Long Island Wineries - where to go?

Long Ireland has been brewing in Riverhead for just about a year now.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

BYOB in Nassau County (Long Island)

The Orient, Chinese, Bethpage, no corkage. Urbanspoon has a listing, but I can't vouch for its accuracy: http://www.urbanspoon.com/t/201/15/Long-Island/BYOB-restaurants

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Suffolk Couny - 60th Birthday celebration

Papa Joe's on Commack Road opposite the Tanger Outlets in Deer Park has a large party room and decent, though not spectacular, Italian-American cooking. It's not as upscale as the places on your lost, to be sure.

Other ideas: Jewel in Melville, Blackstone's in Melville, Insignia in Smithtown, Four Food Studio in Melville,

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Chik Fil A looking for Long Island locations

Per Wall Street Journal and Newsday, this fast-food chain with a loyal following wants to bring its southern style cooking and way of doing business to Long Island.

http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2012/02/24/chick-fil-a-weighs-long-island-moo-in/

http://www.newsday.com/columnists/james-bernstein/chick-fil-a-scouting-li-for-restaurant-1.3556006?qr=1

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best near St. James

And don't forget Mirabelle, just up the road in Stony Brook.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Fairway coming to Westbury, LI

The ink is barely dry on the lease. I'd guess 3-6 months.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Fairway coming to Westbury, LI

This appeared last week in Long Island Business News. 69,000 SF store will open in former Home Depot Expo on Corporate Drive and Merchant's Concourse.

http://libn.com/2012/02/09/fairway-coming-to-westbury/

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

waldbaums supermarkets on Long Island

Greenfield's Shop Rite in Commack is as close as I've seen to the old Waldbaum's. Its been so busy since they opened last summer, the nearby Waldbaum'si s shutting down.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Yao's wows in Centereach

Tried this place after reading about it on Newsday's Feed Me blog. Yao's Diner is located in a down-at-its-heels strip mall opposite Reptile Jungle You can't miss the big Chinese letters on the sign. Inside, we were the only guilows. Nothing fancy here. A few booths and a half dozen tables. There is no printed English menu, as yet (1-30-12) but the owner/manager gave us his iPad to read a proof of the English menu attached to an email! I already knew what wanted. Alas, no dan dan noodles (I was given the impression Yao's offered spicy fare), but the hot & sour soup was well-balanced, maybe the best I ever tasted. Also enjoyed fried lamb with cumin and hot pepper -- so addictive, I finished the entire plate of tthese crisp morsels. Snow pea shoots sauted with chopped garlic was vibrant in color and flavor. We made do with the smal takeout chopsticks, but the Asians in the restaurant were given full-length tools. BTW, tea was excellent, too. You can''t find this kind of food anywhere else on Long Island, not even at The Orient, but that's a different style of cooking. Hope they receive enough support from the local Asian community to stay in business since I doubt many non-Asians will be patrons.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Great service, nice ambiance, but an unmemorable dining experience (St. Jacques, Raleigh)

Based on recommendations on this board, my wife and I (both New Yorkers) celebrated our anniversary at Saint Jacques French Cuisine in Raleigh while visiting my son, who lives in Durham. It’s our custom to dine on French for our anniversary and I was excited to learn that fine French dining could be found in the area. I was, however, mildly disappointed.

Saint Jacques is a lovely place that defies its strip-mall location. Tastefully decorated you could easily forget where you are, unless you peek out the window.

Service is gracious, accomodating and professional and I forgive our server for knocking over an empty wine glass as he tried to remove a recalcitrant cork from the bottle of wine I’d brought along. The bottle was subsequently decanted, but the wine warmed up too qucikly. (I reviewed the wine list prior to dining and found many selections to be total unknowns and besides that, it lacked a riesling, which my wife enjoys.)

Dining here is a relaxed affair. We spent 2 hours dining on 3 courses, plus an amuse bouche of cream of aspargus soup and a lemon-thyme sorbet intermezzo.

I found the food just good, not spectacular, and in general too salty, starting with the amuse.

My wife enjoyed her Blue Cheese Delicacy, blue cheese and port wine whipped together over poach pear slices. My starter of sweetbreads provencal -- it was this or foie gras terrine -- over smashed yukon gold potatoes was marred by the overwhelming salty spuds.

As for mains, my wife was satisfied, but not blown away by her Duck a L’Orange. I chose a nightly special of mustard-coated pork loin. in view of the fact that we were drinking riesling. Though paired with deconstructed brussel sprouts, the kitchen obliged me with green beans (can’t have the sprouts or leafy greens for medical reasons.) The pork, though tasty, was tough and this, too, was accompanied by those salt-laden potaotes.

My wife was disappointed that the dessert menu lacked something chocolate. She was, accommodated, however, with a small stem of chocolate mousse. I opted for the bruleed pecan pudding. Hardly pudding -- or creme brulee. It was dense and saccharine. I thought I was eating a lump of brown sugar.

A glass of cognac would’ve finished the meal, but there was none to be had. (Only ports and stickies.)

All told, an okay, but unmemorable meal for $150 including corkage, tax and tip.

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Saint Jacques French Cuisine
6112 Falls of the Neuse Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609

dixdiner in Southeast

What's Up With the Orient?

