Williston Park: Guy Fieri visits Hildebrandt’s
Guy Fieri, host of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" Credit: Food Network
Hildebrandt’s is closed on Monday’s, but tonight you can see Guy Fieri gorging himself on the restaurant’s Italian specialties and ice-cream treats.
Early last October, Hildebrandt’s got the call: The Food Network wanted to feature them on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” “They said they had gotten 2,000 e-mails about us from our customers,” said co-owner Susan Strano Acosta.
A few days later Fieri’s posse descended. His bleachedness was there for four hours but the crew spent an additional two 14-hour days filming. “They had initially been interested in the artichoke Romano fondue and the pasta a la mama,” said Acosta, “but once they got here and saw the menu they wanted to try everything. My mom, Joanne Strano, was in the kitchen and she wound up making 60 dishes.”
Acosta won’t see the segment until it airs tonight, but she believes that Hildebrandt’s mozzarella sticks (made with homemade bread crumbs) will feature prominently, as well as butter pecan ice cream. “It turns out that Guy doesn’t like chocolate so we made him a sundae with hot butterscotch and fresh whipped cream.”
I’m hoping that Fieri managed to sample the pasta a la mama, a personal favorite, and some of Long Island’s best french fries.
The show airs tonight on Food Network at 9. It will be rebroadcast tomorrow at noon and on April 9 at 9 p.m.
Hildebrandt’s is at 84 Hillside Ave., Williston Park, 516-741-0608.
