On Saturday, November 29th, 2008, a $25 ticket will grant you access into the 5th Annual Art Benefit for Animal Lovers. Held at Martha Clara Vineyards in Jamesport, there will be a buffet, wine, raffles, silent auctions and more. Make sure that you don't miss out on the best event in town!
Click here to download the benefit flyer.
With two locations East of NYC (Flushing and Brooklyn Heights) and a third soon to open in Plainview, red mango has just launched a limited run of their first new flavor, Pomegranate by POM Wonderful. In addition to this new flavor, red mango has taken it one step further and began to introduce a brand new pomegranate topping that adds to the excitement of their lineup of fresh fruits already available. If you're in either of these areas (or near any of their locations in Manhattan,) we strongly suggest that you sample our favorite dessert out there.
This post was originally posted on our sister-site, Eating Long Island.
By Mark B. Levine, Editor
With all of the extra time that I have after working on East of NYC, Eating Long Island as well as my regular day job, I am now also the "Dad Blogger" over at LI Parent Source. This is great for me as I'll get to spread my wings writing about issues non-related to restaurants, shopping and events (namely, teething, diaper changing and waiting for my toddler to take her first steps unassisted.) If you feel inclined to check it out, please do so. I'll be updating that blog roughly once a week.
To view my new blog, click here.
What used to be called Cavo Cafe Lounge & Garden is just now "Cavo." If you haven't been to Cavo, you should make your way out to Astoria to enjoy what it has to offer. In the warmer months, an impressive outdoor garden lit by candles on the tables is the highlight. This restaurant / bar is open from 5pm - 4am nightly so make sure that you bring a few of your best friends to sit and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere as well as the wonderful Mediterranean food. Live music is often playing in the background during the week and the weekend nights. 718-721-1001
To view their menu, click here.
It looks like Lenn Thompson over at LENNDEVOURS has stumbled onto an advertisement for Ackerly Pond Vineyards, which is apparently for sale now. Included in the sale is the existing stock, branding and all of the premises (85 acres worth.)
If interested, call James Young at (631) 276-9381.
P.S. - If you do buy, please invite us to enjoy a drink with you and your new estate. That's all we ask.
Although just launched, we have a feeling that Eating Long Island will be around for a long time to come. With a focus on only restaurants and bars on Long Island, this site will serve up some great reviews and some tips on where you must visit, and where to avoid as well. Since they don't have a developed database of restaurants available at their disposal, you may notice that they're linking to ours. This is a great resource that we hope that you'll use in conjunction with East of NYC.
Original Brooklyn II, a restaurant in a non-descript shopping center in North Babylon caught us by surprise. We have never been to the area, and had stopped by for a trip to the Arches Outlet Center in Deer Park. A small restaurant, it is broken down into two areas; a smaller counter area and a dining room separated by a half-wall. When we stopped in there were about four or five different types of pizza available on the counter. We chose a spinach pizza, chicken cutlet and a plain slice. We were all pleasantly surprised with the great taste and simple delivery of the pizza. Not too much cheese and not too doughy. In the past few months we have had a lot of pizza and this was near the top of our list. 631-242-4262
Fighting Breast Cancer has never been so easy, or tasty. On November 17, 2008 from 11:30am-9:30pm California Pizza Kitchen at the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington will be participating with LI2DAY to help raise money for the support of Breast Cancer. If you print out the flyer below, 20% of your final bill will be donated directly to LI2DAY. Here's to eating for a good cause.
Click here to download the flyer to bring into CPK.
Mark your calendars for this great event coming to the Nassau Coliseum. With over 60,000 square feet of floor space the Spring CRAFT BEER FEST is a true craft beer tasting featuring an incredible variety of beers from some of the finest brewers in the country.
Award-winning local beers by Brooklyn Brewery, Blue Point Brewery, Southampton and great brews from special guests like Stone, Dogfish, and He'Brew are sure to keep you satisfied.
This is the craft beer event of Long Island!
Session I: 12:30pm-4:00pm (doors open at 12:00pm)
Session II: 5:30pm-9:00pm (doors open at 5:00pm)
Everyone who purchases a ticket will get in. No tickets will be sold once the event sells out. They have limited the number of attendees to insure that everyone that purchases a ticket will be able to sample the beers they want and move around with ease. The entire middle of the expo hall will be open with cocktail tables for you to meet your friends and relax.
