L'Etoile French restaurant opens in Oyster Bay
Ribeye with au poivre sauce and frites, lobster salad in the background at L' Etoile, a new French restaurant in Oyster Bay. Credit: Newsday/Marie Elena Martinez
Joining Jesse Schenker’s Provisions Market in Oyster Bay’s historic Snouder Building, is Stellina Hospitality’s latest restaurant concept, right next door. A bright French spot serving a hit list of classics and a vast, impressive all-French wine list, L’Etoile means "the star" in French.
With seating for about 80, L’Etoile is a departure for the Oyster Bay-based Milana family, who own the Italian-themed Stellina Ristorante, Stellina Bakery in Oyster Bay, and Casa Stellina in Farmingdale, as well as wine bar The Audrey. But when Tim Lee, who purchased the iconic location about five years ago, "originally showed us the space, he told us that he had always envisioned a French restaurant, and we took this as an opportunity to expand our horizons,” explained Sabrina Milana, Stellina's director of operations. Fabrizio Facchini, Stellina’s chef, “had a menu for us within 24 hours,” working with L’Etoile’s now-chef, Bryan Dedcovich, to conceive of the restaurant’s approachable, perfectly cooked French fare, of which there is way too little on Long Island.
The menu clearly highlights various bistro categories, with bold French headers like “Chaud” and "Froid" — hot and cold starters including an indulgent endive gratin, layered with béchamel and ham ($26), garlicky escargot ($22), colorful, lean tuna tartare served mille-feuille-style ($28) and cold lobster salad, tail fanned beautifully over perfectly ripe avocado and slightly less ripe mango ($32). There are “Les Moules Frites,” mussels and fries ($32) that range in simmering sauce (from white wine, leek and cream to tomato pepper and red wine) to “Les Viandes,” well-executed meat and steaks like a succulent rib eye ($85), served with choice of accompaniment (ours, the peppery au poivre). There is La Belle Farms’ duck from upstate New York, a leg and a breast, prepared with orange, honey, pink peppercorn and thyme ($45), a signature burger ($28), and a daily fish special — branzino, on our visit — in addition to a traditional salmon en papillote with tarragon sauce ($32).
Add to that cold seafood towers and various French vegetables like ratatouille, four kinds of potatoes from frites to puree (a la famed French chef Jöel Robuchon, loaded with butter, which they make in-house), plus complimentary truffle butter and bread. If you’re one for theatrics, the Wagyu steak tartare appetizer and crepe Suzette-style dessert, are prepared on a table side cart. And, of course, there is French onion soup, here topped with a flaky layer of puff pastry sealing in the cheesy aroma of French bistro dining.
The extensive all-French wine list is substantial in regionality — from Rhone to Burgundy to Bordeaux, and priced from a $65 Beaujolais to $1,980 for a 2018 Château Margaux. “For us,” explained Milana, the wine "is just as important as the food. We spent weeks curating the perfect French wine list, and despite the tariffs, this is something we will not compromise on.” Nothing at L'Etoile feels compromised, as a matter of fact, the full house on opening night looks promising.
Snouder’s, which opened in 1884, was Oyster Bay’s longest continuously run business. Since closing in 2010, preservationists have fought to save the historic structure, and after renovation, still retains some of the original Snouder’s wood framing. The Snouder's logo, written in green letters on the outside of the building, also remains.
L’Etoile, 108 South St., Oyster Bay, 516-730-8088, letoileny.com; Open Wednesday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
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