimate special occasion restaurant and one of the most costly on the Island. Steaks top out with the 12oz Wagyu boneless American rib eye for $115, while the least expensive red meat picks—the petite filet mignon and marinated char-grilled skirt steaks—go for a still substantial $39. The least expensive fish, the royal dorado is priced at $25. Although there are wines by the glass that cost as little as $9, there’s one that goes for $56.

The food here falls into the “when it’s good it’s very, very good, but when it’s bad it’s horrid” category. Either way, portions are anything but stingy and service is always solicitous (though there were long gaps between courses). Crusty, rugged rye bread and a vibrant roasted pepper and tomato dip make for an appropriate and appealing beginning. Unfortunately, we neither received nor were offered any replacements. They were followed by two mountain-like hunks of wedge salad ($10), its hearts of lettuce rich with ripe beefsteak tomato, bacon crisps and noteworthy homemade bleu cheese dressing. The finely-shredded baby arugula salad ($12) with its hearts of palm, strawberries, pine nuts and honey Balsamic vinaigrette dressing and interesting, diverse ingredients had adherents, but was a tad too sweet from the berries and honey dressing. Don’t neglect the super fresh, fine pieces of sushi. The attractively presented octopus ($4) and eel ($5) pieces were especially outstanding.

There were no problems with the mild, moist, boned whole royal dorado ($25) with its melted clear butter and a side order of thin grilled asparagus ($10) that nicely augmented the fish. The least expensive entrée, herb-roasted, marinated chicken ($25) also scored. Its meat was soft, succulent and tender, speckled with cubes of Yukon gold potatoes, wilted spinach and touched with a contrasting lemon sauce. Then came the rock hard, tooth-breaking, marinated char-grilled skirt steak. Thinly cut and molded into a turret that resembled filet mignon, it was anything but. (Isn’t steak supposed to be the specialty here?) Even heavy steak knives couldn’t penetrate the thinly cut, leathery individual slides of meat. Neither could one of my back teeth, which broke off during this encounter.

Two sweet finales helped cushion the steak slaughter: A crème brûlée studded with intoxicating rum raisins and warm cinnamon, and sugared chocolate-striped donuts.

photos by stephen lang

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MERMAID
Hewlett (516) 812-3920

Restaurant ratings, restaurant ratings, restaurant ratings. Everybody and his uncle have an opinion. They’re in the Zagat survey, in Newsday, in The New York Times, in the Long Island Press, in Pulse magazine and even your Uncle Izzy has a top 10 of his own. They rate the food, the service, the ambiance and give price levels. But no one bestows value ratings. If there was a “best buy” category (and there should be) I’d nominate Mermaid in Hewlett to be in my top three. Although it’s not dirt cheap, it offers food, service and ambiance that cost much less than similar restaurants. Few of them duplicate the quantity and quality for the very modest prices available at Mermaid.

Ten dollars for soup at an upscale restaurant is not unusual. At Mermaid a good-sized bowl of the soup of the day, a rich, sensitively seasoned cream of mushroom brew went for $3. Shrimp cocktail is most often in the $12 to $18 bracket, occasionally even touching $20. At Mermaid a dish of five large, plump shrimp, three slices of lemon and some tangy cocktail sauce was priced at an approachable $9. But pass on the drab pan-fried liver cubes ($8).

Appetizers are often disproportionately more expensive than entrées, especially when the difference in quantity is factored in. A $10 to $20 range is often the norm. At Mermaid only two of 11 were in double figures and all but one of the pasta half portions were in the single digits.

Most main courses are excellent, but not quite the bargains that precede them. With that one exception, pasta entrées are all in the teens, as is one other entrée. Meats and fish are in the low and middle $20s and no dish reaches the $30 level.

Mermaid’s spacious two-dining-room interior is pleasant but unspectacular with conventional art and wall-mounted wine racks. Its large waitstaff is friendly, professional and well above average. Their efforts generate an unmistakable aura of goodwill. (When a lady dropped her handbag and its contents spilled out all over the floor, waiters instantly got on their knees and picked up every piece.)

The cheese tortellini ($14) is an inspired mix of mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, blue cheese, fresh herbs and a heady creamed brandy sauce. There’s an array of cultural influences in the grilled tiger shrimp, given a kick from its lemon garlic sauce and accompanied by baby bok-choy and jasmine rice. The fresh St. Peter’s fish ($23), a char grilled filet, also benefits from its white wine lemon garlic sauce.
Unfortunately, they would have been even better had they not been served on red hot plates that tend to continue cooking and overcooking them. A Fred Flintstone-sized lamb shank ($21) that was both delicate and meaty on a bed of soft mashed potatoes is recommended for diners who seek a full flavored pick.

Ripe, chocolate covered strawberries ($6) are a dessert best buy, while the fluffy, airy tiramisu ($8) and a gutsy cheesecake ($9) deservedly had their adherents.

Mermaid bills itself as French-Italian, but you will need to look long and hard for any authentic French dishes. Concentrate instead on the many gently priced Italian standouts.

photos by stephen lang

Read more Food Reviews from Long island Pulse!

May 11-20 brings the second installment of Long Island Craft Beer Week (longislandcraftbeerweek.com). This is craft beer enthusiast nirvana—more than 100 events islandwide at bars, breweries, retailers and restaurants that include craft beer tastings, beer dinners and educational programs.

Follow Gino’s advice and take mom out for Mother’s Day, she deserves your thanks with a sumptuous feast. While there are specials galore on this day all over the Island, View in Oakdale (631) 589-2694 has the quintessential LI Mom Day menu on Sunday, May 13 from 12-7pm. Go local or international with the appetizers—Crispy Blue Point Oysters with cucumber mignonette and chili-lime vinaigrette ($12) or try the Thai Calamari with peanuts, lime, cilantro and a sweet chili glaze ($13). Entrées include Pan Seared Sea Scallops with sweet Montauk lobster-white truffle risotto and citrus beurre blanc ($26) or go for full-on indulgence with the Surf & Turf ($49) which features filet mignon, Maine lobster tail, garlic confit potato purée, butter-poached asparagus and caramelized shallot demi-glace.

Glen Cove Mansion (516) 674-2955 is having 1pm and 4pm seatings on the 13th for a Mother’s Day feast inspired by historic Gold Coast menus. Expect luxury on a plate. The cost is $55 for adults (plus a complimentary glass of champagne or passion fruit mimosa), $27 for kids 4-13 and children 3 and younger eat free. Reservations required.

After all that, some lighter vittles might be in order. Check out the Energy Kitchen location in Syosset (516) 864-0400, an eatery turning the fast food concept on its head by declaring that fare need not be unhealthy in this culinary niche. Everything is cooked to order in every manner except frying, and no menu item exceeds 500 calories. All meat is lean and vegetable accompaniments are plentiful.

VINOCO WINE BAR & TAPAS RESTAURANT
Mineola (516) 307-8056

Why is one restaurant nearly empty while the one next door is packed? That’s not just an academic question. It happened recently in Mineola on a typically slow Tuesday night. A large, lovely, white-tablecloth spot had plenty of empty seats, while the adjacent storefront had more diners than it could accommodate. Additionally, the tiny 10-table place is loud, cramped, drafty and rather uncomfortable, while the more luxurious restaurant is spacious and serene.

The cheek by jowl, year-old Vinoco Wine Bar & Tapas Restaurant offers small plates priced from $6.75 to $13.75. A trio sampler plate goes for $17. People who order any three of nine possible selections pay a total of $25. A “Happy Sunday” three-course menu costs $20.12 and all bottles of wine are available for half price on Tuesdays (which might have partially accounted for the mob when we visited). On Thursdays, women pay half price for drinks, there’s a 20-percent discount on Monday dinners, unlimited Bellinis and Mimosas at Saturday and Sunday brunch, and an extra long happy hour, nightly.

All of this would matter little if the food wasn’t good. Fortunately, it is. It’s also creative, diverse and interesting, tending to break the sometimes-predictable Long Island restaurant mold. And it’s not a traditional tapas restaurant. Portions are larger than the dab or two often found in typical tapas hangouts, but smaller than full-sized entrées. And while tapas originated in Spain, and there are Spanish posters on the walls, Japanese, Greek and Italian touches are also at work here. (When was the last time you saw rock shrimp tempura on a tapas menu?) The eclectic array of dishes is more Manhattan than Long Island with its Asian buns, avocado-infused quinoa salad, Polish connection wrap, artichoke Parmesan salad and rice pudding empanada.

Certainly, there are some sensational restaurants on the Island and some chefs who would be stars anywhere, including the city, but adventurous foodies find fewer opportunities to sample unusual cuisine in Nassau and Suffolk. Scandinavian, Russian, Dutch, Danish, Swiss and South African restaurants and dishes, for instance, are virtually absent from the local scene.

The service at Vinoco also achieves high marks. Four patrons having difficulty mounting the high chairs at the bar are switched to a table about to order dessert. Its occupants are persuaded to change places with them (perhaps by being offered free desserts). All of this tends to make the youngish, jolly, boisterous crowd at Vinoco repeat customers. They spear quite a few cubes of roasted potatoes à la Brava dusted with smoky paprika and drizzled with a vibrant, creamy red chili pepper sauce ($8) and split two soft, seasoned meatballs capped with Asiago cheese in a rich tomato sauce ($9). Six slices of tasty chorizo flatbread ($10.50) are an ideal choice for a table of friends. The duo of sausages are two rows of sliced meat bracketing an onion escabeche atop rich creamy cannellini beans deliver admirable heft and flavor ($13.75), while the avocado-infused quinoa ($11.75) and turret of artichoke Parmesan ($12.75) salads provide a refreshing interlude. Pescadito, a stack of lightly breaded cod with a spicy guava aioli dip, is a triumph ($11.75). A hefty entrée of chicken and chorizo paella, alive with cilantro, saffron rice, peas and peppers ($17), will satisfy diners who want more bulk.

The portion-size desserts, like other courses, vary greatly. Tables of four who share dishes get just a bite each from the salads and meatballs, but a goodly quantity of the cod, potatoes and sausages. That’s true of the warm rice pudding empanada ($6.50) and a homemade bread pudding ($7.50), but less so of the small, velvety crème caramel ($7.50).

photos by stephen lang

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NUBON
Hicksville (516) 681-9800

Nubon, a sushi and grill Japanese restaurant that opened late last year in Hicksville looks far more expensive than it is. Sixteen of their generously portioned special rolls cost $4 each, 14 appetizers are in the $4 to $6 range and all 20 sashimis go for $3 and $4. Ice cream is $3 and a glass of lemonade is priced at a very modest $2. Yet, the food at Nubon (we’re told it means “fresh and modern”) ranks right up there among the Island’s top-tier Japanese restaurants and, like many of them, it has Chinese, not Japanese, owners. (Surprisingly, a good number of sushi chefs are also Chinese).

Sushi and sashimi dominate Nubon’s menu, but don’t neglect the salads, hot and cold appetizers, hot pot, and rice and noodle dishes that are on par with the mild and light sushi. The sushi regular platter ($17) with eight pristine pieces and a tuna roll is an excellent choice.

Nubon is a spare, modern, though not-elegant spot with shiny bead curtains that separate the bar from the dining room, which has ceiling spotlighting, bare tables, placemats and an attractive flush-to-the-wall electric fireplace that creates simulated flames and real heat.

Before appetizers come to the table, an order of plump, warm, appropriately salty edamame ($4) is perfect for nibbling, while a slim carafe of hot sake ($9.50) provides enough of the rice wine to satisfy four diners, with some left over to accompany four starters.

Diners would be well advised to kick off their meal with the world-class seaweed salad ($6), a hefty pile of tender, tasty greens atop a generous base of lettuce.

Five pieces of lightly-browned, stuffed Japanese dumplings (Gyoza) ($5) are another recommended financial and culinary choice. After that, check out the diverse, extensive list of 40 special rolls, most at very gentle prices. We tried the tuna avocado roll ($6) and the salmon roll ($4). The two ingredients in the first proved to be made for each other, while the salmon’s six or seven substantial pieces showed that these starters were anything but just a bite of this and a bite of that.

That $17 sushi array was preceded by the standard miso soup and green salad with ginger dressing. A bowl of chicken katsu ($10), or cutlet strips over rice, is an earthy, toothsome treat for patrons who want both bulk and flavor. The two other main courses yielded mixed results. The tempura udon ($12) consisted of fresh, lightly-breaded shrimp and vegetables, and a bowl of long, soft noodles in a rather bland, anemic broth. The soft shell crab fried rice ($15) included just a few crunchy, springy crabs and plenty of fried rice that needed some wasabi-spiked soy sauce to bring it to life, and even then, it was far from memorable.

Ice cream and more ice cream (sesame, ginger, red bean, green tea and vanilla) is the only choice for dessert. But sweets are rarely a strong suit at Asian restaurants. Nevertheless, Nubon is a strong, affordable addition to the Island’s Japanese restaurants for its food, prices and concerned, obliging service.

photos by stephen lang

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PASSIONE
Carle Place (516) 741-4800

To answer the question as to why Long Islanders absolutely love Italian restaurants, look no further than Passione, a relatively-recent arrival in Carle Place. It’s not a great, innovative, cutting-edge restaurant, nor does it try to be. Rather, it’s a warm, generous, traditional place that virtually screams Italy­–there’s obvious Italian pride on tap. The menu features not fancy, finessed creations, but full-flavored food, familiar Italian comfort dishes, including no less than twenty pastas, nine pasta classics (individual or family style) and four pasta al forno picks. Add five risottos, seven Parmigianas, one steak, five fish and 15 other non-pasta entrées and you have the full picture of what Passione offers.

The restaurant’s warmth and generosity are also typical of the genre. Squares of complimentary pizza come with the appetizers. Biscotti (unfortunately brick hard) arrive with the check. Both starters and entrées are served in large bowls and long plates. After eating most of four appetizers and two of the four pizza squares at a recent meal, a quartet of hearty foodies hardly put a dent in the huge entrée portions. More than half of them ended up in take-home bags that provided a second night’s dinner. And the tab here hardly comes close to breaking the bank. Only nine dishes top the $20 mark, while Italian golden oldies like spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna go for $7.95 and $13.95.

Passione is a place of high, beamed ceilings, candles, bare tables, old-fashioned wrought iron lanterns and chandeliers, and jumbo wine bottles. There’s a central dining room, a pizzeria with its own entrance on one end and a bar at the other.

Appetizers and desserts fared a bit better than entrées. Three baby rice balls ($6.95) were packed with flavor. Those gutsy Mama Mia meatballs ($7.95) were enhanced by their ricotta, basil, sweet roasted peppers and crisp garlic bread, and a half Caesar salad for a modest $5.95 was finely shredded and propelled by its pungent dressing. Pan-seared Brussels sprouts ($6.95), a side dish ordered as an appetizer, deservedly attracted attention, even from non vegetable-lovers.

Four main courses batted .500. Chicken Marsala ($17.95) was bogged down by chewy meat and tasteless sauce, while whole-wheat rigatoni ($15.95), despite its delicate shaved Portobello mushroom strips and nicely grilled chicken, featured bland, soggy pasta. Much better was the rich baked ziti ($10.95), with its melted cheese, ground sirloin and admirable pomodoro sauce. Another old-fashioned delight was the Amatriciana that boasted house-made fusilli, caramelized onions and plenty of pancetta.

The out-of-the-ordinary strawberry salad with berries, spinach, hearts of palm, candied pecans and balsamic syrup sounded interesting, a bit more unusual than most of the menu, but it unfortunately turned out to be one of a few items on the menu that was unavailable because of missing ingredients.

Though it’s pretty difficult to leave Passione without feeling full and fat, try their gargantuan, worth-the-calories chocolate mousse cake ($7.95). It is moist and gooey, with a robust flavor that is a chocolate lover’s fantasy. An ice cream cone sampler ($6.95) of four small cones, each loaded with a different flavor, is another worthwhile idea.

photos by stephen lang

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Jeremy Lin, The Giants, Cabernet Franc. That’s right, Cabernet Franc is an underdog—its offspring is more famous. Whether the crossing of Cabernet Franc with Sauvignon Blanc was a function of Mother Nature, or a human hand was involved, the result is still the famed and second-most important wine grape in history—Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay continues to be the most important commercial wine grape in the world, while Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as the king of red grapes. Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Pinot Noir and even Sauvignon Blanc have all enjoyed time being the darling of wine grapes, yet poor old Cabernet Franc still struggles in anonymity. This may be changing due to more plantings and success in cooler climates. Even in Canada’s Essex-Pelee Island region (just across the border from Detroit), the winery owners I met mentioned Cabernet Franc as one of their signature grapes. I have long been a fan of the wines that Cabernet Franc can create, from blends in Saint-Emilion of Bordeaux to pure Cabernet Francs in places like Chinon of Loire Valley.

Unfortunately, one of my all-time favorite Cabernet Francs is beyond my pay grade. Chateau Cheval Blanc (average bottle price: $762) in Saint-Emilion is planted to 52 percent Cabernet Franc, the balance to Merlot. This wine ranks as one of the greatest expressions of Cabernet Franc in a blend. Fortunately, there have been many examples of producers from other wine regions creating wines using Cheval Blanc as the exemplar. Although some are almost as expensive, like my favorite from Sonoma, Vérité La Desir (a 100-point Parker score helps keep the price close to $400), my favorite from Tuscany, Poggio al Tesoro Dedicato a Walter, is a more reasonable $90. However, none of these wines represent the average pricing of Cabernet Franc-based wines; there are some really great values, including several from wineries close by. So I set about collecting and tasting a selection of Cabernet Franc wines.

Of the four I tasted with friends, the Bedell 2010 of the North Fork of LI and Complices de Loire la Petite Timonerie 2009 Chinon from Loire Valley shared the top spot. The Bedell Cabernet Franc sells for about $22 a bottle, while the Chinon is a great bargain at $14. We also tasted and enjoyed Millbrook 2010 from The Hudson Valley and Ravines 2009 from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. The Millbrook was the softest and simplest of the group, while the Ravines had the most complexity, but, most importantly, any of the four should make a red wine drinker happy. I also enjoyed a Cabernet Franc-based wine from Hungary, 2006 Heumann Cuvée from Villany. On the border with Croatia, the region of Villany focuses on both Cabernet Franc and Kékfrankos, an important grape in much of Eastern Europe.

Look for cool-climate Cabernet Francs to have red berry aromas and notes of spice, including green and black peppercorns. If it is a bit underripe in cooler vintages, it may also have an herbal note. Warmer climates allow the grape to lose a bit of the green notes and gain weight, and darker berry and cherry notes reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon. Think of Cabernet Franc as being a wine grape that has the ability to have similar aromas of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, depending on where it is grown and how late and ripe it is picked. I also find many Cabernet Francs have more versatility when paired with food. That bit of spice and more aromatic, bright berry and cherry fruit notes can match lighter and more diverse cuisines. That may also account for Cabernet Franc’s popularity in Northern Italy, where food and wine are so important to their culture.

Painters’
(631) 286-6264, Bellport

Dude, so what if we, like, bought a big old building and fixed it up, and we could, like, put art all over the walls and open it up as a restaurant? And we could also have a bar and a yard and people could, like, have festivals and stuff in the summer? And we could have live bands all the time and we could get a really, really big TV and show movies on Tuesday nights and everything would just be really chill, you know? Oh, and the food would be really, really good and we’d have really good beer, too, man. I know, we could call it Painters’. Wouldn’t that be awesome? It is.

Beanberry Caffe
(631) 828-8995, Miller Place

The itty-bitty Beanberry Caffe serves up gourmet coffee, chocolate fondue and live acoustic music every weekend. The vibe is like a hip, neighborhood spot in Brooklyn without all the skinny jeans and complicated hair. When the musicians are playing, the space transitions from friendly neighborhood coffeeshop to serious listening room faster than you can say, “half-caf latte.”

The Blue Parrot Lounge
(516) 797-5908, Massapequa

Nothing says rock ’n’ roll like a gigantic blue parrot painted on the side of a stucco building on Merrick Road. This is one of the clubs that LI bands love to play, so there is always good music on Friday and Saturday nights. If you’re looking for a classy night out…well, that brings us back to the gigantic blue parrot. But if you are looking for cheap drinks and loud South Shore fun, this will get you there.

Toast Coffeehouse
(631) 331-6860, Port Jefferson

It masquerades as a cute breakfast-and-brunch destination by day, but if you’re wandering Port Jeff village at night, what you’ll find is a hip art bar instead. Who doesn’t want to hear local music, drink wine and enjoy decadent cheeses, all in one sitting? Consider this HQ for the real music and art of Long Island. And it is not afraid of the edgy, interesting stuff either.

NASSAU

K.Pacho
(516) 358-2222, New Hyde Park
http://www.kpacho.com
Newly revamped and recently unveiled, K.Pacho has the flavor and style of a true restaurant contender. Jay Grossman transformed his spacious venue, previously TWO Steak and Sushi Den, into a crimson tequila bar and restaurant. K.Pacho’s “Killer Margaritas” are always flowing and the vast, candlelit interior comfortably accommodates Long Islanders looking for a spin-off of traditional Mexican cuisine, while also catering to those patrons with highly-selective tequila taste buds. The walls are repurposed barn wood and brick, and the ceiling displays exposed beams, hanging red lights and chandeliers. Tall, wooden communal tables are sandwiched between the extensive bar and dining tables, and a massive gargoyle welcomes (or frightens) patrons upon entering. This eclectic ambiance matches the varied, 80s, classics and top-40 soundtrack. Start the weekend off right with their $5 margarita and cocktail specials from 4-7pm. DJ entertainment starts at 5pm.

SUFFOLK

Jewel
(631) 755-5777, Melville
http://www.jewelrestaurantli.com
Tom Schaudel’s newest masterpiece, Jewel, has his fingerprints all over it. With fine, expressive details like aesthetically-pleasing menus and pop-influenced paintings on the wall, the restaurateur’s passion for diverse cuisine and fine wine is clear. Located on the first floor of the newly built Rubie Corporate Plaza, Jewel is quite the gem. Everything about Jewel seems to sparkle. A glistening backdrop of colored tiles covers the lounge wall and white marble featuring engravings of wine selections fronts the bar. The stunning lounge glows with surreal upside-down lamps and an illuminated floor that beckons dancers. Schaudel, a loyal Long Islander, takes pride in offering the finest selection from local vineyards on Jewel’s extensive wine list. Tasty cocktails reflect the gemstone theme, including the White Opal, mixed with Malibu rum, white Godiva liqueur and caramel drizzle, or the delicious Diamond Dust cosmo with Stoli Ohranj, Cointreau, lime juice and white cranberry juice.

NYC

The Stanton Social
(212) 995-0099, Manhattan
http://www.stantonsocial.com
The Stanton Social is worth the price and the grab-a-drink-at-the-bar wait. This scenester LES spot is the leader for mouthwatering, shareable small plates and one-of-a-kind potions. Social created what may be the most clever dish ever—French onion soup dumplings. These bold morsels, loaded with slow-cooked onions and delicious beef broth, are flash fried and served in an escargot dish with bubbling Gruyère layered on top. Tasty beverage remedies include the cucumber-vanilla cosmopolitan with white cranberry and fresh lime or the Brooklyn lemonade with gin, lemon juice, muddled cucumber and ginger beer. Join the social event of the week at Stanton on Social Monday. Upstairs becomes a lounge, while a DJ spins the best dance beats. Cheers to a night that is often disregarded­—Monday is the new funday.

We Hate Beer! April Fools! We Only Hate Everything Else.

NASSAU

Bronx Pizza Company
(516) 802-4112, Syosset
bronxpizzacompany.com

Niko: Pizza For Brains, for $400.
Pizza Trebek: Little Caesar, the toga-clad, gladiatorial animascot for Little Caesars Pizza, is recognized for this iterate phrase during commercials and advertisements.
Niko: What is “Pizza! Pizza!”?
PT: Correct!
Niko:  Pizza For Brains, for $500.
PT: Established by the Zilla family in September of 2011, this Syosset pizzaurant utilizes on-premises baking for its thin-crust artisan pies, with pulled pork and ravioli among available additions, and pours 17 drafts, including Sly Fox Brewing Company Pikeland Pils, a dry, German-style pilsner. It represents Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
Niko:  What is Bronx Pizza Company?
PT: Correct!
Niko: May I dress my podium and microphone with mozzarella and consume?
PT: No.

Koenig’s Restaurant
(516) 354-2300, Floral Park
koenigsrestaurant.com

“Most of our staff have been with us for almost thirty years,” says Bill Fitzgerald, owner of Koenig’s Restaurant since 1999. “We’re one big family, both employees and customers.”

Fitzgerald, who “climbed the ladder from assistant manager in 1983,” attributes Koenig’s communal success to the current absence of “authentic, old world” restaurants on Long Island that offer “the promise of fresh-cooked German food.”

“We’re one of the only ones left,” says Fitzgerald.

Within the dusted-brick corner structure, established in 1944, one can pair sauerbraten, Schnitzel à la Holstein and Kassler Rippchen with three Hofbrau Munchen drafts (Dunkel, Hefe Weizen and Original).

SUFFOLK

Southampton Publick House
(631) 283-2800, Southampton
publick.com

Home of Phil Markowski, brewmaster, and winner of 14 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals since 1996.

Markowski, author of 2004’s Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition, creates high-rated, style-exact beers (e.g., Berliner Weisse, a wheat funkensour homage to Berlin, and Abbot 12, a Belgian quadrupel) within the microbrewery-restaurant, which once operated as a speakeasy. Currently owned by Donald Sullivan, Southampton Publick House offers 12 drafts with full eats.

Growlers and small-batch 750ml bottles are also available.

Sullivan on Markowski:

“He’s developed his craft by continually experimenting and advancing his own education, traveling extensively with the mission of researching true-to-style brewers and breweries. Phil’s brewing is about the subtlety of flavors and getting the beer to be as exact to the style as possible. Additionally, Phil will look to the worlds of food and wine to help steer him if he’s looking to have a beer better represent the area or origin of that beer. His understanding of food and beer allows our beers to be very well coordinated with our seasonal menu.”

BOBBiQUE
(631) 447-7744, Patchogue
bobbique.com

Eric Rifkin, whose credentials include chef of New York’s City Crab and Seafood Company, and recipient of Restaurateur of the Year by the Long Island chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association, was initially advised against the concept of a Southern-style pit barbecue on Long Island.

“My friends and family were skeptical about barbecue and craft beer in Patchogue, but good culture has always existed here,” says Rifkin. “We just needed to wake it up.”

Established in June of 2006, and named after Rifkin’s daughter, Bobbi, BOBBiQUE uses Southern influence to craft its menu of brisket, St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork and barbecue chicken.
It also pours 12 drafts and 70+ bottles.

Recent highlights include Brooklyn Brewery Mary’s Maple Porter, brewed using syrup from an employee’s maple trees, and Long Ireland Beer Company Double IPA. (The latter was the sole keg released by Long Ireland Beer Company.)

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

BOBBiQUE photo by Stephen Lang

Whether you’re a secret NPR fan who tunes in from time to time to get your “serious” on or a full-blown out-of-the-closet-in-love-with-it type of listener, you’ve most likely heard announcements for events at Symphony Space and thought, “What kind of space is this, really?” Is it all about the symphony or does it showcase cool music, too? Are there any other types of shows that go on here? And, perhaps most importantly, who actually goes to these events?

I was wondering myself until I saw Miranda July at Symphony Space not too long ago. She’s a peculiar writer/actor/performance artist and the mind behind the irresistibly engaging and quirky films Me and You and Everyone We Know and the more recent The Future. Her appearance at Symphony Space was part of Selected Shorts, an ongoing series of contemporary writers reading their work. The readings involve celebrities, other writers, dancers and whatever makes the sometimes-stale literary event into something else. An artful happening, if you will.

And that’s what Symphony Space does to the idea of the symphony itself. Check out the Cutting Edge Concerts and New Music Series. See old material re-imagined (Sondheim on solo piano? By a jazz dude?). Be moved by ancient, otherworldly instruments playing trippy music. Bring your kids to check out Caspar Babypants, the alter ego of the lead singer from the Presidents of the United States of America. He now makes indie rock for children. All this is in a room so sweetened with acoustic perfection that you might find yourself transported inside one of those high-end headphone sets with the package that reads, “For the discerning audiophile.”