To purchase tickets in advance, click here.
With the economy in the tailspin and consumers spending less, we've seen two stores located in Roosevelt Field Mall go out of business in the past month. Tracy Lynn Sports and Athlete's Foot (which were both owned by the same parent company) have shuttered their doors. Tracy Lynn is still sitting vacant while the space that housed Athlete's Foot is now 5th Continent, the constantly roaming store that has bulk candy and other specialty food items.
By Dina Shingleton, Suffolk County Correspondent
I finally got a chance to check out bubble by jdella at the corner of East Main Street and Deer Park Avenue. At first, bubble appears to be a typical high-end children's boutique stocked with beautiful and unique clothing and shoes with a few pieces for mom thrown in. However, once I talked to the extremely friendly staff (seriously, one staffer actually got my ornery two-year-old to stop fussing) I realized bubble is also offers mommy/daddy & me classes too! Another mom that was shopping swore by the music class and I will definitely be checking it out with my daughter.
Of course, I couldn't resist the absolutely darling sparkly gold flats for Maddie (I only wish they came in my size). They look far more luxe than the $24 they were (and they also come in silver).
I'm happy I checked out bubble, and happier that the merchandise and classes they offer are different than typical big-box offerings. I'm making extra effort to do my holiday shopping at local shops, and with bubble, it will be easy to do! 631-587-0050
For a list of all of our Brunch related articles, click here.
Who says that hotel restaurants have to be frequented only by those who reside at the hotel overnight? Some of the finest dining experiences are housed in the establishments that cater to the well funded visitors to this island. Although an extravagance, the ultimate luxury this weekend will be your visit to the Garden City Hotel's Sunday Buffet Brunch. At $64 per person ($32 for children 12 and under,) this luxury won't come cheap. But you're worth it, aren't you? Besides the unlimited Mimosas and Bloody Mary's you'll be treated to stations full of sushi, shrimp, lobster, salads, fruit, meat and pastries.
Start fasting now so that you can really get your money's worth when you arrive. And please, don't sneak lobster and shrimp out in your empty purse; that's tacky.
Reservations strongly recommended. 516-877-9352
Hours: Sunday Noon-5pm
Is there anything better than an exhibition hall filled to the rafters with smooth and milky chocolate products? We don't think so, and we think that you'll agree with us. The New York City Chocolate Show is all set to take place from November 7th - 9th at Pier 94 in Manhattan.
Opening night will see a chocolate fashion show and benefit while the next three days will feature some of the worlds best chocolatiers, cooks and products available today. Young chocophiles will be able to explore in the KidZone while children of all ages (including us adults) revel in the free samples and various other goodies. Adult tickets are $28, while kids under the age of 12 are free (more than two children per adult will be an $8 charge.) Tickets are available via Ticketmaster or by calling 212-307-7171
Preview Night - November 6th: 6:30-10:30pm (Fashion Show and Benefit)
November 7th: 10am-8pm
November 8th: 10am-8pm
November 9th: 10am-7pm
According to a post by Erica Marcus over at Feed Me:
"Phil Iannucilli, executive chef of the Mineola restaurants Maxxels and pastaVino, let us know about two specials he’s running. At Maxxels (526 Jericho Tpke. 516-294-3604), he’s put a pork osso buco on the menu for $25. The long-braised, cross-cut shanks are served, in the traditional Northern Italian manner, with a saffron risotto and topped with gremolata, a lemon-parsley garnish that Iannucilli enriches with some breadcrumbs. At pastaVino (149 Mineola Blvd., 516-294-1715), Iannucilli has instituted a “super-affordable” $20 two-course prix-fixe menu every night except Friday and Saturday. The menu changes daily but the first courses might well include Caesar salad, tortellini in brodo or baked clams; main courses might be rigatoni alla Norma, pumpkin ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs or lemon-rosemary chicken."
On a friend's Facebook status, we were pointed to this new website (still in "beta" form,) Sit or Squat. We've all been in the situation where we need to "go" and haven't the foggiest idea of where to do so. Now you can see bathrooms wherever you are, since the framework of the site is built over the Google Maps API. As time goes on, you and everyone else on the internet will be expanding the different bathrooms available, so there will soon be bathrooms all over the place that you will be aware of.
