AlwaysStrong: Bonanza’s (Oyster Bay, Long Island)

Arthur Bovino — March 12, 2010

Bonanza Fries at Bonanza’s in Oyster Bay on Long Island.

Location: Bonanza’s
Address: 25 Shore Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Contact: (516) 922-7796
Hours: Winter, daily, 11:00am-4:00pm; Summer, 11:00am-close (usually around 8:00pm).
Grade: A-
Always Hungry Recommends: Bonanza Dog, Bonanza Fries, and Raspberry and Peach Ices Combined.

Long before the Western, the name Bonanza on Long Island has been associated with homemade Italian ices. Given that Bonanza’s was started by John “Chick” Bonanza 115 years ago, this family-run business almost stretches back to a time when the Old West existed. These days, their little red shack is just as associated with dogs and fries doused with great, messy, piles of dripping chili and cheese. They’re made the way you would have made them for yourself when you were a kid if someone had let you.

More Photographs of Bonanza's in Oyster Bay >>

AlwaysStrong: Eddie’s Pizza (New Hyde Park, Long Island)

Arthur Bovino — March 10, 2010

Plain Thin Crust Pizza at Eddie’s in New Hyde Park on Long Island, “Home of the Bar Pie.”

It is exciting news that Eddie’s is planning to plant a flag in Manhattan with a food truck that will sell pizza featuring par-baked versions of their signature cracker-thin crusts. Bar pizza goes mobile! Can you get a tumbler of Jack on the rocks with that?

Look, it’s not that Eddie’s is the world’s best pizza, but there is something about the quasi-matzoh crust that makes it a great pace-changer between typical New York slices. Given how thin it is, it will be interesting to see how everyone adapts to eating it on the run in the city. At the New Hyde Park location, the slices are foldable, so you could technically do the two-fold move, and walk with them. The fact that they’re not very filling may mean that the lunch move is the 16-incher.

In honor of the news, here are photographs of a meal at the original location.

More Photographs of Bar Pies at Eddies Pizza >>

AlwaysStrong: Bigelow’s (Rockville Center, Long Island)

Arthur Bovino — February 19, 2010

Bigelow’s Ipswich Clam Burger.

Restaurant: Bigelow’s
Address: 79 North Long Beach Road, Rockville Center
Hours: Mon-Thur, 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun, 12pm-9pm
Contact: (516)678-3878
Notes: Cash only (ATM inside)
Grade: A
Always Hungry Recommends: New England Clam Chowder, Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp, Ipswich Clams (Burger)

It’s not that Bigelow’s is a secret. There are Chowhound threads, and write-ups in The Times every few years. It’s just that it is good. Why? The tiny clam shack does fried seafood that reminds you what summer is like, or acts as a figurative flag planted in June that declares summer’s arrival.

Bigelow’s is in Rockville Center just off Sunrise Highway at the edge of town. They’ve been frying Ipswich Clams in the style Russ Bigelow learned while working at hotels in New England, since he opened up in 1939. The Andreolas brothers (Christo, William and Anthony), who have owned it since 1991, take pride in the fact that the method hasn’t changed much.

Click for Photographs at Bigelow's >>

AlwaysStrong: Breadzilla (Wainscott, Long Island)

Arthur Bovino — January 11, 2010

Shrimp Salad Sandwich on Squishy Bread.

Location: Breadzilla (map)
Address: 84 Wainscott, Northwest Road, Wainscott, NY
Hours: Mon, closed; Tues-Sat, 8am-4pm (lunch, 11:30am-2:30pm); Sun, 8am-3pm (lunch, 11:30am-1:30pm)
Contact: (631)537-0955
Always Hungry Grade: A-
Always Hungry Recommends: Shrimp Salad Sandwich on Squishy Bread

What possesses the Always Hungry Crew to go on a road trip to the Hamptons in a snowstorm at the crack of the new year? The answer is the good fortune that happenstance brings. Like when you eat something you would never order because you arrive at a place nine minutes after lunch ends and that’s what you’re given after begging the kitchen to make you something, anything. That’s what happened recently with a Shrimp Salad Sandwich at Breadzilla, the East Hampton sandwich shop.

For the uninitiated, Breadzilla the bakery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm, but lunch is only served until 2:30pm (1:30pm, Sundays). A menu featuring about 20 to 25 options goes online about 11am (with photocopies at the counter). As noted on Serious Eats New York some of the sandwiches seem like “mad scientist creations.” The handwritten menu changes daily and has something Shopsin’s-like about it. The three or four items at the bottom are the ones you’ll find consistently. They are: Spicy Tuna Jade on 8 Grain ($8.95), the Zilla Melt ($8.95), and two sandwiches on “Squishy” Bread, Tuna Salad ($6.95) and Egg Salad ($5.95).

