Garden City coffee shop does dinner

Thursday July 9, 2009 3:12 PM By Joan Reminick

If you thought the Upper Crust Cafe in Garden City was just a coffee shop, chef co-owner Nick Lucchesi and his partner/fiancee Ashley Lamire want to prove otherwise. Lucchesi (who owned the former Toque in Bellmore) just launched a dinner menu. It's offered Tuesday to Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m. and, on Friday and Saturday, 3 to 11 p.m. The place is closed Monday

In the evening, Lucchesi's bill of fare lists salads, “share” plates (such as spinach and lobster dip), small plates (like mac and cheese), burgers and entrees, among them a roasted stuffed chicken breast with farmhouse Cheddar, deep South country ham and red eye gravy. For dessert, there are dishes like stuffed French toast and rice pudding crème brûlée.

Wednesday is "all American burger" day, when milk shakes or ice cream come free with any burger. The restaurant features a breakfast-style brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Upper Crust Cafe is at 931 Franklin Ave., Garden City, 516-248-5677

—Joan Reminick

Upper Crust Cafe photo used by permission

P.F. Chang's courts kids

Thursday July 9, 2009 2:53 PM By Joan Reminick

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro has gone kid-friendly in a big way with the launch of a junior menu. At least on paper, it looks truly well conceived. Here’s what’s listed:

Kid’s chicken: Served with honey or sweet and sour dipping sauce. $4.95

Kid’s lo mein: Egg noodles stir-fried with chicken. $3.95

Kid’s chicken fried rice: Just chicken, no vegetables in this fried rice dish. $2.95

Baby Buddha’s feast: Snap peas, carrots and broccoli served steamed or stir-fried. $2.95

The menu also features educational games, designed to keep kids from fussing and fidgeting during the meal.

For adults, P.F. Chang’s has come out with a "regional classics" menu of five entrees, at $9.95 each. They include Hunan pork, Mandarin chicken, Hong Kong beef with snow peas, Shanghai shrimp with garlic sauce and Canton chicken and mushrooms.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro is at 1504 Old Country Rd., Westbury, 516-222-9200, pfchangs.com.

— Joan Reminick

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Sabbag for P.F. Chang's

Sonoma wine dinner/Hauppauge Italian restaurant

Thursday July 9, 2009 10:19 AM By Joan Reminick

The cuisine of Italy meets the vintages of America's West Coast on July 21, when San Marco Ristorante in Hauppauge stages a wine tasting dinner. The meal, centered around bottles from Ferrari Carano Vineyards in Sonoma, Calif., will include a lecture and a raffle for wine and books.

To start will be jumbo mustard seed-crusted scallops wrapped in maple bacon and served with a fume blanc, 2007. Next comes a potato, spinach, apple sausage and cheese strudel, paired with a pinot grigio Russian River, 2007. A hand-rolled goat cheese tortelloni, served with a Siena, 2006, will be followed by a lemon-rosemary Italian ice. Then comes the main course, veal scallopini Parmigiano baked with asparagus mousse and accompanied by a cabernet sauvignon, 2006. It all concludes with Frangelico-soaked lady fingers layered with mascarpone and summer berries paired with an "Eldorado Noir" black muscat, Russian River, 2006.

The cost of the dinner is $72.95 a person. San Marco Ristorante is at 658 Motor Pkwy., Hauppauge. To reserve, call 631-273-0088, sanmarcoristorante.com.

—Joan Reminick

Photos.com Photo

Open: Whale's Tale Cafe in Northport

Wednesday July 8, 2009 11:23 AM By Joan Reminick

The sun is bright and boats bob in the marina. I have a glass of white wine in one hand, a raw clam in the other, enjoying both in the shade of an umbrella. How glad I am that I spotted a sign for the new Whale’s Tale Cafe while nearly driving past the Brittania Yachting Center in Northport.

Since late May, what used to be a deli is now a full-service restaurant and clam bar under the aegis of Phil Andriano. Years ago, Andriano owned a series of restaurants, among them Deep Sea Dive in Port Washington, Lazy Clam in Smithtown, Hook in me Aye in East Northport and In a Country Garden in Glen Head.

What identifies this spot as Andriano’s is his heady smoked seafood chowder made with mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp, corn, potatoes, tomato and a touch of cream. I'm impressed, too, by plump steamers served in a rich beer, onion and caraway broth. But a barbecued chicken sandwich features leathery overcooked poultry. And a boring salad (a mix of desultory greens) is only slightly redeemed by the grilled shrimp on top.

This is a highly informal joint (everything is served on paper and plastic) that closes when the weather turns truly nasty. Still, when the sun and the sea are sparkling, it’s a place you’ll want to be.

