These I crave, you have the answer!

October 24, 2011 11:36 PM

Long Island Filter: I'm looking for the names of 3 food joints - An Italian restaurant just before the Northern State Pkwy on Willis Avenue back in the 80's, The name of the bagel place that was just next door on Willis Ave, and the bakery in the strip mall at the corner of Hillside Ave and Herricks Rd.

The Italian joint had great pizza - google earth tells me this spot may have been demo'd. La Riviera? Nah. That's not it! What was it??

The bagel place made the BEST cinnamon raisin bagels I've ever had.

The bakery (not Polito's, this was a nearby competitor) made these dense little round cakes with raisins and a egg yolk wash - but I could swear there was no yeast in the recipe. These little cakes were MAGIC.

I would appreciate any info on any of these businesses. My taste buds want to know if I can get these delicacies elsewhere. I have this idea that good recipes never die, they just get passed on.

Please help!

posted by SockyMcSockyPants to food & drink (7 answers total)

Are you looking for the places across from the Dairy Barn? (Still there btw) i sent an email to a friend who I think used to bus tables at the Italian place back in 1980.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:49 PM on October 24, 2011

Oh noes. I remember a Dairy Barn, but google doesn't help. Damn.

Do you mean on Willis Ave or Hillside?

So confused. So sorry.
posted by SockyMcSockyPants at 11:55 PM on October 24, 2011

If you go to google maps and plug in 1156 Willis Ave there is still a bagel place there called simply "Hot Bagels and Bialys". It has a light blue sign although I vaguely remember a yellow one, but I think it is the same place. There is an Italian restaurant next door, but I do not think it is the same as it was 30 years ago.

Did you go to Herricks? Roslyn? Wheatley? Mineola?
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:59 PM on October 24, 2011

Also, like Polito's Bakery on Hillside, Vincent's Pizza is still there on Willis Ave - just neither are the restaurants I am looking for. Both competitors.

Bagels and Bialys IS the place!! Did not come up in the Googles!!

One down, two to go!
posted by SockyMcSockyPants at 12:02 AM on October 25, 2011

Vincent's was great. So was Daphil's the deli next door. The only place I remember on Hillside was Jabo's which was much closer to Glen Cove Rd
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:06 AM on October 25, 2011

If you run into a dead end here for the other two, you might want to post this question over Chowhound.com in the New York/Outer Boroughs section.
posted by Majorita at 3:26 AM on October 25, 2011

Or Yelp.
posted by bitterkitten at 9:54 AM on October 25, 2011