Porto Vivo, a new upscale rustic Italian inspired grill, has opened at the site of the former Gerard Street Antiques in Huntington. Owned by famed Long Island inventor and entrepreneur, Joy Mangano of the Home Shopping Network, and classically trained, Swiss restaurateur Philipp Seipelt, Porto Vivo is set to impress.
Executive Chef Steven Lecchi spent many years cooking in some of Tuscany’s top restaurants and most recently was the private chef to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
He has created an imaginative menu along with consulting chef John Doherty, born and raised on Long Island, and who for the last 23 years was the executive chef at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
The design of the space emphasizes the history and the character of the building, while offering a contemporary rustic ambiance.
The dining room on the main floor offers a grand entrance with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and marble tile. The open dining room is accented by authentic brick, dark hardwood floors, exposed duct work and original ceiling beams, and distressed brown leather booths in the center of the room.
Rustic wrought-iron light fixtures add to the stylish and lively atmosphere in the main floor dining room.
The bar and lounge area on the second floor offers a black marble circular bar, high bar tables and a blue stone patio just outside the bar area.
The third floor dining room has carpeted floors, rustic booths, a modern gas fireplace and onyx wood table tops. A catwalk between the two upper dining areas offers an open view to the lower dining room.
The atmosphere is complete with an exclusive music list piped throughout the space and there will be occasional appearances from
world-renowned musicians on the corner stage in the bar and lounge area.
Lecchi and Doherty have created a rustic Italian menu with emphasis on quality and freshness.
The sharing style antipasti selection, ranging in price from $9 to $18, includes highlights such as crispy fried artichoke hearts; oven roasted plum tomatoes Parmesan frico; eggplant caponata, crescentina fritta; grilled Spanish octopus with fried capers, onions and red wine vinegar; and several perfectly aged meats such as sopressata, salumi and prosciutto de parma.
Savory appetizers include: seared scallops with tomato marmalade over saffron potato $15; seared carpaccio of Wagyu beef with arugula, salsa verde and shaved Parmesan $11; roasted beets, ricotta salada and pistachio oil $7.50; and Caesar salad, made tableside $9.
A selection of signature flatbread pizzas will feature inventive creations including Bianca with Alfredo sauce, onion and Parmesan $13;
Primavera with eggplant, artichoke and goat cheese $15 and prosciutto, arugula and Parmesan $15.
Pastas are served in two sizes, half orders and full orders, and include: hand rolled gnocchi Bolognese $11/$16; braised short
rib tortelloni $12/$17; and wild mushroom risotto with parsley coulis $12/$17.
Entrees range from selections from the sea and land such as: slow roasted wild salmon with roasted fennel puree, salmon caviar $16; roast rack of lamb with braised lamb rigatoni with goat cheese fondue $26; grilled branzino with potato, lemon and arugula
salad $16; and 12 oz. 28 day dry aged Certified Angus Prime Beef, $44.
Porto Vivo has a dedication to quality beef and it is the only restaurant on Long Island to offer 28 day dry aged Certified Angus Prime Beef steaks.
Some of the sweet endings on the dessert menu include: Joy’s creamy cheesecake with cherry conserve $7.50; strawberry’s flambé with black pepper, aged balsamic and vanilla ice cream $10; and Porto Vivo’s signature chocolate soufflé $10.
The philosophy of the wine list was to hand select some of finest valued wines and offer them in accessible price ranges.
An exclusive section of the wine list features “The Cellar’s Best Kept Secrets” including coveted wines such as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild; Bryant Family Cabernet Sauvignon; Marcassin, Lorenzo Vineyard; and Banfi, Brunello di Montalcino, Riserva.
All wines are kept in the private wine cellar, which also doubles as a tasting room available for private wine tastings among the vintage selections.
In the bar and lounge area, an imaginative cocktail menu is available with concoctions such as pineapple-basil daiquiri, Riviera sunrise, tomato basil martini, rhubarb Bellini; blueberry and ginger margarita; and the signature cocktail, the Porto Vivo sour, made with
calvados and fresh house made apple juice.
A separate martini menu offers creative martinis such as lychee, James Bond, Peachy, Espresso and red mandarin. Porto Vivo serves dinner seven nights a week with a late night lounge in the bar area on weekends.
PORTO VIVO
7 Gerard St., Huntington, NY (631) 385-8486
Online go to: Porto-Vivo
Hours: Brunch: Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dinner: Sunday – Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Bar: Sunday – Thursday 5:00pm-11:00pm, Friday and Saturday 5:00pm-2:00am