SOUND BISTRO 07 APR 2022

By LONG ISLAND WINE DAD June 18, 2022

When we are not on a mass pick-up mission, we strive to stop for a leisurely lunch and then spend an afternoon at a winery that we have chosen to explore, as was the case today, stopping at the Sound Bistro before heading to Bedell Cellars. The restaurant is more formally called Sound Avenue Bistro and is easy to find nestled on the south side of Sound Ave in Riverhead(Figure 01) at the beginning of the North Fork Wine Trail. There is plenty of parking, and the main entrance is directly off the parking lot and up a few steps (Figure 02). There are benches outside along the walkway with photo props to keep the kids busy if you need to wait before being seated (Figure 03). The inside foyer is bright and inviting (Figure 04). The main dining room is bright, airy, and naturally themed (Figure 05), including a mounted swordfish that might have been someone’s dinner at one time (Figure 06). The menu (Figure 07) is classic American fare, emphasizing seafood. Page 2 of the menu (Figure 8) is the wine, beer, and cocktail list, including a selection of Long Island wines. There is also a special of the day menu, and well worth reviewing as it was chocked full of outstanding options (Figure 09) you should not pass up. We did, however, pass on opening drinks in favor of unsweetened iced tea as we were all heading to a wine tasting next (Figure 10). We ordered two starters for the three of us, and there was plenty to share. Five duck wings arrived piping hot and crisp with a slightly spicy Asian glaze (Figure 11) that perfectly complemented the duck. The second starter was an oversized Bavarian pretzel plated with a warm beer cheese dipping sauce (Figure 12). Next was the Seafood Chili, so good that we ordered an extra pint to take home (Figure 13). For the mains, we all had different hot sandwiches. The Grilled Ruben was a generous size filled with corned beef, Sauerkraut on grilled sourdough bread, and was very good (Figure 14). Next from the special menu was the Lobster Grilled Cheese, a decadent, rich sandwich with lots of Lobster and Gruyere cheese that is worth returning to (Figure 15). Lastly, again from the special’s menu is the Steak Sandwich Hero, which was packed with Steak and cheese (Figure 16). The sandwiches came with the traditional fixings, including mounds of Fries, Pickles, and Coleslaw. While the desserts were tempting, we were all bursting at the seams, so we passed on any desserts. Sound Bistro was a moderately priced place with superb food and generous portions. Sound Bistro will become a regular stop on our future wine country expeditions.