70 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • AUGUST 2018
BEST OF THE WURSTS
OF BISTROS AND CLAM BARS
BY JEFF AND VERA WURST
Aperitif Bistro and Wine Bar in
Rockville Centre is owned by Peter
Oktas and Julio Velasquez, the same
owners as Sage Bistro in Bellmore,
Sage Bistro Moderne in Woodbury,
and another Aperitif in Bayside.
It stands out among fine restaurants.
The large venue has warm
red hues, a wraparound bar island
and an outdoor dining patio. It is not
uncommon to be treated to live music.
Here you’ll find assorted small
plates and entrees not found elsewhere.
The extensive wine list has
many modestly priced and some
rarities. The complimentary crispy
French bread is authentic. Jeff usually
asks for thirds.
Try mussels, a French bistro favorite,
as a small plate or an entrée.
Other bistro dishes are foie gras and
chicken liver mousse joined by red
onion marmalade and toast points,
steak tartare, Brie fondue with
apple pieces or bread for dipping,
escargots, tuna tartare, and French
onion soup.
The charcuterie plate
includes Roquefort,
truffle pecorino,
midnight
moon goat,
and Manchego cheeses. Accompanying
these can be saucisson sec,
prosciutto di Parma, duck rillettes,
duck prosciutto, dry cured chorizo,
chicken liver and foie gras mousse.
Pick three for $12, five for $18, or the
Aperitif board for $25.
Typical French main dishes include
the sole meuniere served with
julienne vegetables and potato puree;
coq au vin braised in red wine with
bacon, mushrooms, vegetables, and
mashed potatoes; canard served with
julienne vegetables and basmati rice,
and a boeuf Bourguignon with carrots,
bacon, mushrooms and mashed
potatoes.
We enjoy dining here because
with their small plates we can have
many different tastes at a reasonable
price. Our most recent visit was with
another couple so we maximized our
choices.
We started with well-executed tuna
tartare; authentic steak tartare; a
grilled shrimp tower with hearts of
palm, avocado, frisee, and a delicate
tang of citrus; grilled octopus with
chorizo, fingerling potatoes, and
cherry peppers; zucchini pancakes
served with a dill sauce; chopped
salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado,
pepper, onion and Romaine in
a lemon dressing; and a marinated
artichoke with arugula salad served
with a lemon truffle vinaigrette and
Parmesan cheese.
Naturally, for dessert, there’s
crème brulee, mousse, profiteroles,
soufflé, and crepe suzette, but we
prefer the apple tarte tatin. A cheese
plate is also available. Don’t forget
their specialty coffee.
Aperitif Bistro and Wine Bar,
242 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Centre,
516-594-3404.
Popei’s Clam Bar and Seafood
Restaurant has been family owned
and operated in Bethpage for 35 years
and remains a popular mainstay for
family dining, even on a weekday
evening.
Two pages of the menu list starters,
not including the homemade soups
on a third page. Another
two pages are for
specials -- one
with nightly specials and another
with specials for the evening. Entrees
are served with a salad and choice of
potato or linguini. The selections are
eclectic and extensive even though
the restaurant is billed as a clam bar
and seafood restaurant. Our grandson,
Matt, picked the venue because
he loves their chicken wings.
The meal starts with delicious
garlic bread, a marriage of olive oil,
butter, garlic and paprika, made
fresh daily. All wines can be had by
the glass or the bottle. The reasonable
bottle prices range from $28 to $47.
We kicked off the meal with appetizers
of fresh seafood fried, steamed,
baked, Thai style, on the half shell,
peel and eat. For mains, we shared
baked ravioli, shrimp topped with
mozzarella, a lobster and shrimp
fettuccine in an alfredo sauce, chicken
Parmesan, and blackened sea bass
served over spinach ($27.99). All fish
can be prepared blackened, Cajun,
broiled or Mediterranean. Zucchini
linguini or gluten-free pasta is also
offered instead of starch.
Desserts include an apple pie that
is billed as Granny Jo’s Apple Pie. You
can also find cheesecake, cannoli,
chocolate lava cake, and carrot cake.
Our granddaughters selected the Nestle’s
Toll House cookie topped with ice
cream and whipped cream and Mighty
Rob’s waffle sundae for two.
Popei’s is a fun place to go for dinner
with the family and it won’t
break the bank.
Popei’s Clam Bar is located
at 384 North Wantagh
Ave., Bethpage. They can
be reached at popeisbethpage.
com or 516-822-9169.
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
lipressfood@gmail.com.
PRESS BUZZ: MAIN DISH
Popei’s shrimp, calamari and bay
scallops with spinach over zucchini
linguini.
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