Long Island , NY

The hot dog place in oyster bay is still there (at least it was when I was in town a few months ago) I"ve never tried it, but there were always lines during the oyster festival.

quote:

Originally posted by MacTAC

Next time I'm over there, I'll TRY to remember to check. I don't seem to recall it. Just up the road from there is that Italian Ice stand/shack. Think it's called something like Ponderosa?

TRYING to remember didn't work. I was in Oyster Bay this afternoon and totally forgot until reading this thread now. But I THINK I remember the Italian Ice place is called Bonanza. mrphil says the hot dog place was still there a few months ago, so I will TRY to remember to check it out :-(

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

Growing up on Long Island in the "Five Towns" during the 50's and 60's, I remember two restaurants that I loved. One was in Lynbrook. An Italian restaurant name, "Garberino's" They had the greatest "Clams Posillipo".
The other place I remember was, "Raynor's Chicken Cabin" on Sunrise Hwy. in Baldwin. They had the VERY BEST fried chicken and corn fritters!
Anyone else remember these two places?

hi Twinwillow....I too grew up in the 5 towns...lived on Peninsula Blvd in Hewlett...Garberino's does sound familiar...how about Lawson's Pub...or Al Steiner's in Cedarhurst......we also used to go to a french restaurant Ronnie Alpert's...I think it was in Franklin Square....our family knew the owners and staff....always had the best onion soup...not baked..but they would bring over a bowl of shredded gruyere and put some on top of soup...it would melt and get oozy all over...it is still my benchmark for all onion soups.

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Originally posted by LindaW

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

Growing up on Long Island in the "Five Towns" during the 50's and 60's, I remember two restaurants that I loved. One was in Lynbrook. An Italian restaurant name, "Garberino's" They had the greatest "Clams Posillipo".
The other place I remember was, "Raynor's Chicken Cabin" on Sunrise Hwy. in Baldwin. They had the VERY BEST fried chicken and corn fritters!
Anyone else remember these two places?

hi Twinwillow....I too grew up in the 5 towns...lived on Peninsula Blvd in Hewlett...Garberino's does sound familiar...how about Lawson's Pub...or Al Steiner's in Cedarhurst......we also used to go to a french restaurant Ronnie Alpert's...I think it was in Franklin Square....our family knew the owners and staff....always had the best onion soup...not baked..but they would bring over a bowl of shredded gruyere and put some on top of soup...it would melt and get oozy all over...it is still my benchmark for all onion soups.

Hi. I remeber Al Steiners in Cedarhurst. It was across fron the LIRR train station i think. Garberino's was in a house if I remember correctly.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott_R

Anyone know when Flo's Luncheonette in Blue Point opens? Their website doesn't say anything about the spring opening. (Geez, what's the point of having a web site if it basically has no information?)

<http://www.flosbluepoint.com/>

Flo's opened on Thursday, but I just noticed it today. Burgers are great as ever. I had my fist try of their chili...and found it a bit more spicy then I like. Also had beans, which I know is an issue for some.

Summer is officially here!

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad

quote:

Originally posted by Scott_R

Anyone know when Flo's Luncheonette in Blue Point opens? Their website doesn't say anything about the spring opening. (Geez, what's the point of having a web site if it basically has no information?)

<http://www.flosbluepoint.com/>

Flo's opened on Thursday, but I just noticed it today. Burgers are great as ever. I had my fist try of their chili...and found it a bit more spicy then I like. Also had beans, which I know is an issue for some.

Summer is officially here!

Ah, chili! For me, there's no such thing as too spicy. I like the type that can't be served in metal bowls. Beans... it better be good chili before I excuse that!

quote:

Originally posted by Scott_R
Ah, chili! For me, there's no such thing as too spicy. I like the type that can't be served in metal bowls. Beans... it better be good chili before I excuse that!

Well, don't blame me if you don't like the chili!! I warned ya! I am a bit of a chili wimp, and don't like that asbestos underwear type chili. You may find Flo's chili mild by your standards.

I should add that there weren't a lot of beans...if that matters.

Ever been to the Merritt Canteen in Connecticut...now that was some scorching hot chili. OWWWW!