There are a lot of interesting events this April at Symphony Space, but if I had to choose one, I’d make my way back to the Selected Shorts Series. The final installment of the month (on April 25) features one of my favorite writers, Zadie Smith, and the award-winning Irish novelist Colm Tóibín “joining forces to present stories they love.” I suppose that’s what Symphony Space is, after all: A great place to visit for people who like a little rock and roll with their classical, a bit of play in their profundity and a healthy dose of levity in their heavy space. symphonyspace.org

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin, the famed Russian cosmonaut, was the first human being to travel into space. Just eleven short years later, on April 20, 1972, Apollo 16’s lunar module Orion touched down on the surface of the moon. Just nine years after that, on April 12, 1981, we launched the first Space Shuttle. Then, on April 24, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery carried aloft the Hubble Space Telescope—one of the biggest and most versatile space telescopes to be launched into orbit. Hubble has contributed more to our perception and understanding of the universe than any other single instrument or space mission.

I leave you to ponder what happened to the incredible scientific and exploratory momentum, the wonderful succession of achievements and all that amazing progress. By now we should have established an international moon base as well as regular shuttle flights to the moon for scientists and even for those who merely desire an out-of-this world trip. Remember the moon base Hilton in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey? By now it should be a reality.

•As we enter spring and move toward summer, the days will rapidly grow longer. We will be gaining more than two minutes each day throughout most of April.

•Saturn will be at opposition (directly opposite and fully illuminated by the sun) on April 15. Look for it in the southeast skies.

•Though not at opposition, Mars will also be large (but not as large as the moon) and well illuminated by the sun. It appears as a bright orange star. Look for it high in the southwest skies.

•The Lyrids peak on April 21 and 22. These meteors tend to leave bright dust trails that glow for seconds or longer. Viewing will be excellent this year thanks to the new moon and dark skies. As with most meteor showers, observing will be best after midnight when, from the perspective of the observer, the Earth is moving into the stream. Look toward the constellation Lyra in the east-northeast sky. Lyra can be found by its principal star, Vega. Vega, which had a prominent role in the film (and Carl Sagan novel) Contact, is the second brightest star in the nighttime sky.

Springtime in the LI food universe means seasonal restaurants are coming out of hibernation and all are gearing up for the warmer months—a time when the maximum amount of diverse cuisine is available.

I can’t overemphasize the need for LI foodies to eat out every night from April 22-29 at any of the 150+ dining spots participating in Long Island Restaurant Week (longislandrestaurantweek.com). These locales will have special menus with at least three choices of appetizers, entrées and desserts for $24.95. The prix fixe lasts all night, but only until 7pm on Saturday. To help you navigate, a Long Island Restaurant Week mobile app is available for iPhone and Android.

Seasons 52’s newest outpost just opened in Garden City (seasons52.com), bringing its farm-fresh offerings and extensive wine list to LI. Seasons 52 is the creator of the “mini-indulgence,” shrinking such sinful treats as key lime pie and carrot cake to fit in a shot glass. And even though they serve such voluptuous favorites as grilled rack of New Zealand lamb and the char crust filet mignon, each menu item does not exceed 475 calories.

Amongst the bevy of Hamptons hotspots, chef/owner Matthew Guiffrida is presiding over the newly-opened Muse in the Harbor in Sag Harbor (631) 899-4810. The latest of his numerous dining hotspots on the East End and beyond, Muse goes New American. Check out the $18 tuna “Ménage A Trois” appetizer—ahi tuna tartar atop Moroccan vegetable tabouli spiked with wonton crouton, blackened tuna lollipop with candied wasabi crust on whipped avocado, and hot stone seared tuna carpaccio with seaweed salad. For the main course, try the $32 wasabi jerked Long Island duck au poivre served alongside herb grilled sweet potato risotto with caramelized Vidalia onion and cranberry duck confit.

Many vegans are repulsed at the sight of meat and fish. Chris Gerdes is not. Holding up a huge side of quality beef on a tour of Blackwells Restaurant’s well-organized kitchen, the chef proclaims, “I love my job. If it bothered me in any way to cook meat and fish, I would not be able to do it. I strongly feel that my personal preference does not matter.”

Executive Chef of Blackwells at Great Rock Golf Club, Wading River, Gerdes’ cuisine is primarily French and Northern Italian, but he can cook anything—from a sizzling, juicy porterhouse steak or sautéed sea scallops to homemade fettuccine.

“My philosophy is to take the best ingredients and do the least with them to bring out the flavors,” Chef Gerdes says. He is adamant that a good chef can work well when he knows his craft and uses the best ingredients—meat, fish or vegetables. As a vegan, he respects animals and is careful to waste little in food preparation, using what he can in soups and sauces.

A vegan will not eat animals or animal by-products like dairy, eggs and cheese. They choose natural foods unaltered by additives or preservatives. Food is treated as a vehicle to nourish one’s body, and proper treatment of animals and respect for nature is encouraged. Veganism is a moral, rather than health-related practice, but Gerdes says being a vegan is his personal choice and insists that he does not impose his philosophy on others, especially in a restaurant known for its steaks.

Reading the autobiography of Gandhi is what changed Gerdes’ life. It taught him to have a reverence for nature. His wife, Kathy, introduced him to Ashtanga, or eight-limbed yoga, and its spiritual aspect. The calming effects of yoga and meditation are useful in his fast-paced work environment. “I am a craftsman, not an artist. I meditate to stay calm. If I stress out, it does not set a good example for my staff.”

Gerdes and his wife own a five-acre farm in Port Jefferson Station. They rescued two thoroughbred racehorses, Wind in the Willow and Pilgrim, and ride whenever they can. They also raise chickens and grow fresh produce in season.

Gerdes is inspired by chefs who use sustainable and organic produce. Among them, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA and Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY. He remembers an amazing six-course tasting menu at Blue Hill, which included a simple, but delicious Scotch egg (soft-boiled egg coated in bread crumbs and fried).

Chef Gerdes has no desire to make any moves. Blackwells’ location in Wading River appeals to him because of its easy access to the North Fork’s sustainable and organic local produce, cheese and wine. He loves the elegance of the dark-paneled mansion overlooking the golf course, especially the library, and he’s looking forward to Blackwells’ new catering facility.

In the meantime, despite his personal choices, Gerdes will cook any steak to order and remain calm and respectful doing it.

Signature Dish  : Catapano Dairy Farm Goat Cheese Soufflé
Chef Gerdes was introduced to this light and airy soufflé years ago in SoHo. The goat cheese adds a unique flavor. Served with watercress and heirloom tomato salad, and garlic crostini, it is perfect for company or a quick dinner.

Catapano Dairy Farm Goat Cheese Soufflé with Watercress & Heirloom Tomato Salad, Garlic Crostini
 
4 oz. Catapano Dairy Farm goat cheese*
2 whole eggs
2 oz. heavy cream
1 tsp. fresh chives
1 tsp. shallots
½ tsp. fresh dill
 
Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend 30 seconds. Pour contents into two 4 oz. ramekins. 
Bake at 400º for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
 
 *Catapano Dairy Farm is in Peconic on the North Fork of Long Island.

Spring and baseball go together like Mets players and the disabled list. It’s looking like another rough year ahead for the Amazins, but historically they have had a good track record on opening day. Enjoy this cross between an Opening Day Lemonade and a Long Island Iced Tea on the only surefire day the Metropolitans will not have a losing record. We’re sure the Yankees will be the Yankees, so as usual, we’ll drink to them in October.

Ingredients

1 oz vodka
1 oz rum
1 oz tequila
1 oz gin
1 splash blue Curaçao
4 oz fresh lemonade

Instructions
Mix all ingredients and pour over ice in a tall glass. Play ball!

“Forgive me father for I have sinned. It’s been two days since my last confession.”

“That’s ok, honey. But it’s Freda. What’ll you be havin’?”

“I seek redemption. I tailgated. I cursed at my mother. I stole cigarettes from my colleague’s desk.”

“Mmhmmm. Southwestern omelet? Ok. Do you want bacon or sausage with that?”

“I can’t seem to find my way.”

“Go with the bacon. Whole wheat?”

“Father I—”

“It’s Freda. I’m a girl. Freda.”

“Forgive me, I’m so tired.”

“Sit tight, honey, I’ll be back with the coffee in just a sec.”

Around me I could see the demons writhing above the booths. The spaces rank with the stench of titans. The optimism of children. The ambivalence of a divorcée. This place—outfitted in stale lights and individualized jukeboxes—is the ultimate suburban sanctuary. The great social leveler.

Disciples of all kinds congregate, changing in denomination with the waning of the daylight, they find their benedictions and spiritual resolve on the Formica tables and mirrored walls. In the morning, captains of industry make deals amidst truck drivers in plaid vests and suspenders. In the afternoon, the yuppie soccer moms complain about their gardeners, their husbands, their kids…everything. Early evening, retirees come in for Lenten dinner specials. At night, the youth who are either too young to find the wine or old enough to be sobering from it. They all bow to—

“Here’s your coffee, doll.”

The unmistakable sound of the black gold pouring into the short white cup. Palms wrap around the warmth for comfort. Something familiar. Something simple. Something universalistic about the sugar dispensers, single-serving jam packets and the reliable waitresses donning black polyester vests, motherly hairdos and exotic manicures. There’s no hierarchy here. No fun-for-all pomp of table upon table of chic Long Island restaurant culture. This is the sanctity of the all-American diner, organized in anonymous, self-contained booths that elicit exorcisms and divine transformations. The past mingles freely with the present in this hallowed nave where the transactions of daily life compile to create a catechism of humanity. We are all equal in the unblinking eyes of neon.

My Naugahyde catharsis continues: “I fired someone I should not have. His hygiene was terrible. No one could stand it and the carefully placed notes weren’t working. I killed a man’s career because of deodorant.”

To my right, a man is preparing for his convocation. His tie is flung over the white shoulder of his button down. Initials at his sleeves punctuate the pages of testaments he is anxiously turning. He almost heard me, one eye glanced accusingly in my direction, but he is fixed on his own rites. He is parsing his worship among a Blackberry, his wallet, a watch and the six envelopes he is constantly arranging and rearranging in front of him. “My bosses,” the pagan shrugs at me and nervously throws his tie over his other shoulder in a flogging motion.

A few pews down, the nefarious ad man is cutting a deal. He called for this breakfast over a dinner to prove his busyness. He covets this new account—too long has it been with his competitor—he can do anything. He orders lasagna, just to prove his voracious point. His mark orders a tuna sandwich. A rumpled acquaintance bows in recognition on his way out, leaving the silent skip of a beat, the unspoken acknowledgement of his unemployment hanging in the air. “I heard he’s been drinking,” the mark says and hastily agrees to the ad man’s terms. The newly forged co-conspirators commit their canons to a paper placemat.

“Here you go, honey. Southwestern omelet with bacon and whole wheat.” She slides a bottle of Tabasco out of her apron with a wink, tempting me with an allegory that will play out in my stomach as perdition.

“When I’m gone, you’ll deny you met me. Everyone will forget I was here.” I broke the toast. “This is my bread, which I offer to you.”

“The Heinz is there on the table, honey.” She nods to the red bottle.

A legion of vapors collected over decades renders a film of grease on the window blinds. The ghosts of predawn breakfasts are trapped there, cackling at me. Hypnotized by their plotting voices, the cacophony of dishes crashing in buckets, a cash register unzipping its drawer and the unspecified bleating of NY cockney by waitresses, I open my throat to take the body of egg and grease… “Amen.”
I hear angels.

Behind me, a freshman is rehearsing for the interview of a lifetime. He is distracted by the couple to his left debating the merits of different waxing techniques. In the end, Brazilian wins and she agrees to it—if he first takes care of the unseemly patch between his shoulders. He says something about his wife. The freshman groans, excited by the Brazilian and adultery. The conversations ebb and flow, each piece coming together to create a grainy chorus of melodramatic gospels.

My temptress returns: “More coffee?” Her voice rings out from above the fray; she starts pouring before the question is full on her scarlet lips. The seven-headed beast beneath her is rhythmically swagging his tail, its ten horns catching light off the bejeweled hand offering the drink.

“Goddammit,” whispers the bald man in front of me. “You better find a way to get your hands on it,” he tells the man across his table, his neck turning from red to purple as he gestures his fork in the air.

The walls are moving around me, expanding and contracting accordion-style. The scene is turning into a funhouse mirror. “Yes, coffee!” I exclaim. “And French fries! With GRAVY! PLEASE!!” My stomach is on overtime, begging for comfort food, bubbling and gurgling like the lava of hell moving through my pipes. I forget absolution and steal the glass pot from Freda’s hands, gulping at the fluid of Styx as it overflows from my mouth, baptizing my face, shoulders and hands.

Peace overcomes me as the warmth envelopes. My fellow sinners look in my direction with suspicion. I fall back into my booth, exhausted. Complete, but empty. Purged. Christened. Freda draws a circle on the green lined pad and puts my check down on the table.

“No rush, hon. Just take that up to the register when you’re ready.”

We all remember our first introduction to the diner. Sort of. It was probably an underage stumbling in, fake IDs exhausted from the night’s activities, the flirtations and the chance barroom brawls. We found the bottomless cups of coffee that dignified our demands. This “land of yes” where you can have anything you want at any time is the place that would reconcile the most random cravings. It is a stagecoach of equality and acceptance. And it’s why we come back under the most varied of circumstances.

Hampton Bays Diner
Montauk Hwy @ Route 24

Décor: Roadhouse retro with polished wood and lots of windows
Clientele: Real estate adventurers and lost Manhattanites
Distinguisher: One of the last few open 24hrs and actively using a liquor license

Mineola Diner
Jericho Tpke & Willis Ave

Décor: True 1948 stainless steel throwback
Clientele: Dark suits en route to the county courthouse and government buildings
Distinguisher: Outdoor seating

On Parade
Jericho Tpke, Woodbury

Décor: Deco meets doo-wop—classic 50s cars are etched on glass dividers
Clientele: Captains of industry settle billion dollar deals over bacon and eggs
Distinguisher: Fran, the 30-year morning waitress, a celebrity in her own right

Sayville Modern Diner
Main Street

Décor: Railcar meets sock hop
Clientele: Academics, teachers and professors who live and work nearby
Distinguisher: It’s haunted

Sweet Hollow
Broadhollow Rd, Melville

Décor: Mirrored walls that throwback to 70s late-night glam
Clientele: Masters of the universe headquartered along the 110 corridor
Distinguisher: Some of LI’s biggest deals were done over Sweet Hollow brew

According to Wikipedia, a leprechaun is “a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief…and stores away all his coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If ever captured by a human, the leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for his release…”

According to Mark Jones, director and writer of the 1994 film, Leprechaun, however, one may also resemble a Nilbog-esque, Danny Devito-like troll who performs butchery on farmstead families with a pogo stick.

Yeah.

According to Niko Krommydas, lastly, based on the aforementioned interpretations of a leprechaun’s characteristics or behaviors, they are undoubtedly dope creature-things. (I heart magic wishes and pogo stick.)

So, I visited three Irish-style establishments on Long Island to find one.

Retrospection commences following the completion of this sentence.

1) Corry’s Ale House
Wantagh, http://www.corrysalehouse.com

Encountered an elderly male also hunting for leprechaun near the Long Island Railroad station in Wantagh. Grappling ensued. I performed a flying elbow drop, manuever of six-time heavyweight champion and deceased individual, “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Victory. Applause. I did not, however, follow with a Slim Jim-snap. Instead, visited Helen and John Corry, owners of Corry’s Ale House, for Redbreast 12 Year Rare Pot Still, a spicy Irish whiskey with sherry notes. (Former Dubliners, the Corrys also own Shackletons in Franklin Square.)
Leprechaun Status: None

Still Visit and Consume: Dublin Cheese Steak (sliced steak with sautéed mushrooms, onion and melted Dubliner cheddar)

2) The Republic Pub
Farmingdale, http://www.therepublicpub.com

Enticed patrons with promises of intense thirty-six-second breakdance performances for leprechaun information, but was pelted with abhorrence and vinyl copies of Daniel Johnston’s 1990. Consumed Long Ireland Beer Company Celtic Ale, a 5.00% ABV Irish red ale comprising four malt types and flavors of caramel, honey and oats, while staring contemplatively into bathroom mirror. (Celtic Ale is one of 19 drafts at The Republic Pub, established in October of 2010 by Steve Gusz, Peter Mangouranes and Morgan Sharp. Guinness is also served, using a separate tower, with in-house nitrogen and on-premises blending.)
Leprechaun Status: None

Still Visit and Consume: The Republic (ground sirloin with bacon, Irish cheddar, Irish whiskey barbecue sauce and onion strings)

3) Cannon’s Blackthorn
Rockville Centre, http://www.cannonsblackthornli.com

Performed acoustic rendition of “Where Have All The Leprechauns Gone?” near row of Cannon’s Blackthorn’s five snugs, booths used in Ireland for women (prior to their allowance in pubs) or any patrons desiring privacy. Collapsed due to stage anxiety during second verse. Was not revived for remainder of song. Was not revived for remainder of evening. Was placed within a snug while patrons continued to socialize near two fireplaces and bar. (Cannon’s secondary bar was salvaged and restored from the structure’s original business, The Saratoga Hotel, in 1926.)
Leprechaun Status: None

Still Visit and Consume: Donegal Rib Eye (rib eye with roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus and Irish whiskey butter glaze)

Sigh. If one encounters a leprechaun on Long Island, please capture (gentle methods of abduction are preferable) and send to Long Island Pulse Magazine. Thx.

We are fast approaching spring, which begins with the vernal equinox on the 20th of March. The equinox marks the time when the amount of night and day become equal. It also marks the time when the sun is directly above the equator and when the days grow longer at the most rapid rate. In fact, the period from sunrise to sunset will lengthen by about 17 minutes with each passing week. Compare this to a gain of only 8 minutes per week during January.

The vernal equinox is associated with many holidays and festivals. For instance, Oestara and Passover are celebrated, respectively, by Wiccans and Jews on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Easter takes place on the first Sunday following Oestara. The Persian (Iranian) New Year also begins with the vernal equinox.

Albert Einstein was born in March, and his theory of general relativity predicted black holes, gravitational lensing and more or less provided the foundation for modern astrophysics.

Finally, as I write this in January, news is breaking about exoplanets, that is, planets orbiting stars other than our sun: One writer reports there could be 10 billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy alone. Another one suggests that our galaxy, the Milky Way, may be home to more than 100 billion planets, from rocky terrestrial planets like Earth, to gas giants like Jupiter. I venture to say that January 2012 will be remembered as the month it became abundantly clear that planets are the norm, not the exception and the universe is flush with other worlds, some, no doubt, harboring life.

• Mars will reach opposition on the 3rd. This means the planet will be frontally illuminated by the sun and will appear as a bright orange star to the naked eye. Through a good telescope, the planet will appear large (but not as large as the moon) and some detail will be discernible.
• On the 8th of March, the moon will be full and, like Mars, at opposition.
• There will be a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on the 14th during the early evening. These planets will be aligned within 3 degrees. Look for them in the western skies just around sunset. They will be joined by the crescent moon on the 25th.
• Saturn will be rising in the evening throughout the month of March, after Jupiter, Venus and the sun have set.

KANSAS CITY SMOKEHOUSE
East Meadow (516) 731-4227

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” is the saying being doggedly pursued by the Singh Hospitality Group at 2367 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow, where one of their nine Long Island restaurants is located. Its present incarnation, the Kansas City Smokehouse, is the fourth occupant and third barbecue eating place to give it a go here in the recent past. It follows limited, unsuccessful runs by Long Thin Seafood, Ruby’s and Rub barbecues. The last one, the Island franchise of a respected Manhattan restaurant, ended acrimoniously in court.

The new, darkish eatery with its 11 televisions (tuned to basketball and football during my visit), bare tables and floors, overhead fans, a long bar, booths and twenty beers on tap has the look and feel of a sports bar. The owners, the Singh Hospitality Group, had two pitmasters spend two months at Rub in Manhattan in training for the Island’s Rub branch. I’ve also been told they dispatched two of their people to Texas to sharpen their barbecue skills. And perhaps as a result, the Kansas City Smokehouse has its virtues. They include a powerful appetizer crock of Texas chili ($4.95) studded with chunks of burnt beef “endz,” a haystack of feathery fried onion strings ($5.95), smoky baked beans ($3.75), Fred Flintstone-sized Saint Louis ribs (half rack $17.95, full rack $23.95) full of flavor from six hours in a hickory wood-fired smoker, a basket of respectable deep-fried shrimp ($18.95) and a crunchy, blistered-crust apple crumb pie ($5.75). Add huge, take-home-sized portions (two side dishes are included in the price of entrées) and reasonable prices and you have the positives.

In the “just ok” category are onion soup ($4.95), equally undistinguished (at $3.75 each) French and sweet potato fries, slightly sweet corn bread, forgettable mayo and vinegar coleslaws, nothing special collard greens, tasteless Cajun rice, dryish, less-than-tender baby back ribs ($14.50 half rack, $25.95 full slab) and a rich, densely flavored chocolate cake that’s also a smidgen on the dry side.

While it’s quite possible to pick enough of the good dishes to have a satisfying meal at the Kansas City Smokehouse, it’s difficult to overlook some of the flawed operational and training problems here. My visit was just days after the transition from Rub to Kansas City Smokehouse. The restaurant had only about 40 or 50 percent of its seats filled. Under these circumstances, it’s not unreasonable to expect it to be at the top of its game, trying to make a favorable impression on both newcomers and regular barbecue devotees. Yet, when we ordered the burnt “endz” we were told they were out of them. The same thing happened when we opted for the bread pudding. A diner who asked for assistance in choosing one of those twenty beers was told by our pleasant, hardworking waitress that she knew little or nothing about any of them. She was a competent sort who unfortunately hadn’t been trained or properly prepared to answer even frequently asked questions. Our bare table wasn’t dirty, but barbecues generate a good deal of grease and there was a thin film of it on the surface of the wood that a rag probably wouldn’t remove, but a thorough scrubbing would.

There are a number of rewarding desserts available, but when we asked which ones were housemade we were told “all of them.” One was a fried Twinkie, which made us suspicious about the origin of the rest as well.

photos by stephen lang

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BISTRO ETCETERA
Port Washington   (516) 472-7780

Bistro Etcetera in Port Washington is cozy, convenient and competently run, rather than flamboyant or impressive. This new, thirty-seat spot that opened late last year replaced Bistro Toulouse, a mostly French eating place. Its kitchen commander is Melanie LaRocco, a Garden City native who has returned to the Island from Melanie’s Bistro in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

The modest, welcoming Bistro Etcetera is a neat, neighborhood storefront of mirrors, white tablecloths, ceiling fans, darkish wainscoting, track lighting and photos of actors and political leaders. It’s also an American-international restaurant that lives up to its name with a bit of this and a bit of that. Though Ms. LaRocco’s menu is anything but a vast, bed sheet-sized document, it boasts Italian, French, Greek, Japanese, English and American influences. It also features housemade desserts. They are probably the strongest course. Yet the desserts are typical of the entire menu, some dishes are better than others, but there are no strikeouts or grand slam homers.

As with every restaurant, Bistro Etcetera has some limitations, beginning with the diverse, warm, wonderful rolls. We received four of them for four diners. There were no replacements given or even offered. At a recent dinner, they were followed by a smooth, silken chicken liver pâté ($10) that should be spread on its accompanying warm, charred bread with smidgens of its plate mates (fig jam and housemade pickles).

An Asian touched quesadilla ($10) featuring roasted duck with a hoisin dipping sauce in addition to goat cheese and plenty of caramelized onions made the dish into an international American-Latino-Chinese pick, much like Beijing duck on a flour tortilla. A fresh, generously-portioned Caesar salad ($8) was a bit too fishy from its anchovy dressing, while a hearty, hefty onion soup ($8) that’s ideal winter fare benefited from a few shakes of salt.

The least expensive entrée, roasted vegetable Shepherd’s Pie ($16), was also the best main course sampled. Its first-class vegetables, vibrant, herbed sauce and velvety whipped potatoes fused perfectly into an unexpected meatless success. A small, straightforward, fresh salmon fillet ($24) was all it should be, as was a farmhouse chicken ($22). It was garlic herb roasted, almost boneless, enlivened by its natural jus and large enough for a doggie bag second at-home dinner. A large, lightly breaded Milanese style pork chop that was tender, flattened and covered with a lively mix of arugula, red onion and tomato salad offered both commendable and contrasting tastes and textures.

Among the desserts ($8), give a tumble to the flaky apple strudel with a scoop of cinnamon gelato that would do a German restaurant proud, the dense chocolate raspberry truffle tart with just a touch of fruit flavor, the sticky toffee pudding with its warm, moist cake soaked by sweet, addictive toffee sauce topped by a spiced pear compote bonus and lemon ricotta cheesecake with a silken, creamy, glorious texture, but little hint of any lemon taste.

photos by stephen lang

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LEGACY
Huntington (631) 425-7788

Volatility and buzzwords permeate the Long Island restaurant scene. And both of them are alive and well at Legacy, the latest occupant of the standalone building at 95 East Main Street (25A) in Huntington. This spot has seen many a restaurant open and close (Italian, Asian and American among them). Typical was Legacy’s predecessor, Dao, an Asian entry that was still listed as a key newcomer in the Zagat Survey when it closed after a brief two-year run. Both Dao and Legacy describe themselves by the most magic of all buzzwords currently encountered on the Island: “Asian Fusion.” Neither is. They, along with most other similar establishments are Pan Asian restaurants or places that offer the dishes of various Far Eastern nations. But none of them are fused, combined or mixed with one another.

The attractive, striking Legacy is basically a Japanese restaurant with a sprinkle of Chinese, Thai, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese dishes, but their numbers are dwarfed by Legacy’s listings of sushi, sashimi, hibachi, maki and specialty rolls.

Legacy, which opened in mid-December, looks good and most of its food tastes good. Visually, little here has changed from its Dao days. The upfront bar and lounge, sushi bar, sparkling crystal chandeliers and white tablecloths remain while an eye-catching, flush-to-the-wall aquarium has been enhanced by the addition of remarkably exotic saltwater fish. But the ingredients in the artistically arranged presentations on interestingly shaped plates are superior to those used in the past.

Appetizers batted three for four. Only a very modestly priced ($3) wonton soup that yielded very modest flavor and flat, medium-sized wontons (rather than the minis the menu promised) fell short. A substantial portion of soft, tasty boneless ribs ($7) were quickly devoured at our table, as were five crystal shrimp dumplings ($6) with admirably thin, transparent skins and fresh shrimp filling. Best of all was the row of California roll-shaped Thai crabcakes ($9) in a sweet, but not cloying fruit-laced honey sauce topped with delicate mango strands.

The only entrée misfire was the Hibachi scallop dinner ($20). The menu listed more than the kitchen delivered. There was no clear soup or green salad. Two shrimp, an abundance of noodles, mediocre fried rice and some overcooked scallops on a squished together combination plate did appear. But the sushi platter ($22), with eight pieces and a California roll was fresh and fine. The tender, bountiful half Peking roasted duck ($24) with mini steamed pancakes and heady hoisin dipping sauce was a triumph, and the Thai seafood combo ($21), a scramble of shrimp, scallops and vegetables in a smooth brown sauce is a dish I’d order again. Three pricey ($10) western-style desserts made elsewhere (lava cake, red velvet cake, caramel apple cheesecake) topped the usual Asian restaurant offerings. Service varies greatly depending on the waiter or waitress you draw. One night we had to request tea and chopsticks, experienced long gaps between courses and couldn’t find our waitress in time to order wine, while other tables experienced swift, efficient attention.

photos by stephen lang

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The wine, beer and spirit industries are very boom-oriented. There was the Merlot craze, the Shiraz craze, the Pinot Noir craze, the Malbec craze and so on. As with all booms, they eventually plateau and then decline, sometimes severely (see Australian Shiraz). For several years I have lamented the spot Malbec has found in the market. I enjoy Malbecs and promote them in the marketplace, but I also worry that it will become a commodity and follow in Aussie Shiraz’ steps (or missteps). Many people think I’m crying wolf on this, but I am seeing the early signs of a dangerous slope for Malbec.

Even though we have only begun to embrace Malbec on its own in the last twenty years, we have been drinking it for much longer. For centuries, it has been used in Bordeaux regions with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and can be found in many regional blends around the world. The grape has a thin but very dark skin that adds deep color and rich tannins to the resulting wines.

It is believed Malbec originated in Northern Burgundy before migrating south due to its need for more heat and sun to fully ripen; Cahors in Southern France was the grape’s most famed region until Argentina’s Nicolas Catena produced the 1994 Catena Malbec.

