New Long Island Restaurant, Nico, At The Gatsby Mansion Opens

Nico , a new restaurant at The Gatsby Mansion, opened on Tuesday, July 8, 2008.


Owners Roberto and Diane Nicolia offer an Italian dining experience accessible by the whole family and in a location suitable for every dining occasion. Nico is located at The Gatsby Mansion, an impressively restored 130-year old property on the south shore of Long Island. The venue exudes all the grandeur brought to mind by its namesake with a roomy and richly decorated space to meet friends at the bar, have a cozy dinner for two, gather the clan for a Sunday family-style meal and host private parties. The broad menu of Italian fare with modern and traditional flavors appeals to city- and country-style tastes at price points that have both high-end and high-value diners in mind.

Richard Lanza is the opening chef for Nico. He joins from the de Seversky Center, once the home of the Du Pont family and now dedicated to fine dining events, at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) in Old Westbury. Here he was executive chef catering extravagant events and a la carte menus. The Long Islander from Old Medford is perhaps best known from Trumpet's on the Bay and At The Gate in Eastport where he was the opening, and, for eight years, executive chef. He also collaborated with Tom Schaudel at Passion Fish Restaurant in Westhampton Beach for the 2006 season when he won the Hamptons Platinum Chef Competition.

At the top of Lanza's menu at Nico are appetizers ($7 - 13) such as a traditional clam chowder; saut�ed Prince Edward Island mussels in roasted fennel broth with herb butter; a baked vegetable strudel in a thin phyllo dough served with roasted peppered tomato sauce; and mozzarella en carozza, an egg-battered bread and cheese melt with tomato vinaigrette. There are salads ($8 - 11) and pasta ($15 -16) offerings such as a layered heirloom tomato and fresh mozzarella combination with a balsamic reduction, basil oil and herb crostini; and orecchiette and broccoli rabe featuring hot and sweet sausage with garlic all cooked in chicken stock. Land and sea fare ($16 - 45) include a surf and turf option alongside classic Italian chicken and veal dishes with a signature seafood risotto of saut�ed shrimp, scallops and diced plum tomato finished with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs; and a grilled marinated skirt steak topped with arugula salad and tomato, tossed in lemon vinaigrette with mashed potato. Desserts ($6 - 9) include a home-made tiramisu; and a signature angel food cake with key lime custard, marinated berries and strawberry sauce.

Nico seats 200 in the main ground-floor dining room; and 100-130 upstairs in private rooms. Open Tuesday through Sunday, Nico offers a four-course wine tasting dinner on Wednesday ($55); live entertainment on Friday and Saturday; and a family-style menu on Sunday.