"Sophisticated but not stuffy", this "nifty Huntington haunt" delivers "first-class" Italian fare with a few "snazzy" specials, presented by an "excellent" staff; "spacious surroundings" with French doors add to the upscale ambiance, making it sought out for "special occasions."
"Unique combinations" of "rigorously seasonal" ingredients, complemented by an "inspired wine list" appeal to "sophisticated palates" at this stalwart Huntington Italian; the staff is "cooperative" and "genial", and the new marble and mahogany bar lends a polished note to the room, adding up to a "top bet" for "special occasions."
Besotted backers “get excited just thinking about dining” at this “consistently excellent” Huntington “favorite”, where the “creative” Northern Italian cuisine that “changes with the seasons”, “an inspired wine list” and a “gracious” staff combine to “make it a winner”; the setting’s “sophisticated”, and while the fare may be “somewhat conservative” compared to “newbies” nearby, most respondents “love” it; N.B. a post-Survey redo added a 30-ft. granite bar.
All The Ingredients For A Perfect Meal
The Long Islander, June 15, 2006
When we first started our Foodie adventure about two months ago, we knew we were going to enjoy it. Sure it increased our time commitment required to put out the best paper we could for the community, but eating at great restaurants and writing about it – how bad can that be for two guys who love fine food? And so far, we’ve had the pick of some great dining places in the food capital of Long Island . . .
MoreNewsday Sunday, April 13, 1997
By: Peter M.Gianotti
Jonathan's is the kind of restaurant that makes you feel certain there will be no crash on Wall Street. At least in Huntington. Steady and serene, it has become a mainstay downtown. The place is reliable and very good, these days for more Italianate cooking than the new American and Frenchified fare that typified the kitchen before.
The setting remains cozy and comfortable. The green tin ceiling and beige walls give the eatery a pleasantly old-fashioned appeal. There are moments when you seem safely removed from this decade.
That's part of the attraction at an establishment suitable for business lunches, a quiet dinner, or a family gathering day or night.
Keeping with the lighthearted approach, whimsical artwork pops from frames around the room, portraying canines and monkeys as chefs. Pots and pans are strategically positioned for overhead viewing. Gone is the gourmet shop that once took up the front of the building.
Mainly, Jonathan's is about comfort. You could be here for lunch or for dinner, weekday or weekend, and feel at ease. The staff is outgoing and accommodating, and patient whether you're here with a tense executive or a toddler.
Midday, the menu is casual and to the point. Begin with a soup, perhaps a fragrant and creamy carrot and ginger production. Or try a salad: chicken salad atop field greens, mesclun with goat cheese, grilled and marinated vegetables. All fine.
The vegetarian club sandwich is a playful winner, with zucchini, eggplant, a pesto spread and mozzarella on focaccia. A sirloin burger, also on focccia, balances it.
Pastas at lunch or dinner include excellent fischietti, akin to a marriage of rigatoni and cavatelli, with vegetables in a light red sauce; and rigatoni tossed with crab meat, tomatoes, and capers. Linguine with shrimp, tomatoes, basil, and zucchini has a tasty familiarity to it.
A goat-cheese raviolo on greens is a diverting evening appetizer. Raviolo filled with mushrooms and offered in a wild mushroom sauce are on the thick side. But these are preferable to the refrigerator-cold, layered vegetable tortino.
Jonathan's prepares an exceptional sauté of shrimp and baby artichokes, though the ingredients should be cited in reverse order. The sliced, slightly crisp artichokes are delectable and really define the dish.
A duet of crab cakes on greens is a respectable alternative. They're not that meaty, but the spicing is right. The grilled Portobello mushroom cap with an equally earthy mushroom ragu is another mellow starter...
Cioppino, the fish stew robustly associated with San Francisco, is given a local spin here, with generous cuts of finfish and assorted shellfish, in a savory, well-seasoned, red-tinted broth....
Herbaceous baby chicken seared "under a brick" exits the process juicy and lightly charred. The sautéed chicken breasts, with artichokes, mushrooms, and zucchini, is a milder entrée, but tender...
But the grilled Black Angus steak is exceptional, fibrous, and mineral-sweet, served with a mound of grand mashed potatoes. You'd be content to have beef such as this in your favorite steak house.
Jonathan's understands the value of a lively finale. The desserts are uniformly worthwhile. The pecan pie is the paradigm. Have it with a scoop of the house's rich gelati, either vanilla or banana.
Another scoop crowns the banana Napoleon, a delicate, three-layer construct with fruit replacing the traditional pastry cream. The thin apple tart merits some of the ice cream, too.
Another scoop crowns the banana Napoleon, a delicate, three-layer construct with fruit replacing the traditional pastry cream. The thin apple tart merits some of the ice cream, too.
Tirami su, which has been turned into a cliché elsewhere, is the archetype at this address: light and rich at the same time. And you'll be partial to the expert crème brulee.
The stock is rising at Jonathan's. Buy now.