Given the more complicated, enticing options that were on the menu (Ribs and Potato Salad, Gooey Cheezy Roasty Beasty, Steadkadilla, and the Crispy Duck Wrap), Shrimp Salad Sandwich would normally be one of the last things selected. But it was incredible. Full of unchopped, tender shrimp with the texture of the amaebi you’d get at one of the City’s better sushi restaurants. Barely dressed with mayo and seasoned just enough, so the fresh flavor of the shrimp was the focus. Beautiful.

Click Here for More Pictures of Breadzilla Sandwiches >>

AlwaysStrong: All American Drive-In (Massapequa)

Arthur Bovino — October 15, 2009

All American Drive-In, a classic fast-food joint on Merrick Road in Massapequa, Long Island.

Restaurant: All American Drive-In (view site)
Address: 4286 Merrick Road, Massapequa, NY 11758 (burger and they’ll ask if you’ve been to All American Drive-In. Like Bigelow’s in Rockville Center, and Bonanza in Oyster Bay, it’s a roadside institution— some Islanders have even called it their In N Out. These aren’t In N Out burgers, but they’re a fresh and tasty rite of passage.

Click here for more pictures of burgers at All American Drive-In. >>

AlwaysStrong: French Toasted French Toast Bagels from Bagelman-Deliman (Merrick, Long Island)

Arthur Bovino — October 07, 2009

A French Toast Bagel from Bagelman-Deliman in Merrick on Long Island.

Restaurant: Bagelman-Deliman
Address: 84 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566 (view map)
Grade: A-
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Everything Bagel, French Toast Bagel

French Toast Bagels are nothing new, you can find them at some bakeries and bagel stores, even at chains like Einstein Bros. To clarify, we’re not talking about French Toast made with bagels, but bagels made to taste like French Toast. They’re made with cinnamon (or cinnamon sugar), maple syrup and sometimes vanilla. We recently found a particularly good rendition at Bagelman-Deliman in Merrick, Long Island. It’s one of the best places for bagels on the South Shore, especially since the nearby Bagel Boss burned down last October (full disclosure, it’s my hometown).

According to Boris at Bagelman-Deliman, they put eggs in the dough of their French Toast bagels to give them a lighter, more delicate texture. They’re then covered with cinnamon powder and sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, which also forms a sweet chewy ring on the bottom. Conventional cream cheese may not be the best spread for this bagel—the cream and the sweetness just isn’t the perfect fit. The folks at Bagelman-Deliman suggest butter, and they’re right, it’s a winning combination— a chewy dessert roll that’s sweet and a little salty. The inside is airy and more like bread than a bagel, bread that would be perfect for making…French Toast.

That’s right, it had to be done: French Toasted French Toast Bagels. They were sliced and quartered at home then soaked in a mixture of eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and cinnamon. The pieces were then cooked on a griddle with bacon fat.

So now here’s the question, is that French Toast²?

French Toasted French Toast Bagels with butter, confectionery sugar, cinnamon, syrup and bacon.

HungryChefs: WLIW21 Autumn Gourmet Classic

Arthur Bovino & The Hungry Goat — September 10, 2009

Chorizo and Fingerling Potatoes w/Poblano Pepper & Mexican Oregano served w/Signature Guacamole and Chips.

WLIW21 (view site) celebrated its Autumn Gourmet Classic last night at the Astor Center. On-air host, Laura Savini, kicked off the benefit to support WLIW21’s commercial-free arts, culture and cooking programming. On hand were Lidia Bastianich (right) whose third season of Lidia’s Italy began Monday, Jacques Pépin, and John Barricelli of Everyday Baking From Everyday Food, who both performed cooking demonstrations. Several chefs were on hand with food, including two from Long Island, Tom Schaudel (CoolFish Grille) and Christian Mir (Stone Creek Inn).

We had a chance to watch the demos, taste some good food and pastries and talk to some of the participants in the event and find out where they like to eat and what they’re AlwaysHungry for.

Jacques Pépin preparing cured salmon three ways during his demonstration.

