Bites Nearby: The Upper Crust Café

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, New Hyde Park Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out. Here's this week's choice:

The Upper Crust Café

At first glance, the country-like charm of this small dinette may not seem to be the type of setting where one can expect to find a gourmet meal. But the menu tells a different story.

“As far as food goes, you can come in and be frugal...or you can treat yourself to a high-end meal,” says Chef Nick Lucchesi, who works to provide customers with the best of both worlds.

For a quick mid-day stop for a sandwich and a milkshake at the counter, or a quiet place to bring a date for dinner, The Upper Crust is accommodating to a range of preferences.

The chef explains, “I try to be the guy that you can come to twice a week; where you can get a burger at the beginning of the week and a rack of lamb at the end.”

Nick Lucchesi and his wife Ashley have been proprietors of the 25-year-old restaurant for three years now and are always there to provide a personalized experience. While Nick takes care of the food, Ashley, who also manages the restaurant and catering business, takes pride in selecting wines for the wine list.

The Upper Crust is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and for an all day à la carte brunch on the weekends. Nothing on the menu is bought; all items are made from scratch and vary weekly to reflect freshness and seasonality.

With the menu changing so frequently, “it’s anything but boring,” Nick Lucchesi said.  

Boring it definitely is not. For lunch, among the list of salads, sandwiches and wraps, are eye-catching options like lobster grilled cheese and “The Day After,” a Thanksgiving feast of roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy on toasted sourdough bread. 

According to Nick Lucchesi, their burgers have been voted as one of the best in the area; selections from their acclaimed Burger Board include “The Ruben,” an eight ounce patty with corned beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and melted Swiss, and “The Cali,” with sliced avocado, grilled beefsteak tomatoes and Monterey jack. All burgers are served on a freshly baked sesame roll or giant English muffin.

Also named one of the best on Long Island by Newsday in 2010 is the restaurant’s top-notch macaroni and cheese appetizer. With blue crab, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, three different kinds of cheeses and a pesto crust, it puts a fancy twist on the old comfort classic.

In addition to the constantly running specials, dinner favorites include blue crab-crusted tilapia, wild mushroom ravioli, and pan-seared rare tuna served with an Asian-inspired ginger soy drizzle.

And if you’re looking for a good deal, every weekday there is a new prix fix menu with a featured appetizer, entrée, and dessert for the price of the entrée alone.

Catering service is available for all occasions.

The Upper Crust Café, 931 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, (516) 248-5677. Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. Dinner: Monday – Thursday, 5:00p.m. -9:00p.m; Friday – Saturday, 5:00p.m. - 10:00p.m.; Sunday, 5:00p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Brunch: Saturday & Sunday, 10:30a.m. - 3:00p.m. http://www.uppercrustgc.com/index.html.