Aura Coastal Mediterranean opens in Island Park

Aura is a vibe. The Mediterranean restaurant has been drawing crowds in Island Park since it opened in August. On weekends, you may have to settle for the bar as reservations can be hard to come by. 

The lively spot took the place of Pearl, which closed late last year. The large warehouse-like space had been sitting empty for months when childhood friends Sam Gormezano and Nicola Scarcella decided it was the perfect place to open a Mediterranean seafood concept. The two grew up together on the South Shore. Gormezano is an entrepreneur, while Scarcella is the chef and owner of Da Nicola Italian restaurant in Hewlett. 

"It's close to our homes, close to other restaurants and we know the area very well," Gormezano said.

Renovations have made the space more contemporary. Despite the white tablecloths, Aura feels like a crowd-pleasing restaurant with a clubby atmosphere. The dishes from Scarcella and executive chef Ryan Fox, formerly of Small Batch in Garden City, are well-executed. Zucchini chips ($24) are sliced paper-thin and fried in tempura batter in a similar style to the iconic dish at Limani in Roslyn. Light and snackable, they disappear fast. 

Although the marinade is a touch sweet, the Aura salad ($21) gives fresh cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes a proper showcase, as they tango with cubes of bright, briny feta. Fish is flown in daily from Europe, but there's also local-ish halibut from the East Coast, paired here with clams and bits of smoked chorizo in an oily tomato sauce. The perfectly cooked filet is fantastic, flavorful and flaky to the fork. Pastas like the squid ink linguine ($37) also hit high marks with an array of plump seafoods (clams, shrimp, calamari) and crunchy panko bread crumbs. 

"We wanted the young people to feel that they’re in a nightclub, not a nightclub but a place with an upbeat vibe," Gormezano said. "You can socialize, and move around with the music and the vibe. The older people can feel young again and lively." 

Aura Coastal Mediterranean, 4338 Austin Blvd., Island Park, 516-208-7535, auraeats.com. Open 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 4-9 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays.

By Andi Berlin

andi.berlin@newsday.comAndiBerlin

Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.