Everybody’s favorite French grandfather, Jacques Pépin performed a demonstration of his Instant-Cure Salmon, a recipe from his book, Jacques Pépin Celebrates. He advised using the cooked salmon skin on salads, said black sea bass makes for incredible tartare, said scaling fish at home can be grounds for divorce and ended his demo with a chuckle and saying, “that should be about fifteen bucks, right?” A few other pearls included:

• In response to the question, “what’s the best knife?” Pépin: “a sharp one.”
• “Pollutants get stored in the fat of the fish. So you can eat a lot of fish and have a lot of Omega-3’s and it will allow you to die in good health.”
• Advice in anticipation of his 43rd wedding anniversary next week: “When we disagree we do what she wants. But! When we agree we do what I want. The key is to use the technique of Napoleon when you’re going to lose: volunteer.”

Continue Reading >>

HungryHamptons: Clam Bar at Napeague (Montauk, NY)

Arthur Bovino — September 10, 2009

Fried Clam Roll ($6) from the Clam Bar at Napeague.

Restaurant: Clam Bar at Napeague (view site)
Address: ‎ 2025 Montauk Highway (Route 27), Montauk, NY 11954 (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A-
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Lobster Roll, Fried Clams
Hours: Late March to Thanksgiving, daily, 12pm-8pm.

The old-fashioned, red and white Clam Bar at Napeague on Montauk Highway on the narrow tract between Amagansett and Montauk has been owned and operated by Dick Ehrlich since 1981. It’s the picture-postcard place to stop in the Hamptons for a bite to eat after a day of driving around with your music blaring, the top down and your cheeks flushed pink and freckled with sun. Even if this roadside seafood shack didn’t serve good fare, you’d almost have to stop there and take a picture with your girlfriend for no other reason than the one sung about in that old Kinks song.

But there’s nothing to prove at the Clam Bar. Its fish and shellfish are from local fishing boats and baymen. You can eat freshly shucked clams on the half-shell with local white wine from Duck Walk Vineyards or local beers from the Blue Point Brewing Company while sitting at the bar or be waited on by one of the efficient servers at a yellow and white parasol-shaded table.

The menu is thorough and reasonably priced. You’ll find: Cajun Popcorn Shrimp ($6.50), both New England and Manhattan Clam Chowder ($4.50/cup), Steamed Mussels or Lobster, Crab Cakes, as well as all manner of fried fare (whole clams, shrimp, oysters, scallops, clam strips and chicken nuggets). There are also grilled fish specials like Tuna, Swordfish, Shrimp, Salmon and Mahi Mahi. The Lobster Roll is good— better than the one available at the nearby stalwart, Lobster Roll (aka Lunch).

Still, the best thing to get at the Clam Bar at Napeague are the fried clams, which are great. It’s a high quality stop, a great place to sit outside and soak in the summer, or what’s left of it.

The menu: from Spicy Crab and Sweetcorn Chowder ($6.50) and steamed lobster to hamburgers.

Lobster Salad Roll, Market Price.

Crab Cakes, $7/2.

HungryHamptons: Gosman’s Dock (Montauk, NY)

September 02, 2009

Top, Lobster Rolls, Fried Clams & French Fries. Left, Gosman’s Fish Market. Right, Gosman’s Topside.

Restaurant: Gosman’s Dock (view site)
Address: 500 W Lake Dr, Montauk, NY 11954-5152‎ (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: C-
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Bring Martin’s Potato Long Rolls and “Fantastic Lobster Salad” from Sable’s to make your own lobster rolls and just have drinks Topside at sunset.
Hours: Topside, daily, 12pm-10pm

If you spend time in the Hamptons during the summer, you can’t really call the season complete without a visit to Gosman’s Dock. The Gosman family, fishpackers for the Fulton Market back in the mid-20th century, founded it in 1943. Robert and Mary Gosman started it as a chowder stand that specialized in lobster rolls in 1950. From there, they gradually added components, culminating in what is now practically a compound with four different spots to eat (the Restaurant, the Inlet Cafe & Sushi Bar, the Clam Bar and Gosman’s Topside). Then of course there’s a bevy of stores that qualify somewhere between kitsch and quaint, and Gosman’s Fish Market, which sells fish straight from the dock where local boats unload their fresh catches.

Unfortunately, the food doesn’t measure up to the fantastic location, at least the lobster rolls and the fried clams don’t. Gosman’s lobster rolls are different both in style and presentation from those we’ve become accustomed to in the city with the proliferation of the Pearl-style. This roll is more akin to lobster salad, in fact, that’s how it’s described on the menu: Fresh Lobster Salad on a Roll. The salad is served in a large, rounded scoop on a traditional hot dog bun. At $16.95, it’s cheaper than most of the ones you’ll find in Manhattan, but in this case you miss what you don’t pay for, the meat is ground and watery. The fried clams are chewy and rubbery.

