FOODIE

Bistro Cassis: French For Delicious
By Luann & Alex / foodie@longislandernews.com

We don’t speak French, but we have to assume “Bistro Cassis” has something to do with a rich, delicious, intoxicating meal.

A small restaurant on Wall Street in Huntington village, its size only adds to its European-bistro feel. Art dons the walls and romantic lighting creates a mood appropriate for tables of families out for a nice dinner or couples celebrating something special. Awaiting you is an exquisite menu and an array of French wines served at the perfect temperature.

The restaurant, owned and operated by Reststar Hospitality Group, is managed by Gabriel Garcia, son of Hugo Garcia of Café Buenos Aires also on Wall Street. Gabriel exhibits much the same charm, hospitality and knowledge of his craft as his father, who opened Cassis in 2001 before moving to Buenos Aires. Add Cassis Chef David Bonilla to the mix and you’ve got a solid team providing a charming and unique dining experience.

We opened up our palate with a glass of pastis, a strong anise-flavored liqueur. Then came La Soupe Gratinée à l’Oignon ($8), onion soup with crouton and cheese gratin.
Plentiful in perfectly cooked onions with the cheese melted just right, the soup stays hot until the last drop. Couple it with a cool and smooth glass of red Belleruche Rhone.

Next came two French staples, Escargots Maître d’Hôtel ($9) – snails with garlic herb butter sauce – and Cuisses de Grenouilles Provençale ($12) – frog legs Provençale with garlic, capers and olives. The snails are robust and exquisite, immersed in a rich mixture of butter, white wine and olive oil and topped with a little piece of toasty bread, and paired with Verget Macon-Villages 2008 white Bourgogne. We were anxious to try to the French delicacy that is frog legs. Dipped in the delicate garlicky sauce that Chef Bonilla whips up, we might argue Cassis is the place to try it for the first time – especially if you couple it with a glass of smooth BV Coastal Estates 2007 Riesling.

The mussels were unbelievable, the most tender we’ve ever tasted in heavenly light and immensely tasty broths, rich in flavor. Moules Marinières ($15) come in a garlicky white wine sauce, while Moules Provençales are doused in a tomato-based sauce with garlic and basil flavors. The flavors were magnified by the Fornier Les Belles Vignes Sancerre 2008 wine we had.

For our entrees, Coquilles St. Jacques et Crevettes ($27) is a delicious plate full of pan-seared scallops and shrimp served with fricassee of leeks, oyster mushrooms, and corn in a truffle cream sauce that just sent our taste buds soaring. Cassis coupled this with a 2009 Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc. Magret de Canard au Cassis ($25) is also a winner – duck breast and leg confit with mushroom gratin, fresh raspberries and a touch of cassis. The leg meat is so tender, you know it fell right off the bone. This was served with a glass of 2008 Barton & Guestier Bistro Pinot Noir.

Dessert sent us aloft. A chocolate cake that was nearly a soufflé was rich, creamy and moist with thick, luscious semi-dark chocolate that just poured out from it. A plate of crepes sitting in a delicate Grand Marnier sauce was light and refreshing after the meal. Paired with a deliciously sweet glass of 2005 Chateau Padoun Sauternes, we were in heaven.

For either a special occasion or a night on the town, Bistro Cassis holds its own as somewhere patrons can go to feel welcomed, charmed and above all, like they just had one of the best meals of the year.

Bistro Casis
55B Wall Street
Huntington
631-421-4122
www.bistrocassis.com

Cuisine: Fine French

Atmosphere: European bistro

Price range: Moderate - Expensive

Hours: Brunch: Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.;
Lunch: Mon-Sat, noon-3 p.m.;
Dinner: Sun-Thurs, 5-10 p.m.,
Fri-Sat, 5-11 p.m.

Main Menu