FOODIE
Get Your Start, Finish And More At Bin 56
By Luann & Margaret Ann/ foodie@longislandernews.com

Intimate, trendy and off the main stretch of Huntington, Bin 56 is one that fits anywhere into your foodie schedule.

A tapas restaurant featuring wine, martinis and a full bar, Bin 56 is where you can start your summer night with a cool glass of white and an appetizer, or make a stop before your evening ends to enjoy some French sauturn and dessert. You can even spend the entire night there; its menu boasts cold appetizers but also heartier ones you can easily make a meal of.

As far north as you can go up Stewart Avenue, Bin 56’s small eating area lends to an intimate atmosphere with cozy seating outside and, inside, a wide communal table for 12 by the large window, six stools at the bar and, deeper into the restaurant, a handful of smaller tables surrounded by chairs and couches. Dim lighting and plush couches help create the sleek, hip, almost Manhattan vibe.

A Huntington destination for almost a year and a half, Bin 56, along with its next-door neighbor Toast and Co., changed hands about two months ago, passing from Reststar Hospitality Group to a family with Huntington ties. Little has changed since the deal was made – and that is OK with us.

Bin 56 offers 30 or so wines by the glass, and over 100 by the bottle. The menu, in addition to “cold & crisp” and “warm & lush” dishes, offers 13 specialty martinis and cocktails, with a specials board adding even more to tempt the palate.

Manager John Estevez is personable, inviting and professional, and certainly knows his craft. A man with Huntington restaurant ties that go way back, he said his family once owned an Iberian restaurant on New York Avenue where Besito now stands.

Estevez started us off with a 2008 Sauvignon blanc, Frenzy from New Zealand. A crisp white with hints of gooseberry, it was our favorite of the night. He soon after recommended another Sauvignon blanc, from Italy, a dry 2008 Ferruccio Sgubin that had a hint of sparkle with citrus and lemon flavors. Both wines complemented our cold tapas wonderfully.

A ding of a faint bell signals the servers that a dish is ready. First up was a blend of olives marinated in orange and thyme ($6), followed by roasted asparagus with thinly cut Serrano ham and truffle oil aioli ($7). The asparagus is crisp and cool, complemented nicely by the truffle aioli.

By far our favorite dish of the evening, the poached figs ($6) are brilliant, stuffed with herb goat cheese and topped with what Bin 56 describes as balsamic syrup. The figs are plump, refreshing, cool and fruity, and, mixed with the flavors of the creamy smooth goat cheese and sweet balsamic, is a hands-down winner.

Ceviche ($12) is a slightly citrusy version of the dish with bay scallops, shrimp and mussels flavored with cilantro, lime juice, pineapple and tomato. Tuna lovers may opt for the tuna tartare ($12), with olives, tomato, capers lime juice and olive oil. The meat plate ($11) is an easy dish to share, with a sharp sopressata, prosciutto and capicola, along with raw almonds and tapenade.

Before moving on to heartier fare, we changed gears a bit and went with Estevez’s red wine recommendations. We loved the Montecillo from Spain, a medium red with hints of cherry, as well as the drier, full-bodied 2007 Lyeth Meritage.

The spice seared lamb chops ($12) are an absolute must, not only for the tender meat, but the sweet tomato jam served alongside it. We thought we were going to miss the typical mint jelly until we tried the jam, and now we’re not sure we can go back.
Crispy calamari ($8) is both sweet and spicy, while pan-roasted jumbo shrimp and chorizo ($12) brings a lot of flavor to the table, in both the delicious shrimp and cut sausage.

Dessert was a crème caramel flan ($7) and strawberry shortcake ($7), complemented by a deliciously sweet dessert wine, a 2006 Chateau les Tuileries Sauternes.

Having trouble deciding? Try it all with the chef’s tasting menu with wine pairing – four courses and four wines will run you about $50 and changes every week – or at the once-a-month Monday wine dinners. Wine flights are available upon request. For some entertainment with your wine, Bin 56 offers Tarot Tuesdays, and Happy Hour features $5 wine and $5 tapas Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m.

Bin 56
56 Stewart Ave.
Huntington
631-812-0060
www.bin56.com

Cuisine: Tapas, wine, cocktails

Atmosphere: Trendy, intimate

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight;
Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m.; Closed Sunday

Main Menu