Restaurant Row: Port Washington
A server sprinkles Parmesan cheese over Isabelle DeOliveira's linguine frutta di mare at Toscanini in Port Washington. The dish features homemade linguine sauteed in a light tomato sauce with clams. (Feb. 27, 2010) Credit: Photo by Jesse Newman
Port Washington is loaded with restaurants, on and off Main Street. The establishments create a diverse and diner-friendly community. The focus here is mainly Main Street.
LOUIE'S OYSTER BAR & GRILLE
395 Main St., 516-883-4242, louiesoysterbarandgrill.com
Food: 1 1/2 stars
Cost: $$-$$$
Famous since 1905," Louie's is the strip's primary fish house. It anchors the west end. Traditional and popular, it has improved in recent years. Recommended: the raw bar, the lobster bake, steamed lobster, fish-and-chips made with scrod, New England clam chowder. For dissenters, there's Southern-fried chicken.
LA P'TITE FRAMBOISE
294 Main St., 516-767-7164, laptiteframboise.com
Food: 2 stars
Cost: $$-$$$
This dependable French spot is part of the group that includes Bistro Cassis in Huntington and Brasserie Cassis in Plainview. Looks good, tastes better. Recommended: frisee salad, onion soup, steak au poivre, sole meunière, and daily specials that include duck a l'orange, cassoulet, coq au vin and beef bourguignonne.
SHANG HAI PAVILION
46 Main St., 516-883-3368
Food: 2 stars
Cost: $-$$
This mainstay-of-Main Street Chinese restaurant fittingly stands out with a Shanghai classic: soup dumplings. They're filled with either pork or crab and pork, and savory broth. Also recommended: turnip cakes, crisp sea bass, tangerine chicken, casseroles.
THANEE THAI
24B Main St., 516-883-3940, thaneethai.com
Food: 1 star
Cost: $-$$
A modest, friendly eatery that covers all the familiar Thai dishes, Thanee Thai adds some spark to this restaurant row. Recommended: curry puffs with chicken and potatoes; Thai basil-seasoned pork; Thai spring rolls; tom kha, the soup boosted by coconut milk, galangal and lemongrass broth; steamed dumplings.
TOSCANINI
179 Main St., 516-944-0755, toscaninipw.com
Food: 1 star
Cost: $$
The maestro of Main Street Italian restaurants, Toscanini is an amiable, reliable, unpretentious place. Very good service, too. Recommended: stuffed artichoke, polenta with mushroom sauce, white bean-and-cabbage soup, spaghetti with meatballs, beef-sausage-and-cheese lasagna, fusilli with salmon Livornese, salads.
172 Main St. Port Washington 516-439-5324, wildhoneyonmain.com
Food: 2 stars
Cost: $$$
The flavor-packed restaurant fills the baguette-shaped storefront recently occupied by Bistro du Village with savory, wide-ranging and very good cooking. The theme is regional American, but there are high notes from elsewhere, too.
YAMAGUCHI
63 Main St., 516-883-3500
Food: 2 stars
Cost: $-$$
Yamaguchi is on the north side, opposite the railroad station. The Japanese restaurant doesn't go in for too much in the decor department. But the food is dependable. Recommended: sushi and sashimi, udon and soba noodles, vegetable tempura, yakitori, fried oysters and gyoza, or fried dumplings.
Port Washington visitors can also enjoy these eateries, among others:
AYHAN'S SHISH KEBAB: 283 Main St., 516-883-9309, ayhans.myshopify.com. Cost: $-$$. This is where the Mediterranean-style empire began.
CHEZ NOELLE: 34 Willowdale Ave., 516-883-3191, cheznoellerestaurant.com. Cost: $$-$$$. Veteran French restaurant, with New American, Italian additions.
MONTEBELLO: 14 Haven Ave., 516-767-7828, montebellorestaurant.com. Cost: $-$$. Italian-American specialties, family-style.
LA PARMA ON THE BAY: 415 Main St., 516-439-4960, laparma.com. Cost: $-$$. The latest opening for the chainlet of family-style Italian eateries.
SALVATORE'S: 124 Shore Rd., 516-883-8457, salvatorescoalfiredpizza.com. Cost: $-$$. Very good, old-fashioned pizza; tasty baked pastas, too.