Hello All. Wow what a great website this is. I just happened to stumble upon it in a search engine. GREAT FIND!!I grew up in Merrick and have been out of LI for quite some time now. Reading all these memories on this site is terrific. I would like to share some of my favorite food memories from Long Island. My family ate at 3 places atleast twice a month. Sometimes every week. McCluskeys in Bellmore, Raynors in Baldwin and Shiro's Of Japan in Garden City. These were our favorites. Although we ventured out of the Merrick - Bellmore area very frequently, some of the best food in Long Island is in Merrick and Bellmore. For chinese their was Engs Kitchen and Peking Palace. I worked at Peking Palace as a busboy. For Italian we always went to Violetta's. The Best!! Remeber one side was a pizza place and the other side was sit down? Roma's on Merrick Ave was also great. Amazing Sicilian pizza. My dad used to say can I have a slice of the square please. Of course their were the Diner's and Merrick had the East Bay Diner. Amazing food. Fries with Gravy or Fries with Cheese was mandatory after a night out drinking at Sprats or Paddy Mcgees in Island Park. I thought McCluskeys had the best steaks and hamburgers on Long Island. I also worked their too as a busboy. Of course for seafood the place to be was in Freeport on the nautical mile. We used to love the Schooner and would go maybe once every couple months. For Deli, Wolfies of Merrick was awesome. Great Jewish style food. Of course being out west now I really miss some of the basic staples of Long Island like, White Castle, Carvel, and Mister Softee.

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Originally posted by Oh The Memories

Hello All. Wow what a great website this is. I just happened to stumble upon it in a search engine. GREAT FIND!!I grew up in Merrick and have been out of LI for quite some time now. Reading all these memories on this site is terrific. I would like to share some of my favorite food memories from Long Island. My family ate at 3 places atleast twice a month. Sometimes every week. McCluskeys in Bellmore, Raynors in Baldwin and Shiro's Of Japan in Garden City. These were our favorites. Although we ventured out of the Merrick - Bellmore area very frequently, some of the best food in Long Island is in Merrick and Bellmore. For chinese their was Engs Kitchen and Peking Palace. I worked at Peking Palace as a busboy. For Italian we always went to Violetta's. The Best!! Remeber one side was a pizza place and the other side was sit down? Roma's on Merrick Ave was also great. Amazing Sicilian pizza. My dad used to say can I have a slice of the square please. Of course their were the Diner's and Merrick had the East Bay Diner. Amazing food. Fries with Gravy or Fries with Cheese was mandatory after a night out drinking at Sprats or Paddy Mcgees in Island Park. I thought McCluskeys had the best steaks and hamburgers on Long Island. I also worked their too as a busboy. Of course for seafood the place to be was in Freeport on the nautical mile. We used to love the Schooner and would go maybe once every couple months. For Deli, Wolfies of Merrick was awesome. Great Jewish style food. Of course being out west now I really miss some of the basic staples of Long Island like, White Castle, Carvel, and Mister Softee.

Do I know you?????

I too grew up in Merrick. and spent the first half of my life there. I worked as a busboy at the Schooner (for two nights) the Maitre D' was a bastard. I also worked at Wolfies as a dishwasher. Both while I was back in High School in the early 80's. All the places you mentioned were my favorites, specifically Violetta's, Roma's, The East Bay Diner and Engs Kitchen. Who can forget Hunan Gourmet or The Ice Cream Barrel!

MAYBE we do know each other. It is a very small world. I lived in South Merrick and went to Lakeside for Elementary school, Brookside for Jr. high Scchool and JFK for high school. We did not go to Hunan Gourmet or Ice Cream Barrel very much although we did try them.

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Originally posted by wanderingjew Who can forget Hunan Gourmet or The Ice Cream Barrel!

If I recall correctly, The Ice Cream Barrel laid claim to being the first Ice Cream Shop to mush toppings into the ice cream. I think they also claimed to have invented Cookies and Cream.

quote:

Originally posted by Oh The Memories

MAYBE we do know each other. It is a very small world. I lived in South Merrick and went to Lakeside for Elementary school, Brookside for Jr. high Scchool and JFK for high school. We did not go to Hunan Gourmet or Ice Cream Barrel very much although we did try them.

I went to Lakeside and JFK too, but went to Merrick Ave JHS. What year did you graduate Kennedy? I graduated in 83

I was in the class of 1986 for JFK.

Dick & Doras in Massepequa (sp?) - great Italian food.

Used to stop there on the way home from the beach

The Ancient Mariner is returning to the scene of the crime. Back to Long Island for a few days and wonder if the restaurant at Jones Beach is still there, and if it is is it any good. If not what is the "bestest" place in the area. Not roadfood. How about Freeport? Which is the best joint there? I will have the lovely Mary Ann with me and we will spend Saturday afternoon at Belmont Racetrack so we will have lots and lots of moola to eat out. The restaurant could be between Belmont and J/B---- that would be just as fine as wine !!!!!!! And please make sure the sun is shining all day Sat and Sun. Thank y'all very much.

