Now that first semester has finally ended and winter break is in full swing, you must be wondering how to make the best use of all the time that you now have available. You could do absolutely nothing (which honestly doesn't sound too bad) or you could do something even better: take the train over to Long Island for the time of your life.
Long Island (LI) is essentially the elitist suburbs of New York City. Not only will you find a unique culture, a myriad of individuals from different backgrounds to interact with, and amazing parties at The Hamptons, but a food culture that is arguably in line with that of New York City. Me and my fellow foodies have set out to explore the LI area and all that it has to offer you. We chose to begin our adventures with a local gem in a small town called Woodbury: Rustic Root.
What is Rustic Root?
Rustic Root's success can in part be attributed to the world renowned chef, Thomas Gloster, who was a champion on the competitive Food Network show called Chopped. He decided to revolve the Rustic Root menu around simplicity and the utilization of local ingredients with creative twists. All of the ingredients that he uses are directly from local farms and brought to the tables of very satisfied customers. Yet, the success can also be attributed to the friendly staff who make sure all their customers feel welcome and content.
The Menu
What the menu lacks in terms of options it makes up for in bold and diverse flavors (but don't the best restaurants always have smaller menus?). My recommendation is to bring all of your friends along so you can get a taste of all the appetizers, entrées, and desserts that this establishment has to offer.
The first appetizer I recommend ordering is the mushroom flatbread with ricotta, organic egg, truffle, chive, and pecorino. The combination of the rich and creamy ingredients with the meaty truffles, refreshing greens, and sharp pecorino made for an amazing dish.
The second appetizer I would recommend ordering are the pierogi containing potatoes, local cheddar, herbs, and onion jam. While I usually prefer to steer away from these polish dumplings, the contrast of flavor between the cheddar and onion jam made for an interesting bite.
The next appetizer I believe everyone should try is the charred octopus dish containing garlic chips, chimichurri, tomato confit, and frisee. While I am not usually one for octopus, the combination of flavors from the salad nicely complemented the chicken-like taste of the tentacles.
The final appetizer I recommend ordering is the housemade bread with honey sea salt glaze and a side of garlic herb butter. The freshly made bread was on the sweeter side, but gained another dimension of flavor with the sea salt and butter.
Seeing as the appetizers themselves were so filling, I would decide on only one of the many amazing entrées. The gnocchi with stewed tomatoes, basil, and pecorino seemed like the best option to me because of my love for pasta. Although the ingredients are seemingly simple, the gnocchi, basil, and tomatoes were notably fresh and flavorful which truly elevated the dish.
The dessert menu changes fairly frequently, but one of the more constant items is the carrot cake jar with chocolate ganache, graham cracker, sea salt, and meringue. The only word that can be used to describe it is heavenly. The airiness, creaminess, and sweetness that is bottled up into this mason jar is all you can ever hope for in a dessert.
The last dessert I ordered and the perfect end to an amazing meal is the pecan pie with maple bacon ice cream and fresh whipped cream. I can honestly say that I have never tried an ice cream as authentically maple syrup as this one, and it perfectly aligned with the traditional flavors of the pecan pie beneath it.
Hop on the LIRR and head over to Long Island as soon as possible so you can try these amazing eats at Rustic Root. Keep an eye out for the upcoming food reviews of restaurants in Long Island so you can truly enrich your winter break experience!