Michael Rizzi has owned the Pine Grove Inn since 2001 and since that time he has led his family and staff in taking the restaurant to the next level. From catering events to holiday dinners to Octoberfest, they do it all.“We’re really proud to have something for everyone, especially German and lighter fare,” said Rizzi. “We have wine dinners and psychic nights, and we have more of a family friendly kind of thing.” Michael Rizzi and his staff will accommodate different tastes and are willing to make something that’s not on the menu- all you have to do is ask.
Executive chef Robbie Rizzi creates traditional German dishes like the Pine Grove Inn’s award-winning roastbraten and sauerbraten along with sandwiches, burgers, and seafood dishes. The Rizzis take pride in the fact that they use locally grown produce and utilize local businesses for all of their needs, from electricity to foodservice. The organic greens are from Deer Run Farms in Brookhaven, and the seafood is all locally caught.
Patrick and I sampled the eggplant rollatini and the fried soft shell crab appetizers. The fried soft shell crab is only in season for another week, so hurry up and try it! It was crisp and went well with the mashed potatoes and tartar sauce. The eggplant rollatini was also a delightful appetizer. Our main courses, however, were beyond our expectations. I had the sesame-crusted tuna on rice pilaf, an eclectic dish with a pleasing balance of sweet and savory. The homemade wasabi added a huge kick to the tuna and added to the overall effect. Patrick had the tenderloin of beef stroganoff, which he described as “just perfect, the sauce was rich and flavorful.” Dessert was Kahlua coffees, which were absolutely delightful with German rock candy sticks – a nice, sweet touch!
Speaking of which, for all of the beer aficionados out there, take note: the Pine Grove Inn offers a menu of German, Belgian, and local brews. Not into beer? Dana, the bartender, can whip up one of the Pine Grove Inn’s specialty drinks like the Perfect Cosmopolitan or the Concord Grape Martini, made with fresh grapes. There is also a complete wine list with premium wines sold by the glass as well as by the bottle. According to Michael, Dana makes the best cocktails, so you should definitely come on down.
Check out their Octoberfest, which will continue through the month of (duh!) October. The Pine Grove Inn also offers a Sunday brunch buffet for $25.99 as well as a three course prix fixe dinner for $24.95. Happy hour is from 12-6pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with a complimentary buffet at the bar on Fridays from 4-7 pm. They cater events, large and small, and they also have live music on Friday nights and Saturday nights. Bottom line: the Pine Grove Inn truly offers “something for everyone”.
The Pine Grove Inn is located at #1 First Street in Patchogue. For more info, visit www.pinegroveinn.com or call (631) 286-9843.
I love Pine Grove Inn. My parents took me there on New Year's Eve one year, it was quite the treat! A bit out of my price range, but I'd love to go there again whenever I make my way back to L.I.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were such a foodie Jessie! Awesome :)
Rob and I went there last night for New Years Eve!! The food was amazing. Before we ordered, I watched a caramel colored beer being served to someone in a shallow goblet class, garnished with an orange-I knew that's what I wanted to drink, which is a relief, because such decisions can usually take me a while. It turns out it was a German beer called Berliner-Weisse. It was honestly one of the most interesting beers I've ever tasted, and I have tasted many fine beers as I love Belgian Trappist ales. The Berliner-Weisse had a sweet tang to it, balanced by a maltiness with notes of caramel and clove. For an appetizer, I ordered the "Colossal Lump Crabmeat Cocktail drizzled with Meyer Lemon juice". They gave a very generous helping of fresh crab, and it was mixed with fresh diced vegetables-like you see in a ceviche-and served on a bed of fresh spring greens. I highly recommend it. I had the Filet Mignon for dinner, and it was cooked perfectly (medium-rare), and practically melted in my mouth. It was served in a merlot reduction sauce with fresh mushrooms, alongside creamy mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. Rob went with traditional German fare, and he said his latkes and Wiener-Schnitzel were beyond excellent. The few bites I had of his meal have me craving more. We were too full for dessert, but we ended up taking two slices of the German Cream Cake home with us. It was so delicious, it didn't last as long as we thought before we ate it all! Michael intermittently served our table, asking how everything was and lighting our table side candle; he was jovially mentioning how he loved my beer selection. The entertainment was downright hilarious, but it was a lot of fun in the midst of dinner. They had this cheerful man in a black suit with a head of thick black hair singing and simultaneously roaming the restaurant, with his microphone in hand. He was belting out Elvis, Sinatra, and a lot of Neil Diamond-because that's what he was actually very good at singing authentically and those were the songs I enjoyed the most. Other people did too, because a whole section of the restaurant got into singing his rendition of "Sweet Caroline" with much gusto! He was very in tune with the crowd, particularly a group of older ladies who were sitting in front of us, whom he would intermittently return to crooning with obvious heart - and they loved it. So, that's my very impromptu New Years review. :) Looking forward to returning there, and enjoying more Berliner-Weisse and great food with awesome company.
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