A Hideaway In The Midst Of Everything

By Pete & Mike/ foodie@longislandernews.com

With a cozy room, intimate seating at candlelit tables, and a meal worth traveling for, Restaurant Mazzi has all the makings of a favorite getaway. Except for one thing… Mazzi is hardly off the beaten path. In fact, this top-notch restaurant is in the middle of everything. Located in a former house on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington, Mazzi does a great job of making diners forget that Jericho Turnpike is just outside the windows.

Owner Katherine Catenzaro pulls off this not so small feat with an interior that suggests comfort and intimacy. The main dining room at this small eatery features a wall of cushioned banquettes covered in diamond-patterned green and burgundy fabric. The caramel painted walls are accented with dark wood trim and a dark ceiling makes the room feel smaller still… the perfect setting for a romantic dinner for two, or a gathering of family and friends.

Patrons enter the rear of the building through a small bar area that as often as not will be crowded with folks waiting for tables, or any of a number of regulars who enjoy Mazzi for its warm welcoming atmosphere. One way the regulars know they’ve been welcomed to the Catenzaro Mazzi family is an invitation to “sign in” on the bar’s well-worn wood surface which is stained with patrons’ names written in metallic marker.

A cocktail menu lists several exotic suggestions – all but one of them martinis. The Watermelon Quencher; Lemon Drop; Ultimate Chocolate and Double Espresso Martinis sounded like a wonderful way to start a culinary experience.

Of course, it’s all about the food. Catenzaro describes the menu as New American with Italian roots, but she and her chef are not afraid to experiment. Our recent Mazzi experience began with a basket of bread – onion and seeded – and when our server, Esmine, tipped a pool of extra virgin olive oil for dipping onto a bread plate, we were clued in to that Italian influence. But the menu selections were global. Indeed, one of the surprise highlights of the meal was the Sirloin Quesadilla appetizer ($10), combining prime steak slices with a lively mix of Gorgonzola cheese, red onion, and horseradish cream. Italian – ? No. Delicious – ? Absolutely!

We also tried the Mazzi Pear Salad to start ($9); a light starter of fresh mixed greens and a poached pear topped with Gorgonzola, walnuts, red onion, and a Port Wine vinaigrette. We were also tempted by any number of appetizers, particularly those on the seafood side: Maryland Crab Cake with a lemon puree and tarter sauce ($13) was recommended; and the Jumbo Lump Crab Creviche with a tomato lime marinade and guacamole ($13) likewise tickled our fancy. On the salad side, the Classic Caesar with Parmesan Croutons ($9) apparently needed no introduction.

Also on recommendation, we started with a pasta selection, one of three available in appetizer portions or entrée-sized. We chose the Linguini Fini ($24/$15) – perhaps because it rhymed – and enjoyed pasta with a light tomato cream sauce tossed with chunks of crabmeat and tender shrimp.

We’re prone to try seafood entrees and found it interesting that Mazzi was one of very few restaurants we’ve encountered without a seared tuna entrée. Being prone to tuna, that left us free to try the Diver Scallops with truffle vinaigrette, shaved Parmesan, and Shallot mashed potatoes ($26). Diver scallops, Catenzaro explained, are not dredged or raked, but hand culled from deeper waters by, well, divers. The scallops are large, sweet, and flavorful. And the combination of flavors was a delight.

The same can be said for the veal Involitini ($26), combining prosciutto, Asiago cheese, a Shitaki mushroom Marsala wine sauce and buttered pappardelle. A rich, flavorful sauce complemented the delicious cut of veal, and offered an alternative to our usual selection, Veal Milanese ($26).

On a previous visit, one of us Foodies experience the Filet Mignon ($30), a tender chunk of meat, expertly grilled, served with flavored mashed potatoes and horseradish sauce, and garnished with a homemade potato chip that had us wishing for more. Other temptations from a menu that covered chicken, lamb, beef, duck and seafood, were the intriguing Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($24) with cabbage and raisin sauté and Yukon Gold Potatoes; Roasted Long Island Duck ($25) with a brandy orange sauce; and a favorite among regulars (we’re told), the Boneless Beef Short Ribs, braised with caramelized onions and served with horseradish cream, Incidentally, on the night we visited, the ribs appeared on the Prix Fixe menu (Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to close; Friday and Saturday, 5-6:30 p.m.) which offers appetizer, choice of three entrees and dessert for $24.95 per person.

If there was a problem with the food it was only that finding room for dessert (all $8) was work. Esmine brought large cups of coffee that warmed us up to the task. Catenzaro has a fondness for candy that’s reflected in the desserts selections. We selected a Warm Chocolate Molten Cake served with Malted Milk Ball Gelato and Fudge Sauce; and the Heath Bar Cheesecake, a blend of creamy and crunchy, served with Heath Crunch Gelato. The efforts to obtain Heath Bars in quantities great enough to serve Mazzi’s demands makes extra work for the owner, but it’s worth it.

Catenzaro’s no stranger to the restaurant business having grown up in the kitchens of her grandmother’s restaurant in West Virginia. A talented chef, loyal and competent staff and a comfortable atmosphere, made warmer by Catenzaro’s welcoming demeanor, make Mazzi a hideaway worth finding. Good thing it’s so easy.

Restaurant Mazzi

Address:

493 E. Jericho Turnpike

Huntington

631-421-3390

Cuisine:

New American with Italian roots

Atmosphere:

Comfortable, intimate setting; upstairs room for parties.

Price Range:

Expensive; Prix Fixe menu, $24.95,

Hours:

Open for Dinner from Tuesday-Saturday.

Closed Sunday & Monday

Main Menu