Welcome to Brief Bites #2! If you are new to what the Brief Bites is or need a refresher, the Brief Bites is a mini a recap of a couple of restaurants that I stop by where I get a small number of items in a limited time, all condensed into one article. Today’s installment is mainly focused on restaurants that I got to visit during the early part of summer from Mid-June to Early July which I thought were worth highlighting.
It’s certainly been a while since I posted content; but with a finally normal schedule coming soon in September, expect a lot more frequency of content as I go through a revamp. I will be posting 2 more articles just wrapping up with more summer restaurant content, so be on the lookout for that!
My Favorite Vietnamese Spot on Long Island – Sup Vietnamese
I just must get this out of my chest now. I am slightly biased to this restaurant for many reasons. The first being that I live within walking distance from this restaurant and order from it at least once a week, and the second being that it’s just so good no matter which location I go to. Sup Vietnamese is a restaurant that has Vietnamese classic and fusion dishes, with two locations located in Massapequa and Stony Brook, and a recently opened third location in Rockville Centre.
I think I can honestly sit here and say that I don’t have a single bad thing to say or critique about Sup. They simply just don’t miss ever, at least to me. And I can’t say I’ve ever had a lack luster experience from them. Again, like I mentioned earlier, I could be slightly biased, so like food, please take my word for this article with a grain of salt.
One thing I enjoy the most in Sup must be the drinks, more specifically, their Jasmine Fruit teas, uniquely named after the four seasons and unique in their own fruitiness or sweetness, which each tea having juice or jam in it.
While Sup has more traditional Vietnamese appetizers such as spring and summer Rolls, one of my favorite that I tend to frequent is their Viet Wings. Giant, freshly fried wings pair well with their slightly spicy red sauce and should be squeezed with a lime for maximum flavor. The wings offer a meaty crunch too, eat them sooner while their hot.
Now, this is the main reason I tend to frequent Sup. Whether it’s summer or winter, I always get down behind a good bowl of Pho. Each Bowl of Pho at Sup comes standard with noodles, sliced onions and scallions, but varies depending on broth and meat of choice. I normally get their Pho Suon Nong (or pork chop noodle soup) since you get pho with two pieces of pork chop for $16 dollars. This day I had to switch it up and get the Pho King which had short rib slices and beef broth, and I added grilled steak on the side. Paired with the classic Pho toppings of lime, basil, beansprouts, sriracha and hoisin sauce and you’ve got a damn good bowl of pho which will surely leave you full and sweating from putting in work eating.
If you want a simple yet delicious dish, their 12 oz Ribeye with a Honey Soy glaze, paired with Rice and a side salad is satisfying. The Honey Soy Glaze has a nice char to it and the rice soaks up steak juices nicely on the side, proving steak and rice to be a perfect match for each other. The cucumber tomato salad offers a nice cut and break from the richness of the meat.
Please make sure to save room for dessert, more specifically their banana coconut cake and pistachio cake! Each cake gives in so easily with a slight cut of a spoon yet has layers of flavor in each piece, and is moist. My personal favorite however is their coconut pudding topped with whipped cream and coconut flakes. It’s very light and airy yet packed with flavor from a fleshed-out coconut. They do not have coconut pudding at the Stony Brook location, only the Massapequa one as far as I know!
Sup is a go to and favorite spot of mine. When I am not in the mood for pho at Sup, especially during lunch time, I typically order their lunch special to get me through the day! Sup offers a dollar lunch special which includes an appetizer, an entrée, and a drink, all for $15 dollars! If you aren’t in the mood for pho or not sure what to get, their chicken larb bowl over rice is a nice combination of sweet, salty, savory, and my go to lunch choice at least once a week! A Thai iced tea and an appetizer choice of their Viet wings or summer spring rolls also is a nice pair for a complete lunch.
Small Plates and Vibes- The Brixton
I’ve been to the Brixton in Babylon, NY twice now and it makes for a great date night spot due to its ambiance and vibe. The Brixton is in Babylon. If you come at night, it’s half dining room, half bar with live music, and all good food. The dining room of the Brixton always has a projector screen playing with a show or movie; (The last time I went, they were on a modern family marathon run.)
The Brixton’s menu consists of snacks and mainly small plates, which promotes sharing with others if you have another person or two at the table. In my opinion, the price of the food compared to what you’re getting on the plate can be a bit high, for example $19 dollars for two pieces of Tuna Crispy Rice, but the flavor of the food almost makes up for it.
My favorite dish from the Brixton must hands down be their Beef Wellingtons, combined with their Dijon aioli. It’s a small, but mighty bite compared to an actual beef wellington, and honestly impressive they’ve made a miniature version of it. Their charcuterie board is also worth mentioning with toasted baguette slices, brie cheese, and candied nuts.
Don’t sleep on their desserts either, such as their stacked Ice Cream Sandwich, or their fried Oreos. The Ice Cream Sandwich is my preferred dessert option two dense, thick pieces of cookie dough between vanilla ice cream is a great way to end a night for dinner.
Ben’s Crab
I typically don’t eat a whole lot of seafood or go to seafood restaurants, but I had the pleasure of going to Ben’s Crab located in Uniondale, NY, for a friends dirthday. Since I suck at cracking crab legs, I got a seafood boil – strictly Shrimp, head off, drenched in their garlic butter sauce. Everything- the corn, potato, and shrimp, were seasoned well and coated in that velvety, liquid gold of a garlic butter sauce. The sauce was so good I could practically drink it.
Speaking of liquid gold, their drink menu is not to be slept on either. My drink of choice at Bens was a Hennessy Margarita which was honestly just Hennessy with a hint of lime. But, paired with seafood, two of those are sure to set you right for the night. Stop by at Bens if you’re over in Uniondale!
