LIWINEDAD

In keeping with the tradition of having lunch before a full wine tasting, we stopped at On The Docks before heading to Clovis Point Vineyards & Winery .   On the Docks is on the water at 177 Meeting House Creek Road Aquebogue at the foot of Peconic Bay Blvd.   The Restaurant is in a spacious building with the main entrance just a few steps up from the main parking lot (Fig 01).   Inside is expansive, with a fantastic view of the water (Fig 02) and the free dock (Fig 03).   For starters, Jo ordered the local Crescent Duck Wings prepared with a Korean BBQ Sauce(Fig 04) that are good.   The locally raised duck continues Long Island's growing tradition of farm-to-table.   Check out the Crescent Duck History ; it is quite a story starting in the 1640s.  Next, the PEI mussels made for a fine starter or lite lunch with a salad.  The mussels came prepared in a light white wine and lemon herb broth, a cut above the standard wine and garlic broth (F...

  R eturn visit July 2022 Great dinner for two.  We opened with Caesar Salad (Fig 01) and outrageously good Steamers, huge, plump, not over cooked and lots of them in a fantastic broth (Fig 02).  For the entrées a Shrimp Quesadilla (Fig 03) and fantastic pair of fried soft-shell crabs (Fig 04). All of this was paired with a few glasses of a New Zealand Marlborough district Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc.  #lifood #newwaveseafood FIG 01 - NEW WAVE SEAFOOD CAESAR SALAD 15 JUL 2022 FIG 02 - NEW WAVE SEAFOOD STEAMERS 15 JUL 2022 FIG 03 - NEW WAVE SEAFOOD SHRIMP QUESADILLA 15 JUL 2022 FIG 04 - NEWWAVE SEAFOOD FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS 15 JUL 2022

  We have stopped at the Cooperage Inn several times before but only to pick up their Island famous NOFO Pot Pies .   However, today this stop was not only to pick up pies but for lunch as the first stop on our mid-March pickup expedition .   The restaurant is located on the north side of Sound Ave in Baiting Hollow and has a sizeable well-maintained parking lot connecting directly to the main entrance (Figure 1).   Inside is bright, cheery, and spacious.   Seating options include the dining room, bar, semi-enclosed patio, and outside dining spaces (Figure 2).   As this was the first stop of a six-stop pickup tour, we were early, and the door locked, but the team spotted us, greeted us warmly, and guided us to our table that included a nice view of the fishpond and front yard seating area (Figure 3). The menu is extensive, ranging from simple salads to robust entrees and daily specials (Figures 4, 5, 6).   After an opening round of cocktails, good C...

  Today, at the bottom of the wine rack was found a very dusty bottle of Raphael Vineyard – 2014 Cabernet Franc .   The Cap was dry, and the top of the cork looked good, so it was worth a try.   The wine in the glass is particulate-free, opaque, rich purple, with a hint of rust color at the fringe and no legs.   The nose is gentle with slight notes of Bramble, Fig, and a hint of oak.   Absent were any herbaceous notes or intense raspberry.    The 2014 Cabernet Franc is a smooth wine with receding silky Tannins, notes of fruit, and a spark of Acid on the palate.   Gone were any long finish peppery or spice notes.   Reserving one cup of the wine for the gravy, the balance of the wine complemented the dinner.   Dinner was a pork loin was from Stew Leonards , originally an almost 7-pound fresh Pork Loin which we broke down in three roasts and vacuum-sealed then frozen until today.     The pork loin was rolled in McCormick’s Montr...

  We were looking for a local place for dinner and landed on a relatively new place named Anthony’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Belmore.   It is on the Northside of Merrick Rd . next to Oz General Contracting, replacing the Morpheus Greek restaurant (Figure 1).   The inside is modest and still has the Greek Restaurant vibe, a fun family place (Figure 2).   We opened with a round of drinks which included a fine Cosmopolitan and a Woodford Reserve ™ on the rocks; both were generous pours (Figure 3).   The cocktail and wine menu is a deep list of the classic drinks and a good selection of wine both by the glass and bottle.   The prices were remarkably moderate.   The beverage menu should be added to their website, allowing folks to map out what they will be enjoying that night.   The food menu is straightforward, with a broad selection of traditional Italian favorites (Figure 4).    For starters, we had the Shrimp Cocktail and Grandma’s ...

  This year, Christmas Eve dinner was just the two of us, so we opted to go out to Gusto Divino Trattoria in Seaford.  For the holidays, they had a $70 preset menu (Figure 1).  The service was excellent, and the meal was fine, with a few minor suggestions for improvement to reach five stars.  Unfortunately, they did not have Woodford reserve for the cocktails, settling for Bullet bourbon instead.  The starters were Fried Zucchini and Baked Clams.  The Zucchini (Figure 2) is coated with a light batter, fried to a golden brown, and accompanied with a Marinara sauce.  The Baked Clams (Figure 3) was very flavorful and tender, but only four small clams limited sharing.  The mains are far more exciting.  Jo had the Lobster Ravioli (Figure 4), a generous portion, large-sized ravioli well stuffed and plated with a delicious pink sauce.  The other main was the grille lamb chops over a bed of Broccoli rabe ($10 upcharge, Figure 5).  The four...

We looked for a change of pace and discovered a new old friend.  We have been to Per'Un'Angelo many times before, but it closed a while back.  Today the team from Per'Un'Angelo and Villa D'Aqua are back at the Jones Beach Hotel ( 3275 Byron St Wantagh NY 11793) under the new name Toto's.  The new theme is an Italian steak house, and it truly hits the mark.  Last Saturday, we stopped in for a late lunch early dinner and had no problem getting a table for three.  The outside remains the same but with new signage (Figure 1).  Inside has been refreshed, becoming airy, bright, and cheery (Figure 2).  The staff was friendly attentive, and Tom (Owner) stopped by to say hello.  We started with glasses of house Pinot Noir and house Sauvignon Blanc (Figure 3).   Both were surprisingly good for house wines and an excellent value for the cost.   For the starters, we had a Caesar salad (Figure 4), Mussels in red sauce (Figure 5), and grilled Oct...