ABEL CONKLIN’S was reviewed in this newspaper 20 years ago; it was my first column, on Jan. 4, 1987. Both restaurant and reviewer have seen myriad changes in Long Island dining in the ensuing years; restaurants, like everything else, are subject to trends.
Twenty years ago the North Fork was a place for marinated steaks and casual seafood spots. The South Fork was far from the fine-dining Mecca it has become; the American Hotel in Sag Harbor and Mirko’s in Water Mill were the stalwarts in those days.
Then, as now, Italian was the Island's favorite cuisine, but Italian meant something different then on the fine-dining scene. Many of the top restaurants called themselves northern Italian and served Continental fare: gentrified Italian, featuring fussy dishes like veal saltimbocca, with some French flourishes like escargots and chateaubriand. Nowadays there is a regional emphasis, and restaurants are apt to be not just Italian but Tuscan or Venetian.
German restaurants were much more popular in 1987. Lindenhurst was a hotbed of German places, including Georgia's and Schrader’s. Today it has none, and there are only about a dozen left on the Island.
Mirabelle in Saint James, the Island's premier French restaurant, was popular 20 years ago, but casual French bistros have proliferated since then. Even Mirabelle has now instituted an upscale bistro menu as an addendum to its regular offerings.
Among Asian restaurants, Chinese was the prevailing cuisine. There were only a handful of Japanese spots, and Thai food was considered exotic. Homer Lee was riding high with his chain of Homer’s restaurants, which disappeared a few years later. Today, fusion and Pan-Asian newcomers grab the headlines. The opening of a strictly Chinese restaurant is almost unheard of; you'll see a sushi bar stuck in a corner.
Twenty years ago, the latest trend in American restaurants was California cuisine. After a few years, it was followed by places offering homey comfort food like meatloaf and mashed potatoes. American restaurants today are a different, more sophisticated breed. Maxxel's in Mineola showcases diversity, with a variety of national cuisines represented on its menu. Prime in Huntington calls itself “an American Kitchen and Bar” and features deftly prepared fish, chops and steaks.
When Abel Conklin's was young, steakhouses were not numerous. Bryant & Cooper in Roslyn opened the same year, 1986. Peter Luger had been in Great Neck since 1959. Today Abel Conklin's has a lot more competition from the likes of Tellers in Islip, Mac's in Huntington, Blackstone in Melville, Rothmann's in East Norwich and Sagamore in Syosset.
Judged on its prime, aged porterhouse (for one, two, three or four at $35 a person), it ranks with the best of them. We also gave high marks to the filet mignon, the marinated rib-eye steak, the thick loin lamb chops and a special of marinated chicken breasts with mushrooms and onions in bourbon sauce. But the prime rib was tough, and the veal chop was not so impressive.
In 1987, Abel Conklin's steaks were à la carte. Today they come with a choice of two sides. Standouts were the lush creamed spinach and the stir-fried vegetables, a mix of red cabbage, baby corn, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms and water chestnuts, which was also a hit in 1987.
Abel Conklin's is still an inviting, popular place, with a warm atmosphere created by dark wood paneling, hunt prints, a fireplace and comfortable leather booths.
All the salads sparkle, especially the exemplary Caesar, the iceberg wedge with chunky blue-cheese dressing and the Norwegian salad of sweet and sour cucumbers.
The appetizers that take top honors are the classic escargots served with toast points and a special of crunchy Thailand shrimp toast. Skip the shrimp cocktail, which is mealy and tough.
Most of the desserts are made elsewhere and are standard fare, except for a flourless chocolate cake frosted with whipped cream, which is made in house. It’s a keeper, as is Abel Conklin's itself.
Abel Conklin's
54 New Street
Huntington
(631) 385-1919
www.abelconklins.com
VERY GOOD
THE SPACE Warm, woody steakhouse in a charming building dating from 1841. Wheelchair accessible inside; two steps on the sidewalk outside.
THE CROWD Noisy and spirited, with large groups of men on weeknights and big family groups on weekends.
THE BAR Cozy and crowded with a popular happy hour (4 to 7 p.m. weekdays), with free food. A wine list of around 50 bottles ranges from $25 to $150, with many choices in the $20s and $30s. Wines by the glass, $8.25 to $9.75.
THE BILL Three-course lunch (includes coffee), $13 to $26. Dinner entrees, $10 for a club sandwich to $47 for twin lobster tails. Most entrees are in the $20s and low $30s. (Discover card not accepted.)
WHAT WE LIKE Escargots, Thailand shrimp toast, Caesar salad, iceberg wedge, Norwegian cucumber salad; Porterhouse steak, filet mignon, marinated rib-eye, lamb chops, Bourbon Street chicken; creamed spinach, stir-fried mixed vegetables; flourless chocolate cake.
IF YOU GO Open for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, till 11 p.m. Friday; for dinner only, 4:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Reservations are recommended.
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2007
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