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FOODIE
When It Pays To
Be Blond
By Luann & Alex/foodie@longislandernews.com
The old adage says that blonds have
more fun, and after dining at Blond in Huntington village,
we see why.
Less than 6 months old, Blond is the newcomer on the Huntington
village restaurant block. Approachable but sleek, the restaurant
is warm and inviting, with carpeting, a fireplace, tables
and fancy booths against walls of creams and wine colors.
Boasting a New American menu, every item has some kind of
twist incorporating strong flavors like wasabi, pesto and
goat cheese that could easily overwhelm any dish, but at the
hands of Blond’s chefs, we found that wasn’t a concern.
It’s all the work of owner and Executive Chef Sam Nelovic,
who also owns the Blond in Miller Place, and Head Chef Seth
Sloan, who said for the most part, it’s a two-man job
in the tiny kitchen. The secret to putting out so many cooked-to-order
dishes?
“Organization, organization, organization,” Sloan
said.
You know you’re in for a treat when they tell you the
butter flavor – soft and easily spreadable – changes
every so often. On our recent visit, a sweet honey basil waited
for us, but we hear there is also roasted red pepper, herb
and walnut, among others.
We started with the yellow fin tuna tar-tar, served raw atop
a crispy wonton square ($14). Served as six pieces, the wonton
is thin and doesn’t overpower the taste of the fresh
tuna, while sesame, soy and ginger flavors wake the palate.
If you catch some of the wasabi that decorates the plate,
the heat that rises from the back of your throat really exposes
the flavors of the dish.
A refreshing plate of greens that reminded us of summer days
was up next. The Mache salad ($10) brought a welcome cooling
after the spicy wasabi, with summer greens, Roquefort cheese,
candied walnuts, sweet poached pears and a balsamic reduction.
The bite of the cheese complemented the sweetness of the pears
nicely, and one of our favorite parts of the salad was that
the pears come as sizeable chunks rather than thin slices,
making it easier to taste the pear.
Entrees are creative, but not so creative that they are intimidating.
Pesto-crusted cod ($25) is served with roasted tomatoes over
a goat cheese risotto. Flavored with an ever-so-slight citrus
reduction, the cod is fresh and best of all, not overwhelmed
by the pesto. We love risotto, and this version of it did
not disappoint, with just the right amount of goat cheese
to provide a balance with the tomatoes, which stayed whole
and were not mushy.
A pan-seared rib eye steak ($27) is deep pink in the middle
and salty and crisp on the very edges. It is served atop a
heap of tasty caramelized onion potato puree, roasted asparagus
cooked just enough, and is topped with a beef demi.
And who can leave Blond without dessert? The Chocolate Blond
Bombshell is a three-layer cappuccino mousse/cake and chocolate
ice cream combination. And while that was delicious, the fried
Oreo shot stole our hearts, simply for the uniqueness of it.
An Oreo cookie dipped in batter and fried, we’ve had
the cookie concoction at zeppole stands at feasts. Seth jazzes
his version up a bit, dipping the Oreo in zeppole batter,
dusting it with powdered sugar and serving it atop a shot
glass of milk. It’s small, it’s delicious, it’s
$2 – it’s perfect.
Other draws at Blond include a $28 three-course prix-fixe
menu and live music on Thursday nights. In addition, as Blond
is still awaiting its liquor license, it’s bring your
own wine with no corking fee. The restaurant will be introducing
its new fall menu soon, so look for possible additions of
duck, quail short ribs and other wintry foods. Reservations
on the weekends are recommended.
Blond
335 Main Street Huntington village
631-424-6300
www.blondrestaurant.com
Atmosphere: Warm, sleek
Cuisine: New American
Price range: Moderate
Hours: noon-10 p.m. weekdays,
noon-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday,
noon-9:30 p.m. Sunday
Main
Menu
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