Ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic it might seem like years since the last time you dined in for a three-course prix fixe dinner.
Aware of the concerns that come with indoor dining these days, the operators of Long Island Restaurant Week continue to tinker with how their specials work.
On Sunday, they’ll introduce the winter “Long Island Restaurant Take Out Week,” as an alternative to the program that has been offered in the past. Most restaurants will still offer dine-in specials and the three-course prix fixe is still available at many spots. But the menus now vary more from place to place, with three different price points ($25, $35 and $42) and an emphasis on takeout.
The northforker team scanned the list of participating restaurants, the price points and menus (where available) and we’re offering up our picks for where to dine both on the North Fork and off of it when LI Restaurant Week gets underway this Sunday, Jan. 24 and continues through Jan. 31.
ON THE NORTH FORK
The Preston House and Hotel, Riverhead ($35)
A high quality Riverhead restaurant offering up three courses for $35, The Preston House is one of those Restaurant Week spots where you can really maximize your value — eating an upscale meal at a discount price in a beautiful setting. While there are a handful of add-on options, we’ll keep it simple and order kimchi ramen noodles with crispy pork belly and a soft egg to kick the evening off, followed by the potato crusted cod and a sorbet for dessert.
Farm Country Kitchen, Riverhead ($35)
Farm Country Kitchen, easily one of the best restaurants on the North Fork with an underrated view of the Peconic River, is offering an appetizer, main course and dessert for $35. You also have the option of upgrading for lamb, filet mignon or other options. Our $35 pick for them would be to go with the baked clams appetizer, hanger steak and apple cobbler.
Cooperage Inn, Baiting Hollow and Jamesport Manor Inn, Jamesport ($35)
The Cooperage Inn has been around for decades and offers a casual American-style restaurant in a grand setting perfectly set up for indoor dining these days given how spacious the building is. The Jamesport Manor Inn is maybe a little bit more upscale given its setting in a historic manor, but it’s also very accessible. While the Restaurant Week menu wasn’t yet available for either place as of the posting of this article, we can say both spots have routinely been picks for us because the menus always offer a little something different for everyone in your party.
OFF THE FORK
Orto, Miller Place ($25)
This North Country Road Italian gem is the steal of restaurant week at $25 for three delicious courses. Its close proximity to Cedar Beach, the Miller Place duck ponds or the great Heritage Park in Mount Sinai makes it ideal for a meal to go. We love their meatballs over polenta as a starter, followed by the eggplant parmigiana and vanilla bean New York style cheesecake. Orto is a must if you’re venturing off the fork this week.
Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern, Stony Brook ($35)
Mirabelle, the great white table cloth restaurant in an English tavern-style setting at the historic Three Village Inn, is offering three courses for $35 with both a dine-in and a takeout option. This is an excellent spot to do takeout for an early meal since it’s in such close proximity to the woefully underrated Avalon Nature Preserve, where you can sit by the pond and have a picnic, followed by a hike through the hilly preserve. For a picnic we’ll recommend the cheese board, veggie burger and the ginger almond tart for dessert.
Calissa, Water Mill ($35/$42)
The difference between price points at this Mediterranean spot comes down to whether or not you want to try one of their salads along with the appetizer, entree and side you get at either price point. We say, ‘Why not?’ Order up some hummus, a tomato Greek salad, lamb souvlaki platter and some of their leek rice for a delicious restaurant week meal on the South Fork. It’s a great time to visit the Hamptons without much traffic, so bundle up and leave time for an ocean beach walk to work up an appetite.
