Long Island North Fork

[jeffperez62]

Heading out to Greenport for a couple of days of down time. Last time I was out there I passed by a place called the Frisky Oyster which looked pretty interesting. I've been to most of the vineyards before .......any sugestions??

[johnjohn]

The Fifth Season in Greenport is nice. Small place that uses local products and features Long Island wines and beers. It is run by a husband and wife team - chef cooked in Manhattan for 10 years before opening this place. I've always had good experiences there.

[Jason Perlow]

I'm not sure its still there, but the Drossos Hellenistic Snack Bar in Greenport on Rt. 25 was a good place for greek food. Its a dive, but a great place, and has outdoor eating.

Riggin's in town (again, havent been to Greenport in like 15+ years) is a decent seafood restaurant. As is the restaurant in the Sterling Harbor Marina.

Greenport is the town where I wasted 10 years of my youth every weekend working on sailboats.

[Nathan]

I ate at the frisky oyster in Greenport almost 2 years ago.

I remember it being pretty good actually....appeared to be the most ambitious restaurant in the area.

[NYCCHEF]

I have two suggestions for you.

1- The Elbow Room - Its in Jamesport I think. They are known for their steaks, which are marinated in orange juice, sherry, molasses and black pepper.

2- The Seafood Barge - Its in Southhold. The Chef is Americo Mintegui (ex Bouley, Lespinasse and El Bulli)

Good luck!

[ned]

Dinner is the most difficult proposition in Greenport. I've postulated that there's one just kitchen under Greenport producing crap-fried whatevers and salad with chemical dressings and aged fresh vegetables. I've been to the Frisky Oyster once and found it to be worse than I expected and more expensive than I couid have imagined. Thirty-three dollar steak frites in Greenport? C'mon. Steak ordered medium rare and delivered north of medium with a slice in the middle where a cook checked to make sure he'd gotten it wrong. There is a place called the Scrimshaw that makes a truly phenomenal and memorable pork chop. I don't like the plating, too much business but that's all irrelevant. I go there for the pork chop. I can recommend the Scrimshaw with no qualms. Also for thirteen bucks you can get a just better than mediocre lobster roll at Claudio's. Sometimes that hits the spot.

Dinner aside, you've got some really good options for earlier in the day. Start off in the morning with an espresso from Aldo's Too. He makes the best espresso. Better than Via Quadronno here in NYC. Really. And he makes scones that will blow your mind. All the things he bakes are great. Aldo's is a must. Like so many passionate people, he's got a complex personality. Some days he's a little cranky. Don't mind that, just drink his coffee. He's not been able to train his baristi to perform at his level. Later in the day, eat fried chicken from Salamander's. Take it to the beach or something. Call ahead to order it. I can't recommend this chicken highly enough. The method they use there is called "broasting". I've never heard of that anywhere else. . . no matter. It's brilliant fried chicken.

Oh and I forgot the most important part: Go back to Aldo's intermittently throughout the day and drink more espressos. Eat a few of his biscotti.

[wfnugent]

La Plage, Wading River

A good ways from Greenport but we have had several excellent meals here.

[daisy17]

Reviving this REALLY old thread - anyone have more input? Heading out to Greenpoint for a weekend soon.

[oakapple]

Reviving this REALLY old thread - anyone have more input?  Heading out to Greenpoint for a weekend soon.

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The Frisky Oyster is probably the best restuarant in Greenport. We've been there a number of times (blog report here) and have always been pleased. This summer, the same management opened a slightly more casual satellite restaurant a couple of blocks away, to which we've not yet been.

The only other Greenport restaurant with which we have any experience is Claudio's, a formulaic seafood place, which I do not recommend.

Down the road, in Southold, is the North Fork Table & Inn (blog report here). It's run by Manhattan exiles, including former Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Claudia Fleming. It is certainly worth a visit.

We found the Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport mediocre, and even in Manhattan it would be considered awfully expensive, with entrées topping out in the 40s.

[Steve R.]

Reviving this REALLY old thread - anyone have more input?  Heading out to Greenpoint for a weekend soon.

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Down the road, in Southold, is the North Fork Table & Inn (blog report here). It's run by Manhattan exiles, including former Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Claudia Fleming. It is certainly worth a visit.

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A big second on North Fork Table and Inn. Went last summer and had a great meal. Mike Mraz, from Hearth, is the other owner and the food/wine is excellent. Very nice room... a little too N.England-y for me, but well done.

http://www.northforktableandinn.com/

Edited July 17, 2009 by Steve R. (log)

[daisy17]

Why do I keep writing Greenpoint? Greenport. Jeez.

Already have a reservation at North Fork Table & Inn - have been hearing about it for years, it sounds like a must. I've heard mixed things about Frisky Oyster but that's under consideration as well. If you know of any very casual, good seafood spots please let me know - will have a car. thanks!

