Breakfast/dinner help near SUNY Stonybrook

[Allura]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. We're making our annual trip to the SUNY Stonybrook campus for the ICON sci-fi convention Apr 8-10. In the past we've eaten breakfast at either a diner or in our hotel restaurant (Islandia Mariott). Does anyone know of something good but cheap before my friend takes us to McDonald's....?

Also, options for dinner would be good, too. Friday we traditionally go to John Harvard's, but Saturday tends to be more up in the air. We likely won't settle our event schedule until that weekend, and can end up eating dinner really late. Anything open late other then Friendly's? Again, good but cheap is the preference. Need to save our money for the dealer's floor!

Thanks!

PS - if anyone else is going or wants more info, PM me!

[Pan]

I sure don't know, but I'll be interested in whatever response you get. When I was living out in Stony Brook and Setauket (1989-92), I did a lot of cooking (and then I moved back to Manhattan for my last two years of school). There was a pretty good Italian restaurant across from the train station and a bit west, but it was kind of expensive. Other than that, I sort of vaguely remember an acceptable Chinese restaurant in the little strip mall with the Finast and King Kullen in East Setauket, and another acceptable one at the Smith Haven Mall. But all we're talking about is solid Chinese takeout places with tear-off paper menus with checkoff boxes. I'm really drawing a blank on anyplace else I knew personally that was even vaguely worth mentioning, though I was limited by not having a car. Mirabelle in St. James was (and I think still is) the famous French haute cuisine place in the area, but I didn't have the kind of money to ever have a meal there while I was on a student's stipend. And I can't offhand remember anyplace in Port Jefferson except for a fried fish/seafood place near the docks, which was just OK, if my vague memory is accurate. After recitals, I normally went into New York for the weekend in a car rented by my father and we would stop at Silver Pond in Flushing for a Cantonese dinner.

I guess this is all fairly irrelevant information (seeing how old it is!), but at least a propos of the thread title. Good luck and enjoy ICON.

[Allura]

Mirabelle would be lovely, but not in our budget! :)

Ah well, if I find anything new, I guess I'll just have to report back.

[Pan]

Where did you end up eating and how was it?

[Allura]

Oh! Oops, I never replied. Let's see...

Friday night we went to John Harvard's. It was fairly solid; I had meatloaf, mashed potatoes & broccoli. The food is good, the company was better - we met up with someone we had met online and we turned out to have a lot in common with her & her husband. We were there almost 3 hours talking. :)

Saturday & Sunday breakfast was, indeed, the dreaded McDonald's. I ended up with a bacon, egg & cheese croissant which is better then the plastic monstrosity that the egg mcmuffin has become. It put food in my stomach. *wry*

Saturday night we went to Friendly's, mostly in honor of the friend who couldn't come who doesn't have Friendly's by her. I don't remember what I had for dinner, actually, although I did have a Reess's Pieces sundae for dessert (3 scoops, all Forbidden Chocolate). That sundae's pretty much the reason I go to Friendly's, although I recall thinking the food's a bit better then I thought.

Sunday night we left a bit early and met up with some friends near our house, at the Outback in Springfield on Rt 22. "Outback special" (what cut is that, anyway?) and a baked potato.

The problem is that after walking around all day and such, we're not feeling too adventerous.

[Pan]

Thanks for the report. Where's John Harvard's? Sounds like a good diner.

[megc]

Pan, John Harvard's is a chain eatery that is kind of like a pub-restaurant sort of place, not really a diner, and is near the mall. I think it originates from Boston?

I wish I had seen this thread! I could have made some suggestions, living here in Setauket. However, my final recital and doctoral oral exams kept me hostage for quite some time.

Thanks for the report. Where's John Harvard's? Sounds like a good diner.

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