Long Island Restaurant Week is extra tasty for those recovered from Sandy

Six months ago, Lawson Pub in Oceanside looked more like an indoor swimming pool than a restaurant. Superstorm Sandy had put it under five feet of water, setting half its furniture afloat down the street. Miraculously, the place was up and cooking within a month.

Fatfish in Bay Shore came close to being entirely wiped out and spent the winter under construction. Recently, a section of the waterside dining spot reopened.

Clearly, Sandy has left its mark on Long Island Restaurant Week, which runs Sunday through May 5, and has more than 150 participating restaurants. (Go to longislandrestaurantweek.com or call 631-329-2111 for a full list.)

While details of the event look pretty ordinary -- a three-course meal for $27.99 (available only until 7 p.m. Saturday night) -- the list of participants harbors stories of hope amid hardship.

Here are six restaurants, affected by Sandy in varying degrees, that have managed to relaunch in time for this celebratory week.

So, along with your Thai calamari, grilled mahi mahi or slow-cooked short ribs, you can savor the fruits of hard work and resiliency. Tables fill up rather quickly, so make your reservations early.

Menu sampling Among appetizer choices are a chargrilled artichoke salad and steamed clams with chorizo; main courses include grilled marinated mahi mahi with warm chickpea and cilantro salad as well as chargrilled spiced hanger steak. For dessert: apple tarte Tatin and Grand Marnier-chocolate dipped strawberries.