You would be better off buying whole cooked lobsters at Gosman’s Fish Market or even better, picking up Martin’s Potato Long Rolls, and a pound of the famous, “Fantastic Lobster Salad” at Sable’s (a reasonable $34), and enjoying an end of summer drink Topside as the sun goes down.

HungryHamptons: Pop-Up Animal at Solé East (Montauk)

Jeff Zalaznick — August 14, 2009

Pig Ear, Chili, Lime, Fried Egg.

I have never been to the Animal (view site) in Los Angeles, CA, but this pop-up at Solé East (view site) in Montauk did not disappoint. The Balsamic Pork Ribs were fatty and delicious, my first encounter with Spam was well-suited to a Foie Gras Loco Moco, and Jon Shook (the half of the Animal duo who came to town) is one of the nicest and most genuine people that I have ever met.

The highlight of the meal was the pig ears, which were cooked for 30 hours, then deep-fried and coated in homemade teriyaki, soy, chili paste, and topped with a fried egg, this “classic Filipino breakfast dish” was a revelation. I have never liked the texture of pig ears but these broke boundaries. I have never been to Animal in LA, but this pop up preview kept me excited about the prospect. As I told Jon Shook after the meal, the only thing that could make it better would be if I could wake up the next morning in the Philippines so that I could have those pig ears for breakfast again.

Click here for dish by dish pictures >>

HungryHamptons: Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe (Riverhead, NY)

The Gluttoness — July 17, 2009

There are several hidden gems on Eastern Long Island worth bragging about, one prime example being Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe, a roadside ice cream shop in Riverhead, NY, which has been open for business since the 1950s. It’s a great pit-stop en route to the Hamptons and a fantastic rainy day destination if you’re out there already.

Restaurant: Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe (view site)
Address: 1148 West Main Street (Route 25) (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Peconic Swamp Thing, Sorbets

Snowflake is everything you’d expect from a mom and pop roadside ice cream parlor that first opened in 1953. The small space on Route 25 with the giant swirled cone atop it, was purchased in 1987 by Carolyn and Stewart Feldschuh from its original owners, Herb and Joan Kunitz. The ice cream is homemade, and the soft sorbet may be the closest thing to authentic water ice you can find in New York.

Creamsicle and Black Raspberry Sorbet

As for the ice cream, it’s rich and creamy, and comes in about 30 fabulous different flavors. Aside from standard favorites like Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, and Maple Walnut, there are more interesting flavors like: Banana Split and Peanut Butter Cup. The owners’ favorites are Carolyn’s Peconic Swamp Thing: chocolate ice cream, raspberry fudge and brownies, and the Cherry Pistachio, which Stewart Feldschuh is responsible for. It’s a lime green pistachio ice cream riddled with black cherries, an homage to Mr. Feldschuh’s favorite childhood dessert at a local Chinese restaurant in Long Beach, NY, where he grew up. The perfect bite is at the bottom of the cup where the pistachio and cherry flavors eventually meld together.

Cherry Pistachio and Peconic Swamp Thing Ice Cream

Snowflake also offers a flavor of the week. For example, on the Fourth of July it was Red, White & Blueberry. You can send ice cream flavor suggestions to Snowflake by e-mail if you hope to have them turn your dream dessert into a reality. If there were to be a “The Gluttoness” flavor it would include: strawberry ice cream with real strawberries, crushed Butterfinger and a butterscotch swirl.

HungryHamptons: Bobby’s Burger Palace (Lake Grove, NY)

Jeff Zalaznick — July 10, 2009

Bobby Flay’s Crunchburger (Double, American Cheese, Potato Chips)

It’s not well-known, but Bobby Flay has a tri-state burger chain called Bobby’s Burger Palace (site) with a menu inspired by his travels. All but two burgers are named for American cities or regions. His Long Island outpost is a ten minute detour off the Long Island Expressway in Lake Grove’s Smith Haven Mall. As at any fast food joint, you order at a counter, but here food is brought to you in the dining room.

There are four BBP outposts: Smith Haven Mall (Lake Grove, NY), Monmouth Mall (Eatontown, NJ), Bergen Town Center (Paramus, NJ), and at Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, CT).

Restaurant: Bobby’s Burger Palace (view site)
Address: 355 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove, NY, 11755-1201 (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B+
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Crunchburger, Miami-style

Continue reading about Bobby's Burger Palace >>

AlwaysTraveling: North Fork Table & Inn (Southold, NY)

Jeff Zalaznick — April 24, 2009

With predictions of 80 degree weather this weekend, and the summer in the near future, it seems pertinent to highlight The North Fork Table & Inn. It is a wonderful place to eat and stay after a day of wine tasting along the North Fork of Long Island, or as a break from the chaos and mediocre food of the Hamptons.

