Long Island Restaurant Week: 11 eateries serving seasonal dishes you have to try

Long Island Restaurant Week is ready to bloom.

This year’s springtime event celebrates seasonal fare, but also holds onto plenty of year-round favorites. They’ll be served via $29.95, fixed-price menus, which include appetizer, main course, and dessert. Restaurant week goes from April 28 to May 5.

Participating restaurants must offer at least three choices in each category that don’t carry a supplementary charge. Beverages aren’t included in the cost. Neither are gratuities. A 20 percent tip is recommended in the promotion.

Each eatery is required to offer the $29.95 meals all night from Sunday to Sunday, except on Saturday night when the prix-fixe will be available until 7 p.m. Since restaurant week traditionally is very popular, you should make reservations a week to 10 days in advance.

The restaurants taking part in spring restaurant week include Italian, French, German, Mexican, New American, traditional American, continental, Mediterranean, Belgian, Asian, seafood, and steak houses. While there may not be a big harvest of ramps and morels, plenty of asparagus and lamb will be served.

Here’s a seasonal sampler of what you may taste at some restaurants in Nassau and Suffolk.

 A full list of participants may be found online at longislandrestaurantweek.com. For additional information, call 631-329-2111.

Mortons The Steakhouse (777 Northern Blvd., Great Neck) is offering a center-cut filet mignon, sliced beefsteak tomato and blue cheese, broiled salmon with beurre blanc, and Key lime pie. More info: 516-498-2950, mortons.com/greatneck

At Red Salt Room in the Garden City Hotel (45 Seventh St., Garden City), there will be a spring asparagus plate with pickled radish, crisp shallots, caperberries and crushed eggs; “twisted chicken,” with asparagus, cipollini onion confit, and fingerlings, with a vermouth reduction; and lemon yogurt panna cotta. More info: 516-877-9385, gardencityhotel.com

Rachel’s Waterside Grill (281 Woodcleft Ave., Freeport) greets spring with a salad of strawberries, goat cheese, toasted almonds, and baby greens; a cauliflower risotto with asparagus, crunchy Brussels sprouts leaves, mushrooms, and tomato; and a pork-chive dumpling bowl with shrimp, spring onion, and asparagus. More info:516-546-0050, rachelswatersidegrill.com

Sage Bistro (2620 Merrick Rd., Bellmore) comes through with salmon-and-zucchini pancakes with dill yogurt sauce; grilled hanger steak with sautéed asparagus and peppercorn sauce; and raspberry panna cotta. More info: 516-679-8928, bistrosage.com

Wild Honey on Main (172 Main St., Port Washington) plans a Baja-style fish taco with salsa verde, pico de gallo, and chipotle aioli; hoisin-glazed cod with spicy peanut soba noodles and baby spinach; and strawberry cheesecake ice cream pie. More info: 516-439-5324, wildhoneyonmain.com

Benny’s Ristorante (199 Post Ave., Westbury) will feature eggplant stuffed with capellini, ricotta and Parmesan cheese; bowtie pasta with pesto, tomato, and baby shrimp; and Chatham cod marechiara. More info: 516-997-8111, bennysristorante.com

At Del Frisco's Grille (160 Walt Whitman Rd.), artichoke beignets; salmon with roasted asparagus, charred lemon and a citrus-herb vinaigrette; and local chicken with asparagus and mashed potatoes will be available. More info: 631-423-0308, delfriscosgrille.com/huntington/

At The Fifth Season (34 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson), the menu choices include puree of carrot, ginger, and coconut soup; grilled asparagus; pan-seared steelhead salmon with an orange reduction; and house-made gnocchi with peas, asparagus, mushrooms, and Parmesan in a Meyer lemon-tarragon cream sauce. More info: 631-477-8500, thefifth-season.com

Jonathan’s Ristorante (15 Wall St., Huntington) is offering sauteed baby artichokes and basil pesto; tuna tartare with avocado salad and wasabi aioli; and swordfish with caperberries, grape tomatoes, baby spinach, and lemon brodetto. More info: 631-549-0055, jonathansristorante.com

 At Mac’s Steakhouse (12 Gerard St., Huntington), expect sushi-grade sliced tuna and avocado; grilled salmon with grilled asparagus, oven-roasted tomato, and lemon-caper sauce; and short rib Stroganoff atop penne with asparagus spears in a creamy truffle sauce. More info: 631-549-5300, macssteakhouse.com 

At View (3 Consuelo Pl., Oakdale), expect Beijing duck tacos; Long Island corn chowder; pan-seared garlic shrimp with spring pea-Parmesan risotto; and roasted chicken with spring peas, roasted cipollini, and wild mushrooms. More info:  631-589-2694, lessings.com