Feed Me
The dish on Long Island's restaurant and food scene
Cucina di Vargas: Italian family-style in Hewlett
Photo credit: Handout
New to Hewlett is Cucina di Vargas, a family-style restaurant that’s run by a family. The owner of the place is Erica Vargas, the manager, her brother, Danny Vargas. The chef is their father, Narciso Vargas, who was the original chef at the former Matteo's in Hewlett.
Portions here are geared to large parties, with full orders serving 3 to 4 people and half orders meant for 2. On the menu:...
Read more »Gimme 2 in Huntington Station: Closed
Photo credit: Joan Reminick
Gimme 2 Sandwiches & Salads, located across from Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, has closed. The little building previously housed Greek Captain and, before that, Starbucks.
While Gimme 2 was small and modest in appearance, its sandwiches — most memorably the Cuban and the Reuben — delivered a lot of flavor for very little money....
Read more »Lula in Mineola launches lunch
Photo credit: Johnny Simon
Lula Trattoria, the likable, Italian-ish restaurant in Mineola, is now serving lunch Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef Tom Gloster says he is working on a lunch menu, but for now, the dinner menu — composed of many lunch-friendly small plates — is in effect.
Lula Trattoria is at 348 E. Jericho Tpke., Mineola, 516-747-5100....
Read more »Thai Chef opens in North Merrick
Photo credit: Joan Reminick
New to the little community of North Merrick is Thai Chef, a diminutive storefront spot that serves both as a takeout and — although there are only four tables — full-fledged restaurant.
The menu features such choices as papaya salad ($5.95), green curry fried rice with chicken, beef, pork, tofu, vegetables, shrimp or squid ($7.95 to $8.95), spicy basil chicken ($8.95) and tamarind duck...
Read more »This week’s restaurant reviews
Photo credit: Johnny Simon
In this week’s Newsday, Peter Gianotti bestows a rare four stars on Benny’s Ristorante, the 26-year-old Italian in Westbury. “Finding the next hot table or the trend that sparks it defines a lot of writing about restaurants,” he notes. As for the long-lived establishment, over time many “change dramatically. Benny’s hasn’t. It earned four stars in 1995 and deserves them today, too.”
Joan Reminick...
Read more »Weekend picks: Easter dining
Photo credit: Alessandro Vecchi
Easter Sunday dining is almost as popular at restaurants as it is at the family table. Here are three places where you can celebrate. Reservations are recommended.
Mirabelle in Stony Brook offers a $62 fixed-price dinner, plus tax and tip, from 1 to 7 p.m. Among the dishes: asparagus custard, asparagus-chervil salad with smoked salmon, spring pea soup, Sauternes-poached foie gras, loin of...
Read more »Buffalo Wild Wings: March Madness to eat by
Photo credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus
It was the calm before the storm at Buffalo Wild Wings in Farmingdale. At lunch Thursday, all the TVs were tuned to sports, as usual, but most of the patrons were concentrating on their wings. Thursday, starting at 7:15 p.m., March Madness will descend and partisans of Marquette and Miami, Arizona and Ohio State, Indiana and Syracuse, Wichita State and Lasalle will have to split their attention...
Read more »Namaste America: Indian buffet comes to Deer Park
Photo credit: Handout
Namaste America, new to Deer Park, is driven by the concept of Indian buffet. Owner Andy Advani adds that diners who prefer can also order off the a la carte menu.
Some dishes you’re likely to find on the table are makhani chicken (also known as butter chicken), methi chicken, which is cooked with fenugreek leaves, tandoori chicken, soy bean korma and, at the more wide-ranging dinner buffet,...
Read more »Open Table names 4 Long Island restaurants on its 'hot' list
Photo credit: Doug Young
Open Table, the online reservations service, has issued its list of 100 "hot spot" restaurants nationwide, and four Long Island dining rooms have sizzled in.
Monsoon in Babylon, Toku in Manhasset, Hendrick's Tavern in Roslyn, and Honu Kitchen & Cocktails in Huntington are on the 2013 list.
The restaurants are chosen from 5 million reviews by participants in Open Table.
All...
Read more »Ko Gu Ryo: New and Korean in Commack
Photo credit: Joan Reminick
Ko Gu Ryo is the name of the Korean restaurant occupying the freestanding Commack building that has housed a string of other Korean spots — most recently, Arirang House, and before that Dory and Sil La Joung.
The specialty here is Korean tabletop barbecue, with such dishes as dak gui, or marinated chicken, ($19.99) and kalbi, thinly sliced beef short rib ($24.99). You can also get japchae,...
Read more »