The success of Malbec has been great and the wines it produces have offered excellent value. For most of the last 10 years, a wine drinker could buy a Malbec with confidence and it really didn’t matter who the producer was or where in Mendoza, Argentina the wine came from. Recently though, I have found some instances of disappointing Malbecs. This is due to it becoming a commodity. Wine consumers have been trained to just ask for Malbec, rather than one from Valle de Uco, Tupungato or another area within Mendoza where the grape produces especially fine wines. This is the same trap that Australia fell into with Shiraz. Only two pieces of information were needed for a decent wine: Australia + Shiraz = good wine (that is until they didn’t).

Now we are seeing that same math with Malbec: Malbec + Argentina = good wine. Drink enough wine, and you’ll learn math doesn’t always work. To avoid a similar fate as Australian Shiraz, Argentina must learn from Australia’s decline as evidenced by Yellow Tail’s TV commercials. Only wine brands trying to hang on to their dominance advertise on TV.

The solution to this future problem is for Argentina and Mendoza to carefully define the best regions for different styles of wine and promote that to the consumer. All wine consumers know they will pay more for a Cabernet Sauvignon labeled “Napa Valley” or a Pinot Noir labeled “Sonoma” than either of those grapes labeled as “California.” Mendoza is similar in vineyard size to California, about 400,000 versus 450,000 acres, so the importance of subregions gaining consumer recognition is not just relevant, it’s paramount.

Malbecs That Add Up:
Catena, Mendoza; Familia Mayol, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza; Benmarco, Mendoza and, of course, something from Cahors—Clos la Coutale.

The LI restaurant world is hardly a domain of soulless hash slinging, which has been made abundantly apparent by the avalanche of accolades, deals and specials crossing this writer’s desk. And, of course, this trend continues with the first whispers of spring. The concept of the “restaurant week” is essentially an all-access pass to a treasure trove of quality cuisine on the cheap, and the upcoming 10th Hamptons Restaurant Week from March 18-25 will be no different. There will be a three course, prix fixe menu at locations across the Hamptons for either $19.95 or $24.95. http://www.hamptonsrestaurantweek.com.

Mirabelle Restaurant at Three Village Inn (631) 751-0555 in Stony Brook has opened the New Belle Lounge, a luxe locale perfect for pre-dinner drinks. Located just off the main dining room, the Lounge offers small plates masterminded by Chef Guy Reuge. Kir Royale Italiano is the Belle Lounge’s featured cocktail and their ever-morphing wine list features such favorites as French Bordeaux, California Merlot and Spanish Garnacha.

In addition to its culinary fireworks and extensive wine list, The Riverhead Project (631) 284-9300 also conducts an ongoing series of “projects” spearheaded by owner Dennis McDermott that have larger social goals in mind. A recent venture was “The Peace Project,” a fundraiser to promote the quest for world peace, with proceeds going to Richard Gere’s Gere Foundation.

LI mainstay Ben’s Delicatessan & Caterers is celebrating 40 years in business this year, so in addition to its robust, diverse Kosher fare, there will be Daily Deals and promotions at its multiple locations across Nassau County. Every day through the entirety of 2012, Ben’s will offer a different special that is dedicated to the theme of either “1972” or “40 years.” Recent deals have included a potato pudding sampler for 40 cents, and a “buy one, get one free” opportunity for those born in 1972. http://www.bensdeli.net.

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The BrickHouse Brewery
(631) 447-2337, Patchogue

Suffolk’s south shore music scene and craft beer seem to be inextricably linked, and The BrickHouse Brewery capitalizes on this coupling in a beautiful way. On any given week, the brewery may be playing the role of a rock club, an avant garde art gallery or a premiere pub crawl destination. A chalkboard on the back wall will give you an extensive list of available beers, and you’ll want to hustle up to the bar for your favorite because it gets busy fast. Look for local favorites like the Michael Korb Band, Miles to Dayton and Memphis Crawl.

Bellmore Billiards
(516) 409-9728, Bellmore

Before it was hip to go to dive bars, there was Bellmore Billiards. Don’t worry—it’s still not one of the hip dive bars, but it’s a great place to listen to (loud!) music. Go with people you are unsure about, and see if they cheerfully order a cheap beer or roll their eyes and make ironic comments all night. You’ll find out who they are, quickly. Check out the Eggplant Queens, who play here regularly, for a show that is as raucous as it is silly.

The Hard Luck Café
(631) 425-2925, Huntington

While the rest of the music industry has been moaning about dwindling album sales and a rapidly changing landscape, the folk scene has been thriving as it always does—through real community that is strong both locally and nationally. The Folk Music Society of Huntington is no exception. The Hard Luck Café is the FMSH’s monthly concert series, the third Thursday of every month in Huntington’s Cinema Arts Centre. The performances often kick off with an open mic, allowing members of a very musical audience to take the stage themselves. Big music industry players could learn a lot from this organization’s atmosphere of mutual respect and love of music.

Legends of massive and deadly sea creatures have persisted since man first met the ocean, but stories of the Kraken—a behemothic squid-like leviathan with the size and power to sink tall ships—are widely attributed to the peoples of Iceland and Scandinavia, not the Greeks, as many believe.

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum claims to have been named out of respect for the sea monster, which is said to have attacked and destroyed a ship carrying one of the largest hauls of black spiced rum from the Caribbean islands. The 94-proof rum is black and bold, like the Kraken’s ink, but this libation is distilled in pot stills in the Virgin Islands, fermented from molasses made from local sugarcane and infused with a medley of spices, including ginger, clove and cinnamon.

While this dark rum is enjoyable in a host of beverages, the quality and flavor is a pleasure to imbibe straight up or on the rocks.

In German, the word “krake” means octopus.

The quote and eventual internet meme “Release the Kraken” is attributed by most to Ray Harryhausen’s epic 1981 film, Clash of the Titans, but the line is actually from the 2010 remake. In the original scene, Zeus, played by Sir Laurence Olivier says, “Let loose the Kraken!”

How To Love Iceland After Three Sentences
1) Iceland celebrates Beer Day on March 1 to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition, which, within the country, spanned seventy-four years, until 1989.

2) Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was born in Iceland.

3) Björk (see our article this month).

We love Iceland.

NASSAU

Market Bistro
(516) 513-1487, Jericho
marketbistroli.com

A descendant of Bill Holden’s West End Cafe in Carle Place, Market Bistro emphasizes locality and sustainability with season-inspired creations via Long Island farms, breweries and wineries. Developed over three years and established in November of 2011 by Holden, executive chef, Adam Acerra, former bartender at West End Cafe, and Bob Caras, Market Bistro uses local sources for salad greens and vegetables, including Satur Farms and Stan Pat Farms. (Even its pickles are crafted on Long Island, courtesy of Horman’s Best Pickles.)

Acerra, who describes Market Bistro’s space, adorned with reclaimed wood from a barn in Canada, as “rustic industrial,” believes Long Island “needs more restaurants that are conscious of our farms and incredible resources.”
Acerra on Market Bistro’s beer portfolio:

“We’re pouring seven drafts right now, and there will always be staples of some styles, including IPA, lager and porter. I want to add variety, so we’ll rotate beers seasonally, but staples are definitely important. We also want to support our local breweries, so expect Barrier Brewing Company and Blind Bat Brewery to pour frequently. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t have a California-based IPA, as well.”

Willy Parkers
(516) 750-8125, Williston Park
willyparkers.com

Purchased by Louis and Rino Di Maria, natives of Williston Park, and reopened in August of 2010, Willy Parkers has Optimus Prime’d its menu under the fraternal proprietors.

“We decided to keep the name, but the food and atmosphere are completely different,” says Louis Di Maria, who suggests horseradish-crusted tilapia with Hawaiian chutney and jasmine rice as “an example of the new Willy Parkers.”

Though its 24-draft bar includes Bear Republic Brewing Company Racer 5 IPA (a pine-forward ale with flavors of sweet malts and grapefruit) and two dining rooms possess separate entrances, and, subsequently, separate identities, Louis hopes to integrate craft beer into his entrée list by providing suggestive pairings and a multiple-course prix fixe dinner.

“If someone misses a beer dinner, they’re normally out of luck,” he says. “We want to eliminate that.”

Super Neat Factoid: Willy Parker is an affectionate term for a particular resident of Williston Park. He also possesses an epic beard.

SUFFOLK

Luce & Hawkins
(631) 722-2900, Jamesport
jedediahhawkinsinn.com

“My roots and heritage are here,” says Keith Luce, proprietor and executive chef of Luce & Hawkins, regarding his multi-century ancestral lineage in Jamesport. “Being in the place where my family has been since the 1600s makes it that much more personal.”

Luce, whose credentials include a sous-chef position at the White House during the first Clinton administration, established Luce & Hawkins in 2010, following the closure of Jedediah’s. Within Jedediah Hawkins Inn, a restored, Italianate-style residence constructed in 1863, Luce offers “a serious food and beverage program built on local products, sustainability, quality and integrity.” (“We make our own salt from the three major bodies of water, and churn our own butter,” he adds.)

Though “this area is still not the easiest place to sell beers other than the standard Heineken and Bud,” according to Luce, recent pours include Greenport Harbor Brewing Company Black Duck Porter and Sixpoint Craft Ales Sehr Crisp Pilsner. “I worked in Chicago, California and Washington State—all areas that were far ahead of the rest of the country in the craft beer arena. It is great to see things happening here on Long Island.”

Food/Beer Matrimony: Crescent Duck Farm duck breast/soba noodles/farm egg with Sixpoint Craft Ales Gemini.

Long Island Ale House
(631) 569-5515, Medford
longislandalehouse.com

Joff Sahin, proprietor of Pita House in East Setauket and Patchogue, ceased operations of Global Sports Cafe to “reinvent the space and create art with local food and beer,” according to Ari Rutan, partner for the metamorphosis.
Following a year-long closure, delayed by construction permits, Long Island Ale House opened in July of 2011 with regional seafood (e.g., raw bar of Peconic Bay clams and Blue Point oysters), produce (“Most of our produce is purchased from local farms,” states Rutan.) and beer. The latter, which totals 30 drafts, includes six selections from Blue Point Brewing Company: Blueberry Ale, Double Blonde Ale, Hoptical Illusion, Rastafarye Ale, Toasted Lager and Winter Ale.
Rutan, who managed eateries in France, Turkey and Switzerland prior to Long Island Ale House, notices the appreciation for local-friendly product.
“Medford wanted to keep that space open,” says Rutan. “We have customers that thank us for caring about our product and featuring Long Island.”

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

Photo by Stephen Lang

Tito Onofre has held the position of Executive Chef at Jonathan’s Ristorante, a charming eatery on Wall Street in Huntington, for 14 years. With owner Roberto Ornato at the helm and a very capable kitchen staff of six, Onofre confidently states, “Restaurants may come and go, but we are still here.”

Chef Onofre’s Northern Italian cuisine is highlighted by his attention to detail. “We work with the best ingredients. Roberto and I decided that even when the economy went down, we would not fool around with quality. Rosemary, fresh fish and good balsamic vinegar, San Giuliano extra virgin olive oil from Sardinia and burrata cheese, imported weekly from Italy, are must haves. One ingredient I could not cook without is San Marzano imported tomatoes.” Onofre’s affinity for Italian cuisine may be in his ancestry: The first San Marzano seed was a gift from the Kingdom of Peru to Campania, Italy in 1770.

From his early years in Lima, Peru, Onofre enjoyed great food served well. “Mom and Dad held large, elegant dinner parties. It was a beautiful feast of food. Her fish stuffed with chorizo and served with a sauce made of aji amarillo, a Peruvian spicy yellow pepper, was a treat. Mom’s cooking inspired me,” he reminisced.

Onofre’s formal training began at Cenfotur—Center of Administration and Tourism in Lima. Eventually, he moved to Miami and trained at Florida Culinary Institute (now Lincoln Culinary Institute) in West Palm Beach. He then served as Executive Chef at world-renowned Restaurante Vivaldi in Lima. Later, he worked for the Lane Company at Bang in Miami, then Boom in Soho and Boom Bistro in Bridgehampton.

Tito lives locally with his wife Nora and children, Stephano, 9, and Ashley, 14, who are his biggest fans. “When Nora and I get to dine out, I like to try something different… At least twice a year, Roberto [Ornato] and I venture out to try different cuisine and wines.”

“I am passionate about food. I love to eat and always did. To cook well, one must appreciate the way food tastes.” Onofre’s enjoyment is obvious when he serves people. Whether it is Tom Schaudel at the bar, Billy Joel in the dining room or a table of newcomers, his enthusiasm is the same.

“One of the best things a customer ever said was, ‘You are such a good cook that I should marry you!’” The chef’s most unusual request was from a gentleman who had just returned from Italy with a very expensive white truffle. The man asked for a five-course dinner for three, with a piece of the rare delicacy in each course. “I created each dish around the truffle and he was ecstatic,” Onofre recalled.

Signature Dish: Trofia Pasta with Manila Clams in Pesto.
“This was first created by Roberto Ornato’s mom, who came from Genoa. We use trofia, a handmade pasta rolled into little stick-sized pieces. Mrs. Ornato used trenette, more like a linguini, but the rest of this Genovese recipe is the same. Mrs. Ornato often came into the restaurant to give us cooking tips. We honor her memory each time we serve it.”

Trofie Pasta with Manila Clams in Pesto (Serves Four)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup water
2lbs Manila clams
½ cup white wine
1 cup basil
1 cup plain parsley
3 tbsp. pine nuts
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano
2 garlic cloves
20 pieces French string beans cut in 3 pieces each
2 medium Idaho potatoes diced small
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta:
Pour the flour onto a work surface and create a well in the center. Add the water, little by little until the dough is elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it sit for 45 minutes before working with it.

After it sits, cut small pieces of dough (bean-sized) and roll them into thin strips between your hands to make the trofie.

Wash the clams, transfer them to a hot pot, add the wine and cover them until they open.

In a food processor, add the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

In salted water, cook the potatoes and French string beans. Set aside. Then cook the trofie as you would any other fresh pasta.

When the clams are ready, combine with potatoes, French string beans, pasta and pesto. Serve immediately.

It’s March in New York City. The Allman Brothers Band is coming to town. And, like just about every year since 1989, the band is bringing its zany carnival of music, friends and fans to the glorious Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side, one of the loveliest spaces in the city to experience music. My guess is that by the time you’re reading this, tickets are all sold out and that you may have to pay an arm and a leg to actually make it into a show. But where there’s a will—and a good friend who plans in advance—there’s always a way in.

The band has dubbed 2012 “The Year of the Peach” (Honoring the 40th anniversary of the live classic, Eat a Peach) and will be on the heels of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award when they come to town. The award is a perfect complement to their 1995 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and further evidence that royalty will most certainly be in the house for ten magical nights at the very regal Beacon. The Allmans and the Beacon. Fans of the band can’t think of a more fitting pairing.

In the freewheeling universe of jam bands and exploratory rhythm and blues, it can all come down to one essential question: The Grateful Dead or The Allman Brothers? Now, I know we’re talking about two sides of the same coin here, but if you think about it, the differences between the two really say a lot. One is whimsical and playful, while the other is brawny and tough. One is flower power, while the other is shotguns and beer. One bikes to work, the other drives a Harley. When I was younger and haunting arena parking lots around America, Grateful Dead fans always had this innocuous kind of far away benevolence, while Allman Brothers fans were gritty and chiseled. Present. I always felt they could kick my ass if they wanted to.

But, of course, they wouldn’t. And they didn’t. And they probably can’t now. Or won’t. They’ll be too busy soaking in the sounds at the show or transforming Broadway into a melodic playground of yesteryear, strumming the strings of memory at every crosswalk and light.

For more info, including show dates, visit http://www.allmanbrothersband.com or http://www.beacontheatre.com

NASSAU

Waterzooi
(516) 877-2177, Garden City
http://www.waterzooi.com
Waterzooi is a haven for beer lovers (but not of the rowdy and wild distinction). This trendy Garden City Belgian Bistro offers an absolutely enormous array of brews, an innovative menu and sophisticated vibe, making it a must-visit. Buzzing for after-work drinks and on weekend nights, Waterzooi offers more than just a beer and a quick bite to eat. Their immense variety of mussels puts palates to the test and the selection of enticing dishes using global ingredients will lead you to discover a new international favorite in no time.

SUFFOLK

Public House 49
(631) 569-2767, Patchogue
http://www.publichouse49.com

Public House 49 is the spot for happy hour. This newly revamped venue on Main Street in Patchogue is chock-full of coworkers grabbing a drink after 5pm and friends letting loose. The spacious bar and freestanding high-top tables attract a crowd looking for an impressive bar menu and half-priced drinks until 7pm on weekdays. Known for their Mac “N” Cheese, Public House 49 puts out several tasty dishes—the ahi tuna sliders are served with pickled cucumbers, ginger, red onion and a refreshing cilantro aioli with warm pan-fried rice in place of bread. The bacon-infused popcorn is another unique item to share while sipping one of the various LI brews on tap. Nightly DJs, live and local music and tabs that won’t make your head spin are just some of the details that make Public House 49 the ideal venue—no matter what your occasion.

NYC

CO-OP Food & Drink
(212) 796-8040, Manhattan
http://www.co-oprestaurant.com
Manhattan’s preeminent hotels feature some of the city’s best restaurants. Amongst the heated competition, only the finest come out on top. Downtown, Hotel on Rivington recently added the exceptional CO-OP Food & Drink. This aesthetically striking restaurant and lounge sets the bar so high it’s a tough act to follow. Incorporating modern American cuisine with a twist of Japanese, CO-OP dishes out delectable food and drink in an awe-inspiring space exquisitely designed with impressive 30-foot-high glass ceilings that allow diners to catch a glimpse of the city’s famous skyline. Sexy black chandeliers hover above communal tables, lighting the room, and huge celebrity portraits dominate the walls throughout. Cocktails are impeccably executed. One of their more unusual concoctions is the Spiced Cane—rum infused with cinnamon and vanilla bean, creamy coconut milk, serrano elixir and whiskey-barrel-aged bitters. If you’re looking for a stiff cocktail, try the Truffle Martini—a simple drink with truffled feta-stuffed olives. Wines are carefully selected from only the finest wineries in the US. Savory starters, like the spicy tuna placed on a crispy bed of rice with tobiko and serrano pepper, are for sharing. The salmon with roasted tomato and shallots as well as the tuna with butter lettuce and ginger dressing are sashimi options that make CO-OP truly one of the best. (Tip: Ditch the soy sauce, the flavor needs no adjustment.) Steering away from the Asian cuisine, warm pickings include not-so-standard sliders with an optional scrumptious topping of pork belly. CO-OP Food & Drink ultimately provides a swanky, delicious evening out that is delectably downtown.

The French are famous for romance. And dining Française is one way to capture the mystery of a Parisian love story without having to suffer the nasty TSA lines. This month, when looking for that perfect candle-lit scene, an amorous bistro is just the thing to charm your Valentine whether it’s the first time or the fiftieth. Bon appetit!

Bistro Citron

Along Main Street in the quaint town of Old Roslyn sits Bistro Citron.
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Almond

On the corner of Montauk Hwy and Ocean Rd, Almond claims the throne as one of the Hamptons’ top spots.
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Le Soir

There’s something special about spending Valentine’s Day at a quaint French country restaurant. Le Soir offers a romantic evening in a subtle, understated, but honestly good setting.
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Bonus:

Tables By Number

Five intimate tables at the Island’s best international dining restaurants.
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Bistro Citron
Old Roslyn
(516) 403-4400
http://www.bistrocitron.com

A couple’s first Valentine’s Day should be smart and intimate. Picking the perfect venue is rather important, especially from a woman’s point of view. Along Main Street in the quaint town of Old Roslyn sits Bistro Citron. From the outside, a dim glow of light grabs the attention of pedestrians and drivers alike. A small table and chair sits in the window, conveying the romanticism of the dining experience within. With all the trappings of a true French bistro, Citron masters the charm of Paris. And this stylish restaurant looks as authentic as it tastes, too.

Stepping into the heart of the bistro reveals a gorgeous stained-glass ceiling, tasteful chandeliers and dark wood molding throughout. An exquisite view of the Roslyn duck pond serves as a backdrop, making the location an ideal place to wine and dine with your significant other.

The menu options exemplify the best of French cuisine as well. Escargots à la bourguignonne, steak tartare and mussels prepared with three different sauces are wonderful options to split as starters. Bistro Citron adds nice twists to their staple fare with daily specials, which include an array of items from both land and sea. The epaulé de porc braisée is a marinated cider-braised pork shoulder with apple parsnip purée and pickled red cabbage that melts in your mouth. The sesame-crusted tuna laid over sautéed baby bok choy and oyster mushrooms with a ginger-soy demi-glace is seafood par excellence. If you are looking to add romance to your meal, choose the “pour 2 personnes” or plate for two—a meal designed to be shared. While polishing off a bottle of wine, let the warm Nutella crepes envelop the experience. It can hardly get more French then wine, crepes and chocolate! You and your Valentine will be seeing through rose-colored glasses in no time.

Almond
Bridgehampton
(631) 537-5665, almondrestaurant.com

Oh, the Hamptons in the winter. Whether it’s sweeping along 27 sans traffic or the sense of open-space serenity, there is an appeal about the East End in the off season. On the corner of Montauk Hwy and Ocean Rd, Almond claims the throne as one of the Hamptons’ top spots. A spontaneous drive sparks the fire for an eventful night out with your sweetheart. Its original décor and exceptional cuisine set the stage for a creative Parisian night out à la modern stylings. The venue’s large dining space allows for privacy at a table for two. The casual, yet chic, vibe and its vintage details are a perfect combination. Tall glass doors wrap around the restaurant between white subway tiles and red wallpaper featuring zebras that seem to dance behind the diners.

Share any of their traditional and not-so-traditional appetizers, like the warm duck confit salad served with a poached egg, generous pieces of roasted acorn squash and sprinkled pumpkin seeds. Or the absolutely delicious roasted red and yellow beet salad with candied pistachios crushed atop a goat cheese crostini.

One of Almond’s most popular winter dishes is the day boat scallops, served atop a remarkable concoction of butternut squash and vanilla purée, along with sautéed Brussels sprouts, frisée salad, pomegranate seeds and incomparable homemade duck prosciutto. The mouthwatering Le Grande macaroni & cheese is baked right into the serving dish, oozing with cheese, prosciutto and chopped truffles. The crusty top layer is too good to be true. The goat cheese ravioli with caramelized pumpkin slices, apples and sage has flavor bursting with every bite.

Cap off a truly special evening with a made-to-order dessert, adding that special touch as if the restaurant was reserved for the two of you. The warm apple cinnamon crostada is topped with vanilla ice cream, which melts throughout. Whether it’s one of your first anniversaries or you have many under your belt, Valentine’s Day at Almond offers a relaxed dining experience worth the journey out east.

Prime photo by Stephen Lang

Le Soir
Bayport
(631) 472-9090, lesoirbayport.com

There’s something special about spending Valentine’s Day at a quaint French country restaurant. Le Soir offers a romantic evening in a subtle, understated, but honestly good setting. It’s the perfect place for encore “lovers’ holidays”—it is as comfortable and familiar as the two of you feel together. The inviting, Tudor exterior hosts a traditional interior featuring dim candles and Impressionist paintings, a gracious staff and authentic French cuisine.

Every stage of each meal at Le Soir is impeccably made with the finest and freshest ingredients to bring out its true flavors. Treat your loved one to any of their scrumptious hors d’oeuvres. The delicious entrée options as well as the changing daily specials never cease to impress. Oysters on the half shell served with a homemade red wine vinaigrette and diced shallots are just right for a lighter choice while the soupe à l’oignon gratinée is perfectly baked and extra cheesy. The filet mignon is a USDA Prime Angus beef tenderloin sautéed with a rich red wine sauce, and served with a beet and carrot purée in the shape of a rose (perfect for Valentine’s Day). Another exceptional meat dish is the pork tenderloin served over cabbage with a savory coconut curry sauce that adds a nice twist to a classic European dish. Tasteful, yet not too heavy, the filet of sole is paired with the choice of either almonds or brown butter blended with parsley and lemon.

Finish your evening reminiscing the years spent together while sipping on sweet dessert wine and indulging in one of Le Soir’s homemade pastries. The fruit tart made with pleasantly plump strawberries and blueberries is a divine option. Or go all in for the chocolate pecan tart, loaded with bits of chocolate and blanketed by a classic French custard crème anglaise. From the moment you enter Le Soir, familiar moments of affection and devotion will come rushing back, and this next dinner will make the perfect addition to your favorite “lovers’ day” repertoire.

When it comes to planning the perfect dinner, attention to detail is key. A restaurant with spectacular cuisine, impeccable service and well appointed ambiance is the difference between “oh yes!” and “ok, yeah.” The table is the missing link. Since they are usually in high demand, intimate little corners and romantic nooks are hard to come by. But knowing what to ask for is a good start. Though making the request is not a guarantee of reservation, these five tables (in no particular order) have been known to live up to expectation.

The Living Room
c/o The Maidstone,
East Hampton
631.324.5006
careofhotels.com/maidstone
If you like art, you will be happy. If you like familiar, you will be happy. If you like exciting cuisine, you will be happy. If you would like all these at once, you will be very happy at this Hamptons hallmark. This is the charming, artful place, where the dining room is a triumph of old and new, blending the quaint antique East End building with eclectic, artsy, Scandinavian design. And the food is sublime. If you’re lucky, you’ll get 23J, uniquely set aside the fireplace near the bar area. Best part? You can stay overnight and make a weekend of it.

Il Mulino
Roslyn
516.621.1870
ilmulino.com
The food at this Italian mainstay is superb. And it is the beginning, middle and end of the story. But it’s also dressed in flawless service and a refreshing, but toasty, dining room. A cozy bar table, known as #B2 to some, is an ideal mid-week retreat. Since that can get noisy when the weekend scene is set, try for one of the corner alcove tables in the main room. Either will be the perfect launching pad into an Italian dream, rich with traditional dishes like ossobuco and homemade cannelloni.

Prime
Huntington Bay
631.385.1515
restaurantprime.com
All hail the steakhouse that is manly without being macho, beautiful without being girly. In other words, Prime is the perfect pedigree for couples: A balance of impressive, elegant modern design with accessible, thoughtful open décor. Suggested agenda: Start at the Wave Bar and end in the Lodge. In between, tuck into the Vine Room for dinner. Situated against the glass wall exposing the gorgeously illuminated wine cellar, #70 is the two-top that gives a full view of the room without any up close and personal neighboring tables.

La Plage
Wading River
631.744.9200
laplagerestaurant.net
For a restaurant that is quietly romantic and understated in a beachy sort of way, Wayne Wadington’s graceful venue overlooking the Sound won’t disappoint. The cuisine is inventive American, with a decidedly French influence, and is consistently first rate. The extensive, well-curated wine selection features some of LI’s most desirable bottles, but isn’t shy about venturing into other lands near and far (from California to South Africa). The setting is ideal for a relaxed, perfectly orchestrated evening. Show your date you really mean it: Ask for table #12.

La Coquille
Manhasset
516.365.8422
la-coquille-manhasset.com
A special evening is made all the more spectacular “dining at the table of kings.” Especially when the hostess is Manhasset’s 38-year-old grand dame. She is natural, open and formal, but far from fussy. For lovers of corner tables, #6 is a favorite that offers a view of both the entire dining room and the exterior window. #9 is a petite two-top at “center stage” that is a private, tête-à-tête oasis in a sea of everyone else. Cuisine is distinctly French, with the caviar and grenouilles to prove it, but berets are optional.

VILLA D’AQUA
Bellmore (516) 308-4900

Long Island’s love affair with Italian food continues. Despite the proliferation, even avalanche, of Asian and other ethnic eateries, the Italians keep coming and are still number one in Nassau and Suffolk. Local diners don’t seem to discriminate between northern or southern, storefront or palatial, traditional or cutting edge, expensive or bargain basement, so long as it’s Italiano.

There always seems to be room for one more and in this case the one is the waterfront Villa D’Aqua in Bellmore. It’s an upscale spot of flowers, white tablecloths, terra cotta red walls, solid wood ceiling trim, carpeting, lines of lights outlining interior features and an attractive outdoor wraparound deck. Villa D’Aqua is, in short, a discrete, subdued, somewhat pricey, big deal Italian restaurant. While its agreeable atmosphere and reasonably good, no-surprise food won’t particularly appeal to adventurous diners, it’s perfect for traditional, old-school eaters who seek dependable, first-class renditions of Italian standouts like clams oreganatte, minestrone, penne vodka, gnocchi, fettuccine Bolognese, chicken scarpariello, tiramisu and Italian cheesecake.

