78 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MARCH 2019
1221 AT MFP
ROSLYN’S NEW TREASURE
By JEFF and VERA WURST
It’s exciting to find top caliber new
restaurants opening on Long Island.
We discovered 1221 at MFP in the
elegant Roslyn Hotel. MFP is a nod
to My Father’s Place, the recently
rebooted legendary music venue in
the same hotel.
The chef, Tomoyuki (Tomo) Kobayashi,
started working in a kitchen in his native
Japan when he was 8 years old. By
16, he was working in a French kitchen
in Osaka. He came to the U.S. in 1988,
working in kitchens in Philadelphia
and in New York City with Christian
Delouvrier at Lespinasse.
His reputation then grew as he
worked with Gabriel Kreuther of
The Modern fame and Alain Ducasse
at the Essex House. His base of Japanese,
French, and American cuisines
brought him to become a mentor to
Executive Chef Noriyuki Sugie at
Asiate at Mandarin Oriental. In
2007, Tomo came to LI and opened
Toku Modern Asian Restaurant, his
own restaurant on the Miracle Mile,
under the Poll Restaurant Group.
Two years ago, he became the executive
chef for Louie’s Grill in Port
Washington.
He is the first Japanese chef to receive
the coveted Academic Culinaire de
France Diplome. Now patrons can enjoy
Tomo’s superb menu at 1221 at MFP.
The atmosphere at 1221 is pretty, and
new and clean, neat and pleasant,
stylish and subdued, with soft hues
and tables spread out. The restaurant
seats about 80 with more seating at
the bar area. The service is polished
and impeccable.
Guests will be seated and given a
warm towel before starting the
meal. The menu is designed so one
can determine in what order the food
should be served. A prix-fixe menu is
also available. Don’t expect the usual
green salad, spaghetti, or hamburger!
The wines are from small producers
and brought in by a small import
company in New York. The restaurant
serves wine by the glass from
one of the largest organic wine selections
on Long Island.
Tomo marries flavors from purveyors
around the world, blending the
products from his vendors. The meal
started with a gift from the chef of
crème fraiche with haricot vert,
almond and a peach puree.
Yellowfin tuna crudo had a Japanese
influence, served with wasabi avocado
mousse, and for a crisp texture,
smoked sesame seeds and quinoa,
garnished with watercress.
The chicken broth sang with a dumpling
of chicken, lemon grass, parsley
and fresh herbs, baby bok choy, watercress,
and a touch of chilies.
An attractive colorful plate of octopus
was served with Peruvian teardrop
peppers with an impressive tomato-like
taste, distinctive arugula, sweet and
sour ponzu, and tarragon aoli.
The black sea bass was pan seared
giving it a crisp skin, and served
with Savoy cabbage and leeks in a
spicy miso broth. The fish and the
mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and
greens stood out and were not soggy
in the broth. And what a bouquet as
it was brought to the table!
The steak bavette, the “butcher’s best
kept secret,” is a cut that is an extension
of the T-bone and porterhouse
on the short loin. Tomo served this
with chimichurri sauce and a salad
simply dressed with olive oil and salt
and pepper.
Dessert was a coconut soup with
mango, Japanese peach, candied
nuts, sweet beans, and matcha panna
cotta and coconut sorbet. The flourless
chocolate cake was served with
vanilla gelato and garnished with a
dehydrated pineapple. Each was a
great ending for the palate.
We enjoyed an excellent meal with
nuances in the creations which are
married with a diversity of cultures
and techniques.
1221 at MFP is located at 1221 Old
Northern Blvd. in Roslyn. It can be
reached at 516-583-9803 or 1221li.
com. Open for dinner Tuesday
through Sunday from 5 p.m. Appetizers
(called One and Two) $11-$22;
Entrees (called Three) $21-$42; Prix
Fixe $42.50, Happy Hour (Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday)
$5-$12.
Jeff is a practicing attorney. Vera is
a retired schoolteacher. Both love
Long Island food and wine and are
delighted to share their discoveries
with you. Contact them via BestOfTheWurstsReviews@
gmail.com.
BEST OF THE WURSTS
Yellowfin tuna crudo, with wasabi
avocado mousse, smoked sesame
seeds, quinoa and watercress.
An opening present from the chef: creme fraiche with haricot vert,
Lamont and peach puree
Octopus with Peruvian teardrop
peppers and arugula with sweet
and sour ponzu and tarragon aioli.
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