As soon as we saw that you can access the site over your iPhone or Blackberry, we realized that this will be a huge success. Here's to finding a place to sit....or squat.
Roaming around The Slope will leave you with a multitude of dining options. Waiting for a meeting tonight I wandered past a good thirty or so restaurants; looking at menus and then moving on before choosing this local Italian goodie. What made me go into Pizza Plus was the casual atmosphere, large menu adorning the walls and the clean and bright décor, highlighted by the light woods and faux brick wall.
True to its name there are plenty of options for your meal. Pizza, of course is the most popular while salads, chicken entrees and pasta dishes are also widely scattered througout the huge menu.
Service is offered for those that eat in the restaurant while all delivery and carry out meals are ordered at the large counter that occupies a majority of the interior space. This was a very quick meal as we were in and out in under 20 minutes. It's a great place if you're in a rush. 718-768-5327
So you've run into a problem; you have company coming over for dinner or you have a hungry family at home waiting to be fed. But you don't have the time to prepare food from scratch. This is the beauty of Dinner My Way in Bellmore. They do all of the dirty work with food preparation and leave you with the time to enjoy your friends and family at home. We recently took the plunge to see what it's all about. Offering a set menu, you can pick up all of the pre-assembled ingredients with detailed instructions on how to prepare the meal. We chose the Chicken with Gnocchi. At home the next day, all we had to do was take the pre-packaged ingredients out of the freezer, prepare as per the instructions and 15 minutes later we had a full meal waiting for us. It was cooked to perfection and everyone in our house was more than satisfied.
We'll definitely try this great service again and encourage all of our users to do the same.
To see the list of menu items available click here.
With the demand so high for great live music on Long Island, several bars and lounges are acknowledging the need and stepping up to the plate to offer their patrons a reason to stay around just a little longer. One such place in Micky Mo's in Woodmere. Owned by Mike and Mona Rhodie, Micky Mo's has a lively atmosphere filled with great music, drinks and fun. Tuesday night have karaoke while weekend nights come alive when the restaurant / bar stays open later. To us, the fact that they have internet access and a fireplace only adds to their appeal. 516-792-3022
Happy Halloween from all of us at East of NYC. We hope that you score lots of chocolate and sugar before heading out on this fantastic Friday!
One of the great italian restaurants on Long Island, Jonathan's caters to the upscale customer with it's large menu and sophisticated atmosphere. Owner Roberto Ornado who comes to Huntington after many years of study with renowned chefs oversees the operation that includes lunch and dinner daily (dinner only on Sunday.)
Upon walking into the restaurant, the long mahogany bar greets you like an old friend. Sit down and relax with your company for a drink before you make your way to the back of the restaurant for a great meal.
Jonathan's is also available to host your private parties and business events as well, so bring everyone you know and share the joy.
Click here to view their menu.
By Dina Shingleton, Suffolk County Correspondent
Looking for a great place to throw your toddler's birthday party? Look no further than My Gym in West Babylon. This past Saturday my daughter celebrated her 2nd birthday with 15 of her closest friends ranging in age from 1 to 6. The hour and a half party includes having the entire facility available exclusively to your party with staff. Tablecloths, napkins, balloons, forks, plates, invites, and thank you cards are also included with the price. The only thing we had to bring the day of the party was cupcakes, juice boxes, and pizza (and to make the party SUPER easy, there is a pizza place right next door.)
The facility was super clean (they should open a cleaning service) and the staff was super friendly. The party was tightly run with just the right amount of activities, songs, circle time, and free play. I was amazed that the staff got 15 kids to sit around a table and eat pizza and cupcakes without incident! But the best part of the party? Going home with a happy two-year old and not having to clean up after 15 kids!
My Gym also offers classes based on age. After my experience with the birthday party, I am definitely looking into enrolling my daughter because I know she'd love it! 631-669-4043
Long Island Restaurant Week (put on by Word Hampton Public Relations) and East of NYC have a lot in common. We both had our inception way back in 2006 and are both growing with leaps and bounds! During the first year of the LIRW, we were a proud sponsor and helped to get the word out to all of the Long Island residents and visitors who could partake in this great offering. LIRW really serves two purposes. It is a great way for you to try a new restaurant which might be out of your price range on a normal day and it also helps all of the restaurants where their traffic might become a little sluggish during the winter months.