Meals here begin with admirably warm, crusty bread and a trio of spreads. After that, pay attention to the modestly-priced, well-prepared soups, especially the rich, dense pasta fagioli ($4.95). The lentil soup of the day ($5.95), once enlivened, even rescued by needed salt is also worth a look. Other than soups, try the mellow, superior version of stuffed mushrooms ($7.95) and the insalata Romana ($8.95), a generous meld of interesting, harmonious ingredients like romaine, avocado, tomatoes and roasted peppers in a tangy raspberry vinegar sauce.

Entrées are substantial, but not always exciting. Yet three of the four entrées sampled were everything they should be: Plump, jumbo sea scallops ($19.95) smothered under slivers of mushrooms with unannounced, but welcome, broccoli and roasted potatoes; pollo francese ($15.95), moist, thin, chicken cutlets in a lemony butter wine sauce; and a gutsy fettuccine Bolognese sporting a sauce dense with meat ($14.95). Only the gnocchi that was anything but light and fluffy, and overly heavy on pesto, disappointed.

All of the house-made desserts measure up. The chocolate cheesecake nicely balances its two ingredients. The chocolate mousse cake was properly decadent and the fruit tarte on a platform of pastry cream offered impressive taste and texture.

On the minus side is a dining room so dim that it’s very difficult to read the menu (I requested a flashlight but they had none) and waiters, or at least a waiter, constantly hovered ridiculously close to tables with his order pad, ever ready virtually from the second diners were seated.

photos by stephen lang

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SINGHA THAI
West Babylon (631) 669-8200

The tiny Singha Thai restaurant sandwiched into the middle of a West Babylon shopping center brings to mind the often-heard observation that sometimes good things come in small packages. This pipsqueak spot next to an empty, dark storefront was a nondescript Japanese restaurant until last June when Jenny Jiang came along. She turned it into a low-cost, high-quality Thai restaurant that has, over the intervening months, been attracting more and more value-conscious diners. When I visited, its modest prices were paired with a BYO regimen that made for even smaller checks.
Ms. Jiang’s diminutive, sixteen-seat, difficult-to-find, bare-bones restaurant offers substantial portions and a huge menu as well as those gentle prices. Almost as significant as soup and starters, as low as $3.95, and main courses that begin at $8.95, is the upbeat, eager-to-please Jenny Jiang herself. Her experience as a waitress includes stops at Long Island Asian mainstays. She’s hired two chefs, one from Manhattan and the other from Thai Station in Merrick.

The red chilis that identify hot and spicy dishes on her menu are accurate about half the time and, unfortunately, more like the toned-down Americanized listings encountered at many local Thai eating places. The latter dishes that lack snap, punch and heat are tasty, but more like smooth, soothing Chinese fare than peppy, fiery Thai cooking. Among the former are goong ta kai or lemongrass shrimp ($13.95) propelled by peppers and chili paste and tom yam goong ($3.95) a spicy shrimp soup that lives up to its name with peppers and lemongrass doing the heavy lifting. More frequently-found dishes on Singha’s menu include melds of harmonizing ingredients. That’s the case, for instance, with gang masamun ($11.95), a rich white curry dominated by coconut milk and dotted with potatoes, onions, peanuts and chunks of chicken or beef. Another pleasant dish without any discernable kick despite its red pepper marking is goong pad tua fug yoa ($13.95). It offers admirable textural contrast with its shrimp, string beans, basil, lime leaves and chili paste, but no heat.

Pasta lovers should target the drunken noodles ($9.95), stir-fried, broad rice noodles paired with basil, onion and bell peppers, and pahe wooson ($13.95) or pan-fried clear noodles with shrimp and a mix of vegetables that includes shitake mushrooms and tomatoes. The first is listed as spicy, the second is not, neither is. But heat-adverse diners will be especially delighted with the mango chicken ($12.95) that contains super-fresh mango stir-fried with tender, moist chicken, sweet peas, onions and pepper in a sweet and sour sauce, as well as the thin lemongrass marinated pork chops ($12.95) that are full of flavor generated by their lemongrass, galangal (a ginger-like root), garlic and lime juice marinade. The pad Thai ($8.95), Thailand’s signature dish is a bit disappointing here. It’s on the dry side with slightly rubbery noodles and little of the egg promised in the menu.

Recommended starters include crisp, greaseless fried mini spring rolls ($5.50); light, white, tender fried calamari ($7.25); steamed shu mai, a tasty bargain at ($6.50); and best of all are deep-fried shrimp wrapped in crisp noodles, a well-done Thai classic at $7.50.

Desserts are the usual suspects. Fried banana ($3.95), ice cream ($3.95), sticky rice and mango ($5.75) and Thai golden bread with ground peanuts ($6.50).

photos by stephen lang

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LAWSON PUB
Oceanside (516) 307-8753

Lawson Pub in Oceanside is a neighborhood hangout that deservedly draws more than locals. It proves that an unpretentious, unfussy venue can be a destination restaurant as well.

For chef/owner Joseph Bonacore, it’s a nostalgic return to his well-remembered past. Bonacore, who recently sold his interest in the super successful Sole in Oceanside, worked as a teenager at the original Lawson Pub in the seventies. It closed in the mid nineties when the space took on a new identity. Now he has returned to the digs that launched his culinary career. The revived Lawson Pub is a relaxed, easygoing, noisy spot that creates a vibe of informal inventiveness. Its menu offers an inspired mix of the obvious (shrimp cocktail, burgers, pastas, etc.) and the slightly unusual (lobster sliders, shrimp Parmesan sliders, grilled chicken paillard nicoise, etc.) without striving for novelty (every bottle of wine at $20 doesn’t hurt either).

Although many of his dishes have a home-cooked feel, Lawson Pub, despite its lively, at times roaring, bar scene is no mug-and-grub joint. Mr. Bonacore is an astute, sensitive observer of culinary trends. In other words, he knows what people want to eat. He proved that at Sole and is repeating his success at Lawson Pub.

His generously-portioned appetizers seem designed to be shared. The potato chips discretely topped with white truffle and Asiago ($6.95) are enough for four diners. The numerous Little Piggies ($6.95) or superior pigs in a blanket are encased in a light, flaky wrapper and are accompanied by three unlikely dipping sauces: Bacon ketchup, Heineken honey mustard and a rather weird chipotle applesauce. Both sliders (two for $11.95), the lobster and the filet mignon are substantial parcels of satisfaction. The first is given a creative twist by its layer of bacon, tomatoes and organic greens, while the filet mignon is a mix of meat, onions, roasted peppers and manchego with bleu cheese slaw. Both were understandably devoured in seconds (but the stale, cold rolls weren’t).

Entrée-sized sandwiches with interesting sides like crisp tater tots; grease-free French fries; incendiary, “angry” homefries and that bleu cheese slaw are listed under “L. P. classics.” Both the Pig’s Ass ($14.95) roast pork sandwich and prime rib French dip ($15.95) featured tender, thinly-sliced meat on toasted garlic bread with Muenster. The L.P. Black Angus burger ($13.95) combines prime beef, lobster salad, cheddar and bacon. It’s an unlikely pairing that surprisingly marries perfectly. Soft, deeply flavored, boneless short ribs ($21.95) are another prime pick.

People who like a small, sweet, but not gargantuan dessert, will relish the housemade mini indulgences ($2.95) at meal’s end. The three rich chocolate covered banana lollipops are especially recommended.

photos by stephen lang

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John Glenn entered space history on February 20, 1962 when he orbited Earth three times in space for four hours and 55 minutes; he was the first astronaut to circle the globe in a space vehicle. Just nine years later, on February 5, 1971, Shepard and Mitchell landed on the Moon. They collected samples of moon rocks, which they brought back to Earth for scientists to study. It should be noted, however, that the first soft landing on the Moon was achieved, not by an American spacecraft but by a Russian one. The craft in question, Luna 9, softly touched down on the Moon on the 3rd of February in 1966. The Russians were also the first to build and launch a “space mirror” intended to collect solar energy for use on Earth. This took place with the deployment of Znamya 2 on February 4, 1993.

• The Winter Solstice is now behind us and we are gaining about 2.4 minutes of daylight with each passing day.
• Venus will be visible in the early evening, setting an hour or so after the Sun. Look for it in western skies at or just after dusk.
• Jupiter will appear east of Venus and, thus, higher in the sky.
• Mars will once again grace the skies. No, it will not be as large as the Moon, but it will appear as a bright orange-tinged star rising in the eastern skies during early evening hours. Best viewing will be somewhat later, say after 9:30pm, when a telescope may reveal the planet’s polar ice caps. Mars reaches opposition on the 3rd of March, 2012.
• There are no significant nighttime meteor showers in February.

If you visit Custer, you can observe these fascinating planets and the Galilean moons through one of the institute’s telescopes.

February is a big month for restaurants on LI due to a certain saint named Valentine. Whether embracing the Valentine’s Day concept or simply offering their usual fare, the diverse abundance in local dining spots is yours for the taking.

The product of skilled Master Chef John David Hensley and Executive Chef Aldo Alo, Savanna’s in Southampton (631) 283-0202 is a contemporary bistro with the perfect formal-yet-informal vibe for couples, serving top-notch cuisine produced with a farm-to-table philosophy utilizing organic and source-verified ingredients. The menu features local seafood, voluptuous steaks and organic produce. Available spirits include a wide variety of wines, cognacs, small batch bourbons and single malt scotches.

Comtesse Thérèse Bistro in Aquebogue (631) 779-2800 is celebrating Valentine’s Day decadence with a Red Wine and Dark Chocolate Pairing Class, happening on Saturday, February 11th from 2-3:30pm. Chocolate Sommelier Roxanne Browning of Exotic Chocolate Tasting will be pairing award-winning, world-class artisanal dark chocolates with Theresa’s Reserve Estate Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons. Space is limited to 16 guests and tickets are $30 per person. Contact Comtesse Thérèse Bistro to reserve a spot ASAP.

Finally, Top Chef season 5 alum (and New Hyde Park native) Danny Gagnon has teamed with Bernard’s Market & Cafe owner Robert Byrne to bring Italian-Asian fusion to the North Shore—via the brand-spanking new DoraNonnie Tapas & Wine Bar @ Bernard’s, located in Glen Head (516) 759-9100. Chef Gagnon’s innovative creations include Long Island Duck Tacos dolloped with avocado mousse and pickled radish, Creamy Clam Cakes served with Thai basil lemon jam, and Ginger Poached Chicken Lettuce Cups with burnt soy emulsion. For dessert, try the dish that won the Top Chef Dessert Round, a Lemon Pistachio Cake with drizzled honey, candied pistachios, strawberry lemon-lime purée and vanilla ice cream.

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New Orleans, a city where little is frowned upon by the authorities, seems to have an air of prohibition. This is where I learned to embrace the wonderful art of absinthe. A random discussion about the wine industry led to a local shop owner recommending I visit Jean Lafitte’s Old Absinthe House in the French Quarter. Here I received an introduction to this recently legalized beverage and a history lesson from a rather knowledgeable patron (a partner in The Absinthe Museum of America). The story of absinthe is full of romance, intrigue and rumors, and a wonderful nickname, “The Green Fairy” or La Fée Vert in French.

Absinthe became popular in the late 1880s as the drink of choice for the great artisans of the era (Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde,  Édouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and later, Picasso and Ernest Hemingway and plenty of others). The timing of absinthe’s discovery and popularity coincided with the great vineyard blight, Phylloxera, which devastated the European wine industry. Such timing was integral to the prohibition of absinthe on several continents—politics and economics always play a part in alcohol sales and distribution, along with a bit of rumor and hysteria. Absinthe was banned in the US from 1912-2007 and 1915-2011 in France. The ban was due to claims of absinthe causing insanity (the Wormwood used to make it contains the toxin thujone). Dr. Pierre Ordinaire created the recipe as a remedy for gastric pain, labor pain and cramps. The recipe was purchased by a relative of the Pernod family, who then produced it commercially until the ban. In small doses, thujone can be therapeutic. In large doses, it can cause some pretty serious health problems.

Some of the magic with wine as a pastime and/or addiction are the rituals and history surrounding the libation—what the names mean, the places the wines are produced, the different grapes and styles, pulling the cork, decanting and aging. Absinthe also comes with plenty of history, styles and rituals. The recent resurgence of absinthe is courtesy of Ted Breaux, a New Orleans native with a background in chemistry and bar hopping in the French Quarter. Ted reverse-engineered antique absinthe and determined there shouldn’t be a ban on it at all; the historically demonized product actually fell within US alcohol legislation. Ted started producing his own absinthe using the same recipe as “antique” absinthe. The first one he called Lucid Absinthe Supérieure. Today, this is produced in the Combier Distillery, the historic home of absinthe in Saumur, France. Absinthe has a unique flavor of anise, similar in aroma to sambuca, ouzo or Pernod, but is more delicate and nuanced on the palate.

A traditional preparation involves pouring ice-cold water over a sugar cube into a glass with a shot of absinthe. This process brings out the herbal aromas and turns the liquid a milky green. I prefer to pour the Absinthe over the sugar, then light the sugar on fire allowing the water to extinguish the flame. Though this is not the classic preparation, it is much more exciting and gives a caramel note. Some “modern” absinthe brands to look for in New York are Kübler, Émile Pernot, St. George, Lucid, Absente and Pernod Absinthe. Keep in mind that absinthe is very high in alcohol content and should be mixed with water or anything that will lower the alcohol. You will find absinthe from a minimum of 55% to as much as 70% alcohol by volume, or 90-140 proof. Most wine is between 12.5% and 16%, as are most mixed drinks. Just a small warning.

When was the last time you ate a chocolate bar? Yesterday? Ten minutes ago? Chances are, chocolate entered your life when you were a small child and has remained a constant companion. The modern world is abundantly familiar with chocolate. Chocolate bars, chocolate cakes, chocolate brownies…the list is endless. But these indulgent desserts are just one facet of the complete story of chocolate, a story beginning thousands of years ago in the ancient Americas.

Food of the Gods
The creation myth of the Mayans, the peoples of modern-day Mexico/Central America (called Mesoamericans) placed cacao among the first foodstuffs of the first humans. These seeds, also known as cocoa beans, are contained in pods that grow on trees native to that area. And after being fermented, dried, roasted, de-shelled and ground, cocoa beans are transformed into chocolate. When officially named by 18th century taxonomist Carl Linnaeus, the cacao tree was dubbed Theobroma cacao, “food of the gods.”

In its ancient guises, chocolate was mostly used as a religious sacrament. According to Mark J. Sciscenti, Chocolate Historian and Artisan Chocolatier at World Tree Chocolates in Santa Fe, NM, “Mesoamericans considered the cacao tree and chocolate to be quite sacred, as the food of the gods and a gift from the gods. Chocolate was consumed only in a ritual and ceremonial manner, primarily by the ruling elites, warriors and wealthy tradesmen, and only under these circumstances—chocolate was not an everyday food.” It was also used “to express love, to cement relationships and trade agreements and as a token of friendship and respect,” Sciscenti explained. He sees this as the “one commonality between ancient and modern times in the use of chocolate.” Witness the National Confectioners Association estimate that in the US, around $750 million was spent on chocolate for loved ones on the occasion of Valentine’s Day, 2010.

The modern, solid form of chocolate might have been perplexing to the ancients. For most of its 4,000-year history, chocolate was consumed in liquid form, with the earliest evidence recently found as residue in a vessel dated to 1150 BC in the Central American state of Honduras. Anthropologist/archaeologist and chocolate scholar Rosemary Joyce from the University of California, Berkeley was a member of the team who made the discovery and characterizes the drink as “frothy, bitter, usually unsweetened and not alcoholic,” although alcoholic chocolate beverages show up later in the historical record.

As “BCE” turned to “CE” (the new way of saying “BC” and “AD”) cultivation of cacao trees skyrocketed and cocoa beans soon became a valued commodity, especially in the Mesoamerican Aztec civilization, where they were used as currency and for barter. Conquistador Hernando de Oviedo y Valdez, who was among the first Spanish colonists of the Americas in 1513, reported that four cocoa beans would buy a rabbit for dinner, ten would acquire the services of a prostitute and 100 was the asking price of a slave.

The Old World Discovers Chocolate
European contact would be the next big step in chocolate’s evolution. The first European to encounter cocoa beans was Christopher Columbus on his fourth and final voyage to the West in 1502. He discovered them in a cache in the vicinity of Honduras. Subsequent Spanish colonists gave the still-bitter drink a try and came up with the idea (attributed to notorious Conquistador Hernán Cortés) to add sugar to the mix, creating a sweet-tasting drink, and thus sweetness and chocolate were forever intertwined. Due to the efforts of the Spanish, and particularly missionary priests, chocolate became a European indulgence, providing a bit of a jolt, as Scisenti notes. He declared that chocolate beat coffee as “the first stimulant encountered by the Europeans…up until then, Europeans were consuming only sedatives like beer, mead and wine.” And it was these stimulant properties that led to chocolate being used medicinally in both the pre-Columbian Americas and Europe.

As colonialism of the Americas changed its landscape forever, chocolate became a valued commodity in the Old World. Mainland European chocolate consumption was typically kept to the aristocracy, but in the 1650s, coffee/chocolate houses were established in England and chocolate “was readily available to any comers who could afford it,” as Sciscenti puts it. And the cacao tree began a journey to the other side of the globe. In this massive cultivation drive, it became apparent to these pioneering farmers that the cacao tree is a thoroughly tropical organism and quite fragile, so it must be kept in ideal conditions to survive and thrive: On land within 10 degrees north or south of the equator with lots of rain, shaded sunlight and loose soil.

Modern Chocolate Arrives
Chocolate as we know it today stems from a series of innovations in the 19th century when the basic elements of chocolate, cocoa solids and cocoa butter, were first examined by curious scientists. Refinement of the cocoa solids resulted in cocoa powder. In 1847, English chocolate maker Joseph Storrs Fry invented the chocolate bar (which would be considered dark chocolate by today’s nomenclature), by combining cocoa powder, sugar and melted cocoa butter and pouring it into a mold. In 1879, Swiss chocolate manufacturers Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé added powdered milk to this mix, thus creating milk chocolate. The advent of conching and tempering processing techniques vastly improved chocolate’s texture and mass manufacturing spurred by the Industrial Revolution made chocolate accessible to every level of society.

It’s Actually Good For You
You would think that chocolate isn’t exactly good for you, but recent scientific research has revealed compounds in chocolate that promote health. Dr. Mindy Haar, Director of Clinical Nutrition at the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury cites flavonols, a compound that naturally occurs in cocoa beans. Dr. Haar says that flavonols “may act as antioxidants, which work against free radical formation and may act to reduce cell inflammation.” Also, preliminary studies have shown that chocolate helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

But only if you eat the right type and serving of chocolate. The milk in milk chocolate is thought to counteract chocolate’s flavonols, and the unhealthiness of the added sugar and fat is well documented. Dr. Haar’s recommended serving is “One ounce of dark chocolate with 70% cocoa…Using unsweetened cocoa powder in recipes where you control the sugar and fat is also recommended.”

A Different Type of Decadence
ealthy compounds in chocolate can also benefit the surface of the skin. Shanan Burke Lead, Aesthetician at Spa Exo’tique in Selden, explained that the “powerful” antioxidants found in chocolate help “[increase] blood flow and hydration, calming and soothing the skin.” William J. Ferro, Licensed Massage Therapist and owner of Desert Rose Massage and Spa, a business that provides massage and spa services to many top LI hotels declares chocolate to be “a very therapeutic treatment for the skin,” and the Desert Rose Signature Treatment is a tour-de-force of spa decadence, with a full body chocolate salt scrub to exfoliate the skin, a chocolate body mask and a 60 minute full body massage with chocolate oil, capped off by an application of chocolate shea butter as a moisturizer.

Lead specified that chocolate used in spa treatments “should preferably be dark chocolate and unrefined” and emphasized that the chocolate beauty concoctions should be made from “all natural ingredients.”

Chocolate isn’t necessarily an indispensable element in the spa, and Lead admits, “The fact that chocolate smells delicious has a lot to do with why people love to use it in spa treatments.” She says that spa patrons “will comment that they want to eat the chocolate during the treatment.”

And no, chocolate does not cause acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most prestigious dermatology group in the US, “Extensive scientific studies have not found a connection between diet and acne. In other words, food does not cause acne.” Acne is actually caused by excessive skin oil production brought on by hormone surges.

For Better or Worse
The end product might be delicious, but there are major issues of many types in the area of cacao tree cultivation. The World Cocoa Foundation puts the amount of cocoa beans produced worldwide on an annual basis at 3 million tons. 70% coming from the West African states of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and the remaining 30% from Indonesia and, of course, cacao’s ancestral home in the Americas. An issue with taking chocolate so far afield is the disruption of the synergy between the plant and the surrounding fauna. Joyce notes that in its beginnings in Mesoamerica, “chocolate was cared for in plantations that were integrated into local ecologies…small midges [insects] that pollinate cacao bred in the leaf litter around plants.” These insects did not follow the cacao tree’s odyssey around the world, so cacao tree cultivation outside of its true home is, as Joyce puts it, “ecologically hard on the environment.” Rainforests are also being destroyed to make room for cacao trees, with Africa and Indonesia clearing at minimum the same area as 25 football fields of rainforest each year, according to Scisenti.

Food for thought when you unwrap that next candy bar.

BITS:
The word “chocolate” was created by the Spanish and two prevailing theories say the word is a combination of the Mayan word “chocol” (meaning “hot”) and the Aztec word “atl” (“water”) or that it is from the Mayan word “chokola’j” (“to drink together”).

Conching: Agitation of the chocolate mass from a few hours to a few days to evenly distribute the cocoa butter, evoke flavor through frictional heat and make cocoa and sugar particles smaller, producing a smoother texture.

Tempering: Controlled melting and solidification of the chocolate to make the cocoa butter crystals into a uniform size, ideally a size that gives the resulting chocolate bar a nice sheen and a good “snap” when broken.

NASSAU

The Black Sheep Ale House
(516) 307-1280, Mineola

Despite its name, The Black Sheep Ale House is not an alcohol-based homage to the 1996 film, Black Sheep, starring David Spade and an almost-deceased Chris Farley.

I’ve always believed Tommy Boy was the superior cinematic collaboration between Spade and Farley, anyway.

Ahem.

The Black Sheep Ale House, a 25-draft establishment operated by Vincent Minutella, former bartender at Stock & Tankard and manager of Croxley’s New York location, offers complimentary hot dogs to patrons while pours of Lagunitas Brewing Company Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale, Rogue Dead Guy Ale and Stone Brewing Company Double Bastard Ale are served. Minutella, who purchased the “corner Irish pub for 90 some odd years” in December of 2010, renovated the space, then O’Donnell’s Pub, with manager Bob Miller. The duo has since compiled a beer list, which also includes 75+ bottles, balancing “seasonality, representation of style, support of local brewers, personal likes and what we thought our clientele would like to see here,” says Minutella.

Genesis of moniker: “After weeks of tossing about every combination of my Irish family name [Burns] and still not finding anything I was happy with, The Black Sheep emerged,” recalls Minutella. “It partly is an homage to my Irish ancestors who were sheep herders in County Roscommon as well as the obvious reference to the ‘black sheep of the family.’ The latter interpretation, along with our motto, ‘Different is Good,’ refers to and celebrates anyone and any beer bold enough to stand out among the crowd.”

Jake’s Steakhouse
(516) 222-8400, East Meadow
jakesstteakhouse.com

TTYL, Runyon’s Roadside Tavern.
Tony McGinley, former owner of Runyon’s Roadside Tavern, transformed the East Meadow pubstaurant into Jake’s Steakhouse, partnered with Peggy Ryan, who established its Bronx location in 2001. Managed by Michael McGinley, nephew of Tony, Jake’s Steakhouse hand-selects each piece of Schuyler, Nebraska-raised meat prior to a mandatory wet-aging minimum of 28 days. Fourteen drafts, including Captain Lawrence Brewing Company Fresh Chester Pale Ale, Kwak, and a seasonal-rotating line from Southampton Publick House, are available for animal-accompaniment.
Food/Beer Pair Matrimony: 35-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye with Cigar City Brewing Maduro Brown Ale. Period.

SUFFOLK

The Park Lounge
(631) 979-1351, Kings Park

“I had an epiphany during my first visit to The Lark Pub & Grub in East Northport,” recalls Jim Pavese, regarding his introduction to craft-dominant establishments on Long Island. “The bar was packed with different taps, and I wanted to bring some of that to my bar.”

Pavese, who opened The Park Lounge with John Weeden in February of 2005, has implemented a shift toward craft beer within its eighteen-tap system, pouring Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales 60 Minute IPA and Long Ireland Beer Company Celtic Ale. However, while Pavese hopes to “broaden customer options,” he insists on “a gradual transition, void of intimidation.” For example, Miller Lite exists amid Gulden Draak and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Celebration Ale.

“The Park Lounge is a neighborhood pub, and we want to respect our clientele,” explains Pavese. “Any drinker of any beer is welcome.”

The Portly Villager
(631) 567-4002, Sayville

A mélange of colonial American maps, rustic farmhouse barrels and wood-carved, Sayville-specific placards adorn The Portly Villager, operated by Marlene Keghlian since March of 2005.

Keghlian, who reconstructed The Portly Villager’s walk-in cold room and doubled its six-draft system in 2010, devoted the half-dozen newbies to “rotating local and seasonal craft.”

“Adding more lines would be suggested during every staff meeting,” says Keghlian, who, during December, poured Anchor Brewing Company Christmas Ale, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company Anti-Freeze and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Celebration Ale. “Once we rebuilt the walk-in, it was our chance to provide fresh product that reflected our local seasons.”

The Portly Villager also offers 30+ signature sandwiches, including its eponymous creation: Londonport roast beef, melted Havarti cheese and horseradish-dijon sauce on pumpernickel.

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

Photo by Stephen Lang

NASSAU

Rein
(516) 877-9385, Garden City
gardencityhotel.com
Rein offers a stylish hideaway from the harsh winter in the heart of the grand Garden City Hotel. An award-winning fine-dining establishment, this strikingly-decorated and intimate locale also boasts one the best bars around. Along with simplified selections of their lauded eats, Rein offers signature cocktails and martinis. Chief among them, the seasonal Winter Warmers: Mixed drinks that will warm you from the inside out. The Hot Winter Sangria, with red wine, brandy, sherry wine, Cointreau, hot water, topped with sliced oranges and apples, and the Pumpkin Pie of pumpkin cream liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, Kahlua, coffee, whipped cream and crushed hazelnut are two sweet treats you’ll gladly order as starters or desserts. 

NYC

Pipa
(212) 677-2233, Manhattan  
pipa-nyc.com
The hustle and bustle of Manhattan becomes muted inside this swanky tapas bar featuring chandeliers, exposed brick and swanky décor designed by ABC Home. Delicious aromas tease and tantalize as attentive servers deliver an array of reinvented Spanish small plates. Taste one of Pipa’s signature cocktails, including the Bliss, made with VeeV Açai Spirit, watermelon juice, simple syrup and black pepper (who would’ve thought?) or the Alma Rosa, which blends tequila, strawberry purée, lime juice and Fresita strawberry sparkling wine. You’ll definitely take note of Pipa’s biggest hit—the sangria. Whether you decide on red or white, both are absolutely delicious, loaded with freshly cut fruit and an extra kick. Pipa is worth a week’s advance reservation. 

SUFFOLK

Vitae
(631) 385-1919, Huntington
vitaeli.com
Huntington’s Vitae, with its sumptuous ambiance and beautifully-crafted Continental cuisine, has emerged as a major player in the area’s dining and nightlife scene. In the Lounge things are more casual, but the menu reveals considerable culinary innovation by Executive Chef Steven Del Lima. There is a delicious twist on a soul food meal—the braised short rib meatball “lollipops,” flash fried croquettes that are topped with horseradish crème fraîche, veal jus and pickled red onions for an extra kick. For an indulgent snack, try the Dirty Chips. You’ll never want a regular potato chip after devouring these house-made Yukon slices drenched with the yummy goodness of smoked bacon bits, scallions, blue cheese dressing and a touch of buffalo sauce. In addition to 1,400 bottles of wine, Vitae offers creative specialty martinis and cocktails. Taste the exceedingly fresh Strawberry Basil Crush cocktail—a blend of Stoli Strasberi, fresh chopped strawberries, lemon and basil, or the cool-weather-appropriate Red Delicious martini, a blend of Applejack, fresh apple cider, Pommeau, cassis and a cinnamon sugar rim as a final accent.

