Feed Me
The dish on Long Island's restaurant and food scene
Chadwick's, Rockville Centre: Chef becomes owner
Photo credit: Handout
Art Gustafson who, last year, took over as chef at Chadwick’s at the Station in Rockville Centre, just bought the restaurant. First thing he did was change the name to Chadwick’s American Chop House & Bar. And, Gustafson said, he is embarking on a remodeling process inside and out. Instead of closing the restaurant, though, he will be updating one room at a time. Come the warmer weather, he...
Read more »Celeb chef Heather West departs Ciao Baby
Photo credit: Doug Young
Heather West — the season 2 winner of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” — has bid arrivederci to Ciao Baby in Commack and Massapequa Park, where she was executive chef for over a year. She is now chef at Thatched Cottage, a catering venue in Centerport.
At Ciao Baby, co-owner Frank Cammarata is now back in charge of the kitchen. Cammarata said that he is sticking with the menu that he and West planned...
Read more »La Piazza in Melville: The rush to capellini cakes
Photo credit: Newsday Erica Marcus
Perusing the lunch menu today at La Piazza in Melville, I was immediately drawn to the capellini cakes ($11), described as “golden-fried pasta cakes, stuffed with green peas, Parma prosciutto, mozzarella, over pink sauce.”
How could those be bad? They sound like the fried capellini balls at King Umberto in Elmont, one of the tastiest morsels on Long Island. I ordered the appetizer as soon...
Read more »La Casa Cafe in Northport: Redecorated, reopened
Photo credit: Handout
It was a busy winter for Joe Celano, owner of La Casa Cafe at Crab Meadow Beach in Northport. Celano, along with two members of La Casa's crew, remodeled the interior of the restaurant without professional help. Now, said Celano, there’s a bigger waiting space as well as an expanded bar area with new hardwood floors. A 70-inch flat screen TV at the entryway plays a perpetual aquarium scene — unless...
Read more »A sweet 'meatloaf' in Oyster Bay
Photo credit: Newsday Peter Gianotti
Sometimes, things are not quite what they seem.
Pictured above: "meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots." It's a whimsical dessert at Jack Halyards in Oyster Bay. Chef John Brill constructs a chocolate-Heath bar-banana bread pudding, with vanilla ice cream and a brunoise of cantaloupe and kiwi. The gravy, of course, is warm chocolate sauce.
Visuals aside, it tastes good,...
Read more »Sandy-slammed Rachel's in Freeport reopens tonight
Photo credit: Howard Schnapp
Rachel's Waterside Grill, one of the many restaurants on Freeport's Nautical Mile devastated by superstorm Sandy, reopens tonight.
Co-owner Ivan Sayles termed it a “soft opening,“ with a limited menu, as the staff returns to the reborn establishment. He expects the restaurant to have its “grand opening” on April 26. The renovated restaurant now sports a glass wall overlooking the water where...
Read more »Great Neck Plaza Restaurant Week
Photo credit: Kirsten Luce
It’s time for yet another Great Neck Plaza Restaurant Week. The event, which starts April 20 and runs until April 27, features a $24.95 three-course prix-fixe dinner at a variety of local restaurants.
Among this year’s participants are Elaine’s Asian Bistro, Ethos, LOLA, Mykonos and Om Bistro.
For the full list, visit shopgreatneck.com. ...
Read more »Burger King has a new turkey burger
Photo credit: Newsday / Joan Reminick
The home of the Whopper has something novel coming off the grill — a turkey burger, introduced this spring and available for a limited time; a spokeswoman for Burger King was unable to say how long that would be.
I stopped into the Burger King in Farmingdale to try one and found it surprisingly good — juicy and smoky and without that heavy gamy taste that often plagues such burgers....
Read more »Cuzco Peru comes to Lynbrook
Photo credit: Handout
New to Lynbrook is Cuzco Peru, the offshoot of an established Rego Park restaurant. The Peruvian eatery occupies the storefront space that briefly housed Las Esquinas and Five Corners Diner.
On the menu are such choices as a quarter marinated chicken served with salad and either rice and beans, green or sweet plantains or fried cassava ($8.50); a mixed seafood seviche ($15.75); lomo saltado,...
Read more »This week’s restaurant reviews
Photo credit: Newsday / Joan Reminick
In this week’s Newsday, Joan Reminick cracks open Thai Coconut, “a simply but tastefully appointed little restaurant just steps from the LIRR station in Wantagh. Hop off the train and within minutes, you can be communing with a bowl of sour-spicy tom yum goong that's rife with plump shrimp.”
Peter Gianotti reviews Il Luogo, the new Italian spot in Lynbrook whose “executive chef, Marco Jara,...
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