Whale's Tale Cafe is at 81 Fort Salonga Rd., Northport, 631-261-2580.

—Joan Reminick

Photo/Joan Reminick

Hamptons celeb scene: Nick & Toni's

Monday July 6, 2009 4:23 PM By Joan Reminick

Now, as in summers past, Nick & Toni's continues to draw a star-studded crowd. Here's the past week's rundown, so far:

On Tuesday, Naomi Watts and four girlfriends had fresh pasta and zucchini chips followed by house-made tartufo in the front room.

On Wednesday, Howard Stern and Beth Ostrosky sat outside on the patio. They had a light dinner but went wild with tartufo for dessert

On Thursday, Mrs. Jon Bon Jovi (Dorothea Hurley) had a girls' night out while theater director Susan Stroman made the scene with friends, as well.

Friday night, our spies report that Kelsey and Camille Grammer were there. So was record executive L.A. Reid (chairman and CEO of Island Def Jam Music Group), accompanied by his wife.

What intrigues me about Nick & Toni's is not so much the Who's Who list but rather the house-made tartufo. I mean how many places outside of Italy actually make their own?

Nick & Toni's is at 136 N Main St., East Hampton, 631-324-3550, nickandtonis.com.

— Joan Reminick

Howard Stern and wife Beth Ostrosky (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Expansion in progress: Nisen Sushi of Commack

Monday July 6, 2009 3:51 PM By Joan Reminick

Sushi-holics who could never get enough of the raw stuff at Nisen Sushi in Commack may want to travel to Woodbury for their fish fixes. At least for awhile. That's because the Commack restaurant is closed while it undergoes expansion and renovation.

The place is scheduled to reopen August 6th. In case you're wondering, the restaurant won't be a clone of the Woodbury locale (which features a New American bill of fare) but rather a bigger, more contemporary-looking version of its traditional Japanese self.

Nisen Sushi of Commack is at 5032 Jericho Tpke., Commack, 631-462-1000

Nisen Sushi is 7967 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 516-496-7000, nisensushi.com.

— Joan Reminick

Photo of construction/expansion site/Joan Reminick

Opening: Frantoni's in East Meadow

Sunday July 5, 2009 8:13 AM By Joan Reminick

A 21-year old Williston Park pizza parlor/Italian eatery has spawned a more sophisticated new offspring.

Frantoni’s Pizzeria & Ristorante made its debut an East Meadow strip mall nine weeks ago. Half of the place is a seat-yourself pizzeria, the rest a full service dining room. And, yes, you can order pizza if you’re dining in the restaurant section.

The place is owned by two brothers, Steve and Michael Mistretta. In a gesture of respect, they named it in honor of their parents, Francesca and Antonio Mistretta. Michael, who is executive chef, relies mostly upon family recipes. The brothers are constantly going back and forth between the two locales, staying on top of operations, maintaining old relationships and cultivating new ones.

Frantoni’s is at 1928 Hempstead Tpke., East Meadow, 516-794-7878, frantonis.com.

—Joan Reminick

Pizza photo courtesy of frantonis.com

Golfer's prix-fixe in Riverhead

Friday July 3, 2009 3:45 PM By Joan Reminick

Golfers working up an appetite can take advantage of a deal at Stonewalls Restaurant, located at The Woods at Cherry Creek Golf Course in Riverhead. Every Sunday and Monday this summer, $50 will buy you nine holes of golf, with a golf cart; tee times start at 3 p.m.

Afterward, a three-course prix-fixe goes for $27.50. Appetizer choices include a Long Island Crescent Farm duck terrine with foie gras and truffles, followed, perhaps by a fricassee of organic chicken Basquaise with rice pilaf. Dessert might be a Tahitian vanilla caramel custard.

Stonewalls is at 967 Reeves Ave., Riverhead. For reservations, call 631-506-0777x4 or go online to stonewalls-restaurant.com.

— Joan Reminick

Restaurant opening in Bayport

Friday July 3, 2009 1:47 PM By Joan Reminick

Driving along Montauk Highway, I came upon the Garage Bar & Grill in Bayport. Open all of two weeks, it looks to be a highly informal – and attractive – spot for classic pub grub: appetizers, burgers, wraps and salads.

Later, I called executive chef owner Chris Havlik, who said he hand-forms burgers and freshly cuts potatoes before frying them up. Hand cut fries instead of frozen crinkle-cuts? That's raising the bar on bar food.

The Garage will be closed for the day this Saturday, reopening on Sunday. It's located at 667 Montauk Hwy., Bayport, 631-207-2000.

—Joan Reminick

Photo/Joan Reminick