Review: Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails in Wantagh
The small plates menu at Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails in Wantagh changes seasonally. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Chris Perrotta and Frank Ubriaco’s eight-year-old eatery has become a standard-bearer for modern dining on Long Island, more akin to a neighborhood gem you’d find in a cool world city; albeit one that the locals want to keep for themselves.
The dark, moody dining room is a cross between an experimental cocktail bar and a pub, serving an elevated dining experience that relies on seasonal ingredients, housemade pasta and excellent beverages.
Only 25¢ for 5 months
Chris Perrotta and Frank Ubriaco’s eight-year-old eatery has become a standard-bearer for modern dining on Long Island, more akin to a neighborhood gem you’d find in a cool world city; albeit one that the locals want to keep for themselves.
The dark, moody dining room is a cross between an experimental cocktail bar and a pub, serving an elevated dining experience that relies on seasonal ingredients, housemade pasta and excellent beverages.
The brothers-in-law also own the excellent Rustic Root in Woodbury and Uncle Frank’s Pizza in Wantagh, but Blackbird remains the primary artist’s workshop of the self-taught Perrotta, who got his start in the restaurant business at Cafe Testarossa in Syosset.
Chef and co-owner Chris Perrotta's yellowfin tuna crudo at Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails in Wantagh. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
The menu changes seasonally but consider yourself lucky if you find zucchini crespelle, sweet corn agnolotti or jerk chicken with Carolina Gold rice and mild habanada pepper on offer. There’s a nice selection of vegetable-forward dishes like cucumbers with navel orange, spicy feta, and a snap of toasted breadcrumbs, plus an earthy Little Gem salad with Medjool dates, pecorino and toasted almonds. Montauk scallops are paired with local corn, sweet peppers and basil.
But do not miss Blackbird’s pastas. Recent highlights include vegetable risotto with black truffles and rigatoni with broccoli rabe, sausage, garlic and Calabrian chili. Always on the menu: Spaghetti cacio e pepe, dry-aged strip steak and a superb Cheddar burger with fries every bit its equal.
Intuitive, layered cocktails have long been a hallmark — particularly strong is the Davy Crochet made with mezcal, tequila, lime, citrus syrup, honey, tiki bitters and seltzer. The roster of old-fashioneds is worth working through, visit by visit.
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