The succulent flavor of pear is proven to be one of the most desirable fruits with “A Pear to Remember” cocktail—another Prosecco selection mixed with pear purée and Combier Liqueur d’Orange. If you’re looking to stay longer than a drink or two, call ahead and reserve a table. Fine hors d’oeuvres are available along with exquisite champagne bottle selections. Ladies, put on your best stilettos and men, grab those loafers—you will feel the energy vibrate once the night gets going. The music gets louder after midnight mixing some old and new classics. Go for the plunge and pay the price to taste why the Bubble Lounge is the best of its kind. Salut!

Wherefore Arts?
(631) 239-5130, Huntington
Wherefore art thou, unknown Long Island music? It’s only unknown because you don’t know about it yet and it’s right here in your backyard—or actually, in a living room in Huntington. Tom and Robin Romeo have started a new platform for “under-known” artists, hosting classy “dinner and a show” house concerts and then webcasting them for the world to see. Check out whereforearts.com or call (631) 239-5130 for a concert schedule and reservations. You can prove your arty cred to your friends, eat a gourmet meal and hear an amazing new performer all in one night.

Live in the Lobby
(631) 207-1313, Patchogue
Patchogue quit its day job a few years ago to pursue music—and, let’s be honest, also to pursue beer. It seems to be working out, because local acts are packing the bars up and down Main Street. The historic Patchogue Theatre is at the heart of this, bringing music and art to the village as a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organization. Live in the Lobby is what it sounds like—a live concert series run out of the theater’s spacious lobby, with professional sound and an avid local following. And, yes, there is Blue Point beer on tap at the shows. For your next night out, skip SoHo and hit the South Shore instead.

The Cup
(516) 826-9533, Wantagh
If you like acoustic music and live on Long Island, The Cup is like a required course. Can you find a table big enough to play Battleship and order smushed pie in a mug? Can two guitars and a bass fit into the tiny corner stage area without falling into someone’s latte? Can you make it through a heartfelt acoustic version of “A Long December” without waving your chai in the air and singing along mournfully? Find the answers to these pressing questions at 3268 Railroad Ave. There will be a quiz.

We human beings have been hanging around mountains for thousands of years. Some of us hang around for the scenery and some of us to chill or to play. Some members of our tribe make the mountain sojourn to reflect on the fears that shackle us, those sometimes heavy burdens that weigh us down. And then there are those who go to the mountains to shatter fears and shed burdens.

The Seneca have an old saying about courage: It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare. It is because we do not dare that they are difficult. More recently, our very own cowboy/poet/philosopher John Wayne once expounded that courage is being scared to death…and saddling up anyway. I’m reminded of the latter because it’s written on the wristband given to me when I registered for the Skyrider Tour, which is, incidentally, billed as: “The longest, fastest and highest Zipline Tour in North America and the second largest in the world.” The Skyrider Tour is part of New York Zipline Adventure Tours at Hunter Mountain. There are other less extreme jaunts, like the “family-friendly” Mid-Mountain Tour or the Adventure Tower, but those are not on today’s agenda. Today’s itinerary involves being 600 feet in the air and traveling at 55 miles per hour for more than a minute. Today, we’re jumping off the side of a mountain. It’s probably a good time to mention that I’m not too fond of heights. “Breathe,” our tour guide prompts. “It’s good for you.”

For readers who may not know, the idea of a Zipline Adventure Tour is this: Go flying through the air high above the ground, compliments of a cable, a pulley (to which you are securely harnessed) and the blissful combination of gravity and aerodynamic maneuvering. It doesn’t take much skill, but it does take a short training session for safety’s sake and a bit of bravery to make that first leap. And what an amazing leap it is.

The idea of the zipline-as-incredibly-exhilarating-outdoor-activity started, according to our guides, in Costa Rica when scientists set up an elevated “lab” of sorts comprising a system of cables. High in the air, the scientists could study trees in a way they could never do on the ground. When the scientists were done with their research, they left the cables up and the locals who helped build them created what now seems like the coolest recycling project ever.

Owner Bradd Morse, a seemingly modest and soft-spoken man, keeps the Zipline Adventure Tours at Hunter Mountain open year round and mentions that he sees many Long Islanders come through its doors. While the foliage associated with the in between seasons is gorgeous and the summer zips across the mountain and over its celebrated music festivals (Google “Mountain Jam”) are, well, intoxicating, it’s the idea of the winter zip that gets our tour guides/prophets Doug Thies and Joe Burke excited. “You can see three days into the future,” Doug says.  ziplinenewyork.com

Made famous by Huber’s Café in Southwest Portland, OR, the Spanish Coffee is a hot drink that literally begins with a flame. While lighting a drink on fire can be a matter of showmanship and effect, burning spirits will warm your beverage, decrease liquid content and condense flavors, providing a unique richness that’s not possible with safer, more pedestrian pours. In this case, fire is also the vehicle with which sugar is crystallized on the glass. The Pulse Spanish Coffee replaces triple sec from the classic Huber’s recipe with the cognac-based, bitter-orange liqueur Grand Marnier for a more heady, aromatic distinction. Excellent after dinner, this concoction will warm the belly and add a little cheer to any winter evening.

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Bacardi 151 rum
1.5 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
.5 oz Grand Marnier
Coffee
Homemade Chantilly cream to garnish
Ground nutmeg
Lime
Granulated Sugar

Coat the rim of a tempered 8-10 oz Irish coffee or red wine glass in lime juice, then dip rim in sugar until covered. Add 151 and Grand Marnier to glass and carefully ignite with a long match or grill lighter. Swirl the liquid to help crystallize sugar, then add Kahlua, followed by enough coffee to fill the glass. Top with whipped cream and finish with a dusting of nutmeg. Serve immediately.

“No we will not lower prices or reduce the quality of what we serve. We will just do it better!” declared Matt Connors, in response to his wife’s quandary over the looming recession three years ago.

Eileen concedes, “We did just that and are doing well. Our customers still have special occasions and want to celebrate here. Others just want a fine dinner in the restaurant or at the bar. I respect Matt most for holding to his vision.”

Executive Chef/Owner Matt Connors, of The Lake House in Bay Shore calls his cuisine New American with French influence. When asked what he would do if he did not own a restaurant, he answered with confidence, “Run. Running is my life. I could easily own a running shop.” This is probably why it is easy for Matt to stay the course and maintain a quality establishment. He has the discipline of a runner.

“My parents were both excellent cooks and had an extensive library of cookbooks. The French Laundry Cookbook and Fredy Girardet’s Girardet: Recipes from a Master of French Cuisine are my favorites,” Matt said as he retrieved a well-worn copy of Girardet.

He started working in high school at La Mascotte in Commack, a traditional French restaurant. Jean Claude Denner and Andre Guillet were mentors at The Culinary Institute of America. Time spent at Wolfgang Puck’s, Postrio in San Francisco and experiences at Arcadia, Gramercy Tavern and finally, Veritas in New York City, prepared him to open his own place.

“When a deal fell through in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we came out to visit my parents and saw this space, previously The Duck Pond Inn. It was in disrepair, but it had possibilities and we worked to make this happen,” Matt reminisces.

And now with Eileen serving as hostess and Phil Brown behind the mahogany bar near a roaring fire, it appears to be true. The breathtaking view of the duck pond, and cozy rooms with tables and banquettes trimmed with chocolate-brown and ice-blue accents set the mood.

Co-Chef Charles Treadwell and Connors, friends with similar culinary backgrounds, are a team in the well-organized kitchen. Outside, they participate in The Farm at St. Peters, a cooperative where they grow and harvest fresh vegetables to serve in season.

“A chef must be an intuitive cook, one who can be thrown ingredients and know how they react to heat and combine to taste good. The whole process starts with imagining the taste and understanding how different textures and flavors contrast and complement. For instance, our striped bass is a nice meaty fish, served with braised leeks, truffle smashed potatoes with truffle foamy emulsion. Charles and I decided to surround it with a port wine reduction to give it acidity as a contrast. Unusual, but it makes the dish.”

Chef Matt Connors is pacing himself serving unpredictable fare and he’s making great time. 

Signature Dish : Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Truffle Smashed Red Potatoes.
“This is one of the first specials offered when we opened The Lake House. It was received so well that it remains on the menu to this day.”

Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Braised Leeks, Truffle Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, Mushroom Emulsion and Port Reduction

Serves 4
Preheat oven to 350 degrees for leeks.

For the potatoes:
1 lb fingerling potatoes, skin on
½ c heavy cream
2 tbsp black truffle butter
1 tbsp truffle oil
1 tbsp chives, minced
Bring heavily salted water to a boil, boil potatoes for 20 minutes, until fork tender, drain and let cool. Crush with the back of a spoon. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the remaining ingredients with potatoes over a medium flame, stirring occasionally. Cook for 5 minutes until cream has thickened. Keep warm until ready to plate.

For the mushroom emulsion:
2 c mushroom stock, preferably homemade
2 tbsp black truffle butter
2 tbsp crème fraiche
1 tbsp truffle oil
Salt to taste
In a large saucepot, bring all the ingredients to a simmer over a low flame. When ready to use, buzz quickly with a hand blender and use the foam only for plating.

For the port reduction:
1 c ruby port
1 c red wine vinegar
In a small sauce pot, over a low flame, simmer together the port and vinegar until thick and syrupy. Set aside.

For the leeks:
4 leeks, washed and split, white part only
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ c chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 sprig fresh thyme
Place all the ingredients in a small roasting pan, cover with foil tightly and cook for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Keep warm and set aside.
For the Fish:
4 8 oz filets of wild striped bass, skin removed, about 1” thick
2 tsp Wondra flour
salt and pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Flour and season filets with salt and pepper. Place filets flour side down in the butter and oil in a very hot sauté pan until lightly browned. Finish in the oven in the same sauté pan for 8 to 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Plate fish with potatoes, leeks and mushroom emulsion. Drizzle port reduction around the dish and serve.

Seasonal Vegetable Salad With Soft Poached Farm Egg, Creamed Chanterelles, Grilled Asparagus and Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese

Serves 4

For creamed chanterelles:
1 c chanterelles, cleaned and sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp shallots, minced
¼ c Madeira
2 tbsp crème fraiche
1 tbsp truffle butter
1 tsp truffle oil
1 tbsp chives, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
In a large sauté pan, medium flame, melt butter and sauté mushrooms for 4-5 minutes until soft. Stir in shallots and Madeira, and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the Madeira to evaporate and then add the remaining ingredients, stirring gently to coat the mushrooms. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

For the egg:
4 organic or free-range large eggs
Water
¼ c white vinegar
In a sauté pan, bring water and vinegar to a gentle boil. Drop in eggs and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the whites are set. Scoop out and drain onto paper towels. Keep warm and set aside.

For the asparagus and salad:
1 bunch asparagus, stemmed and peeled, grilled lightly
2 c baby arugula, washed and dried well
½ tbsp shallots, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
4 slices brioche bread, buttered and toasted
½ lb Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, sliced into 4 equal slices
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, shallots, oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:
On a dinner plate, place ½ cup arugula salad, top with goat cheese slice. Place ¼ of the asparagus on plate and spoon creamed chanterelles over them. Place warm egg next to the asparagus and serve with warm toasted brioche. Season with salt and pepper.

You need not be Sherlock Holmes or possess any special investigative powers to identify a really bad restaurant. They virtually announce themselves from first contact and follow through to the presentation of the bill. Their flaws are apparent.

First tell: Make a reservation, even if you don’t need one, even if you’re going to a restaurant on a rainy Tuesday night and will be the only people in the dining room with one. There is no better way to evaluate a restaurant before you get there than taking note of how they handle your request. If they don’t know what they’re doing, if they can’t get your reservation straight, if they sound like they’re a messy, disorganized operation, they probably are.
If they are careless and unconcerned about your reservation, their food and service will probably reflect those characteristics as well.

If any of the following happen to you, reconsider:

• You call and are put on hold, sometimes forever with nobody
ever answering.
• Although the restaurant is open, your call is taken by an
answering machine. You might or might not get a return call.
• Your call for a reservation is taken by someone who asks you
to call back at another time.
• The person who answers can’t find the reservation book
therefore is unable to record your request.
• Your reservation is taken by a curt, cold, unfriendly person
who does not thank you for calling.
• Your reservation is taken by someone who forgets to ask your
name, time of arrival or number of people in your party.

These things rarely happen at good restaurants whose reservationists are pleasant, informed and appreciative, which brings us to your arrival at the restaurant. In that last instance, you may well be told they have no record of a reservation in your name—­worse yet they have no tables available.

Another bad omen is the absence of a greeter, which is somebody at the entrance to the dining room to welcome and seat you. Instead you are left standing and unacknowledged as members of the waitstaff scurry by without even a nod in your direction.

Once (finally) seated, the first morsel, the first impression of the restaurant’s food comes when the breadbasket arrives. If it contains only cottony, mass-produced bread and rolls from a commercial bakery rather than diverse, interesting ones from makers that take pride in their customized products, you are probably in for a long, lackluster night. Accompanying brick-hard butter that defies powerful fork thrusts is another no no. The two butter patties wrapped in foil are fine for a diner, but another bad sign at a supposedly quality restaurant.

If you need to use the facilities before eating only to find them dirty and messy, imagine what the kitchen looks like. Yes, there is a correlation between the two.

Now we are ready to eat, but there is no water in the glasses or offer to fill them. A look at the menu discloses that at a time when there are entirely gluten-free restaurants, when even baseball stadiums offer gluten-free food stands, there is not a single gluten-free dish listed. That tells us that the ownership and/or kitchen either isn’t “with it” or doesn’t care. There’s also no salt or pepper on the table. No matter how gifted the chef, no one can possibly season every dish correctly for every diner. Taste varies greatly from person to person. That’s why these condiments should be on every table without diners having to ask for them.

Speaking of being forced to ask for something that should be automatic. If the waiter who recites the nightly specials fails to mention their prices, the restaurant forces diners to question how much each one costs. Good restaurants know that it is their responsibility to give this necessary information to their patrons without making them ask for it. Bad restaurants don’t.

It shouldn’t be difficult for a trained waitstaff to know who ordered each dish and deliver it to the proper person. So if dishes have to be auctioned off, as in “Who ordered the turnips?” you know you’re not dealing with polished professionals. Yet another negative indication comes when busboys clear plates while one or more diners at the table are still eating, thereby putting at least subtle pressure on them to eat faster and to finish.

Speaking of plates, warm or even hot ones have their place, but that place is not when they contain fish, especially delicate, thin, flaky white-fleshed fish. Cooking fish requires a keen eye and gentle touch that is nullified by hot plates that continue to cook them into a dry, overcooked condition.

Closing salvos that reveal that amateurs are at work include no request by your server for a coffee or tea order and an unrequested check plunked down on the table at meal’s end or even during the dessert course. That’s OK for an inexpensive diner where the turning of tables and high volume is necessary to stay in business, but not at a pricier, upscale, more prestigious spot where it is yet another indication of a less than well-run restaurant.

Perhaps the Dalai Lama of bad restaurants that I experienced occurred at an Indian restaurant where we were given a bill, even before we ordered and then a second one before we received our appetizers. The topper came the next morning when I passed by and looked into its window and saw stacks of dirty dishes covered with flies. It gets my “ick” vote for worst bad restaurant.

Dance the Night Away:
DONS & DIVAS

FOUR/TWO
An evening out on Long Island should involve the best of both worlds—a striking dining experience in a lively atmosphere. Long Islanders spend their nights wisely when they head to either one of Jay Grossman’s two masterpieces: Four Food Studio and Two Steak & Sushi Den. Each captures distinctive tastes within unique spaces. Four attributes its atmosphere to mother nature with a casual yet elegant dining experience featuring American cuisine. Two explores the brilliant combination of steak and sushi wrapped in a chic dramatic vibe. Both of these modern restaurants orchestrate a remarkable experience that sets the standards for New Year’s Eve. Two offers both an à la carte menu or, for the dancers, a buffet, open bar, champagne toast and DJ from 8:30pm-midnight for $60 per person at the restaurant’s lower level. Four offers a variety of packages. For those in it for the long haul, the Sit, Stay and Play ($125) covers the festivities from 7pm-2am. Abbreviated options are also available for those less die-hard.
Four, Melville (631) 577-4444, fourfoodstudio.com
Two, New Hyde Park (516) 358-2222, twoonline.com

Roslyn Chalet
Attention NYE experts! Your quest for a private party in a public place has been answered. The Chalet offers room rentals for 10-15 people in its intimately appointed den-like space. This 5-hour event includes open bar, dinner and champagne toast. Smaller groups can join the festivities at 9pm for $100 per person.
Roslyn, (516) 621-7975, roslynchalet.com

SUGAR
For both demanding tastebuds and “be-seen” socialites alike, this radiant den and lounge keeps the crowd delighted. The scene is one of the best you’ll find on Long Island if you are looking for pulsating music and a place where guests groove atop couches, tables and platforms. TKA, the kings of freestyle and the Lords of New Year’s Eve, will be on stage to ring in the New Year. DJ Serg will spin the best house, hip hop and top hits. Sugar is offering two separate packages—Silver and Gold. The Gold offers a buffet dinner and the sweet Silver offers an open bar starting at 10:30pm. Hold off your New Year’s resolutions until after the celebrations and let your sweet tooth enjoy some of the fun. Sip on luscious candy-like cocktails from the Charm-tini to the Black & White Cookie.
Carle Place, (516) 248-7600, sugarli.com

Big Night in NYC

Avenue
Avenue is an ultra-lounge complete with an exclusive and privileged scene of A-listers and socialites. The wood paneled décor, plush ottomans and soaring ceilings provide the perfect ambiance in which to celebrate the New Year. General admission and separate VIP options differ with cost and exclusivity.
NYC, (212) 337-0054, avenue-newyork.com

Capitale
Capitale is a majestic backdrop for the perfect New Year’s Eve. European charm and dramatic architecture makes this gem one of NYC’s best spots. Dance the night away among the towering Corinthian columns and marble mosaic floors. General admission and separate VIP options differ in cost and level of exclusivity.
NYC, (212) 334-5500, capitaleny.com

Cipriani
This NYC landmark owns the night boasting rich history and gorgeous architecture. Cipriani 42nd Street is a classic destination in which to surround yourself in opulence and perfection. Step into the New Year at this Manhattan masterpiece. General admission and separate VIP options are available.
NYC, (212) 499-0599, cipriani.com

Juliet Supper Club
If you know how to party, you’ll start the New Year off at Juliet Supper. This high-energy soirée exudes the glitz and glam of NYC. The décor of this top-notch club resembles a jewel box and focuses on offering a unique evening.
NYC, (212) 929-2400, julietsupperclub.com

Pranna
Welcome 2012 at Pranna, the perfect oasis with one of the best nightlife spectacles in NYC. Featuring a sleek vibe and various rooms, partygoers are able to mingle throughout the impressive 15,000 square foot space. General admission and separate VIP options differ with cost and exclusivity.
NYC, (212) 696-5700, prannarestaurant.com

STK
STK is a seductive vamped up steakhouse turned lounge by the late evening in the Meatpacking District. Your New Year’s Eve will be alive at this supreme haute spot that pulls in the who’s who of NYC. General admission and separate VIP options differ in cost and level of exclusivity.
NYC, (646) 624-2444, stkhouse.com

Good Vibes:
Moods & Music

Huntington Social
Huntington Social may be the newbie on the block, but this bustling town has been waiting for a place like this. On the corner of New York Avenue and Main Street, the hidden gem sits on the second story overlooking the town. This is your place to spend New Year’s Eve if you are looking for a way to celebrate on the smaller, more intimate side in the lounge’s speakeasy atmosphere. There will be two seatings held at 7 and 9pm of fixed-course dinners with different options. The later seating will include midnight festivities that feature a champagne toast, open bar, live music and dancing. Guests that want to celebrate but skip dinner may enter at 11pm to enjoy the late night action for a cover at the door.
Huntington, (631) 923-2442, huntingtonsocial.com

The Paramount in Huntington
The Paramount theater may not seem like the venue to spend your New Year’s, however doing something different is what it’s all about. This brand-spanking new venue is full of entertainment and character with a downtown vibe. Dennis Rodman (yes, the former b-baller) will be the main event on New Year’s Eve DJing with Vic Latino on The Redemption Tour. This spectacular show includes special guest Mia Martina who sings the hit “Stereo Love.” Check online for tickets and pricing.
Huntington, (631) 673-7300, paramountny.com

Spend the Night:
Stately Manors

The Garden City Hotel
The luxurious Garden City Hotel provides a spectacular countdown to the New Year with two options for an extravagant evening held in either the hotel’s Rein restaurant or the Grand Ballroom. Starting at 8:30pm in the private dining room, a jazz trio will accompany a five-course meal paired with five exceptional wines. Guests can watch Times Square light up on any of the four flat screens while they also enjoy an open bar for $250 per person. An elite gala dinner being held in the Grand Ballroom kicks off at 8:30pm with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for an hour followed by an evening of live music including the best current dance, rock and throwback 80s hits until 2am. The evening also includes a delectable three-course meal and open bar for $195 per person. Afterwards is the option to spend the night (and play it safe) with the New Year’s Eve Overnight Extravaganza package available for $695 per couple including champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, gala dinner, overnight accommodations and breakfast buffet the next day.
Garden City, (516) 747-3000, gardencityhotel.com

The American Hotel
Known as one of the finest dining establishments in the Hamptons, this Sag Harbor hotel offers the perfect cozy, Victorian-like setting to countdown to the New Year. Their French-American cuisine is perennially lauded and the exceptional wine selection of more than 1,000 bottles is recognized by Wine Spectator annually—the American Hotel takes its wine seriously. This landmark venue is a charming way to celebrate the holiday with the option of staying overnight.
Sag Harbor, (631) 725-3535, theamericanhotel.com

Montauk Manor
Drive out to The End and soak in the quietness of the off-season. The Montauk Manor is a gorgeous English Tudor hotel that has many deluxe amenities including an indoor pool, day spa and fine restaurant. The Manor’s New Year’s Eve package is a minimum two-night stay that includes dinner and brunch the next morning. Rates differ depending on amount of people and room-size.
Montauk, (631) 668-4400, montaukmanor.com

Happy Halls:
Classic Caterers

Chateau Briand
Standards are high at Chateau Briand, a lavish catering hall in the center of Nassau County. From the moment you walk into the grand lobby, the modern-art deco vibe blends with elegance to set the perfect scene to ring in the New Year. Four different tiers of celebrating offer guests the option of customizing the evening to fit their own style. Enjoy an extensive cocktail hour starting at 8:30pm and a sit-down dinner while listening to a live band until 2am. If you are into dancing to the hottest hits, join Body Rock DJ Entertainment during two separate time frames: 9pm-2:30am or 9:30pm-3am. If you prefer to skip on the sit-down dinner, start your 2012 with the late-night party beginning with an extensive cocktail hour and buffet dinner at 10pm and going until 2:30am.
Carle Place, (516) 334-6125, chateaubriandcaterers.com

Fox Hollow Country Club
Woodbury’s Fox Hollow Country Club is the perfect destination for an eventful New Year’s Eve. Whether you plan to spend the night or just celebrate until the wee hours, you will enjoy a full cocktail hour, premium open bar and extensive dinner menu, which includes live entertainment from either 7:30-1pm or 8pm-1:30am depending on your time slot. Another option for partying is at The Somerley, set apart from the main estate, where a delectable menu, cocktail hour and dinner reception including a dessert lounge featuring the best exotic chocolate, dessert wines and even more tantalizing sweets are on the agenda. This party runs 7pm-1am with live entertainment and light show by Body Rock DJ. Overnight accommodations for a variety of suite packages include a bottle of champagne and breakfast buffet on New Year’s Day.
Woodbury, (516) 921-1415, theinnatfoxhollow.com

East Wind
Out on the East End where farms and vineyards reign, Wading River’s East Wind Caterers provides some glitz to the quaint locale. On New Year’s Eve, join in for a tasteful dinner spread and an evening of dancing the night away. DJ Tommy’s Tunes Entertainment will make the final hours of 2011 memorable. A five-hour premium open bar including a midnight champagne toast with a live simulcast from Times Square pulls the night together. The night begins at 8pm and lasts until 1am and overnight accommodations are available.
Wading River, (631) 929-3500, eastwindlongisland.com

Festive Affairs:
Distinctive Dinners

Danfords
Danfords nautical hotel and marina is the laid back option for New Year’s Eve if you are looking for an evening involving spectacular views and delicious food. The end of your 2011 can begin with dinner arrangements at Wave Seafood Kitchen at either 6 or 9pm for a four-course meal ($89 per person). Dine while listening to a live jazz band overlooking the distant twinkles of Connecticut. If you are looking to extend your evening, take advantage of Danfords hotel package that includes overnight accommodations, four-course dinner for two and breakfast buffet on New Year’s Day (starting at $449).
Port Jefferson, (631) 928-5200, danfords.com

Tellers
Tellers is a glamorous steakhouse with dramatic architecture both inside and out. The 30-foot ceilings and tremendous columns that outline the building enhance your overall experience at this charming venue. Spend an enticing evening with a five-course meal after 9pm (regular dining beforehand) including a champagne toast and of course dancing until the wee hours. If that doesn’t do it for you, think about the wine vault that houses more than 10,000 bottles. Festive? Check. Elegant? Check. Perfect? Check.
Islip, (631) 277-7070, tellerschophouse.com

Lombardi’s
Take advantage of living on Long Island: Ring in the New Year overlooking the water. Kick off 2012 at one of the most beautiful locations on the island—Lombardi’s on the Bay. Their New Year’s Eve Candlelight Ball features a sit-down dinner, open bar, DJ and dancing with a live simulcast of Times Square in the background for $150 per person. The night starts off at 8pm and continues until 1:30am.
Patchogue, (631) 654-8970, lombardisonthebay.com

** PRICES LISTED DO NOT INCLUDE TAX AND GRATUITY

Pulse Ginger Dragon

Gin and Tonic has its origins as a medicine, developed in the 18th century by the British East India Company to treat malaria, utilizing the quinine in tonic water. Highly bitter by itself, gin was added to make the medicine more palatable. Throughout the centuries, mixologists have come up with countless variations on the recipe. Here’s our take, a redheaded stepchild of the Dragon Gin and Tonic:

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz gin
4 oz tonic water
2 pinches of ground ginger
1 pinch crushed black pepper
1 splash of Grenadine
1 lime

Mix the ginger and gin in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about six seconds. Strain the mixture into a highball glass with some ice until half filled. Add tonic and Grenadine. Top with crushed black pepper to taste (yes, pepper, trust us). Garnish with a lime.

JAKE’S STEAKHOUSE
East Meadow (516) 222-8400

Restaurants and food fads come and go. When was the last time you ate nouvelle cuisine at a French restaurant? Even Chinese food at a straight Chinese eating-place that doesn’t offer Japanese and/or Thai dishes has become a rarity. Past favorites like chicken à la king and baked Alaska have virtually disappeared from restaurant menus.

Yet, one uniquely American dining institution has persisted. It has weathered all the light-eating, healthy-eating, low-calorie, low-cholesterol warnings and advocacy. Yes, the all-American steakhouse retains its popularity, masculinity and celebratory essence.

Although there are many more Italian restaurants and even newfangled Asian Fusion spots, the steakhouses continue to offer substantial, no surprise, man-sized portions of solid favorites like huge steaks, lamb and pork chops, crab cakes, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, hashed browns and French fries. They rarely fail and, every once in a while, a new one opens. All of which brings us to Jake’s Steakhouse that opened in July in East Meadow and figures to be around for a while. Owners Margaret Ryan and Tony McGinley have done it right by bringing in a high-powered kitchen duo, Rick Laakkonen, the consulting chef who lists destination restaurants like The River Café, Petrossian and Delmonico’s as well as three-star Michelin restaurants in Europe on his resume, and Executive Chef Chris Hamaty, an experienced Long Island hand who spent the last four years as the very successful Executive Chef of Blackstone Steakhouse in Melville.