You are a hop, skip, and a jump away from Wantagh, ancient mariner if you are at Jones Beach. Right off the exit ramp (for the Wantagh Expressway) is that French restaurant, Le Nook (I believe)...cute little windmill in front. A nice spot.
Also, right across from the LIRR train station in Wantagh is the Wantagh Inn. A nice pub, reasonably priced, with food that is really pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by the ancient mariner

Maybe someone who gets way over to the North Shore in Nassau County can tell me if the hot dog stand on Main St Oyster bay is still there. It was right across from Town Hall and up the street from the Baseball Field. Whenever I was driving withing a few miles of O.B. I would head for a lunch special Dog and the fixin's with an orange soda. Just like Nedick's when I was a kid.

The Bonanza stand is still there in Oyster Bay..not sure what name it goes by now.

quote:

Originally posted by the ancient mariner

The Ancient Mariner is returning to the scene of the crime. Back to Long Island for a few days and wonder if the restaurant at Jones Beach is still there, and if it is is it any good. If not what is the "bestest" place in the area.

Hi A.M.,

Jones Beach restaurant is closed up for a while. Was pretty bad. There's an excellent place in Merrick called R.S. Jones. Loved it every time I ate there.

http://www.rsjones.com/

Enjoy your trip back!

quote:

The Bonanza stand is still there in Oyster Bay..not sure what name it goes by now.

Still called Bonanza. Stopped for a Dog the other day and it was fine...

I was just looking at a post about seafood in Sarasota Fl and it reminded me of a couple of old favorites on mine on LI. Does anyone remember Gil Clark's in Bay Shore and Barnacle Bill's in Amityville? Clark's was "THE" place for lobster. Sitting right out on the dock at the foot of Maple Ave. Folks would wait for an hour or more for a table on a summer evening. On weekends the traffic was backed up almost to Main St.

Barnacle Bill's was right on the water also. Right off Merrick Road. I would go way out of my way for lunch sitting at the bar---- Fiah Chowder !!!! Fantastic !!! One bowl was never enough---"Hit Me Again, Mabel", I'd say, while wiping some soup off my beard. I took a party there one night and had the best scallops I have ever had. Still can taste them 40 years later.

Sure, I remember those places well. Growing up on the North Shore, I worked (parking cars) at another hot spot for lobsters- The Jolly Fisherman, in Roslyn. The food was good, if pricey, and they fed the staff pretty well (although no lobsters for us!).
We had 85 parking spots, but about 200 cars on a busy night. We would park them all over town, and then run like hell to bring them back.
We made good money for high school kids- and worked hard for it.
Ron

is the jolly fisherman still there ...great eating

Yes- the Fisherman is still there, across from the clock tower. I have not lived on Long Island for many years, thank goodness (uh, oh- here come the angry posts)so I have not eaten there in a long time.
If you're anywhere near my age (52), you must remember Fearn's Harness Shop and especially My Father's Place. I played at My Father's Place before Bruce Springsteen did (I sat in the front row, as I was usually hanging around). Somehow my music career did not turn out like his.
Growing up on LI was a very different experience then.
See ya' at the duck pond.

Does anybody remember The Bunnery Pub on Park Bld,in Massapequa just south of Sunrise Hwy. $9.99 Prime Rib, and all the Beer, Wine, and Sangria included. Howard the owner treated you right, and the price even then was unbeatable.

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Originally posted by Tony Bad

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Roadfood review for All American in Massapequa has been added, pending approval. I used by digicam to get shots of the place and the food and they came out fine; used my camera phone to get shots of the menu and it was a waste of time. %&$@ camera phones! I only got one because of some other features.

All American is definitely someplace that needs to be here. Getting yourself as organized as you have and posting these reviews makes you a far better peron that I. I got things together for a review of Snowflake Ice Cream in Riverhead, but it was about 90 degrees and I was with my kids, so trying to keep them from meltdown took too long and there was nothing left to photograph for the food photo! rats...I'll have to go back.

Ahhhhh Jeez all the memories. I lived in Upper Brookville from 1964-1985...I shudder to think what Long island looks like now. Thats life . Some
of my best memories are...
Rothmann's East Norwich
Pig'Whistle Bayville
Camminaris Locust Valley
Linden Tree Bethpage
The Wheatly Westbury
Gam Wah Westbury
The Barge Roslyn
Jabby's Tavern Hicksvillle
Delicous Pizza Glen Cove
La Fonda Del Sol Hicksville
Borrelis East meadow
Patricks Pub Douglaston
Steve's Pier One Bayville
Zucaro's Bayville
Viennese Coach Syosset
The are numerous Delis, Chinese takeouts and pizza places that I could go on and on about but most have probably changed names owners etc.
The one thing from Long Island that I have never been able to find to my satisfaction is what i consider to be a proper Italian hero. Ham Cappy , Genoa Salami, Provolone, Lettuce tomato , onions , oil and vinegar. no other part of the country seems to know how to make one like they do on long Island.