$24.95 will get you a 3-course meal at any of the restaurants that have joined. Saturday night, the prix fixe lasts until 7pm. Please take our advice and make your reservation as soon as you have a chance, as this is a very popular offering and tables will go fast. Enjoy!
Click here to find out which restaurants are participating (restaurants will be added and updated as the event gets closer.)
The cutest of all Halloween events is the kids party. Today from 4pm - 6pm, there is a kids party being held at Orly's Treehouse in Westbury. So bring your kid, their favorite costume and a need for a good time and make a trip over. It should be fun for everyone!
Nothing strikes our fancy like a good old fashioned horror story. We love it that much more when that book has its setting on Long Island! If this sounds like you as well, then you'll want to take the opportunity to attend a book launch for this new novel entitled Dead Ed by Mike Polizzi. According to the description, this book is about Edward Talbot; a wealthy Long Island life insurance broker, a terrific husband and one hell of a dad. But, when Ed's life is suddenly taken, the "rest of him" falls into the hands of a madman. Resurrected by science, Ed finds himself in a desperate struggle to save his soul from the Devil himself.
You can attend the book signing at BC Pub in Bellmore on October 30th from 7-11pm or you can skip the signing and buy the book here.
To RSVP for the signing please do so here.
Start your Halloween early this year by stopping by Honu Kitchen & Cocktails in Huntington for free Absolut Vodka on Thursday, October 30th from 8:30-10pm. If you haven't ever been to Honu before, it is home to one of the nicest bar areas on Long Island. 631-421-6900
*Promotion available at the bar area only.
We're starting to see an explosion of Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants throughout Brooklyn and the surrounding areas. Now open closer to home in Levittown, Five Guys is known for the great quality of their burgers and fries (and they have been voted the #1 hamburger in some of the other states where they are open.) In addition to hamburgers they also serve hotdogs and grilled cheese sandwiches. 516-796-1237
What's easier than stepping off of the train coming back from the city and entering a bar within a stone's throw from the platform? This is one of the major draws to K.J. Farrell's in Bellmore. A no-nonsense bar and grill; beer, sports, music and good food will help you unwind after those long hours at work and on the weekends. Nightly drink specials will assist you on the Open Mic night and make sure to dust off your Guitar Hero skills as you'll certainly need them on Tuesday nights. 516-804-9925
Tell us your favorite destination or thing to do East of NYC. We're looking to you, our user, for your favorite hidden spots that will be of interest to everyone. If you have somewhere you think that we should know about, please shoot us a note and you might see it mentioned on here.
In the time span of just a few hours, three Merrick area restaurants have been shut-down due to a fire that tore through all of them. Originally starting in Bagel Boss and moving its way through Robek's and then Starfish, these three restaurants will certainly be closed for a while. As soon as we have more information on re-openings, we will let you know.
To view video of the fire, please click here.
With our previous post announcing the construction of the Arches Outlet Center in Deer Park, the day has come to finally enjoy a much shorter drive than their Riverhead counterpart and partake in the many discount stores and restaurants on site. With the grand opening today head on over for what is sure to be a welcome addition to the Long Island landscape.
For a list of stores please click here.
Store Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 10am-9:30pm
Sunday: 10am-8pm
By Sam Jacobs, Brooklyn Correspondent
The visit with Kristina's parents continued through to the following Sunday, and included two more meals and a snack. The first of these meals was dinner Saturday night at Robin Des Bois, a French Restaurant on Smith Street situated in an old shoe store. The place is decorated with a combination of random provocative French posters and calendars as well as a statue of The Virgin Mary looming high above one of the tables. Kristinas parents, the good Catholics they are paid little attention to the decor and concentrated on the food.
We shared a plate of saucisson and a bottle of Cote Du Rhone. Her dad and I each had a skirt steak with a peppercorn sauce and a side of potatoes au gratin. Kristina and her mom each ordered the half chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes. We sat in silence for the next 20 minutes - our chewing and occassional wine slurping the only sounds at the table. Yeah, it's that good.
We finished up, and went for an ice cream at Uncle Louie G's up the street. This is a mini chain, and is absolutely fantastic! I became a regular at the Smith Street location over the summer, and got to the point where they were saying hi to me and recommending flavors they knew I hadn't tried yet. It was around this time I realized I needed to lose some weight.
The following morning we ate breakfast at the Carrol Gardens Diner...more on that another time though. 718-596-1609
~Sam