The two of them are churning out simple, straightforward, unfussy, understandable dishes. Flamboyant carnivores should target one of the stars on the menu, a humongous hunk of 35-day dry-aged, prime, bone-in rib eye cowboy steak ($44). It, like all the big beef dishes here, is from the most outstanding farms in Schuyler, Nebraska. The tender, slightly smaller, sliced-from-the-bone t-bone steak ($36) is its equal. Nor should the American rack of lamb ($39), with its four good-sized, crunchy herb crusted chops, be overlooked. Less expensive ($24), but also quite satisfying, were soft, deeply-flavored, braised, boneless beef short ribs with scallion mashed potatoes, sweet corn, green beans and roasted cherry tomatoes.

The starters that preceded those entrées included: A sturdy, full-bodied onion soup ($8) with a not-too-thick Swiss cheese cap alive with brisket and croutons; a thick, hefty rasher of grease-free, Applewood smoked bacon ($9) presented with a fingerling potato salad, pickled mustard seed and watercress; respectable clams casino ($10) crowned with seasoned breadcrumbs; and a wedge salad ($8) featuring two iceberg lettuce mountains with a noteworthy blue cheese dressing and a sprinkle of bacon. Side dish ($7) successes were rich creamed spinach and enough smooth mashed potatoes for four.

Among the house-made desserts were a standard crème brûlée ($8), a luxuriant, circular blueberry cheesecake ($8), a velvety bar of chocolate mousse ($9) and a modern (and commendable) version of strawberry shortcake ($8), an egg-shaped layered sponge cake, strawberry mousse, chocolate syrup affair with a separate batch of strawberries and whipped cream.

Physically, Jake’s, with its dark-wood wainscoting, cylindrical or barrel-shaped lighting fixtures, candles and leather-covered booths is pleasant, low key and neutral. Service was informed, alert, attentive, though occasionally intrusive.

photos by stephen lang

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LAVERNE OF GREAT NECK
Great Neck (516) 829-8200

Things are looking up at 9 Cutter Mill Road in Great Neck. Until a few months ago, the deservedly short-lived Bangkok Station occupied this storefront. Now that space is where Laverne of Great Neck, a Japanese, French-Fusion and Thai restaurant, has set up shop. Laverne began life in Westbury, then closed about two or three years ago before popping up again in the center of Great Neck. It represents a huge improvement over the former tenant. Its diverse Asian and European dishes create an agreeable culinary coexistence.

The unpretentious Laverne, with its bare tables, sushi bar, dark-wood walls punctuated with a band of silver and gold tile, serves everything from pad Thai, sushi and sashimi to steak frites and coquilles St-Jacques. Despite a few French possibilities, Laverne could be mistaken for a Japanese restaurant.

Though fewer, the Thai, French and cross-cultural preparations give a good accounting of themselves. The steak frites ($19), for instance, is a true fusion dish at a time when that term is often thrown around carelessly. The superior sliced sirloin steak is combined (and enhanced) with an addictive Asian sauce. Unlike restaurants that serve various standard ethnic dishes and call them fusion, Laverne really fuses two different cuisines. Just below the steak listing is a noodle section that offers great values and substantial portions. Among them are commendable versions of pad Thai ($10), Thailand’s signature dish, Kwyatio pad gai ($10), a stir fry of thin, crispy noodles with chicken, vegetables and lime leaf and drunken noodle ($11), broad rice noodles, basil, onions, bell peppers and chicken, shrimp or tofu. Pay no attention to the red peppers next to their listings signifying spiciness. While all three are tasty treats, there is not a hint of heat or kick in any of them. Not every dish was absent of heat, though. The commendable, big (and I mean big) tuna sandwich ($13) supplied the promised spicy tuna. Yet three non-spicy seafood selections were among the best picks. Try the Paradise crab meat ($11), a lovely layered meld of salmon, avocado, scallions and baked king crab; the flaky, fresh almost floating on air Chilean sea bass ($22); and the medley de coquillages ($28), a colossal plate full of excellent shellfish.

Among the starters sampled were a standard array of fresh sashimi ($10), a predictable lobster salad ($10) of lobster and fruit flecked lettuce, flying crab ($14), a fortuitous mix of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado crowned with a tender whole soft shell crab tempura napped in a sweet sauce and magret de canard ($14), a starter that sounds French, looks Asian and tastes good.

Oh, yes, for an authentic French appetizer, target coquilles St- Jacques ($11), soft, buttery scallops in a nest of thatched, deep fried noodles.

Meals at Laverne begin with complimentary, thin, crisp, delicate sweet potato chips. Pairing them or most other dishes with honey ginger tea is also a good idea (although I only drink hot tea when I’m ill, this brew was a hit).

Western desserts dominate the sweets. We tried the small, but light, tangy, full-flavored key lime pie ($6.95) with its graham cracker crust and plenty of real whipped cream; the moist, tender Caramel apple tart ($6.95) featuring crisp, ripe fruit; a light grease-free portion of banana spring rolls ($5); and a so called Thai chili molten chocolate cake ($6.95) that’s a commendable but standard version (forget the Thai chili business).

Although there are few food failures at Laverne, the fried ice cream ($4.95) qualified as one. Its rubbery dough wrap stuck together preventing diners from eating manageable, small bites. Additionally, diners should not expect knowledgeable wine service or all the dishes in each course to arrive at one time.

photos by stephen lang

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ARA INTERNATIONAL GRILLE & BAR
Saint James (631) 656-6363

Like Willie Sutton, who said he robbed banks because “That’s where the money is,” knowledgeable foodies find good restaurants by following good chefs. They keep tabs on the movement of outstanding kitchen commanders and go to their restaurants. They correctly figure that if an executive chef who moves hit a home run previously at one or two eating places, he probably will again.

That brings us to Dino Vlacich, an excellent, rising, young chef who deservedly made a name for himself at Mio in Roslyn, went on to do a commendable job at Luce in East Norwich and is also associated with Bin 107 in Saint James.

As a result, his new digs, Ara International Grille and Bar in Saint James is understandably drawing notice from diners in the know. This two-story, white-tablecloth spot with a balcony, soaring ceilings adorned with billowing fabric, candles, giant-sized fir trees and plants galore, is where Intermezzo had been. Cool jazz filled the bar on a recent weeknight at this hushed, civilized eating place.

Every starter and dessert, plus three of the four entrées sampled, were bell ringers. Give strong consideration to the deep bowls of soup that are among the least expensive starters. A rich lobster bisque ($12), with delicate slivers of lobster meat and a touch of sherry and roast corn, and chicken chowder ($8), harboring chunks of chicken and gobs of flavor, are both recommended (though the crispy tortilla chips the menu promised with the chowder never materialized).

Fruits are used liberally in main dishes to good effect at the Ara International Grille. A fresh and fine gorgonzola salad ($8) is dotted with fresh orange and dried cranberries as well as walnuts and smooth, superior cheese. Fried Peruvian bay scallops ($10) are lightly crusted and come with a cool, tangy Dijon mustard sauce.

Only a pork chop ($23) that was impregnable even with a big heavy steak knife failed at entrée time (it came with a nice apple-cranberry compote, sweet potatoes and green beans). Duck and fruit were made for each other, and the roasted duckling ($26) here arrived in a creative tangle of mixed berries and orange slices as well as red cabbage and butternut squash.

Pastas priced in the uppity $20 to $26 range included a simple, straightforward, perfectly-cooked cavatelli ($20) with a Bolognese style meat sauce. Potato crusted cod ($24), enhanced by caramelized onions and firm green beans, had a pleasant, semi-sweet flavor. Although the wine list here is pricey with no bottle under $30 and a top of $135, wine service was clueless. Our waiter neither showed us the bottle nor offered a preliminary taste. That comic opera service and a very difficult-to-read, dark menu in a dimly-lit dining room were two of the rare flaws encountered.

Desserts ($9) were not among them. They included: An apple strudel with slightly tart apples and vanilla ice cream, a perfect combination; a chocolate mousse cake that was everything it should be; a brittle crusted Linzer torte holding glorious raspberry and whipped cream; and a colossal, circular tiramisu garnished with whipped cream and chocolate.

photos by stephen lang

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After Prohibition was repealed on December 5th, 1933 at 4:31pm, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared, “What America needs now is a drink.” Prohibition is a hot media topic lately, with HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Ken Burns’ documentary Prohibition on PBS, and continues to shape the way we buy alcoholic beverages. The reasons for our flirt with “temperance” (aka: “the noble experiment,” Herbert Hoover’s description) are not understood clearly by most people, including myself. Politics surround all parts of Prohibition, from the run up to it (temperance movements preceded Prohibition by close to 150 years), to its passing, legislation, repeal and aftermath. Today there are still residual legislative adjustments, lobbying dollars and criminal political activity going on.

Prohibition opened many slivers of business opportunities (all seemed to be illegal), while trying to close just a few. For instance, the story of George Remus, a former attorney and bootlegger in the Cincinnati area who took advantage of a loophole in the laws governing the 18th Amendment that allowed alcohol to be prescribed by doctors and to be carried by pharmacies. George bought many of Cincinnati’s bonded distilleries (shut down and locked up after ratification of the 18th). He then started a pharmacy and began “selling” the alcohol from his distilleries to his pharmacy. The trucks making the deliveries were then hijacked by his own people so the alcohol could be sold to bars and restaurants illegally for bigger profits.

Gambling and prostitution get attention, but the fact that the proprietors of those “dens of disrepute” used alcohol as a social lubricant to increase revenues from those two activities is a subtle undercurrent. There are still laws on the books about gambling and prostitution, and selling alcohol. The use of free alcohol to get men to spend more on prostitutes and gambling was an important part of the economy of a saloon before (and during) Prohibition. This is still the case in states where gambling is legal and in Nevada where both are allowed. In New York, all wholesale prices must be posted with the state 45 days before each month, no free goods are allowed, all samples must be labeled as such, and producers and wholesalers can’t give anything away to help sales (game tickets, gift cards, product, trips, etc.). All sales, pricing, deals and payments are overseen by each state’s Alcohol Authority.

Prohibition made plenty of people very rich, and when it was repealed, many of the same people had the power and money to help massage the new laws about alcohol so they would continue in very lucrative businesses.

What’s all this got to do with wine? It is this history and the resulting laws that make it difficult to get wine shipped directly from wineries to our homes in many states and expensive in the states where it is legal. It is illegal for a consumer to buy wine in one state and have it shipped to many states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, in other states there are strict laws about how much and what type of permit is needed.

Today, instead of smoky, backroom deals involving gangsters protecting their illicit businesses, we have a legal form of the same thing being done in government buildings, again with a small group of powerful people protecting their profits.

NASSAU

harbor Q
(516) 883-4227, Port Washington
harborq.com

While Keith Dorman, owner and executive chef of harbor Q, is a “smoker of nine years,” his implement, a Southern Pride XLR-600, does not contain carcinogens, nor can it be purchased at a neighborhood bodega. Dorman’s industrial wood-pit barbecue, capable of 600 lbs of meat per cooksesh, produces an amalgamation of authentic regional styles described as “outside the paradigm of dancing pigs and neon lights.” Examples include North Carolina-style pulled pork, Kreuz Market Texas smoked beef sausage, and the Hawg Leg, pork osso bucco glazed with apricot/peach and smoked for 14 hours. The space, constructed with pieces of metal and wood salvaged from an overseas shipping container, pours crafts “from every style” to complement “every single meat.”

“Stone Brewing Company Smoked Porter and Orkney Skull Splitter pair well with our brisket,” says Dorman.

The Leaky Lifeboat
(516) 804-9870, Seaford
facebook.com/theleakylifeboat

The Leaky Lifeboat is punk, albeit not for certain discernible visuals associated with the subculture present within its four anchor-adorned walls (see: ink-sleeved limbs and Pabst Blue Ribbon). The Leaky Lifeboat embodies punk because it is defined by a similar experiential ethos, one which embraces moral sense and compassion for others, and rejects injustice.

“We formed The Leaky Lifeboat as a safe place for rock kids and those who felt rejected because we have lived it and wanted to feel safe and accepted and comfortable,” says Eric Finneran, who, with Sal Mignano, owns The Leaky Lifeboat. Finneran and Mignano, former partners at Broadway Bar in Amityville, host all-local art exhibits (eg: Art is Hard on 7/23/11) because they “love art and artists.”

The duo acquired the space adjacent to The Leaky Lifeboat, formerly Phatso’s, in late October and hope to open “Long Island’s first vegan/vegetarian fast food eatery.”

Punk.

Genesis of moniker: “Last Summer, Sonic Youth was playing and I was trying to get Sal to join,” recalls Finneran. “He said ‘I hope they play “Leaky Lifeboat (for Gregory Corso)” 15 times in a row,’ which he knew was my least favorite song off the new album. So I said, ‘We just named the bar.’ He agreed that was it.”

SUFFOLK

North Fork Oyster Company
(631) 477-6840, Greenport
northforkoystercompany.com

If one alters the theme song to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by substituting “oyster” for “turtle,” a recurring line becomes: “Heroes in a half-shell! Oyster power!” Example of “oyster power” via North Fork Oyster Company: “Within 10 miles of our restaurant, we have at least three oyster farmers who have products in Michelin-rated kitchens in New York,” explains executive chef, Alex Algieri. “The main difference is, I get them delivered the day they are harvested by the growers.” Algieri, who supports the “growing trend toward cultivated fish” on the east end of Long Island, now with “over twenty-five oyster farms producing some of the best oysters around,” utilizes neighborhood calamari, cod, flounder, and striped bass for his plates, often paired with variations of produce “almost entirely local from April to November.”

North Fork Oyster Company also pours four permanent Greenport Harbor Brewing Company draughts (10/18/11: Black Duck Porter, Harbor Ale, Leaf Pile Ale, and Other Side IPA). “They are our neighbors, our friends and our community,” says Algieri, of Greenport Harbor Brewing Company. “We want them to be successful because that will help our entire community to be successful. Plus, we love the beer.”

Food/Beer Pair Matrimony: nut-crusted local flounder, sweet potato purée, braised leeks & anise honey with Greenport Harbor Brewing Company Black Duck Porter

Huntington Social
(631) 923-2442, Huntington •
huntingtonsocial.com

A second-floor gastro-speakeasy by Christopher Lee, executive chef, formerly of Aureole. Lee, a Huntington native, and his three partners (Frank Bruno, Kevin McCaughan and Larry Rizzo) present velvet booths, grilled fontina with braised short ribs, vintage chardonnay (eg: Ramey Wine Cellars’ Ritchie Vineyard 2007) with optional locker service for subsequent visits and craft draughts/bottles. According to Jeff Ruskaup, general manager, Huntington Social hopes to entice the patron who demands “better quality” with “craft beer, classic cocktails and higher-end wines.”

“Different is good, right?” adds Ruskaup.

Monthly three-course prix fixe on Tuesday, tag-teamed with a craft brewery (October = Captain Lawrence Brewing Company). Note: The bathroom wallpaper is patterned with stogie-totin’ monkeys.

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

Huntington Social photo by Stephen Lang

Carlyle At The Palace
(516) 756-1600, Plainview
carlyleatthepalace.com
Jetsetters get ready, here’s a quick escape to South Beach on Long Island. On the border of Nassau and Suffolk Counties is Carlyle At The Palace—a party with style and flair. Before dancing the night away, grab dinner at Deco 1600, conveniently located under the same roof. Dine in front of the toasty fireplace on those extra brisk evenings and experience a delectable Italian-American meal. The ultra-friendly waitstaff provides helpful recommendations and options to share with a big group, which is definitely the way to party at the Palace. Capture everyone’s attention at this new nightclub draped in white sheers and chic chandeliers. The Palace fits perfectly into the night owls’ schedules with its accommodating bottle service and unique drinks. White plush couches and seats dominate throughout this sultry spot. Projector screens amplify the scene with black and white visions of drinks flowing and bodies moving. Thursday nights are for the ladies! (Men are still welcomed, obviously at your own risk.) Grab your girls and your best dress for an unforgettable evening. Cheers to a newbie worth trying! 

Mint Restaurant & Lounge
(516) 307-8677, Garden City
mintny.com
Mint Restaurant & Lounge celebrates Indian cuisine with a vibrant lounge set in tranquil architecture. The refreshing herb chosen as the restaurant’s name derives from the main ingredient incorporated in each dish. Roosevelt Field Mall is lucky to have another hotspot to visit after a long day of shopping. With the holiday season upon us, it’s perfect to kick back at this stellar bar and watch Tushar (a bartender with a serious passion) create a spectacle. Ask for the Flaming Lamborghini, as flamboyant as the car itself. Their most popular mint-tini is the Lychee Martini (for good reason). This delicious cocktail is a perfect mix of Grey Goose, lychee liqueur and juice with a touch of Chambord. Careful, this one tastes so good you’ll order more than one. Feel like doing some good? Sip on the (Belvedere) Red cocktail that consists of apple and cranberry juices mixed with the vodka’s (Red) bottle—50% of their profit goes to The Global Fund to support AIDS & HIV programs. Now that’s a drink that will have you smiling! Large groups should consider the Super-tini, equivalent to three cocktails served in a massive martini glass. Each martini on the menu can be made into this monstrosity. Corporate happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4-7pm, be sure to stop by. City lovers can head west to Mint’s sister at 50th St. 

NYC PICK

Bubble Lounge
(212) 431-3433, NYC
bubblelounge.com
Champagne can make any given night more enticing with the dramatic pop of a cork and bubbles overflowing. Who says you need to be celebrating a specific occasion for a toast of the good ole bubbly? The Bubble Lounge is a champagne salon in the fashionable neighborhood of TriBeCa. This classy downtown lounge features 300 types of champagne including unique specialty drinks by the glass. An extra special sipper is the “Champs-Élysées” topped off with a hibiscus flower. This combination of Caposaldo Prosecco and Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur cures a long week.

The succulent flavor of pear is proven to be one of the most desirable fruits with “A Pear to Remember” cocktail—another Prosecco selection mixed with pear purée and Combier Liqueur d’Orange. If you’re looking to stay longer than a drink or two, call ahead and reserve a table. Fine hors d’oeuvres are available along with exquisite champagne bottle selections. Ladies, put on your best stilettos and men, grab those loafers—you will feel the energy vibrate once the night gets going. The music gets louder after midnight mixing some old and new classics. Go for the plunge and pay the price to taste why the Bubble Lounge is the best of its kind. Salut!

NASSAU

The Breakers
(516) 628-9690, Bayville
This soundside Bayville eatery is happening in both the winter and the summer. Live music and seafood are the buzzwords at this bar. Open mic on Wednesdays, blues jam on Thursdays and live bands every Saturday night.

Whoville
(516) 931-9296, Bethpage
A “delightfully dive-y” bar and grill that is all about partying and having a good time. These guys have a full jazz orchestra every other Thursday and live music every Saturday, along with miscellaneous special events throughout each month—often with the proceeds going to a local charity.

SUFFOLK

Lily Flanagan’s
(631) 539-0816, Babylon
This old school Irish restaurant and pub features American favorites and traditional Irish dishes. Live bands during happy hour on Fridays, and live Irish music on Saturdays and Sundays. Drop in for a taste of Ireland at an affordable, casual place.

The Old Mill Inn
(631) 298-8080, Mattituck
Built in the early 1800s, this converted grist mill combines old world charm with classy cuisine. They feature local acts in the bar every Saturday, as well as dinner cruises around the beautiful Mattituck Inlet.

This year, the Winter Solstice takes place on December 22nd. It marks the precise point in time when the days stop getting shorter and start getting longer. Religious celebrations are frequently associated with solstices, the Winter Solstice being no exception. Many celebrations surrounding the Winter Solstice have a theme of death and resurrection, no doubt connected with the symbolic “death” and “rebirth” of the sun. During such celebrations, friends and relatives gather together to share food, fire, warmth and song. Christmas is the premier Winter Solstice event in the so-called Western world, complete with a death and resurrection theme, family get-togethers, caroling, log burning (in fireplaces with chimneys for Santa) and lights. The theme of death and rebirth, ends and beginnings, even extends to the demise of the old year and the initiation of the new one that takes place, along with intense celebrations, on New Year’s Eve.

Last year was unusual in that there was a total lunar eclipse—a “death and resurrection” of the moon—on the same day as the Winter Solstice. This is a rare and special occurrence, something that happens only once every several hundred years; it was an event well attended by Wiccans and other Pagan groups. Although not as rare, upcoming celestial events are no less special:

* The Geminids, considered one of the best meteor showers of the year, reach their peak between December 13th and 14th, with some meteors being visible from the 6th through the 19th. One can expect up to 60 multicolored meteors every hour. Look for these meteors in the Northeast skies late in the evening. Best viewing is after midnight.
* The Quadrantids peak around the 3rd and 4th of January, with a radiant not far off the handle of the Big Dipper. About 40 meteors per hour can be expected. Again, these meteors are best observed after midnight.
* Jupiter will ride high in the early evening skies. Look for it in the South-Southwest where it will pass through Pisces. Jupiter is hard to miss, as it is one of the brightest objects in the heavens.
* Neptune and Uranus will also grace the early evening skies, but these planets really do require a telescope to observe.
* Orion will be rising in the South-Southeast skies in the early evening. If you have access to a telescope, or even some good binoculars, you can observe the famous Orion Nebula, a region of active star formation.

Hmm… let’s see. What can I tell you about the Classic Stage Company that you can’t find out by using your smart phone or the computer screen on which you might be reading this? That is the task of modern relevant journalism, isn’t it? To bring to readers an experience they cannot obtain via the interworld? The website offers you all the logistics, facts, and necessary blurbs, how the Off-Broadway space has been open for 40+ years, how it gets terrific and well-deserved reviews, and how the philosophy is to re-imagine classic texts for contemporary times. All of these things are true. And it is also true that a production of Anton Chekhov’s last play, The Cherry Orchard, will run through the good part of December, thus making complete a cycle of the great Russian writer’s works in the East Village’s theater row.

It’s been a good run. The intimacy that the space provides is incomparable and must be a total delight for serious artists. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing partners-in-Classic-Stage-crime-and-more Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard in stunning interpretations of Uncle Vanya and Three Sisters during the cycle. Seeing them here in this tiny magical space versus in film or on TV is similar to seeing a lion in the wild versus a lion at the Bronx Zoo. Great actors (who seem to be attracted to Classic Stage) come alive in ways we haven’t seen here. Their troubles are heavier, their rebellion is fiercer, and their love throbs so hard you can feel their heartbeats in your chest. Here the King and Queen of the Jungle roar. I wonder what kind of barbaric yawp John Turturro will serve up in The Cherry Orchard across from Oscar-winner Dianne Wiest and a story that’s ripe for our times.

The truth is, all of Chekhov’s plays resonate in this post-economic collapse (and still collapsing?) world of fed up-ness and protests and calls for action. Who’s better than Anton for stories involving snapshots of a society about to change or changing and characters that can’t seem to handle it? “Everybody hurts,” says Michael Stipe after (perhaps?) walking out of a Classic Stage Company production a long time ago. And everybody can’t afford mortgage payments so everybody is about to sell an estate or two and everybody is looking for love and meaning in a modern world. Perfect for winter reflection. And cold nights. And vodka. Wonderful and sublime. Vodka. And a well-crafted mirror for our time. classicstage.org

As 2011 turns to 2012, the LI food scene has managed to augment already hot trends and come up with interesting new ways to present true gastronomic artistry.

Fifth Season in Port Jefferson (631) 477-8500 is providing a “local epicurean experience,” as they so eloquently word it. And the perfect distillation of their vision is seen in the Fall 2011 Dinner Prix-Fixe (with wine pairings), available all December. Unique offerings abound with the first course including a butternut squash, goat cheese and wild mushroom napoleon with a chive oil and wild mushroom demi-glace, a second course featuring mole braised short ribs, sautéed kale, creamy polenta and pickled vegetables and the third course option to bookend the meal with a napoleon comprising cinnamon poached pear and toasted almonds. $28 per person plus cost of wine or $36 a person with unlimited wine. 

Red in Huntington (631) 673-0304 breaks new culinary ground with “The Chef’s Spontaneous 7-Course Tasting Menu”—one of the first instances on Long Island of pure culinary improvisational offerings. After notifying the chef about allergies or dislikes, he will take you through an odyssey of seven courses, apps, entrées and desserts all hinging on his whims at the moment of creation. Everyone at the table must participate (minimum of 2 diners) and you must allow at least 2 ½ hours for the entire repast. $85 a person.

Wantagh’s culinary bounty is notable with two Japanese-influenced restaurants providing interesting Eastern delights. Check out Showa Hibachi (516) 785-0558 Monday to Friday from 11am-3pm for their Combination Bento Box special—boxed lunch, Japanese style. It contains miso soup, salad, California roll, beef tempura marble, white rice and a choice of either vegetable tofu teriyaki for $8, chicken teriyaki for $9, beef, salmon or shrimp teriyaki for $10. In addition to their lauded steak and seafood, one of Thom Thom’s (516) 221-8022 more unique offerings is the $12.95 “Sushi Pizza,” composed of a sushi rice pizza shell, tuna, salmon, kani kama, cucumber and jalapeño.

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Recently, after a well-deserved vacation in Paris, Steven De Bruyn treated his wife to a birthday dinner at Rouge Tomate on the Upper East Side. “It was a perfect evening. The sommelier, Pascaline Lepeltier, paired two wines with each course and asked if she could go out of the box. The cuisine is organic and sustainable and the wine selection amazing. Perfect food paired with the perfect wine makes fireworks. And believe me it was just that—culinary fireworks.”

Steven De Bruyn, Certified Belgian Master Chef, is Executive Chef and Wine Director of Rein, the chic-casual signature restaurant in The Garden City Hotel. He appreciated Rouge Tomate because he has the same philosophy. His cuisine is New American with touches of Classical French. Organic, sustainable and local produce and wine are offered when available. Managing the extensive and well-staffed kitchen and the menu for the restaurant, along with brunch, tea and special events is a major challenge. Adding Wine Director to his job was important to his vision to offer the finest cuisine paired with the finest wine.

Unaware where his education would lead, he entered boarding school at fourteen and persevered. Hotelschool Koksijde ‘Ter Duinen was a top culinary school in Belgium. Steven was honored with his first of many awards, winning the accolade of the Best Junior Chef in Belgium. Later he was inducted into Les Maîtres-Cuisiniers de Belgique, a society of master chefs, and was recently asked to cook at the James Beard House.

“Master Chef Pierre Fonteyne of Restaurant Bruegel in Belgium left the biggest impression on me. I also worked as chef de cuisine at Restaurant Jean-Claude Ferrero in Paris. But my striving for perfection came from Claude Dupont. I served as pastry chef and chef de partie at his restaurant in Brussels. It was almost a military style training. Everything had to be perfect. There was no room for just okay.

“At 21, I was burned out. When an offer came from Club Med for executive sous chef in Bermuda, a dream job, I grabbed it. I met my wife, a girl from Brooklyn, at Club Med in Florida. We then moved to Belgium and shortly after I got a call offering me a sous chef position at The Garden City Hotel. It seemed like destiny that we return to America.”

When asked to describe his life now in one word, in any of his three languages, Chef De Bruyn said in English, “Busy!” And then in French, “Intéressant!” And finally in Flemish with a glint in his eye, “Leuk! (Fun). Well, it is, above all, fun to do what I do!

“I want people to know that I am not mean. I am a perfectionist, but not mean. Chefs are all a little crazy, especially pastry chefs. It must be the sugar,” he said as he winked at his accomplished Executive Pastry Chef David Lugo.

Signature Dish

“My Favorite: Roasted Chicken with Roasted Root Vegetables. This is a very easy, healthy and tasty chicken preparation that is perfect for a cold winter night and involves little cleanup. The choice of vegetables may vary. I have added acorn squash or delicata squash or even brussel sprouts halved. The Fig Cinnamon Jam is an add-on and if you have never tried making preserves, you will find it very easy.”

