Restaurant Blog - Chowbaby.com

by Scott Kessman

ABE CONKLIN’S
(631) 385-1955
54 New St
Huntington, NY 11743

Huntington at times seems overwhelmed with an abundance of good restaurants, so it can be easy to miss one or two. If you’re in the area, you’ll want to pay a visit to Abel Conklin’s perhaps best known for prime aged steaks and fresh seafood, as well as upscale English pub food serving with a Victorian grace. The décor is at once charming and warming, with old-world traditional wood paneling. Don’t let the initial though of pub food fool you. This is English food at its finest and tastiest. You’ll even find Welsh rabbit gracing the menu, along with Garlic-Herb Infused Chopped Steak, Sauteed Calf’s Liver, and Maryland Backfin Crab Cake. The restaurant lies within the old walls of the Abel Conklin house, built in 1841, and when dining here, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported to another era. Regulars insist that the porterhouse steak is the best on Long Island.

By: Scott Kessman

BABETTES
(631) 329-5377
66 Newtown Ln
East Hampton, NY 11937

Cuisine – American, Fusion, Vegetarian, Healthy

Serving mostly organic food, Babette’s first welcomes you into its luxurious green atmosphere, a cafe-like hotspot rich with various plants and trees. With a menu featuring a large selection of vegetarian food as well as fresh, organic poultry and seafood, you’ll have no problem finding a healthy, flavorful meal to suit your liking. While the restaurant isn’t completely vegetarian, at least one third of the dishes featured on the menu cater to vegetarians, and the remainder is equally as healthy, as well as thoughtfully creative. You’ll find food from other cultures adequately represented, and you may find your mouth watering before you’ve managed to decide on a particular dish. Babette’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the evening hours, the restaurant serenades the diners with casual jazz music and dim-lit ambience.

by Scott Kessman

LL DENT
(516) 742-0940
221 Old Country Rd
Carle Place, NY 11514

Cuisine – Southern

You’ll find yourself transported back into a classic rendition of a traditional southern diner with a few modern touches when you step into LL Dent’s. Combining southern cuisine with modern fusion, the menu features old favorites and enticing new dishes such as Pulled Pork Sandwich and Stewed Tilapia, a large selection of appetizers, soups, salads and side orders, such as Crispy Fried Chicken Livers, Toby’s Georgia Hash, a Bowl of Grits and Baked Sweet Potatoes, not to mention a bevy of delicious desserts. The prices are fair, and you’ll certainly receive a lot of bang for your buck. Plus, the food is the closest you’ll ever come to real southern cooking without traveling a few hundred miles in that direction.

by Scott Kessman

MIRABELLE
(631) 584-5999
404 Route 25a
Saint James, NY 11780
Cuisine - French

The humble town of St. James contains an impressive smattering of quaint restaurants, steakhouses and bistros, and Mirabelle certainly fits the bill. Gathering influence from charming surroundings, the small French restaurant is cozy and relaxing, and though it is often crowded, dining remains refined and intimate. The warm décor sets a tranquil mood, a perfect setting for a truly wonderful meal that manages to capture the subtle essence of romance in Paris. Mirabelle has been welcoming diners since 1983, and has remained a strong contender for one Long Island’s best restaurants. Professional chefs offer artistry on a plate, in the form of such fine dishes as star anise and pineapple braised beef short rib and Cedar River farm shell steak, and organic egg in cocotte, truffle, and foie gras. This is French gourmet dining at its finest. Be sure to inquire about Mirabelle’s cooking classes, and learn how to serve up a romantic gourmet meal in your own home.

by Scott Kessman

THREE VILLAGE INN
(631) 751-0555
150 Main St
Stony Brook, NY 11790
The Three Village Inn is a landmark of historic Stony Brook, conveniently perched nearby the quaint shopping village, the Stony Brook Grist Mill and duck pond, and the harbor, all attractions for visitors traveling along Long Island’s scenic roads. One of the oldest inns on Long Island, the Three Village Inn proudly extends the invitation to enjoy brunch within the walls of this uniquely elegant old world establishment, where the décor and the charming, peaceful water view lies somewhere between New England and a traditional estate. The inn offers a country brunch like no other, with homemade soups, a large handful of gourmet appetizers, and a very large selection of main courses, including Maple & Ginger Glazed Loin of Pork, Rock Shrimp & Maryland Lump Crab Cakes, Poached Eggs Benedict with House Cured Salmon, along with delectable side dishes, brunch cocktails, and a dessert and coffee service. A children’s menu is also available. The Three Village Inn country brunch is a great way to experience fine dining for a very reasonable price, and a great way to begin a Sunday stroll in historic Stony Brook.

by: Scott Kessman

THE BONWIT INN
(631) 499-2068
Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy
Commack, NY 11725

A Long Island landmark for decades. The Bonwit Inn specializes in fine Continental cuisine, and sits proudly on the corner of Motor Parkway and Vanderbilt Parkway in Commack. While the outside décor has been somewhat modernized, the inside is representative of a luxurious mansion, with a comforting, traditional atmosphere. The menu is admirable, and while the Bonwit Inn steers away from anything too creative or impressive, you’ll find security and familiarity with most of the offerings. Moist crab cakes, fried calamari, and mussels in a spicy tomato sauce grace the appetizer section, and for dinner, you’ll find delicious fare such as pan seared Chilean sea bass, Filet mignon, T-Bone steak, butternut squash ravioli, and pecan crusted chicken, among many other gourmet treats to choose from. It can be difficult to make a decision when presented with so many mouth-watering choices. The Bonwit Inn also has a second floor that can be utilized for large gatherings, parties, weddings, and other group events. Reservations at this highly popular restaurant are recommended.

by Scott Kessman

VINTAGE PRIME STEAKHOUSE
(631) 862-6440
433 N. Country Rd
St. James, NY 11780

Long Island has an abundance of steak houses, not to mention the chain eateries where a bevy of oversized yet somewhat bland steaks can often be ordered. But if you’ve got a bit of spare cash and a taste for exquisite, unmatched steaks and other prime cuts of meat, then kindly allow Vintage Prime Steakhouse in St. James to serve you one of the finest meals you’ll ever have. The restaurant sits in what appears to be a medium-sized colonial house, similar to many of the dwellings you’ll see in St. James and neighboring towns. Inside, you’ll find the décor resting comfortably somewhere between a hunting lodge and an upscale wild-west saloon. The staff is especially knowledgeable about the menu, and be sure to ask about the specials. While the prices may appear to be rather high, you’ll find out why when you begin your meal. Portions are large, steaks and chops are done to utter perfection and melt like butter on your tongue. Seafood is fresh, and appetizers and desserts are like forbidden treats. Vintage Prime is well respected among steakhouse aficionados on Long Island, said to be better than popular chain steakhouses like Peter Luger’s and others.