Feed Me
The dish on Long Island's restaurant and food scene
Joan Reminick
In an ongoing search to find Long Island’s best restaurant values, restaurant critic Joan Reminick has plowed through more pad thai, penne ala vodka and pulled pork than she cares to admit. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan grew up in a happy home whose only shortcomings were culinary. After a childhood of cooked-to-leather steaks, canned peas and Ore Ida fries, she made it a personal mission to seek out food that’s fresh, lively and carefully prepared. Married to her teen sweetheart, she received a B.A. from Brooklyn College and an M.S. from Hofstra University and taught English and Humanities in a Long Island high school for several years. When her two children were born, she embarked on a writing career and has had both fiction and nonfiction works published in national magazines. She also edited the Zagat Survey of Long Island Restaurants and wrote the book “Exploring Long Island with Newsday.” In addition to doing weekly “Cheap Eats” restaurant reviews, Joan hunts down restaurant news items and writes restaurant-related articles. These days, her motto is: making Long Island a better place to eat, one blog entry at a time.
Post-Sandy Hudsons on the Mile opening in Freeport
Photo credit: Ian J. Stark
Following an extensive post-Sandy renovation, the former Hudson & McCoy in Freeport is to open this Thursday, May 23, with new owners and a new name. Now known as Hudsons on the Mile, the seafood-focused restaurant is owned by Butch Yamali, whose holdings also include Maliblue Oyster Bar in Lido Beach, as well as several catering properties.
“We put in a sushi bar and updated the menu,”...
Read more »Village Square opens in Lynbrook
Photo credit: Handout
Located in the heart of downtown Lynbrook is the new Village Square, which makes its home in the cavernous space that, most recently, housed JMags Downtown Grill and, before that, Broadway Beanery. Owner Giuseppe Magnotta describes the place as an American grill with a menu that focuses on appetizers but also features burgers, pastas, salads, steaks and seafood.
Some dinner possibilities:...
Read more »Mexican goes modern at Mercado in Bridgehampton
Photo credit: Handout
Mercado Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar is the new incarnation of the former Agave Mexican Grill in Bridgehampton. Chef owner Marcel Link said: “It’s more sophisticated than before.''
A glance at the new repertoire reveals such choices as mini sushi tacos made with soy marinated sushi grade tuna ($15), crab empanadas ($14), Yucatan grilled chicken in almond cream sauce ($21) and chipotle...
Read more »Tanger Deer Park outlet Italian restaurant closes
Photo credit: John Dunn
Fratelli Trattoria, which served pizza, pasta and parms in snazzy bi-level digs within Tanger Outlets at the Arches in Deer Park, has closed.
The restaurant garnered a one and a half star rating, with praise for its puffy yet crisp crusted individual pizza and herbal linguine with white clam sauce but censure for its Gorgonzola salad with an artificially sweet-tasting raspberry vinaigrette.
Outlet...
Read more »Beachfront dining in Mount Sinai for Memorial Day Weekend
Photo credit: Handout
Note to those casting about for a beachy place to dine this Memorial Day weekend: Cedar Beach Bar & Grille in Mount Sinai opens for the season on Friday, May 24. The tented outdoor restaurant is under the same ownership as West East Bistro & Wine Bar in Hicksville. Chef-owner Jay Jadeja will spend a couple of days a week in Hicksville, but when the weather is nice, chances are, he'll ...
Read more »Basil Restaurant - fresh and Italian in Bellport
Photo credit: Handout
New to the Bellport dining scene is Basil Restaurant & Spirits, with a repertoire owner Richard LoGrippo describes as Italian American. Chef Richard Doxsee previously cooked at Mamma Lombardi’s in Holbrook as well as Lombardi’s on the Bay in Patchogue, Lombardi’s on the Sound in Port Jefferson and Giorgio’s in Baiting Hollow.
On Doxsee's menu: fried calamari ($10), stuffed meatballs ($8),...
Read more »North Fork Wine tour from Library Cafe, Farmingdale
Photo credit: Randee Daddona
The Library Cafe in Farmingdale is featuring a wine tour package, which is available every Saturday and Sunday this summer, but only with reservations. The cost of the package is $90 a person (plus tax and gratuities) and includes round-trip transportation to three North Fork vineyards — Baiting Hollow, Lenz and Pellegrini — with a wine tasting at each, followed by dinner back at the restaurant.
Pickup...
Read more »Sugar, Carle Place, closes its kitchen
Photo credit: Ian J Stark
Sugar Dining Den & Social Club in Carle Place has gone purely social. Co-owner Brian Rosenberg said that while the kitchen of the multipurpose spot has temporarily ceased turning out dinners, Sugar will remain open as a club Thursday to Saturday nights.
Come September, Rosenberg said, the place is expected to go into full gear with a new chef and a new menu.
Sugar Dining Den...
Read more »Stango's in Glen Cove - first bites at Suozzi restaurant
Photo credit: Newsday/Joan Reminick
The house was almost fully packed the night I stopped into Stango’s at the Orchard in Glen Cove, the reinvented version of what is thought to be Long Island's oldest Italian restaurant. Co-owner Helene Suozzi was seating guests, her husband, former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, schmoozing table to table. Everywhere you looked were vintage photos of local families.
More important to me...
Read more »Chico's Tex Mex Grill opens in Syosset
Photo credit: Handout
Chico’s Tex Mex Grill makes its Syosset debut in the former home of a self-serve yogurt eatery. According to co-owner Marcello Caccialino, the counter service spot offers seating at three tables. Takeout is big here.
On the menu are Santa Fe wings ($4.95 to $8), a fajita salad ($6.95; add $2 for chicken, $2.50 for steak, $3 for shrimp); arroz con pollo, or chicken with rice ($7.50); ...
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