French cuisine is one of the most sophisticated cuisines in the world, and is one that is very important to the New York City foodie scene. One place in particular that has this concept down pat is Aperitif Bistro Wine Bar, with two locations in Bayside and Rockville Centre, the latter being a mere 20 minutes outside of Manhattan. I went to the Rockville Centre location the other night, as I heard rave reviews about this and was pleasantly satisfied with the end result.
Aperitif Bistro not only has two locations themselves but they also have a fabulous sister restaurant that I reviewed a couple of years back called Sage Bistro Moderne, which is located in the heart of Woodbury out on Long Island. Seeing as that meal was an instant classic for us at Manhattan Digest, I had a feeling that Aperitif would do exactly the same. And it did that, and so much more for us.
The location itself is adorned in red velvet and Moroccan tiles, giving you the sense that you are in a different world than what the local area looks like. The colors itself also give it a very warm and inviting atmosphere, which is needed given how freaking cold the weather has been lately. It is also quite the spacious place, which is fantastic for larger parties and so much more.
Something they pride on is an extensive and fantastic wine menu and small plates for you and your friends to enjoy. The dinner menu runs the muck when it comes to what you can get, as they have some fabulous sections including pasta, sandwiches, salads and more. For starters, we recommend putting some kick into your flavor and getting the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with a side of blue cheese dressing. A simple concept that brings flavor and heat without overdoing it. If you love Foie Gras, I would recommend getting their version of it with Chicken Liver Mousse that is accompanied by red onion marmalade & toast points. Delicious indeed.
I have always been a big fondue fan, but never thought of finding a product like that in such a fancy establishment like Aperitif. Their version that they provided was their Camembert Fondue, with a side of bread and apple pieces for dipping. Camembert is a soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow’s milk cheese, so their is an incredibly quality to its preparation. It was the best part of the meal we had all night.
For their main courses, we would recommend their Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb with Potato and Roquefort Tart, Sauteed Spinach & Rosemary Au Jus as well as their Fricasee of Scallops & Shrimp with Sauteed Leeks and Butternut Squash Puree in a Truffle Cream Sauce. Both are the highlights when it comes to the surf and turf aspect of the menu, with the former’s combinations of flavors blending wonderfully together, and the latter marrying very well in terms of the puree and the cream sauce under the scallops and shrimp.
To end the meal, they have a wonderful array of delectable treats to finish this amazing meal with. To cleanse your palate, something simple as their variety of Sorbets can do the trick, but if you want to go a little bit more decadent we recommend their Crepe Suzette as it is simply divine.
For more information on both locations and other menu items, check out Aperitif’s official site.