Jonathans:
All The Ingredients For A Perfect Meal

By Pete & Mike/ foodie@longislandernews.com

When we first started our Foodie adventure about two months ago, we knew we were going to enjoy it. Sure it increased our time commitment required to put out the best paper we could for the community, but eating at great restaurants and writing about it – how bad can that be for two guys who love fine food? And so far, we’ve had the pick of some great dining places in the food capital of Long Island.

We both also knew when we set out, that every once in a while, we’d run into that unbelievably wonderful, memorable meal. You know, when the place is comfortable, yet beautiful; the service is attentive and not intrusive; and the food is, well simply sterling. So it was Tuesday night.

We dined at Jonathan’s on Wall Street.

Owner Roberto Ornato, who learned the trade at Ciprioni in Manhattan, guided us through a most remarkable evening. Roberto is a gracious and charming host who renovated his 12-year old, successful upscale restaurant about a year ago and transformed it into a sophisticated venue with a consciousness on light and space. The cozy yet classy dining areas dressed with whimsical dogs-as-chefs paintings, begin on Wall Street and extend past a long impressively designed mahogany bar, right through the length of the block to the municipal parking lot in back. Windows and French doors on each end invite in the light. A window table at sunset must be a real weekend plum. If you’re there when it’s light out, we’d suggest a table as close as possible to Wall Street, however, there are many choices offering more intimacy. The most comfortable and endearing thing about the well-designed rooms is the space given to each table. Unlike many other successful restaurateurs, Roberto has decided to give up a few tables in order to afford his guests privacy and comfort. You have more room around you at Jonathan’s to enjoy the sophisticated atmosphere, your companions and of course the food, than any other nearby dining establishment we’ve visited. Which makes sense, because your comfort is paramount to Roberto, and the philosophy is clearly reflected by the wait staff. As a matter of fact, it seems that Roberto’s love of what he does and love of life is reflected in every aspect of this dining gem.

Jonathan’s is the winner of the coveted 2006 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and offers a dozen of their very highly rated wines for $7-11 a glass. This year, Jonathan’s was invited to cook at the renowned James Beard Foundation.

The real reason to visit is the contemporary Italian menu masterfully created by Chef Tito Onofre, a Florida Culinary Institute graduate. Chef Tito has taken classic Italian ingredients and infused them with culinary wizardry. Time and again throughout the evening, we were intrigued by the combination of flavors in each morsel of the dinner mosaic presented. From appetizer to dessert, traditional Italian ingredients were seasoned and combined with the freshest local produce producing surprising and spectacular results.

We sampled three appetizers, one better than the next. The Fritto Misto ($11): shrimp, zucchini and baby calamari served with two sauces was perfect -- so lightly fried that you could get away trying to fool yourself that it wasn’t. We prefer the sauce with a bit of bite and although the tomato-based sauce had a pure pleasing flavor, give the Foodies the sauce with the zing. It was here at Jonathan’s that we discovered the incredible Campari tomatoes – they may be available at your local greengrocer or some supermarkets; they’re the ones on mini vines. The Mozzarella di Bufala ($11) with the Campari tomatoes and baby arugula dressed in a basil pesto was as good as it gets. Maybe even better. The freshest of ingredients, the harmony of tastes and the individual flavors, made this Italian menu staple a spectacular starter. The Maryland Crab Cake, ($13) beautifully presented atop a lemon tartar-painted plate was accompanied by sweet corn, baby greens and a fennel and tomato salad. Chef Tito sure knows how to use those tomatoes and played them with the fennel flavor beautifully.

Two pastas from an impressive list, each covered with a thin shaved sheet of sliced Parmigiano, screamed perfection. The linguine with broccoli rabe and sweet Lucanica sausage (full portion, $20) was light and flavorful. The Pumpkin Ravioli with Butter and Sage (full portion, $17) was sprinkled with Amaretto Cookie Dust. It was true magic: shaved Amaretto cookies transform a superb pasta staple into a sweet and memorable experience. You gotta try it – get it as an extra to share with your companions. Tell Roberto that the Foodies said it was memorable magic.

Choosing a main course is no easy task and although we were considering several, we let Roberto select. The Gamberi s Carciofini ($28) -- sautéed tiger shrimp and baby artichokes with jasmine rice, French string beans and pesto sauce – was a winner. If you don’t have this dish, consider the sautéed baby artichokes in basil oil and cognac as an appetizer. They are better here than we’ve ever had. The Tonno con Avocado ($27) is a dish we’ll be talking about for quite some time. We are ahi tuna eaters and without prompting wouldn’t have selected this blackened yellow fin tuna served with a tomato and avocado compote, escarole and polenta cake. However, when we go back, we’ll order it again. It wasn’t the fresh tuna or the spice from the perfectly blackened fish, but the way the complex avocado compote offset the subtle heat of the blackened tuna. They should package and sell “Chef Tito’s Magical Compote” -- we’d like to try it with all sorts of things.

If there’s still room for dessert ($8 each), the Flourless Chocolate Cake with hazelnut gelato is our favorite so far, though Roberto insisted we taste the Panna Cotta. The flavor may vary on your visit; ours was vanilla and gloriously dressed with fruit, berries and cream. The Maple-Mascarpone Cheese Cake was tempting.

It was Tuesday night and Jonathan’s was buzzing.

One visit to this Foodie favorite and you’ll understand why.

Jonathan’s Ristorante

15 Wall St

Huntington, NY 11743

631-549-0055

www.jonathansristorante.com

Cuisine: Contemporary Northern Italian

Price Range: Expensive

Bargain: A three-course $29 Prix Fixe menu, all night Sunday through Thursday

Hours:

Lunch: Monday – Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Dinner: Monday – Thursday, 5 – 10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 5 – 10:30 p.m., Sunday, 4 – 9 p.m.

Main Menu