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BIER, DEFINITELY HERE
Long Island's latest beer house and restaurant has just opened in Garden City. Prost Grill & Garten now has a limited menu, with sausages, appetizers and a few main courses, in advance of the full list of offerings to coincide with Oktoberfest.
It follows the sudsy opening of Zum Schneider MTK in Montauk. Later this month, the Croxley Ale House & Biergarten is slated to open in Smithtown.
The Garden City establishment has 13 German brews on draft and six more in bottles; eight American brews on draft and seven in bottles; plus other draft imports and bottles from Belgium, Denmark, France and Austria.
Wursts include bratwurst, bockwurst, knockwurst; Italian sausages; chicken andouille and chicken-apple sausage; merguez, made with lamb; venison, buffalo and alligator sausage. On the side: potato pancakes, red cabbage, sauerkraut, spaetzle, German potato salad and asparagus hollandaise. Sausages are $7 to $9. Among the appetizers: Bavarian charcuterie, sauerkraut croquettes, Buffalo-style wings, and an Alsatian-style pizza with Gruyère, crème fraîche and mushrooms. Openers are $8.95 to $14.95. Prost is open every day, from noon to midnight.
Prost Grill & Garten, 652 Franklin Ave., Garden City; 516-427-5215. -- PETER M. GIANOTTI
FROM THAI TO HOT DOGS
The spacious and sophisticated-looking Studio Grille in Selden takes wide aim with a menu that covers everything from steak to hot dogs. Smart move, in this economy.
A recent dinner began with very good steamed shrimp dumplings ($9) that also contained pork -- a detail that should have been noted on the menu. Thai lettuce wraps with teriyaki-glazed chicken and sesame noodles ($9), though, were way over-sauced. Great grilled "N.Y. dogs" ($9) came two to a plate, blanketed with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and sweet onions in tomato sauce, paired with chef Michael Tambarkis' fine hand-cut seasoned fries. There's a juicy half-pound Angus patty, served on a roll that didn't overwhelm it ($10).
I was skeptical about trying Tambarkis' signature dessert of strawberries stuffed with a sweet tomato compote ($6), but the fruity and slightly tart concoction won me over.
Studio Grille is at 377 Independence Plaza, Selden, 631-320-1001, studiogrilleny.com. -- JOAN REMINICK
PASTA ADDITIONS AT RED TOMATO
Red Tomato, the seven-month-old pizzeria in East Norwich, is adding pasta to the menu. The kitchen is starting slowly, with just a few specials every week.
Gnocchi, orecchiette with prosciutto and paccheri alla Norma have been featured in the past two weeks. They are prepared in Red Tomato's kitchen, then put into cast-iron skillets and finished in the pizza oven. For now, all pastas are $9.50.
Red Tomato is at 6245 Northern Blvd., East Norwich, 516-802-2840. -- ERICA MARCUS