Ingredients:

One, 2 ½ pound chicken
3 carrots, peeled, cut diagonally in 1 ¼” pcs
2 Small turnips, trimmed but not peeled, cut in wedges
1 parsnip, peeled, cut diagonally in 1 ¼” pcs
1 celery root, peeled and cut in a rough 1” dice (serrated knife works best)
6 shallots or any small onion (cippollini, pearl), peeled cut in half or left whole for the small ones
6 fingerling or baby Yukon Gold potato, washed well and cut in half
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped (save the stems)
1 small bunch of thyme, leaves removed (save the stems)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
Fleur de Sel salt and ground black pepper
½ Tbsp dried Greek oregano
1 sage sprig
Fresh parsley or chives

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°
2. To prepare the chicken, wash and dry off with paper towel
3. Stuff the cavity with 2 whole garlic cloves, the sage leaves, stems of rosemary, thyme. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken in an ovenproof dish that is lightly oiled. (Large rectangular Pyrex or a turkey-roasting pan for two chickens.)
5. Season the chicken well with Fleur de Sel and pepper. Place the chicken in the center of the pan
6. Mix all the vegetables and herbs with the vinegar and olive oil.
7. Season with salt, pepper and scatter the vegetables around the chicken.
8. The layer of vegetables should not be too thick or they will not brown well (For one chicken I use a Pyrex dish 10 x 15.
9. Place a piece of butter on top of the chicken and 1 piece of butter on top of each leg. After ½ hr, mix the vegetable with a wooden spoon.
10. Place pan in oven and cook for 1 hr, if you have a meat thermometer, insert by the thigh and remove at 155°. Let sit loosely covered with tinfoil so it continues to cook for 10 more minutes.

This is a very easy, healthy and tasty chicken preparation that is perfect for a cold winter night (and not much cleanup to add). The variety of vegetables may vary; I have added acorn squash or delicata squash or Brussels sprouts halved.
If you noticed that the legs are not fully cooked, you can put them back in the oven, after you remove them from the chicken. Also make sure the vegetables are done by piercing with a wooden skewer or paring knife. Sprinkle the dish with chopped chives or parsley before serving

Fig Jam with Cinnamon

At The Garden City Hotel, Chef Steven De Bruyn makes all the jams and preserves for our Saturday Afternoon Tea; it’s a great way to use figs that are in season. The jams are all natural—no added pectin or additives. Late summer and fall is a great time to make the preserves this way you can enjoy them all winter long; they also make unique gifts for the holidays, enjoy!

2 # Black Mission figs
1 # Sugar
2 lemons
½ Cinnamon stick (finely grated with a Microplane grater)

Methods:

1. Wash the figs gently and wipe them carefully with a paper towel.
2. Cut off the hard stems and quarter them.
3. Put them in a stainless steel pot with the sugar and grated cinnamon.
4. Let sit for ½ hr.
5. After ½ hr, add the lemon juice and bring everything to a simmer.
6. Cover with parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.
7. The next day, bring everything to a simmer, while stirring from time to time and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the liquid starts to thicken slightly (you can check the thickness by pouring a spoonful on a cold plate it should hold its shape somewhat and not run to quickly).
8. Pour into a clean jar, cover and refrigerate a few days before you open it.

It was during the November of 1500 that Nicolaus Copernicus first observed a Lunar Eclipse. In a more recent November, this time in 1966, the Lunar Orbiter 2 sailed off to image the dark side of the Moon and search for potential landing sites for Apollo lunar missions.

A message was broadcast from the Arecibo radio telescope on November 16th, 1974. The goal was to tell listeners on far away worlds about our home planet. Frank Drake prepared the message with the help of Carl Sagan. Sagan, of course, is an astronomer as well as the author of Contact, the novel upon which the same-named film was based. Carl Sagan was born on November 9th, 1934.

The evening of November 12th, 1833, marked the discovery of the Leonid meteor shower and the birth of modern meteor science. On that date, the Leonids put on an incredible fireworks show over Europe.

* The Leonid meteor shower will peak on the 17th and 18th of November, with about 40 meteors per hour, although some meteors may be observed anytime between the 13th and 20th of the month. As usual with meteor activity, best observing is after midnight. The shower is caused by debris left behind by the comet Tempel-Tuttle, a periodic comet that appears once every 33 years.
* Orion, the most famous winter constellation, will once again grace the early evening skies. Orion is noted for being the home to many nebula and star-forming regions. Look for it in eastern skies after 9:30pm.
* Jupiter will ride high in southeastern skies. It will be one of the brightest objects and cannot easily be missed. Nearby will be two bright asteroids, 2002 UX 25 and 2001 UR 163.
* On November 8th, an asteroid 1,300 feet in diameter—YU 55, will pass within .85 lunar distance units to Earth. It poses no threat. However, asteroids this large only pass close to Earth about every 30 years!
* Uranus and Neptune will be up, but best viewing is with a powerful telescope.

With the countless cultures represented on Long Island, there are countless opportunities for trying new things—not to mention exploring the depths of the classics.

Rangmahal

“You should only serve what you would eat yourself,” is the mantra owner-chef Arun Verma and his wife Kusum have adhered to during their seventeen years at this unassuming glass-plated storefront—and they mean it.
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Gemelli Ristorante

Owned and operated by Giorgio and Patricia Cosentino, progeny of the immigrant elders who have held forth at the food market and Italian epicure under the Gemelli name in the village since 1988, the restaurant is true to the family legacy and the cultural influences they picked up while living in “the old country.”
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Le Soir

Leave the casual “bistro style” eateries for lunch, brunch or quick early evening bites. Le Soir is for the night (as the name suggests), meaning it’s an authentic setting for your next dinner rendezvous.
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Café Havana

Three short years ago, Puerto Rican born Jose Maldonado Jr. paired up with Chef Ramon Perez, who hails from Cuba originally. The result is an eatery offering cuisine that is solid, well-textured country fare.
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Churrasquiera Bairrada

Welcome to the real deal, packed wall to wall with all walks of life Portuguese restaurant.
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Nisen

Welcome to the place where eclectic is an understatement. Nisen may look like a typical (or not so typical) high-end sushi place, but it is much more.
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The Living Room c/o The Maidstone

Admit it, you’ve never eaten Swedish. Those meatballs you thought were different? They weren’t even close to Scandinavian, were they? This is your chance to redeem yourself and finally taste the cuisine you’ve inadvertently been ignoring.
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Rangmahal
South Broadway, Hicksville
INIMITABLE Indian

“You should only serve what you would eat yourself,” is the mantra owner-chef Arun Verma and his wife Kusum have adhered to during their seventeen years at this unassuming glass-plated storefront—and they mean it. They boast refusing to accept any payment for any meal diners find less than 100% satisfactory at their innovative, not fusion, family restaurant. It results in leagues of happy customers and consistently favorable Zagat reviews year after year.

You’ve tried the usual masala this, curry that, now go for the gold. Start with Tandoori Paneer Tikka, a sweetish cheese delicacy that’s cooked on the outside, soft on the inside. Chicken Biryani is rice mixed with chicken chunk, onion, coriander, peppers, cashews, raisins, almonds and a very special Indian cinnamon. It is cooked “dum,” meaning over a slow heat, covered with a wet cloth and lid to allow the steam to circulate the juices within. Tandoori Chicken here is par excellence. It is marinated overnight and cooked fresh every morning to bring the spices fully to life (you’ve never tasted garlic like this before) and keep it moist. For a taste of the sweeter side, go with any sauces based in apricot, ginger or green apple.

Desserts, which you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere, include Resmalai, an eggless cheesecake concoction of Indian paneer (specialty cheese) dipped in milk and dressed with pistachio and rose water. Wash it down with sugarless mint tea or tea of the special cinnamon (warning, it looks like tree bark but it’s sweet).

Key ingredients: Love, passion, coriander for garnish, anise, pomegranate seeds, turmeric, garlic, ginger, onion, tomatoes and Verma’s unique blend of 50 spices he secretly mixes every morning.

Truth: Tandoori refers to the method, not the spices.
A Tandoor is a clay oven in which food is cooked slowly.

False: Curry is a spice.
No! It is actually a mixture of spices that range wildly depending on chef, geography, influence et al.

Gemelli Ristorante
East Main Street, Babylon Village
Casual and Classic Italian

You could spend a lifetime eating your way through Italian restaurants on The Island, but how many can claim authenticity? At Gemelli, guests are struck by the genuineness of the place right off the bat: Quiet Italian music plays from speakers while patrons speaking in Italian at the bar sip from an indigenous wine list. The house is fashioned after a Mediterranean villa with cream walls recalling plaster, gently-hued exposed brick, terra cotta floor tiles and sea foam painted atrium. Owned and operated by Giorgio and Patricia Cosentino, progeny of the immigrant elders who have held forth at the food market and Italian epicure under the Gemelli name in the village since 1988, the restaurant is true to the family legacy and the cultural influences they picked up while living in “the old country.”

The secret to great classic Italian? According to Giorgio, Gemelli is about simple food done right: “Italian food is one of the best known in the world, one of the most loved, but one of the simplest.” A walk through the modest kitchen reveals a limited assortment of ingredients—the old fashioned staples of tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms and flaked seasonings are front and center. The pans are marked with the dings of use. There’s no pomp of exotic elements or experimental cross-cultural earmarks back here. And it carries back to the plates served out front. Most sauces, like the pomodoro, are made to order. The secret, Giorgio says, is “you have to listen to it. You have to feel it.”

Star Ingredients:
Gemelli’s zucchini: Giorgio’s dad brought it home from Italy 17 years ago. Every season they pluck the fruit from the Babylon garden, dry the seeds, store them for the winter and replant. And of course, garlic (culled from one consistent source), tomatoes and basil.

Best Bites:
Zucchini Flowers Appetizer
(from that famed plant)
As big as zeppelins, the flowers are stuffed with ricotta, spinach and romano cheese (for the salt), finished with parmesan and gently sautéed. The waiter will joke through his accent, “the weight watchers’ special.”

Ziti with Pomodoro Sauce
Plum tomato sauce made to order with sautéed garlic, a touch of “pasta water” (the starch thickens the sauce) and a dash of salt. AKA: pizza margherita with pasta and basil.

Fettuccini with Veal Shank
Braised in onion, carrots and celery until melt in your mouth perfection. Red sauce and basil to finish.

Shrimp Scampi
The shrimp are complemented with asparagus and plated over risotto and lemon.

Dessert
Granny Smith apples peeled and pan seared with butter and cinnamon.

Limoncello
Don’t ask, just get some. Giorgio makes it there.

Le Soir
Montauk Hwy, Bayport
FANTASTIC French

As far as French restaurants go, Long Island is simultaneously blessed and cursed. Cursed because we have so few authentic ones, but blessed because the few we have are the real deal, Francophile at the helm variety. Among them is Le Soir. Leave the casual “bistro style” eateries for lunch, brunch or quick early evening bites. Le Soir is for the night (as the name suggests), meaning it’s an authentic setting for your next dinner rendezvous.

Let’s start from the back forward. Chef Michaël Kaziewicz, originally from Limon, France (in Burgundy, to be exact) and his wife Jasia have owned Le Soir since 1977. It is a testament to the operators’ ability to consistently deliver tasty, truly good, food “as advertised.” Patrons rely on the establishment to be what they expect time and again, and Le Soir does not disappoint.

From the moment you enter the light, open, airy restaurant with white walls and tablecloths accented by dark, wood beams, lace curtains, exposed brick and elegant impressionist paintings, you sense you are in a tasteful, not stuffy, little French country cottage that does not give way to fads. The owners are in it for the long term, conscious of value for the money as well as taste and freshness, and it resonates with the mature foodie crowd that packs in even on a Sunday night.

Don’t expect tiny portions and impossible-to-eat towers of art. This is classic, bourgeois cuisine. Honest and open, hearty and finessed…suffice it to say, truly French.

Star ingredients:

Basic veal bone and veggie stock (used as a base for sauces, demi-glace and steak au poivre), garlic butter, onion soup and foie gras.

Standouts:

Pâté de Campagne: Super fresh, plated with mini gherkins, silver skinned pickled onions and chive bits. Perfect after a kiss of salt, made only better by a touch of mustard.

Potato leek soup: Smooth, light and fresh because it’s more leek than potato.

Quail with braised polenta: This is exquisite quail—not greasy, fatty or gamey—stuffed with shallots, mushrooms and a little bit of liver with a pickled cherry sauce and plated over braised polenta.

Rabbit over fresh linguini: Perfect “lapin” cooked up with caramelized fresh onions and lardons, melded together in a flavorful sauce that’s practically a broth.

Of course: Duck l’orange, clams, escargot, frog legs. This is French cuisine, just do it already.

PS. All entrées come with soup, salad and dessert and the homey waitstaff encourages doggie bags. The gentle jazz lapping from the speakers is free.

Café Havana
West Jericho Tpke, Smithtown
Cuban

Wise people start their weekends on Thursday nights. Those wiser still start them at Café Havana. It is ultimately a simply-decorated restaurant that delivers big on personality, food and ambiance. Three short years ago, Puerto Rican born Jose Maldonado Jr. paired up with Chef Ramon Perez, who hails from Cuba originally. The result is an eatery offering cuisine that is solid, well-textured country fare.

Similar to the cuisine of other Central and South American countries you may recognize—ceviche, paella, arroz con pollo—the menu is nonetheless distinguished by an assortment of authentic plates that will delight any meat lover. Chicken, steaks and pork are front and center, but do share the stage with seafood to an almost equal degree. Not surprisingly, whole fish, shrimp and scallops all make multiple appearances. And plantains, yucca and rice and bean options are never far behind.

Although the music, art and culture of Cuba are known to err on the fiery side, the food does not, making it very accessible to those with more delicate palates. The eatery is packed with festive congregations of nationalities, descending from countries both south, east and west of our own. And the music, ranging from live Cuban horns and congas to Latin DJ dance beats beckons from the dance floor to complete the scene. Those ready for a vacation, albeit one night, will rejoice about not needing to worry about passports and visas.

Star Ingredients:
Yucca, Plantains

Appetizers:

Chicken Pincho
Think of a chicken kabob speared into pineapple. Sweet, tangy and juicy.

Yucca Mojo
Textured, firm yucca in garlic butter.

Plenty of white bread with sweet plantain butter.

Entrées:

Ropa Vieja
Juicy, tangy, zesty shredded beef in a tomato based sauce with chunks of onion and pepper.

Seafood & Chorizo Paella
Earthy, smoky chorizo meets peas, clams, mussels, lime and yellow rice.

Pernil Mofongo
Roasted pork in garlic and herbs—the ultimate peasant meal. Not refined, complex layers of taste but honest, stocky and wild.

Dessert:

Havanas Bananas
Banana fritters made crispy and crowned with powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream.

Coconut Pie
An “I can’t stop eating” coconut custard pie meets coconut ice cream.

Signature Cocktail: Coconut Water Martini
But the red sangria is outstanding and deserves the bragging rights. A pitcher will not be lost on parties of three or more.

Churrasquiera Bairrada
Jericho Tpke, Mineola
Portuguese Rodizio

Welcome to the real deal, packed wall to wall with all walks of life Portuguese restaurant. The waiting area is adorned with equal parts big screen TVs, local plaques of distinction and ceramic roosters. And wait you will if you show sans reservation. We had 30 minutes to study the unsuspecting roosters one random early Sunday evening. Rumor has it this is fairly typical almost any time Bairrada’s doors are open, so plan well.

This is an everyman place—diners’ footwear is your tell: A surreptitious glance at the floor will yield everything from flip-flops (male and female, old and new), loafers with and without socks, sneakers, golf shoes, ballerina flats, glittering high heels…well you get it. It’s the kind of place that serves birthday cake with a unique sax rendition of “Happy Birthday” while onlookers clap and sing along.

Crusty peasant cornbreads and olives make their way to the table right behind you. And country salad (iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and onion shreds in simple white vinegar) is close behind.

Stars of the menu are Chanfana à Bairrada (oven roasted kid goat marinated and cooked in a pot for a full day) and Leitão Bairrada (suckling pig roasted for at least three hours on a spit). Both hail from the region that gives the eatery its name, and both are prepared in minimum supply (1-2 of each per day) rendering them unavailable at 7pm on the Sunday in question. Note to the wise: Arrive early.

Green soup is a creamy, light, white base with collard greens and smoky ham chunks. Rodizio is the parade of meats you’d expect at any such “Latin grill;” here the eight various samplings are supremely succulent and finger licking good red meats, chicken and pork. Febras de porco (pork loin) is three simple fillets with a lemon wedge grilled just to the point of firm tastiness. Accompaniments are complete and don’t have to be requested. Black beans, French fries, white rice with carrots and peas and one fried banana, steamed carrots and broccoli, chopped onion completed by vinaigrette that is like a sweet, chunky salsa. Beware: Hot sauce is as billed—hot. And the flames continue to grow. The food is as fresh as can be and it’s served up in more or less bite-sized portions. And before you know it, there’s none left.

From here, there’s only one place (or two) to go. Molotoff is an enormous, sky high, egg white and sugar molded sculpture in a meringue like concoction. Natas-do-céu is a vanilla cream with cookie crumbs, heavy crème, egg whites, caramel and cookies.

Nisen
Jericho Tpke, Woodbury
Pan Asian and Then Some

Welcome to the place where eclectic is an understatement. Nisen may look like a typical (or not so typical) high-end sushi place, but it is much more. True, the edamame come out to welcome you just as you sit down, but that doesn’t mean they’ll chart your tastebuds for the duration. Chef Terrence Cave is offering a menu that is as slick, well heeled and internationally inspired as the fashionable venue owners Tom Lam and Robert Beer have designed.

The easiest way to handle the cuisine is to start right here in the USA and work your way around the world. Belon oysters are an oversized Maine harvest that flourish from September through December, so now’s the time. Originally from France, they happen to like it better here. And you’ll be glad. Served raw, on the half shell, they are steaky with only a hint of brininess, and no significant saltiness, benefiting from three accompanying sauces: Green Nisen hot sauce (shishito peppers and jalapeños), Cocktail sauce with charred jalapeños and Mignette (classic French shallot and black pepper sauce in aged sherry and red wine vinegar). Overnight braised shortribs come with roasted shallots on top and nutty turnip purée underneath.

Go Italian(ish) with parmigiano reggiano risotto with chorizo and Maine lobster that is smoky, earthy and rich, though loose enough to enjoy, and dancing with a hint of green herb oil. Head east, as in Far East, for a Haunting Roll (the signature sushi plate of the season) and enjoy the harmonic explosion of Japanese pumpkin tempura, shrimp, mango, black caviar, Kataifi (shredded phyllo), wasabi aioli and passion fruit coulis. Yes, all of this in every bite. No, you don’t have to like sushi to love this.

Finish in Long Island’s antipode (well, almost the opposite point on our planet). Wagyu beef is a staple where it originated, in Japan, but it makes its way to our shores from Australia. This unusual specialty is made up in artisanal salts, hard seared (thin, char-crisp outside; tender, juicy, rare inside), to yield a mini steak that is tangy, sharp, beautiful and served over melt in your mouth foie gras.
Last stop: Dessert. Fried oreos with green tea ice cream is like a zeppole cocoon with a softened Oreo middle. Poached pear in cinnamon and port wine is so meaty you could get confused, if the pumpkin ice cream and hot fudge weren’t there to remind you what you were doing.

Chef’s secrets: Shallots, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, chervil, chives, red wine, cayenne, salt and pepper.

The Living Room c/o The Maidstone
Main Street, East Hampton
Suddenly Swedish

Admit it, you’ve never eaten Swedish. Those meatballs you thought were different? They weren’t even close to Scandinavian, were they? This is your chance to redeem yourself and finally taste the cuisine you’ve inadvertently been ignoring.

Before coming into the care and nurturing of Swedish hotelier Jenny Ljungberg in 2008, The Maidstone Arms was holding its own as a fashionable, as well as historic, Hamptons spot. The new owner brought with her new ideas and levels of chic, seamless hospitality management. In The Living Room, she infused the richness of her native land to meld with nouveau Hamptons cuisine steeped in the slow food philosophy.

Potato leek soup with roasted garlic and smoked salmon oils is earthy and soft, but defined, with a hint of smokiness at the surface. Swedish Raraka is a light, fresh lacy potato pancake (like a formal cousin of hash browns) with crème fraiche, golden whitefish caviar and finely chopped red onions. The salad special on one particular night put bacon lardons in the limelight atop frisée greens, blue cheese, sherry vinaigrette, red onions and tangy soft boiled eggs seated where you’d normally find croutons.

Entrées are rich and rewarded. Köttbullar (aka Swedish Meatballs) are made of lamb punctuated with zesty seasonings in a very light tomato sauce with ricotta, egg and parmesan gnocchi, and coiffed with cheese and kale. Berkshire pork tenderloin is super tender, ginger-green onion-garlic goodness grilled on super high heat and joined by potatoes whipped as smooth as milk, peppery mango and wilted pea tendrils.

Top it all off with The Living Room’s signature toffee date cake that’s sweet, light, cinnamony, warm, homey, honey, nutty stickiness. Berries over a buttermilk biscuit with crème fraiche are snaps of nature’s treasures over crunchy, airy wafers.

Chef’s favored staples: Herring, golden whitefish (caviar), menu changes to fit the season.

I’ve always believed that, when it comes to dining out, Manhattan towers above the rest of the boroughs. We’ve all heard of the big, bold and beautiful; the paparazzi have done a number on them already. But the truth is that this town also has a few lesser-known gems beyond those of the Theater District and Madison Square Garden. I’m hoping these eateries and the great neighborhoods they call home can pique your curiosity during your next outing west. They will be worth the trip.

Gina La Fornarina Upper West Side

Say you’re in town and you’re going to see a show at The Beacon. You’re on a date or catching up with an old friend, and you’re looking to get a bite before the first note plays. You’re not in the mood for any five-star deluxe extravaganzas and, because you haven’t made reservations, you’re probably in store for a long wait if you opt for one. The diner across the street is not an option either right now. You’re looking for something good and small but big on personality. Something that will deliver (in the figurative sense).

These were the circumstances in which I bumped into a sweet little spot on the Upper West Side called Gina La Fornarina. Gina is tiny, but she is the perfect complement to a certain kind of night. There’s a lot of pink going on in the aesthetic, which might make lunch/brunch too cute, perhaps, for its own good, but for dinner and drinks in dim lighting, all is good. The bartender/magician? He’s all good. The slightly slow service with a smile? All good. The kind of pricey bill? What do you expect? You’re in Manhattan. The sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes are delicious, and there are enough wine options to satisfy both imagined and true connoisseurs alike. Oh yes, and the outdoor seating? Limited, but, again, all good. And if, perchance, you’re with children on an outing to this corner of Manhattan, fret not—Gina likes kids. Our nephew had the salmon and he said it was “all good.”

It’s often the almost-overlooked that remain with us. The sassy and the snazzy slide away into fuzzy ambiguity, and the forgettable are, well, forgettable. If you weren’t looking for Gina La Fornarina, you might pass her by and probably drop in on Levain Bakery or Jacques Torres Chocolate (two nice after-dinner excursions, mind you) instead. But if you’re keen to these types of discoveries, if you’re the type of person who likes to stop and listen to street music every once in while in order to experience a little bit of sudden and random magic, Gina may be the lady for you. Get there quick. You have a show to catch. gina-lafornarina.com.

Risotteria West Village

This place is in the heart of it. The Blue Note is not too far away and neither is world-class jazz, experimental black box theater, award-winning film and a gorgeous little river called Hudson. Then there’s the Stonewall history, Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment, Blue Man Group…the list goes on. Nestled in a corner on Bleeker Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in the world famous West Village is a delightful little unpretentious eatery called Risotteria. It’s my newest favorite indulgence, which is kind of strange because Risotteria is as healthy as it is tasty. Let me explain.
Before visiting Risotteria, I never knew gluten-free eating could taste so good. Sure, I had friends who were on strict gluten-free diets and learned to adjust, celiacs who took a considerable amount of time to order, avoided most breads, etc. But I imagined their worlds to be bereft of the good stuff, a life imprisoned by a genetic blip that would mean bland meals three times a day and no dessert. Don’t smile while you’re eating either if you know what’s good for you, mister.

After Risotteria, I believe that anything is possible. I’m not sure how it’s done, but the gluten-free breadsticks taste better than just about any pre-meal basket offering I’ve ever tried (oil or no oil). And then there are the enormous salads, the Neapolitan pizza, and trays and trays of baked goods that are all gluten-free delicious as well. Of course, the crown jewel—the crème de la crème—of Risotteria is the risotto. And there is a lot of it. Try the arugula, shrimp and hot pepper risotto, or, if you’re in a fungi mood, go for the porcini. Northern Italy’s creamy rice dishes never tasted so good. Mix and match. Inquire about pairings. Bring some home for lunch tomorrow. Friends at work will gasp and shriek with joy. It will be an olfactory paradise. And you can tell them all about the gluten-free part too…how it’s actually better for your overall digestive health and how you will feel less sluggish but eternally satisfied.

Kids at NYU? Take them to Risotteria for dinner. Like the occasional independent film? Visit the Film Forum afterwards. Or go for a stroll through the diagonals of the lovely and charming quieter elements of West Village. It is, after all, a neighborhood adorned with cute shops and cobblestone streets and plenty of cool little spaces to stare at and dream. You might even stop by to visit palm reading instructor Ellen Goldberg. You could look her up or just head over to Risotteria. Since its maximum capacity cannot exceed twenty persons, there’s a good chance that, if she’s there, you might get an explanation for why your stomach line looks like a happy face all of a sudden and your heart line has grown exponentially. risotteria.com.

Katz’s Deli Lower East Side

Everyone knows that the coolest place in New York City (sorry, Williamsburg) is The Lower East Side. Before being a hotbed for NYC punk rock, LES was a haven for Jewish culture and home to various other immigrant working class communities. Even though gentrification happened and CBGB turned into a high-end fashion store, Joey Ramone’s energy still punks out the sidewalks and the Bowery Ballroom is one of the best rooms to see and hear live music. This neighborhood transforms itself to suit the times, but always keeps it real.

When I was young and full of proms, there was really only one question to satiate the hunger: To go to Katz’s Deli or to not go to Katz’s Deli (and perhaps end up at 2nd Avenue Deli)? Twenty years later, the question still looms when heading downtown for a night of imbibing in the scene, bar hopping, or checking out my favorite new music on Ludlow Street. And now that 2nd Avenue Deli has lost its allure (and isn’t even on 2nd Avenue anymore, for God’s sake), the answer is easy. Sort of.

If it’s gigantic portions of the most delicious corned beef and/or pastrami you’re looking for, then the answer yes. Go to Katz’s Deli. If you want to slurp up your matzo ball soup in between bites of the tastiest knishes this side of the Atlantic, then the answer is yes. If you want to have what Meg Ryan was having in When Harry Met Sally, then yes, yes, and more yes. (Yup, that was Katz’s Deli). If you want to be a balobotishe boychik and learn Yiddish, look closely at the menu. If you want a slice of the real New York City, then there’s no doubt about it—Katz’s Deli is the place. It still serves up meals the way it did, for the most part, when a Russian immigrant family who wanted to recreate “the flavors of the Old World” established it in 1888. It’s a bit of a time machine.

But if you want a snazzy deli with modern machinery, minimalist décor and state of the art refrigeration practices, do not go to Katz’s Deli. If you want to feed the kids for less during your visit to Manhattan, try again. If you want a homogenous crowd, cold stares and fine, intimate dining, Katz’s Deli may not be the place for you. If you want romance, then look elsewhere. Unless, of course, your definition of romance involves standing on a line holding hands with your honey while deliberating on what kind of sandwich fits this specific mood on this specific night surrounded by folks from every walk of life doing the same thing in this, the most magnificent city in the world. katzsdelicatessen.com.

The next time you head into NYC for dinner and a show, extend your evening with one of the many jaw-dropping dessert venues the big apple offers. With so many delectable and out-of-the-ordinary sweets, you’ll be fine with staying out past your curfew.

Dolce Vizio
West Village
131 Christopher Street • dolceviziotiramisu.com, (646) 669-7432

Tiramisu conquers all at Dolce Vizio. The clean lined red, black and white modern Italian dessert bar resides on a quaint corner of the West Village where it takes NY’s favorite treat to another layer of sophistication. The star ingredients ladyfingers, cocoa and coffee beans are honored by oversized, artsy photographs on the wall. From every vantage point, Dolce Vizio is a tiramisu lover’s Shangri-la.
Ask yourself: What would you do if you could make your own tiramisu? Your chic new friend displays all the ingredients for your choosing: Chocolate, citrus sauce or mint syrup to soak your ladyfingers, pistachios, coconut and dark chocolate curls to top off your masterpiece. Lucky for you, if the creation is not what you imagined, you can just start over. Not into creating your own? Play it safe and pick from one of their traditional and not-so-traditional pre-made options. Fair warning: You will have a choice overload. Laid out in an open bar are a variety of fresh guilty pleasures ready to be selected. The helpful staff will let you sample different flavors until you find your perfect match. For instance, the Orange Espresso tiramisu, a favorite, is a zesty mixture of citrus drenched with the bold flavor of espresso beans and dark chocolate. While you’re at it, pull up a chair and enjoy a shot of fresh espresso for a nice pick-me-up after a long day.

