By: Marcia Abramson
In fact my grandson Bradley was able to get autographs on his big yellow tennis ball at the Hamlet matches a little easier than at the Flushing Open. It was interesting to see how the week of professional tennis could meld with the upscale residential community.
I was eager to see the new Hamlet on Olde Oyster Bay in Plainview just off Exit 48 on the Long Island Expressway even without the tennis matches. At the end of the ramp at the light, I made a left onto Round Swamp Road, and went under the Route 495 overpass, then made another left onto
the North Service Road to the first traffic light. After driving for another 1/10 mile and a right, I was at the Hamlet looking forward to dinner at the Areca Restaurant, the major attraction at this Hamlet for me. Reservations (516-692-9700) are a must to enter this exclusive residential resort community where the Areca is located. My ID was carefully checked and I was given a special card to show to the valet which had to be turned in when I left the restaurant.
After this clearance, I was directed to a gorgeous building, the club house, which featured a 3 story-high open atrium with waving palm trees overlooking a five-acre private lake. It is indeed an impressive setting for a fine restaurant. The tables were set with Frette linens, Christofle silver, and fine Rosenthal white china. The young wait staff was very attentive and knowledgeable as to the menu selections. They reflected the excellent training under the leadership of the Executive Chef, Matthew Lake, who was named one of the Best New Chefs a few years ago by Food & Wine Magazine, and Judy Schmidtt, a Top Ten Pastry Chef of 2001.
I found the prices of appetizers from $7-$16 and entrees from $21-$29 in line with the decor and quality of the food.
For our First Dinner Choice, my dinner companion Jill had a large portion of the Areca Shrimp cocktail, served with Areca cocktail sauce and herbed lavosh for $12, served well chilled. I had the Asparagus and Arugula salad for $10, served with shaved Sonoma dry jack, rocket pesto and white truffle oil which I found very tasty. For our Entrees Jill had a generous portion of seared rare tuna, described as local line-caught tuna, grilled shiitake mushrooms, leeks, pine nuts and dill for $26. I chose the maple grilled lamb loin chops with potato, smoked tomato & English pea hash with merlot reduction for $29. The Entree choices were overwhelming and included a Thai Bouillabaisse with shrimp Maine lobster, diver scallops and blue-black mussels in a curried coconut broth at $28; Duck, Three Ways: Crescent Farms duck breast, seared foie gras and lemon grass confit with French beans and citrus jus for $29; Roasted Young Chicken with Preserved Lemons, served with haystack potatoes, chanterelle mushrooms, and creamed spinach at $22.
Some of the Dinner Desserts were to die for. The warm chocolate turtle tart with toffee crunch ice cream, the strawberry passion baked Alaska with a strawberry compote and the cappuccino souffle with cinnamon ice cream and a pistachio biscotti were just a few of the pastry chef
