APRIL 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 71
CHEF MICHAEL MEEHAN
MAKING CULINARY MUSIC
BY ALAN KRAWITZ
Award-winning Long Island chef and
musician Michael Meehan must be a
big believer in the theory of inertia
that states that objects in motion
tends to stay in motion.
Meehan, 60, is the chef/partner at
farm-to-table restaurant River Road
American Bistro in Oyster Bay, a chef/
partner at barbecue restaurant Radio
Radio in downtown Huntington and
also chef at neighboring Vauxhall,
also in Huntington, which Meehan
describes as a Brooklyn-style, punk
rock burger bar.
“Three years ago,” Meehan says,
“I connected with the partners of
Vauxhall and we developed the two
restaurant concepts now next to each
other in Huntington.”
And, as if that wasn’t enough, he
somehow finds time “at least once
each month” to play local gigs with
his band the Lucky Ones, described
as alt-country and roots rock. Critics
have compared Meehan’s music to
that of Warren Zevon — not exactly
shabby company.
They’ve played at venues such as the
Founder's Room at the Paramount
and Rockwood Music Hall in NYC
as well as festivals including Huntington
Fall Fest and an upcoming
appearance at The Sayville Summer
Fest this August.
But first and foremost is Meehan's
stellar 30-plus year career in the
restaurant business, highlighted by
not only his current three venues but
also his past involvement running
unique and upscale spots including
Mill River Inn (on the current site
of River Road), Tupelo Honey in Sea
Cliff, Veritage in Rockville Centre,
and Clearwater in Massapequa.
Meehan’s glowing reviews include
being called “one of the region’s super
chefs” by The New York Times’
Joanne Starkey and a “stellar chef” by
Newsday’s Peter Gianotti. He was also
named a Rising Star Chef by the James
Beard Foundation.
He has worked with a handful of other
restaurants including Coyote Grill
in Island Park, Lori in Southampton,
and H20 Seafood Grill in Smithtown.
Born in El Paso, Texas, Meehan grew
up on Long Island before honing
his culinary craft in California and
Alaska.
He humbly recalls having learned
to cook "in the field," after traveling
in his 20s, working in Lake Tahoe’s
Northstar Resort, while making
his way through the ranks first as a
dishwasher and then finally to a cook.
Meehan recalls cooking and training
in Manhattan before opening Mill
River Inn in Oyster Bay and then later
Tupelo Honey in Sea Cliff, earning
three stars from The Times.
He adds that he was very influenced
by his travels in the south, particularly
North Carolina and Nashville,
which makes sense when he describes
the fare at Radio Radio
to be more influenced by
Nashville (fried green tomatoes,
chicken biscuits,
shrimp and grits) and
Memphis (dry-rubbed
smoked BBQ).”
Meehan explains that
Vauxhall’s owners
(including himself)
are all musicians
who have played
in bands and
toured, with the
name Vauxhall owing to a Morrissey
album.
Signature dishes include a new Cubano
Burger with smoked pulled pork,
ham, creole mustard and pickles, and
a lobster pretzel roll.
Radio Radio, named after an Elvis
Costello song, is what Meehan calls a
Southern-New American bistro with
smoked meats
a s well
as vegan
offerings.
T y pi c a l
d i s h e s
i n c lu d e
N a s h -
ville-style
hot chicken
with creamy
slaw and
bread and
butter
pickles and bistro salad with dried
peaches, candied pecans, goat cheese,
and sherry mustard dressing.
At River Road, one might encounter
seasonal Long Island seafood such as
char-grilled Pine Island oysters with
tomato absinthe butter or local sea bass
with wheat berries, roast vegetables
and carrot-yuzu broth as well as local
beverages and products from Brooklyn
to Montauk.
Meehan, who seems to have little
downtime, says he currently splits
time between his two restaurants in
Huntington and River Road in Oyster
Bay.
He adds, “But we are working on spring
menu changes for Vauxhall and Radio
Radio, so I will be there a lot more starting
in April.”
River Road American Bistro, Oyster
Bay, 160 Mill River Rd., Oyster Bay,
516-802-5661, riverroadoysterbay.com
Vauxhall, 26 Clinton Ave.,
Huntington, 631-425-0222,
vauxhallhuntington.com
Radio Radio, 24 Clinton Ave.,
Huntington, 631-923-2622,
radioradiohuntington.com
MAIN DISH
Chef Michael Meehan
puts the same energy
into cooking great food
as he does making
music with
his band.
“Meehan is the chef/partner at farm-to-table
restaurant River Road American Bistro in Oyster
Bay, a chef/partner at barbecue restaurant
Radio Radio in downtown Huntington and also
chef at neighboring Vauxhall, also in Huntington,
which Meehan describes as a Brooklyn-style,
punk rock burger bar.”
/vauxhallhuntington.com
/riverroadoysterbay.com
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/radioradiohuntington.com