Tiramisu deserves to be experienced in different combinations, the unique, the daring and the traditional, and you can experiment your way through them all at Dolce Vizio.

The Library at Trump SoHo
SoHo
246 Spring Street • trumpsohohotel.com, (212) 842-5500

Get a taste of the Midas touch at SoHo’s extravagant dessert den. The Library at Trump SoHo hotel provides unparalleled views of downtown Manhattan and the intimate, sleek, two-story lobby below. It is a luxe nook of a place outfitted with couches and rich details for the comfort of intimate groups. Feast on the combination of surreal tastes and visual presentation with each authentic Italian dessert.
Starting with their most popular, the Bomboloni Della Casa is a masterful trio of homemade Italian doughnuts filled with vanilla and chocolate custards, and apricot jelly. Chocolate lovers will find their haven with the Valrhona Cioccolato Sabotaggio. The vivid taste of each distinctive chocolate goes above and beyond the standard fare. Chocolate cake, chocolate caramel crostata and dark chocolate mousse with Nutella gelato are served in concert for an extraordinary blend. End with a simple refreshing Meringa Di Limone. This tasty lemon custard is sandwiched between two crunchy baked meringue cookies and served with refreshing raspberry sorbert topped with…what else but a gold flake. This is a Trump venue, after all. 

Feeling the heart of fall? Order a Thai Hot Toddy with Mekhong rum, honey lemon juice and a delicious cinnamon stick to warm you in front of the chic modern fireplace. An Amber Spice cocktail topped with fresh puréed pumpkin also does the trick.

Take a breather while sampling the exquisite desserts and peruse through the collection of Taschen books laid throughout this lustrous niche. The fresh balance of modern, artful décor and gorgeous Fendi furniture will make it easy for you to pace yourself through multiple rounds of sweet decadence.

Bourgeois Pig
East Village
111 E. 7th Street • bourgeoispigny.com, (212) 475-2246

Walk through the red-draped velvet curtains and into the Bourgeois Pig, a speakeasy doused in Victorian décor where fondue and champagne punchbowls reign. Mysteriously simple and unknown from the outside, it is a white-faced building with two red gothic lights flanked by a towering wood door. Small masses of New Yorkers gather on the outside waiting their turn. An “absolutely no reservations” policy applies but seems to bother no one.

The crimson ambience blends perfectly with the eclectic menu. Savory fondue and petit sweets are mastered with jaw-dropping taste. The 50/50 fondue is a pot housing your choice of two features (dark, white and milk chocolates, butterscotch, dulce de leche and peanut butter) divided by cake. Choose your dipping morsels from a generous portion of options including a variety of fruits, breads and baked goods.

A Warm Apple Tartatan, with unique hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, is a warm, chunky fall treat—you can taste the French countryside. The mouthwatering molten chocolate cake is the perfect gooey, warm combination to round out this rich, LES experience.

Served in white teacups and a considerable tin bowl are the popular champagne punches. Drinking with noble European-esque etiquette, these flavorful drinks will keep you busily ladling all night. Highly recommended by their attentive wait staff (and rightly so) is La Bette Noire, a concoction of muddled blackberries, maraschino cordial, lemon and champagne. Like your favorite vixen, she seems like a dainty sipper but she’s really a powerful potion.

Bourgeois Pig’s marble tabletops, plush velvet chairs and flickering candles make this seductive European parlor the place to cozy up for a chill fall night… And this little piggy went, “wee, that was amazing” all the way home.

The ideal weekend: Golf with the guys on Thursday followed by a steak dinner; meetings all day Friday ending with a steak dinner; introduction to a lovely lady on Saturday, of course, over a steak dinner.

Blackwells Restaurant
at the Great Rock Golf Club, Wading River
blackwellsrestaurant.com, 631.929.1800

I packed the clubs in the car and waited for Brian and Vic near the white columns at the front door of Blackwells. We played eighteen on the golf course and my stomach was growling. “You guys up for steak?” I asked when they walked up.

We went into the lobby and I approached the maitre d’ while Brian strolled around, checking out the golf trophies and memorabilia. Vic ran his finger over the lobby piano and took a seat in a comfy looking leather chair.

I asked the maitre d’ table which room would be best for us. “The library room is a little more romantic, but you guys seem like you’d prefer the main dining area. There are good views of the golf course from either.”

We followed him to a candlelit white clothed table and started off with a round of Blue Point beers. I explained to the waiter that I was here last month for a golf outing and there was this great artichoke dish served. “Fried artichoke, the carciofi fritti,” he said. “They usually have it for weddings and special occasions, but I could rustle some up for you.” His warm, accommodating manner fit right in with the casual vibe of the place and remained steady throughout the meal.

Brian and I ordered porterhouses plus chick pea flour chips, calamari and crab cakes. Vic ordered the swordfish on petite French lentils. The waiter walked off, leaving us to enjoy the surroundings. One full wall was covered in wine bottles, another had a view of the bar through glass and large picturesque windows overlooking the fairways outside dominated the third.

I crunched on a chick pea flour chip, a warm and tasty Parisian street food that’s somewhere between a pita chip and a corn tortilla. I quickly moved along to the artichokes. Brian shook his head at them, but when Vic tasted one and raved, he took a small nibble off, considered it for a moment then ate the rest. The plate was empty in mere minutes, leaving nothing of the lightly fried artichokes.

Our conversation skidded to a halt when the porterhouses made their entrance. They came out on hot plates with plumes of smoke and the aroma of sizzling steak and melting butter wafting through the room. The waiter set up a serving station and did his preparation tableside. It was impossible to wait before digging in. The steak was perfectly cooked, with a nice crust holding a juicy, tender dream inside.
On the way out, we saddled up to the elegant yet casual bar for a nightcap or three. We loosened our belts, watched the game and whiled away the evening over a few glasses of fine Scotch.

Peter Luger Steakhouse
Northern Blvd, Great Neck
peterluger.com,  516.487.8800

My phone rang as I left my last meeting of the day. “Hey, it’s me,” the voice said. “Still on for dinner? I’ve been in New York all week and still haven’t had a steak yet.”
“Let’s hit steakhouse row. Peter Luger.”

I traded my car for a valet ticket, strolled into the lobby and met my friend at the bar. We were led into the Tudor-style dining room. A decidedly German feel emanated from the surroundings. From the thick wood ceiling beams above to the wood floor and the bare wood tables, it felt like an elegant but distinctly manly lodge in a throwback sort of way. Speaking of throwbacks, the only credit card Peter Luger accepts is its own, otherwise it’s cash or check only.

Knowing I was going straight for a porterhouse, I waved my hand at the familiar waiter when he offered a menu. Like much of the staff, he’s a lifer here and seems to be here every time I visit. The thick porterhouse is meant for two, but no self respecting steak lover would share this meaty sensation.

We tore through appetizers of thick bacon slices—grilled with a nice char to them, they’re almost as thick as the steaks. The jumbo shrimp were just as big and bold, as is most everything here. Then delivery of the porterhouses was made. The thick cuts came on hot plates, still sizzling. The waiter served a few slices to each of us and placed the hot plates in the center of the table, leaned on an upside down saucer to make the jus pool on one end of the plate. He dipped a spoon and drizzled the mouth-watering jus across my steak.

We dug into our steaks and the flavor roared like only the best prime beef can. Its journey from cow to plate starts with PL family members’ daily visits to slaughterhouses. They make their choices based on color and smell, and pick the best of the best by branding them with the Peter Luger mark. Racks of beef are shipped directly to the restaurant and all the subsequent butchering and dry aging is done on premises. A rarity: They’re the only ones on Long Island who have the honor of their own on-premises dry aging room.

We polished off our steaks and were ready for the signature dessert—the holy cow, a hot fudge sundae with nuts that comes in the shape of a cow. An always-satisfying NY cheesecake and a solid cup of coffee left us in a food-stuffed silence.

Tellers Chophouse
Main St, Islip, tellerschophouse.com, 631.277.7070

I ironed my best slacks and shirt before this one. She said she was game for anything from steak to seafood and I wanted to impress. And if I could find a woman who enjoyed a thick, juicy rib eye as much as I do, I’d be the one who was impressed.

We pulled up to Tellers, a commanding, vintage stone building, which used to be a bank, hence the name. The original vaults are still inside and have held the treasures of Tellers’ extensive wine list since the Bohlsen Group opened it in 1999. The grand dining room is considered among the most attractive in any restaurant on the entire island and I could not argue that. The vastness of the room, with its ultra high ceilings and 30-foot tall windows with original steel frames, harkens back to a bygone era.

We sat in a comfortable cushioned corner booth. Around us, the scene was like an old movie about the roaring twenties where the well-dressed people were in similarly dramatic rooms and the frost on the windows was authentic (it is here, too).

The variety of seafood appetizers—scallops, oysters, clams, lobster, crab cake, shrimp, calamari—were all the surf we’d need before digging into the turf. We also munched on the house duck fat French fries, which are lighter and crispier than your garden-variety fry. The south shore vibe carries through all the fresh seafood choices to the vintage photographs of people fishing, racing and sailing, which decorate the walls of both the downstairs and upstairs Gallery room.

Finally, the main event: The Tellers rib eye. USDA prime, dry aged, as well as being my personal favorite cut of beef, I knew we couldn’t go wrong. Tender and with strong mineral flavor, the thick, perfectly cooked, juicy steak screams out to the inner carnivore. We sipped the wine the waiter recommended from the impressive list, the eminent Opus One Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa, and all conversation became non-verbal as we enjoyed the steak from heaven.

For dessert, we split the trio of pies in a jar—linzer torte, pecan pie and apple pie—each safe in its own glass mason jar, apt vessels that brought a nostalgic touch to a happy ending.

No one would snub a beer on tap, but oenophiles are turning their noses up at a new trend stirring controversy across the industry: Tap wine. Although many connoisseurs applaud the benefits of the program, plenty still believe a corked bottle is the only way to go. Restaurateurs and bar owners are finding themselves in a quandary: Is wine on tap a better method for managing inventory or should tried and true methods be held fast?

Many Long Island restaurants and vineyards, such as Verace in Islip, Luce & Hawkins in Jamesport and Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue, have adopted the trend and believe tap wine is the way of the future. Bruce Schneider, the winemaker at Onabay Vineyards in Southold, is passionate about producing wine on tap citing that it is more convenient to handle, better for the environment, keeps wine fresher and offers a better value than bottled wine. He is also a draft wine pioneer, co-founding The Gotham Project in 2010, a tap company providing kegs to countless fashionable restaurants across LI and NYC.
Schneider explains, “The first and last glass from a keg will taste the same. If you get wine from a bottle that has been opened, there is air that comes in contact with the wine, robbing it of its freshness. We [also] reuse the kegs, therefore reducing the use of single use packaging such as glass, closures, labels and boxes. With [this], we save money and we pass that savings on to our customers.” There is also a considerable convenience associated with the tap wine program, as kegs take up a lot less space in terms of volume than bottles do. “The kegs we have shipped in our first year alone have prevented more than 50,000 bottles, closures and labels from being created and discarded,” he says.

Bruce Schneider is not alone in his love of tap wine. The casual yet elegant restaurant Squiretown in Hampton Bays is one Long Island venue that currently offers a white and red wine on tap. Owner Charles Bishop believes in the many benefits of adopting the trend, stating, “No bottles to throw out or store, no spoiled wine left open, lower wholesale prices, no storage of multiple cases. I sell carafes of tap wine, too, which is a nice benefit.” Customer reactions are also an advantage to selling the product. As Bishop explains, “Those that are in the know tend to order the tap wines regularly. I enthusiastically mention it to those that aren’t aware and I find they take well to the idea and enjoy its benefits.” And if all else fails, there’s always price—tap wine is typically less expensive than the sister bottled version.

Pundits for tap wine cite customers’ excitement about the product being grown on Long Island by Long Islanders (and also consumed by Long Islanders). The green factor is another plus; reducing the bottle, label and cork from the wine packaging equation can lead to as much as 25% reduction in waste. And, with reusable kegs, the product engages a minimal carbon footprint.

One of the biggest concerns for winemakers at the source is keeping oxygen away from the product, because it spoils the wine. But in a keg, the contents are under gas pressure, which protects the wine like a blanket, preventing spoiling. The procurement of keg wine can also be an enhancement, as winemaker Kareem Massoud of Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue, a winery that produces and distributes the product, explains. According to Massoud, the storage procedures for tap wine actually allow the wine to be ready to drink sooner than most bottled wines. “The amount of sulfites added to a wine can be reduced. Sulfites act as a preservative in wine as they protect the wine from oxidation. With regard to wine quality, a reduced level of sulfites can make a wine more approachable, [meaning] it’s ready to drink sooner.”

According to Massoud, historically it’s been believed the cork allows for the “correct” amount of oxygen to properly develop a wine. However, until recently, there weren’t any other options to challenge the theory (or the romanticism of the cork). When a bottle of wine is produced winemakers don’t actually know when and where it will be consumed and therefore can’t really gauge the “correct” oxygen. Maybe the bottle will be opened this week at the restaurant down the road, or perhaps it will be sold in an Australian supermarket and opened years down the line. Winemakers can estimate when the keg wine will be consumed and thus whether or not they should add less sulfites.

Despite many wineries and restaurants jumping on board with the tap wine trend however, there are still others who do not see the benefits. Marco Borghese of Castello di Borghese Winery in Cutchogue has not yet adopted the practice. Although he is thinking about beginning to manufacture the product, he believes wine from a corked bottle is the better option. “I think the advantages [of tap wine] are from a retail standpoint. You can serve a glass of wine relatively label free. It is a matter of convenience for retailers more than a way to enhance the wine. It doesn’t age properly in a keg. Wine in a bottle keeps aging.”
Although Borghese states he would never put his best wines on tap, he feels pressure to jump on the trend due to customer demand for the product. “It gives some retailers and stores who do tastings a convenient way of handling the tastings. Restaurants that serve a lot of wine by the glass, instead of having to pour from a bottle, can hold a glass under a spigot.” For the consumer, this means wines will be more accessible at tastings in particular because stores and restaurants will be more willing to share a wine if there is less risk of leftovers being wasted.

Overall, most of the cons seem to be related to marketing, due to the elimination of packaging. The packaging is part of the overall brand creation for the product, which helps send strategic and informative cues to wine drinkers. Massoud concedes, “From a marketing standpoint, there are certain consumers who are traditionalists who will always view anything other than a cork finished bottle of wine as sub par. Of course, wine on tap will be a tough sell to this crowd.”

While this may make investing in tap wine a risky business endeavor, it seems for now, some winemakers won’t mind gambling if they can sell a higher volume of wine through the tap program and introduce the product in a broader sense. Consumers who have jumped on board the green movement are likely to find this concept sustainable and environmentally friendly. Altogether, tap wine might prove to be a quality, convenient and economically savvy choice wine snobs can nose into. But as is the case with most wine, only time will tell.

Some things will never go out of style—the staples are staples because they represent everything that’s good about their breed and class but in an honest and singular way. Old-school three-olive dirty gin martinis, vodka sodas and Jack and Coke, to name a few, will remain the high holies of imbibery in perpetuity. But a few Long Island bartenders are shaking up stale happy hour routines with splashes of Japanese sake and Brazilian cachaça. While those bartenders hope to expand their regulars’ boozing boundaries with exotic liquors, other Island mixologists urge a return to simplicity, serving up rare, room-temperature bourbons and scotches.

Josh Cook, the general manager at Two Steak & Sushi Den (New Hyde Park), falls into the innovative category. Saketinis—a cocktail with the Japanese rice brew, lychee juice and either gin or vodka—are regulars on most Manhattan bar menus, but are still hard to find on the Island. His New Hyde Park resto, however, has been serving up the sake-based “Pear Blossom” with success. The drink combines Grey Goose Pear Vodka, Momokawa organic junmai ginjo sake and pear purée. The “junmai ginjo” label means the rice in the sake has been polished to a high standard, a process that gives it a smoother taste. It’s not the bargain-basement sake in “sake bombs” (the college town favorite in which heated shots of the rice brew are balanced on chop sticks and dumped into a glass of beer). “It’s fruity, very smooth sake, with a little bit of mushroom,” Cook says of the Momokawa. “Mostly, it has a nice fruity, formal flavor and pairs perfect with pear.”

Rare 650 (Syosset) is also bringing a high-end saketini to Syosset with its newly-revamped cocktail list that debuted mid-October 2011, said sommelier Rich Dorney. Rare 650’s saketini, dubbed “Cool as a Cucumber,” is a mix of Manabito ginjo sake, Effen cucumber vodka and a splash of lime juice. A cucumber wheel garnishes the drink to complement the vodka. “My main job, as the sommelier, is to do the wine program and move our way into getting people to try new things,” Dorney said. The new menu also boasts the Kimono: A high-end mash up of Veuve Clicquot and plum sake, topped with a raspberry garnish. The plum sake is infused with a small, tart Japanese variety of the fruit, and the dry Veuve Clicquot balances it out for a “goes-down-easy” bubbly cocktail.

Moving to the other side of the globe, cachaça is another niche liquor growing in popularity here in NY—maybe even threatening the leggy Gisele Bündchen’s status as America’s favorite Brazilian import. Like sake, cachaça lends itself to creative cocktails. The Latin booze has a taste similar to rum, but is pressed from sugarcane, not molasses. Agave’s Blue Cactus in Hampton Bays and its sister restaurant in Westhampton Beach serve up Brazil’s national drink, the caipirinha, with simple syrup and a packet of raw cane sugar, said bartender Joe Healy. Still, the kitschy Hampton Bays outpost only went through about two bottles of Leblon, a luxury cachaça, this summer. Argentinean restaurant Café Buenos Aires in Huntington uses Agua Luca cachaça to serve caipirinhas to its busy bar crowd, but also stirs the liquor into its tweaked margarita, Margarita Del Sur. Instead of a tangy, sour margarita, Café Buenos Aires’ cachaça-spiked drink, complemented with fresh lime juice and peach nectar, has a sweeter taste but is still a pleaser for margarita devotees craving salt.

Mezcal—tequila’s up-and-coming craft cousin from Oaxaca—has made an appearance on some bolder, inventive Nassau-Suffolk cocktail lists. Besito in Huntington and Roslyn, and Two Steak & Sushi Den feature Del Maguey Minero and Del Maguey San Luis del Rio. Two also offers a Del Maguey Chichicapa. Cook concocted a mezcal drink called the “Salsa Verde” but canned it after Long Island drinkers shied away. The cocktail mixed mezcal and muddled cilantro for a rich, herbaceous taste. “I loved it,” Cook said. “It was fantastic.” But, he admits mezcal is not easy to pick up: What is a tasty alcoholic indulgence for some, is an acquired taste for others. “It has some aspects of tequila, but it’s very smoky, almost like from a Southern barbeque,” Cook said. “I adore it, but it’s not for everyone… It takes time to get used to it when you haven’t seen it before. [But] I’m not sure why it wouldn’t catch on in the next year or two.”

Besito’s ever-popular tequila flights may be the middle ground for drinkers not ready to sample mezcal. Besito regional manager Jose Reyes said the famed haute Mexican restaurant serves up blanco, reposado, anejo and offers “vertical” flights for tequila-lovers to try one of each. The blancos, non-aged tequilas poured right from fermentation casks into bottles, have a stronger agave flavor. Cabo Wabo, Partida, Patron and Don Julio have popular blanco varieties and are usually followed by a sangrita chaser, a traditional Mexican mixture of tomato juice, salt, Tabasco sauce, grenadine and grapefruit juice. The tequilas in the reposado flight are aged longer, from two to twelve months. To be labeled “anejo,” tequilas must sit in casks at least one year, a slow process that gives the liquor a more distinct, “oaky” taste; hence rendering them “mature,” as the label suggests.

Nevertheless, the purists forge ahead. Imbibers of this sort usually take their aged, rare scotches and bourbons straight up and Sapsuckers Hops & Grub (Huntington), among others, is happy to oblige. The craft-focused establishment takes a back-to-basics approach to sauce serving “easy on the senses” hash like Hudson Four-Grain Bourbon. Peter Armata, the general manager, selected the upstate New York bourbon not only for its taste, but because it’s made in small batches, fitting with the new restaurant’s craft theme. “It’s a four-grain bourbon, so there’s not as much bite,” he said. “It’s fairly hard to get.” Hudson Four-Grain is not “the first thing you would mix with coke or ginger ale,” Armata said. But, a rack Kentucky bourbon might bring you home. It is the key ingredient in a signature cocktail on the libation list at The Bayou, a Cajun restaurant in Bellmore inspired by New Orleans’ French Quarter.

“It’s bourbon with amaretto, pineapple and gin,” said bartender Laura Fennelly. “It’s like an Alabama Slammer, an old drink that’s been around a long time.” Bourbon drinkers know when they’re getting a well liquor, Fennelly said. Unlike vodka, where purity is prized, each bourbon has a specific taste. Her regulars at The Bayou go for standards like Kentucky-distilled Jim Beam and Wild Turkey for the nutty, smoky flavors.

Like some bourbons, fine Scotches, sipped most often in the winter, are best left unmarred by carbonation or sweet juices. Sapsuckers’ standout is a cask-strength Scotch called Aberlour A’bunadh, from the Speyside of Scotland. The high-end single-barrel scotch is 120 proof with a woodsy, peaty taste. “It’s not harsh in any way,” Armata said. “There’s a lot of peat, almost like when you’re doing barbeque, when you smoke meats, it comes through as the main character. Downing an entire glass of Aberlour A’bunadh is something of an accomplishment. Armata recommends wading into the Scotch world with a Glenlivet 12, Glenfiddich 12 or Macallan 12 on the rocks, which serve to soften the harsh taste.

Whatever your poison, happy hour is certainly looking a lot more interesting. Exotic elixirs continue to enter the mainstream on a weekly basis, and will continue inbound to our shores as distribution channels expand and market demand (via consumer interest and education) grows. Likewise, the thirst for the old hallmarks remain. Choosing one or the other and sticking to it is “so prohibition,” the pleasure is exploring the opportunities.

The chill is setting in and you’re ready to eat. But the wine thing is still a little lost on you, is it? Fret not, it’s only a two step program. Step One: Drink local, it does us all good. Step Two: Pair well, fare well. That is, the better you pair your wine, the better your meal will be. This simple hit list will chart your course (mind the pun) to make you a star at the dinner table (or lunch…or breakfast, if that’s how you roll).

Top Three Alcoholic Consumption “Dream Partners”
3) Complete Cast of D2: The Mighty Ducks
2) You. Kidding. Not you. Never you. Never.
1) Me in Ten Years, or Now, or Next Thursday, or Anytime

NASSAU

Brasserie 214
(516) 354-7797, New Hyde Park
innatnhp.com

armand vanderstigchel |aeiou and y|
noun
1. badass : The kung-fu scene was armand vanderstigchel.
2. head chef of brasserie 214 : see below.

Vanderstigchel ignores brasserie convention (Belgo and Francaise themes) at 214, self-dubbed as “NY’s Largest Schnitzel Bank,” and invites dishes from countries such as Germany, Austria, Holland and Poland for Euro-cuisine playtime; their imported beer chums also accompany.

“I decided to expand the cuisine choices to countries in the Central Europe region since their cuisines overlap each other and all these countries are the founders and creators of great beer,” said Vanderstigchel. “The food we feature from these countries were ‘born’ to pair with beer.”

MP Taverna
(516) 686-6486, Roslyn 
mptaverna.com

Introduction of MP Taverna via several Zagat-like quotations is: “Hellenic Modern.” “Dope.” “Flavor Profile-Categorized Beer and Wine List.”

An accessible, non-yiayia-and-bouzouki presentation of Greek-eats by executive chef Michael Psilakis, East Northport native, of Fishtag and Kefi. George Pappas, manager, on MP Taverna’s selection of ten drafts and 40 bottles:

“We compiled our list based on flavor profile, so, of course, it is divided into different flavor categories [e.g., Dark, Bold & Strong, Full Flavored Unique Beers, Hoppy or Bitter Ales]. This allows customers to better pair beer with their meal and help to complement one another.”

Pappas hopes to rotate the beer selection, which includes Brewery Ommegang Witte, Southampton Publick House Grand Cru and Trappistes Rochefort 8, similar to the seasonally-based menu.

Food/Beer Pair Matrimony: Ostrakoidi Yiouvetsi (mixed shellfish paella and orzo) with Westmalle Trappist Tripel.

SUFFOLK

C’est Cheese
(631) 403-4944, Port Jefferson
cestcheesepj.com

Pronounced say cheese, so, um, say say cheese? Come on. Just say it.

Serves over 75 domestic and imported artisan cheeses (e.g., Cypress Grove Chevre, Jasper Hill Farm, Consider Bardwell Farm), boutique wines, gourmet fromage-creative sandwiches and salads, custom taste plates and an eight-line draft tower pourin’ Chimay Blanche, Lindemans Framboise, Thomas Hooker Brewing Company Hop Meadow IPA and the e-t-c-.

Joseph Ciardullo, proprietor, cites FranÇaise cafes and specialty shops as inspiration, and hopes for an “experience of culture, carefree and relaxed.”

Chillvibin’ with cheese.

The Lark Pub & Grub
(631) 262-9700, East Northport
thelarkpubandgrub.com

“John Court [owner] and I are huge beer lovers,” said Eileen Heffernan, manager of The Lark Pub & Grub. “He’s the ‘Hop Head’ and I’m the stout and Belgian lover, which works out well because we meet somewhere in the middle and come up with a pretty well balanced tap selection.”

Recent drafts include Captain Lawrence Brewing Company Liquid Gold, Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel, Peak Organic Brewing Company King Crimson, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Tumbler.

Monthly beer dinners, between four and six courses, occur on Tuesdays, and showcase one brewery or style.

Next Beer Dinner: Stone Brewing Company (11/15/11).

Click here to follow Niko Krommydas and his blog, Super Neat Beer Adventure, Yes!!, where you can find more on the Long Island craft beer culture.

MP Taverna photo by stephen lang

NASSAU

Novitá
(516) 739-7660, Garden City
novita-ny.com
Nestled in the elegant town of Garden City is a wine bar like no other. Novitá offers 100 different wines by the glass, held in a custom-built wine preservation system, the largest of its kind on the east coast. Pick a seat at the bar and peek at this modern Australian-built masterpiece. Wine connoisseurs are impressed when each glass is poured to perfection at optimal temperature. Specialties run nightly with happy hour discounts Monday through Friday until 7pm. Grab a ringside seat and enjoy the flight—a selection of three various wines within the same region. Flight nights are happening every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, call ahead for reservations. A trip to the vineyards is conveniently one stop at Novitá. 

SUFFOLK

Four Food Studio
(631) 577-4444. Melville
fourfoodstudio.com
Four Food Studio proves to be one of Long Island’s most happening after-work and weekend scenes with its packed dance floor and hopping bar crowd. This unique restaurant and lounge sets the bar for a perfect NYC alternative. The décor celebrates the four seasons, hence the name. The workweek just begins and Long Islanders are parading into this trendy spot on a Monday night—yes, Monday. There is no set age group for this one. You’ll see everyone from women in their mid 20s prancing in their hottest get-up to the after-work professionals grabbing a drink in the Spring Lounge. A tremendous video projection screen drops down behind the bartenders and caters to the “game-watchers.” The DJ spins the best beats throughout the night pulling everyone onto the dance floor. Four fits the nightlife for any Long Island season.

NYC PICK

Brass Monkey
(212) 675-6686, Manhattan
brassmonkeynyc.com
Downtown in the Meatpacking District lie cobbled streets and the sounds of heels clacking during the wee hours of the night. The scene is buzzing and New Yorkers are flocking into the Brass Monkey. This wood-paneled lounge features a rooftop section above two spacious stories of packed party-goers ready to let loose. Covered in mirrors, the lower level attracts dance moves and spying the scene. Head upstairs and the lights dim. The dark mystical ambience plants the seed for its guests to get to know each other a little better. (Hmmm.) Brass Monkey is known for its array of draft and bottled beers. Try something out of the box; you might come across your new favorite beverage. Weekends shine at the Brass Monkey, expect it to be filled from wall-to-wall.