Long Island Restaurants

The Mixing Bowl Eatery

High drama reigned when mega-chef Gordon Ramsay swept through The Mixing Bowl Eatery in Bellmore last March, refashioning the tired 10-year-old place into its stylish new self. You can view the Fox TV episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" (which aired in early October) at the restaurant, where it often plays (without the soundtrack) on a screen above the bar.

See manager Mike Landesberg lose it. Watch him weep. See owner Billy Galletti come into his own as boss. Watch Ramsay transform Galletti's dishes into presentations less cluttered, more health-oriented. Finally, witness the tears of joy as the tasteful new decor is revealed, an elegant mix of contemporary furnishings that includes suede upholstered chairs, white tablecloths and lots of pretty candles.

It's been months since Ramsay worked his magic. So, how does the new Mixing Bowl stack up?

I confess to being won over by the sweet and solicitous Galletti, who divides his time between the dining room and supervisory duties in the kitchen.

Whatever he's doing is working well. That became apparent with the first vibrant spoonful of vegetarian lentil soup, rich and light. On another night, a special of butternut squash soup was alive with autumnal flavor; its only problem was a thick, almost puddinglike consistency. Galletti's signature zucchini pancakes, which Ramsay originally decried as stodgy, were reconceived, coming off as airy little latkes that are mostly zucchini. And his crab cakes, which elicited Ramsay's approval, were well seasoned and virtually all crab.

A real surprise was a bowl of penne arrabiatta, al dente quills topped with a spicy tomato sauce, roasted garlic and a profusion of vegetables (string beans, asparagus, peppers and carrots) remarkably bright, fresh and crisp-tender. Ravioli, also al dente, were stuffed with a savory blend of spinach, mushrooms and ricotta, blanketed by a bit too much of an otherwise fine roasted tomato sauce.

Ramsay came up with the cool-crunchy-sprightly Gala apple and endive salad with walnuts and field greens, drizzled with a piquant-yet-sweet honey-mustard vinaigrette. It was a hit. So, too, was a warm spinach salad with grilled chicken, pine nuts and shaved red onion that came with a warm, mellow, roasted-tomato vinaigrette. The health-conscious clientele Ramsay is targeting might appreciate that the Cobb salad, made with tomatoes, avocado, egg and grilled chicken, presents the traditional ingredients of bacon and blue cheese as an option.

I was pleased with a flavorsome entree of seared ahi tuna crusted in black sesame seeds, which came rare as ordered, plated with warm Asian noodles and stir-fried vegetables. Better yet was salmon, grilled medium rare, according to request, and topped with a walnut pesto (actually a lush nut butter), the fish plated with some gorgeous asparagus and zucchini.

I was curious to try the house-made veggie burger, which may be ordered on a bun or wrapped in a lettuce leaf. I went for the lettuce. The burger was loose-textured and savory, but impossible to eat out of hand.

One way to conclude is with the house-made dark chocolate mousse layer cake topped with a thick, dark icing. I couldn't keep my fork away from it. My favorite finale, though, was a home-style berry crumble topped with vanilla ice cream, the very antithesis of spa food.

While it's true that prices here are higher than they used to be, it's possible to dine very well for less than $30 a person.

We all love a good makeover story. In this one, as in all the best of them, the happy ending is all about a new beginning.

Reviewed by Joan Reminick, 12/5/07.

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