Island Park: Stone Turtle, soon out of its shell
Exterior, Chef Gregory Baumel's The Stone Turtle in Oceanside Credit: Joan Reminick
How's this for a restaurant name? — Chef Gregory Baumel's The Stone Turtle. Quite a mouthful, wouldn't you say?
Baumel has been on the Manhattan dining scene for decades. In 1986, he cooked at the Quilted Giraffe and, for the past several years, has been executive chef at the Half King, an Irish gastro pub. Now, he's about to launch what he calls his “dream restaurant” in Island Park.
You may be familiar with the revolving-door location, most recently home to Overtime Grill & Ale House, Island Smokehouse and Freedom BBQ. Does this newest entry have staying power?
An intriguing menu augurs well. You can order a South Texas antelope burger or four cheese and wild boar sausage lasagna as well as mint-crusted tenderloin of New Zealand lamb loin, to name a few items.
When's opening date? “Ten minutes ago,” said Baumel, who’s waiting for all the permits to go through. Watch for updates.
Stone Turtle is at 4160 Austin Blvd., Island Park, 516-431-6570, thestoneturtlerestaurant.com