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Originally posted by Dooke

Ahhhhh Jeez all the memories. I lived in Upper Brookville from 1964-1985... I shudder to think what Long island looks like now. Thats life.

Some of my best memories are...

Rothmann's East Norwich
Linden Tree Bethpage
Jabby's Tavern Hicksvillle
Borrelis East Meadow
Steve's Pier One Bayville
Viennese Coach Syosset

Upper Brookville is still nice, as well as much of the Gold Coast. Lots of subdividing, though.



My daughter works at ROTHMANN'S. She's met Vinny Testaverde and Billy Joel there.

Totally forgot about the LINDEN TREE even though it's probably about a mile from my house and I actually even ate there once.

JABBY'S. Always remembered the Chicken In The Basket sign painted right on the brick, high up on the side of the building. Fifty years ago I thought that looked tasty. It's still there but quite faded. Was a Country & Western hotspot for a few years. I had a few beers there when I came of age. Big old shuffleboard table. Been closed quite a while and has seen several incarnations of Indian restaurants.

BORELLI'S is still there and I keep meaning to stop in for old time's sake. Haven't been there in about thirty years or so.

STEVE'S PIER ONE has that nice setting but I never hear too much about the food. Seems what I hear is you go for the view.

Never had the pleasure of dining at the VIENNESE COACH. I always heard excellent food, never anything bad.



Thanks for that reminder of the Linden Tree. I may very well have never remembered it again and I do like to reminisce.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony Bad

quote:

Originally posted by Scott_R

Anyone know when Flo's Luncheonette in Blue Point opens? Their website doesn't say anything about the spring opening. (Geez, what's the point of having a web site if it basically has no information?)

<http://www.flosbluepoint.com/>

Flo's opened on Thursday, but I just noticed it today. Burgers are great as ever. I had my fist try of their chili...and found it a bit more spicy then I like. Also had beans, which I know is an issue for some.

Summer is officially here!

By the way...after several visits this summer I noticed the sign that says this is Flo's 80th year of business. That is a pretty good run. Hope they have 80 more. It is really a fun place for summer!

Anyone notice the BBQ explosion on Long Island?

Hog House in Huntington (Jericho Turnpike)
Smokin' Al's in Bayshore
Tennessee Jack's in E. Islip
Red Smoke Southern Style BBQ in Brookhaven
Bobbique in Patchogue
Farmer Bar - Cutchogue Barbecue Co.
Smokehouse Grill in Sayville

I've only been to the first three. Anyone here been to the others? Any I missed listing?

quote:

Originally posted by Scott_R

Anyone notice the BBQ explosion on Long Island?

Hog House in Huntington (Jericho Turnpike)
Smokin' Al's in Bayshore
Tennessee Jack's in E. Islip
Red Smoke Southern Style BBQ in Brookhaven
Bobbique in Patchogue
Farmer Bar - Cutchogue Barbecue Co.
Smokehouse Grill in Sayville

I've only been to the first three. Anyone here been to the others? Any I missed listing?

There are 2 chain BBQ places, Smokey Bones (Ronkonkoma) & Famous Daves (Smithtown & Roosevelt Field). There's also a place called Jackson's in Commack at 6005 Jericho that's popular (haven't been there myself) and there's Eldorado in Centereach & Port Jeff. Also there's Spicy's in Bellport and Riverhead and Turtle Crossing in E Hampton. So far I've liked Smokin Al's the best.

Fearns - the prototypical Fern Bar - even during my imitation hippie incarnation it was way too cool. My Father's Place was a great place - I played there too...when it was a bowling alley. We were lucky to have a place like that closeby, but far too many shows by the likes of Jim Croce and not enough by Springsteen (who probably only played it 'cause a local kid - Mike Appel - was his manager at the time).
For food at the budget I had back then - same age as you - we were more likely to be at Wetsons or the ice cream store on Old Northern Blvd right in the middle of Roslyn - was it called Nassau Ice Cream and was it really a local blend? I think I remember their butter crunch or something like that being real good.
I return to that part of LI to visit my mom, but can't find anyplace decent in the Glen Head/Roslyn area that is not overpriced and over-the-top trendy. Any recommendations?