[Steve R.]

Why do I keep writing Greenpoint?  Greenport.  Jeez.

Already have a reservation at North Fork Table & Inn - have been hearing about it for years, it sounds like a must.  I've heard mixed things about Frisky Oyster but that's under consideration as well.  If you know of any very casual, good seafood spots please let me know - will have a car.  thanks!

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Oakapple is correct that Claudio's is not exactly a go to place. But... Claudio's owns most of the pier in Greenport and has, at last count, 3 places. The old building has the Cape Cod lobster dinners (think Lobster Pound) which are only a notch above City Island... mediocre at best but they do serve to quell a craving. We went last year and it was fine for what it was. If you get a better idea, go with it but in a pinch...

At any rate, Claudio also has the place out on the edge of the pier where there's live music, an incredible outdoor seating area, great vistas of water and ok food. Again, you could do worse but, hopefully, you'll do better. I get very easy on these trips and a beer, a view and some mediocre steamers &/or lobster works just fine.

If you're stopping at wineries, Shinn is a relatively small one, owned by the former owners of Home restaurant in the Village and has above average wines and a small tasting room. But around the corner is an even smaller place with outdoor seating and a shack for a tasting room... believe it or not, it has very nice wines (I cant remember the name) and does some NYC distribution. To get there, you drive down a very long dirt road with vines on both sides to a shack at the end. Worth it.

[daisy17]

To get there, you drive down a very long dirt road with vines on both sides to a shack at the end.  Worth it.

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This is the sentence that I would like to construct my weekend around.

Thanks!

[Steve R.]

To get there, you drive down a very long dirt road with vines on both sides to a shack at the end.  Worth it.

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This is the sentence that I would like to construct my weekend around.

Thanks!

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Found it:

http://www.sherwoodhousevineyards.com/FrameSet.htm

Nothing spectacular but very different than the big vineyards with huge tour buses coming thru.

Edited July 17, 2009 by Steve R. (log)

[oakapple]

To get there, you drive down a very long dirt road with vines on both sides to a shack at the end.  Worth it.

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This is the sentence that I would like to construct my weekend around.

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Found it:

http://www.sherwoodhousevineyards.com/FrameSet.htm

Nothing spectacular but very different than the big vineyards with huge tour buses coming thru.

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Yes, we loved Sherwood House too. There are a few like that, but Sherwood House is the best we've found.

There are plenty that lack the long dirt road, but aren't overrun by limos and buses. We love the Tasting Room on Peconic Lane. The principal tenant is Comtesse Thérèse, but she also hosts a number of smaller wineries that lack a tasting room of their own. We have never seen a bus there. Diliberto is another that's very cute, and where we have never seen a bus.

Sometimes, it's just hit-or-miss as to whether a bus is present. However, there are some places with "attitude" that we won't visit under any circumstances, including Pindar, Martha Clara, and Pugliese.

[daisy17]

Awesome weekend on the North Fork - no idea why I haven't done that before. Stopped at Sherwood House for a glass of wine on our way out there. Lovely spot in the middle of a vineyard, literally just off the beaten path.

The food standout of the weekend was the North Fork Table & Inn on Friday night. We loved it so much we went back for lunch today with the intention of focusing more on dessert. Friday night the place was packed, and Chris was an enthusiastic and attentive bartender who made sure we found seats at the bar. Unfortunately, and I've never had this happen to me before - I suppose my time was due with all the bar dining I do - we were seated next to the one of the most boorish and narcissistic people I've ever met. I wasn't about to let him ruin my meal although he seemed intent on it, because the food was just splendid and reflective of the season and locale. Starters were a local bean-tomato-microgreen-bacon salad with local feta cheese, and house smoked salmon over a corn cake - both absolutely beautiful. Entrees were local striped bass (over a fragrant artichoke barigoule and pesto) and veal. The prep on the veal was hearty and flavorful - oyster mushrooms, potatoes, perfectly crisp beans, truffle. Dessert was a caramelized peach tart, and today's desserts were a raspberry-vanilla meringue with raspberry sorbet and a goal milk sabayon, and a chocolate-caramel tart with caramel ice cream that I could have eaten by the gallon.

Dinner on Sat night at The Frisky Oyster was disappointing. The menu sounded enticing, but none of the dishes really came together for me - the grilled scallops were cooked very well, but the dish lacked cohesiveness and brightness. Also, our entrees were set down the second our appetizers were cleared, and we weren't dawdling over them. Left something to be desired.

Aldo's is my new favorite place for coffee - a bit far to hit regularly unfortunately, but really one of those delightfully quirky places that you can't help going back to.

Hit a bunch of farmstands on the way back in, including Briermere. The apple tart I just tasted is freaking awesome.