FOODIE
Back To School And Out To Lunch
By The Foodies/ foodie@longislandernews.com

As we gear up to get the kids back to school, we relish the “free” time we’re going to have, but know that the reality is that with kids in school, life is usually more hectic and overscheduled than during the summer – you know, the time when it seemed that you couldn’t get the kids out of your hair for five minutes.
Yes, with Labor Day comes school, but it also means fitting your day’s household responsibilities into a few short hours that the kids are out of the house. When trying to figure out how to squeeze everything you need to do into those few child-free hours, who has time to go out to lunch?
Well, if you have 30 minutes, these places can provide a quick bite with friends before you have to rush off and move on to the next task.

Burgers
At American Roadside Burgers (337 New York Avenue, Huntington.
631-935-0300, www.americanroadsideburgers.com), the moment you walk in you see a short menu; burgers, maybe doubled or even quadrupled, hot dogs, chicken, grilled cheese, onion rings and milkshakes make up the menu. They even offer Bosco chocolate soda at the self-serve fountain.
You want a quick bite not far from home? Order a Double Cheeseburger ($5.42) Roadside Onion Rings ($2.66) and a Vanilla Milk Shake ($2.91). Find a seat if you can, and wait for your order to be made – just two or three minutes. You will soon be brought a tray with your burger wrapped in foil, the grease on the onion rings glistening, the thick shake bringing back fond memories of your own time in the back of the family station wagon.
And don’t worry about the calories – the extra hustle during the school year helps you burn them off.

Quick Latino
El Picacho Catracho (1026 New York Avenue, Huntington Station, 631-683-4224), which translates directly into Honduran Mountain, has been open since the early spring, and this flavorful Honduran restaurant creates new dishes that have breathed a new life into the stretch of Huntington Station, opening its doors to a wider audience.
On our last visit, we started with fresh Nachos con frijoles fritos, queso mantequilla ($3); the chips were clearly homemade with a perfectly-sized side of refried beans topped with sour cream. Just as we finished the last of them, came the main dish of the day – Pollo frito con tajadas de Banano verde, repollo y chimol salsa casera ($9). Essentially, the dish is fried chicken with sliced green plantains, cabbage, a spiced relish and the delectable house sauce that adds fruit and a kick to the dishes it accompanies. The presentation was fantastic.
The plantains, known to typically be firm and often served fried, were softened by a sauté that brought out the natural fruitiness and took away some of the green banana’s bitter flavor. The shredded cabbage slaw, with bits of purple radish popping out from the green and white, had a delightful sour tang. The chicken was meaty, with a crisp batter that could withstand the drenching it got from the slaw below and the sauce on top.
Add to all that the salsa, and you’ve got a typical Honduran dish – a wide range of flavors and textures that incorporate protein, vegetable and starch all on one plate while having a delightful combination of colors and dancing on different taste buds all at once.
So stop in for some soup, some Spanish soap operas or simply some of the most authentic Honduran food we have tasted in some time at El Picacho – and enjoy.

Diner
It may not look like much, perched near the top of the downtown Huntington area, shielded by an otherwise bland façade, but the Golden Dolphin (365 West Main St., Huntington, 631-351-9680) is a true diner of old, with the massive laminated menu, the friendly wait staff who call you “Hon” and “Doll,” and the harried cook peeking out to see just how crowded the place is.
For those who consider their taste buds to be too refined for a diner, think again. Golden Dolphin’s pot roast is divine, the salads are crisp and fresh with plenty to choose from and the breakfast, burgers and sandwiches are all comfort food done to a tee.
But don’t just take it from us – take it upon yourself to try one of the paninis. The latest in diner food, paninis are making their way to the lunch counter and booths all across diner-land, and Golden Dolphin is no slouch in this department. You can try the Pilgrim, with turkey, tomato, grilled onions and Swiss cheese, or perhaps the Goodfellas, with prosciutto, salami, roasted red peppers, tomatoes and mozzarella, or my favorite, the All American, with roast beef, grilled onion and your choice of American or cheddar cheese.
At $9.95 each (that includes fries, cole slaw and a pickle), and with the massive size of the platter, these are not only a filling lunch, but a great deal, to boot.

Mexican
Despite having a pair of singing jalapenos in sombreros for a logo and a wildly colorful interior, there’s nothing crazy about Burrito Loco (Burrito Loco, Commack, 631-462-3030). Located in a storefront in the Meat Farms shopping center on Commack Road, Burrito Loco is about freshly prepared Mexican specialties served in a jiffy.
The place has become a favorite among locals for value-priced meals that don’t skimp on flavor or freshness. If there’s a drawback, it’s that everything is served in plastic takeout containers.
Burrito Loco’s Mexi-Chili ($4.59), a rich and tomato-ey chili with ground beef and beans, has a spicy bite but isn’t too fiery, which is a good thing considering that on our recent visit they left off the sour cream. Served with corn chips, it’s almost enough for a light meal. The Black Bean Soup is a flavorful mix of black beans, onions, avocado and peppers with hints of garlic and lime.
For the main meal, portions are generous. Enchiladas ($7.99) feature marinated steak or chicken with onions in a green tomatillo sauce wrapped in soft flour tortillas and topped with melted Jack cheese.
Taco Pescadero ($2.59), Loco’s version of the tasty fish taco that’s only a surprise if you haven’t tried one before, is a flavorful one with breaded Snapper, tomato salsa and cabbage topped with a slightly sweet dressing in a soft corn tortilla.
All dishes are prepared before your eyes in Burrito Loco’s open-air kitchen, and service is generally fast. With only a handful of tables and a half-dozen stools at a windowfront counter, much of the eatery’s business is take out. And judging from the traffic during our recent visits, the locals have discovered, there’s nothing crazy about value-priced, fresh-cooked meals.

Pizza
Just a few steps off Main Street, Joanne’s Gourmet Pizza (11 New Street Huntington village, 631-673-2040, www.JoannesGourmetPizza.com) offers a whole new world of pizza creations.
The pizzeria, which opened just last September, features over 30 varieties of gourmet pizzas prepared from scratch with the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. They deliver – even in Lloyd Neck – and provide a unique experience for everyone from the youngest pizza aficionados to the oldest connoisseurs.
We started with a platter showcasing the Honey Dijon Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, Margarita, Shrimp Scampi, Regular and Whole Wheat varieties.
The Honey Dijon was sweet and satisfying with large chunks of white chicken breast marinated in Joanne’s famous Dijon sauce, while the Buffalo Chicken was hot and spicy and the large white chicken breast chunks were topped with Joanne’s homemade buffalo wing sauce. The Margarita, topped with fresh mozzarella, basil and a plum tomato sauce, was fresh and tasty, and the Shrimp Scampi, loaded with baby shrimps and mozzarella cheese, offered an unusual, yet pleasing, alternative. The regular slice was just as good as the specialties, with a thick layer of cheese and a crisp crust, while the Whole Wheat provided a healthier option for the nutrition-conscious.
With cheese-less and vegetarian pizza options, salads, soups, heroes, pasta dishes and entrées such as Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana ($12.95), Joanne’s really offers something for everyone. Expand your pizza horizons with Joanne’s’ different varieties and learn to love pizza all over again in a whole new way.

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