Restaurant: North Fork Table & Inn
Address: 57225 Route 25, Southold, NY, 11971 (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B+
Recommended Dishes: Crisp Cod and Yukon Gold Potato Cakes, Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Long Island Duck, Coconut Tapioca, Warm Sugar and Spice Donuts

Crisp Cod and Yukon Gold Potato Cakes
With Truffled Tartar Sauce and Micro Herb Salad

Bright white walls, dark wooden plank floors, ceiling beams and simple but classy décor dress the dining room of North Fork Table & Inn. Picture an old Quaker house upscaled for haute cuisine. The renewed ambiance in this Southold bed and breakfast (once Coeurs de Vignes) is the setting for food by a husband and wife team: Executive Chef Gerry Hayden (formerly of Aureole) and Pastry Chef Claudia Fleming (Gramercy Tavern). The duo left the chaos of the city for their busy kitchen in bucolic Eastern Long Island in 2006.

From February through December, Hayden and Fleming’s artfully-plated dishes focus on local, seasonal ingredients. Put it on your nice weather to-do list now.

Sashimi-Grade Yellowfin Tuna Tartare
Served raw with Szechuan Pepper, Lime and Miso Emulsion, Shiso, Mint and Arugula Sprouts

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AlwaysInvestigating: Bagel Boss Invades Manhattan

The Gluttoness — April 23, 2009

We know, there are plenty of places to get great bagels in New York City. You’ve got the famed H&H, Ess-A-Bagel, Pick A Bagel, the under-appreciated Bagel Bob’s (near NYU), and a slew of Murray’s Bagels and its spinoffs. So what’s the big deal about Bagel Boss coming to New York City? Well, many Strong Island natives claim these as New York’s best. (The fact that it did not get a shout out in DJ Lubel’s life-changing power ballad Ode To Murray Hill can only be attributed to human error.) The argument isn’t entirely crazy. If you’ve ever had a Bagel Boss bagel hot from the oven with a schmear of cream cheese, you know the deal. Even the structure of these crusty bad boys is impressive— they scream homemade. A quick twist breaks open the outer shell revealing a moist, soft center.

These archetypal bagels are worth a trip to 15th and 1st Ave., just don’t look for the Bagel Boss sign you’d find outside any one of the twelve Long Island locations. Bagel Boss has taken over what was once La Bagel and the awning hasn’t been changed yet. Loyal Bagel Boss devotees will instantly spot the store’s standards: the heralded Mushroom Egg Salad (peppered with fried onions like Sammy’s chopped liver), their creamier-than-thou Baked Salmon Salad, and a fabulous Tuna Salad, chock-full of dried cranberries and chunks of apple. Sure, you can enjoy your bagel just as much with Cream Cheese on a Cinnamon Raisin or Scallion Spread on an Everything, but at Bagel Boss the top-notch salads are as integral to the overall experience as the bagels themselves.

Though business would have probably already been bumping had they opened up in Murray Hill, as word spreads, this Kosher establishment will quickly gain steam amongst Long Island imports and city folk alike. Weekend mornings are sure to be dating gold if you’re looking to meet a nice Jewish girl with an affinity for Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel. We wouldn’t say it’s the new boss of New York City bagels, but the bagelry’s Egg Salad is definitely throwing elbows and it is a welcome addition to the East Village.

Bagel Boss is located at: 263 1st Avenue

AlwaysTraveling: Little Vincent’s (Huntington, New York)

Arthur Bovino — March 03, 2009

Restaurant: Little Vincent’s
Location: Huntington, New York
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
Signature Dish: The Cold Cheese Slice
AlwaysHungry Recommends: The Cold Cheese Slice, Pepperoni Pizza

“You’ll understand as soon as you have a slice,” explained a teenager. He and his friend were sitting on stools at the window of Little Vincent’s, a popular, no-frills pizzeria on Route 110 just south of 25A, in Huntington, Long Island. They were both about to eat pizza slices each one topped with at least a full cup of additional cold shredded mozzarella cheese.

Not extra cheese, extra cold cheese.

“Cold cheese?” you’re asking. “On hot pizza?”

“It’s the fucking best, especially when you’re drunk,” the teen added, carefully creasing his slice to avoid losing shreds of cold cheese.

Click Here to read more about the Cold Cheese Slice >>