FOODIE

Six Months Of Munching In Huntington
By The Foodies/ foodie@longislandernews.com

As your local sources on the latest from Huntington’s food world, we’ve recently told you where to dine for sensational summer fun and how to make the most of some outdoor dining hotspots. There are a few restaurants, however, that are worth refreshing your memory of if you’re looking for that perfect night out, and so, we offer you some highlights from our restaurant adventures over the last six months.

Lucia
717 East Jericho Turnpike,
Huntington. 631-549-3400.
www.luciaristorante.biz
In January Lucia captured our hearts (and grumbling tummies). Situated in the Waldbaum’s shopping center on Jericho Turnpike, Lucia exudes the elegance and quality of a high-end restaurant in a comfortable, modern atmosphere. The food is superb, with its modern twists and turns on classic Italian cuisine and the service and presentation is impeccable.
Calamari ($8) is simply out of this world, still to this day the best we’ve had. Tender, flaky, lightly battered and golden fried, the calamari sits in a piquant roasted garlic lemon butter sauce that warms the tongue and pleases the palate.
Entrees are just as enticing. On our January visit, a pignoli crusted tilapia over Sicilian couscous with sweet caramelized melon relish ($18) was refreshing, while short ribs with aged ricotta over bed of risotto with a distinctive saffron seasoning ($20) practically melted in our mouths. Homemade cavatelli is topped with a creamy bolognese ($15) with fresh chopped meat and pieces of eggplant, bringing a fresh version of classic comfort food to the table.

The Clubhouse
320 West Jericho Turnpike,
Huntington. 631-423-1155.
www.clubhousesteaks.com
One visit to The Clubhouse and it will come as no surprise that “the place for steak” has been around for so long (45 years and counting). Situated on Jericho Turnpike just west of Route 110, the restaurant features impeccable service and exquisite food exquisite, all in the warmest and coziest of settings. It has even won awards for its extensive wine list.
Seafood appetizers are elegant and impressive, from clam dishes to ginger crusted yellowtail tuna. Jumbo sea scallops wrapped in bacon and glazed with a grand marnier molasses with a polenta medallion ($12) come cooked to perfection and the sweetness of the glaze and the salty hint of the bacon complement each other well.
We have been craving the swordfish ($28) ever since our first bite. Juicy and ginger crusted, it is seared to lock in the fresh and dulcet ginger flavor. The meat of the Maine lobster tails ($48) is sweet and firm, broiled and served with drawn butter.
And, of course, there is the steak. All the beef is cut and aged on premises. We loved the flavorful tang to a T-bone steak marinated in the chef’s special Cowboy spicy tequila and lime marinade ($34). Clubhouse’s signature charbroiled filet mignon is so tender and juicy that no seasoning is even needed, but it comes with an exquisite and delicate béarnaise sauce ($36).
Cap the night off with some heavenly desserts and call the night a dream.

H2O Seafood Grill
215 West Main Street,
Smithtown. 631-361-6464.
www.h2oseafoodgrill.com
The Foodies do, occasionally, venture outside Huntington when something really catches our eye, and H2O Seafood Grill in Smithtown did just that. Lively and sophisticated, H2O is sleek and modern with contemporary décor, sepia tones, hardwood floors and a nautical theme of a young and hip Cape Cod.
We have returned to H2O on more than one occasion, and we always get the Tornado #2 ($12) sushi special. Featuring spicy tuna and scallion wrapped in fried potato, it is possibly the most innovative sushi we’ve ever had, drizzled with an eel sauce and topped with a dollop of spicy horseradish mayo.
Hazelnut and parmesan crusted swordfish ($29), a juicy steak with hazelnut and parmesan crusting in a subtle buttery lemongrass beurre blanc with a hint of truffle, is served over tasty toasted cous cous, while the pepper tuna ($26) is seared to a gorgeous deep red rare. On our most recent visit, we praised the chef for an amazing Chilean sea bass.
And for dessert, we rarely leave without getting the homemade fried doughnuts ($7), dusted with cinnamon and sugar, served with strawberry and peanut butter sauces on the side.
The wine dinner menu on Wednesdays is a huge draw. The restaurant provides a menu of innovative dishes and pairs each course with a different glass of wine – all at $40 for the whole dinner, and $30 if you pass on the wine.

Melting Pot
2377 Broad Hollow Rd. (Route 110),
Farmingdale. 631-752-4242.
www.meltingpot.com
“Dip into something different,” as they say, at the Melting Pot. Just south of the Long Island Expressway, the Melting Pot in Farmingdale brings the fun of fondue to the Route 110 strip. Go for dinner, go for cheese fondue, or go for just dessert fondue, as we have been known to do.
Caribbean Cheese Fondue, prepared tableside, features white wine, pineapple juice, garlic, and spicy Peppadew peppers with the melted gouda and gran queso cheeses, topped off with scallions and a zest of fresh lime. Go to town by sticking rye and pumpernickel breads, crisp veggies, and juicy apple slices on your skewer and melting into bliss.
Entrees range from meat to seafood, brought to the table raw alongside a pot of boiling broth in the cooking style of your choice. On our recent visit we opted for the Lobster Indulgence, a platter loaded with twin lobster tails, jerk seasoned sirloin, vanilla rum chicken, marinated pork tenderloin, zesty peppered shrimp, butternut squash ravioli and fresh vegetables. The Mojo Style ($6), bouillon seasoned Carribean-style with hints of garlic, orange and lime, and the Coq au Vin ($6), burgundy wine flavored with fresh herbs, spices, garlic and mushrooms, were our broths of choice.
For dessert, we often opt for a pot of the Yin & Yang chocolate fondue ($16/$32) served half with dark chocolate and half with white chocolate. The fondue comes with fresh strawberries and bananas, brownies, Oreo and graham cracker-covered marshmallows, rice krispees, pound cake and a large slice of cheesecake topped with a chocolate-dipped cherry.

Main Menu