Went there for lunch on 8/19. new, modern decor, Same old watiers. Good as it ever was.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

NoFo of LI Comtesse Therese Bistro

Have to try it after reading this Newsday review. http://long-island.newsday.com/restaurants/comtesse-therese-bistro-1.2920000

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Legends-North Fork, LI

According to NoFo Patch they are open:
http://northfork.patch.com/articles/renovated-legends-restaurant-reopens-after-five-month-closure

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

North fork winery dinner

Here's link to Newsday review: http://bit.ly/lRaUmy

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Looking for a Best Lunch (mid-week) Rec in the Smithtown area

Casa Rustica, Smithtown, does lunch mid-week only. Great wine list.
Bella Vita City Grill, St. James
Mirabelle, Stony Brook

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Casa Rustica Restaurant
175 W Main St, Smithtown, NY 11787

Bella Vita City Grill
430-16 North Country Road, St. James, NY 11780

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

North fork winery dinner

Comteresse Vineyard and Bistro in Aquebogue has outdoor dining in back, next to small plot of vines. Haven't eaten there yet--it's fairly new. Here's a link: http://www.comtessetherese.com/bistrohomepage.html

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

North Fork winery recs

If your an aficionado hit Paumamok, Lenz, Roanoke, Bedell, Pellegrini, Jamesport. For an especially relaxing tasting go to Crouteaux--they only sell roses and serve you at a table in the courtyard. Palmer and Macari eachhas a few good wines, but you may encounter a large group. Avoid the bus groups at Pindar.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Commack LI area

PG Steakhouse on Jericho Tpke in Huntington, just 5 or so minutes west of Commack.
There's also Jackson's in Commack, though very informal.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Hicksville, Long Island - Dinner with Mom rec's

Unless your mom's hair is dyed blue/silver I'd avoid Milleridge. Seniors seem to love it. It's also the place business groups go for cheap rubber chicken dinners. The food is bland. The roils frozen and thawed--sometimes. I'd sooner eat in Ruby Tuesday at the Broadway Mall. Hicksville has an abundance of Asian eateries. Consider West East Bistro on S. Broadway, which offers modern American fare as well as Asian offerings.

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West East Bistro
758 S. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

NoFo of LI Comtesse Therese Bistro

Has anyone been to Comtesse Therese Bistro on Main Road in Aquebogue since it opened last year? What's it like?

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Long Island suggestions in/near Melville, NY

A good pub just 5 minutes from Melville is The Republic Pub, 217 Main Street, Farmingdale. Good beer. Irish chow, including pot pie, fish & chips, etc. www.therepublicpub.com/

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

NY style deli opening soon in Chapel Hill

Check out the menu and you'll see they offer ham, cheese and bacon. You won't find these at a NYC kosher deli, but, I suppose, better to have what kosher-style offerings they have than none at all.

dixdiner in Southeast

Thanksgiving on Long Island

Taste 99 / Carlyle on the Green in Bethpage State Park (Farmingdale, actually) is offering a T-Day menu. $47.85 for adults and $19.95 for kids.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

The Orient in Bethpage: Am I Missing Something?

Not a bad idea. If you're insistent, the waiters will tell you what's special, albeit with some hesitation.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

The Orient in Bethpage: Am I Missing Something?

I've been a quasi regular at Orient over the past year-plus. To fully appreciate Orient you must negotiate your order with Tommy Tan, the owner. The waiters are reluctant to serve "real" Chinese to their Anglo customers. Now, as a regular, whenever I'm there, Tommy wisks the menu out of my hand and says, "what do you feel like having?" He'll also tell you the day's specials. The off-menu items can vary by the day, time of year,. I've enjoyed shredded chicken or pork spinach soup, sea bass with ginger-scallion sauce, baby lamb chops in black bean sauce, pork tenderloin in pepper sauce, fish rolls, razor clams in black bean sauce, many dim sum items such as stuffed eggplant and stuffed tofu w/abalone, a lotus root stir fry. On the menu, Chinese fried chicken w/garlic is a mainstay and the shrimp w/fruit mayo+ walnuts is always a winner. Also worth noting, Orient allows BYOB and I have had groups with up to a dozen bottles with no problem, except for the tumblers used instead of stems. Insist on being adventurous and you'll be rewarded. BTW, the standard suburban dishes are done well relative to most other Chinese restaurants on LI.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Best lobster roll in Hamptons/Montauk

Lobster Roll a/k/a Lunch in Amagansett

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Lobster Roll Restaurant
1980 Montauk Hwy, Amagansett, NY 11930

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

Raw oysters near Oyster Bay , Long Island

Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill, South St., Oyster Bay

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

SF Hounds coming to North Fork

Restaurant picks from the others are spot on. I'd add Jamesport Country Kitchen on Main Road in Jamesport and Founder's Tavern, Main Road, Southold, a place held in high esteem by locals (especially for brews and simple fare).
My winery picks: Lenz, Paumanok, Bedell, Shinn, Raphael, Macari, Jamesport (Sauvignon Blanc(, Lieb (Pinot Blanc).

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Jamesport Country Kitchen
Main Rd, Jamesport, NY 11947

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)

driving from jfk to sag harbor - help!

Why not stop in Umberto's Pizza in New Hyde Park, just 10 minutes from JFK, for some of the best pizza on Long Island.

Or, you might consider going to Vittorio's in Amityville, south of Southern State on Route 110. It's just a half mile or so south of 27, which you could then jump on to continue your journey. There will be traffic lights for about 5 miles on 27 before it become a limited access highway all the way to the Hamptons.

dixdiner in New York State (exc. New York City)