North Fork Restaurant Reviews

THE SUFFOLK TIMES, DINING:
Fauna
Article by Times/Review Newspapers,
Photo by Barbaraellen Koch

Fauna is a destination for diners looking for the funky and the familiar -- classic dishes alongside exotic specials. The front bar, lounge and dining area sport overstuffed couches, vibrant colors and a busy bar with an award-winning martini menu, Long Island wine, six tap beers and an extensive liquor shelf. Saturday nights brings live music, and on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings the bar area becomes a private club, offering conversation and relaxation over a drink or two.

The large, traditional dining room at the back is done in muted shades, with crisp white tablecloths. It's casual, yet smart, with a cheerful family atmosphere, where diners are invited to linger. Fauna itself is a family affair, with chef and co-owner Mark Mittleman joined by his parents, Mildred and Robert Mittleman, and his sister, Andrea.

The chef likes to mix it up with the menu. "We have a lot of regulars, so I put together a new special weekly," he said, describing his adventurous style as classic Italian, with Mediterranean, Middle East and Asian influences.

For starters, Fauna offers tuna sashimi and a popular Cajun-crusted calamari. A seasonal favorite is a warm salad: pulled duck with cranberry raisins and sugared walnuts over baby spinach with a maple vinaigrette.

For entrées, there's pistachio-crusted sea bass with lemon-grass sauce, pan-seared duck breast over butternut squash purée, with mango fruit relish and a Shiraz berry demi-glace. A recent special featured cockles from a Brooklyn market. The pan-seared salmon with cockles is served with oven-roasted plum tomatoes in a shrimp broth over garlic-mashed potatoes.

"My philosophy is 'fresh, fresh, fresh,' and I use local produce as much as possible," said Mr. Mittleman. "Some things, though, you can't get locally, so I like to bring them in so our customers can enjoy them here."

Meat-eaters can enjoy the lamb brochettes with red onions and cherry tomatoes with a roasted red pepper demi-glace over vegetable couscous. Desserts include carrot cake, chocolate decadence, tiramisu and butterscotch crème brulée.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, DINING OUT:
Local Bounty (and More) in Aquebogue
By Joanne Starkey (September 2, 2001, Long Island Weekly Desk)

A TRIP to the North Fork means berry picking, an ear of roasted corn at a roadside farm stand and local wines enjoyed on a deck overlooking the vineyards. The bucolic day can be capped with more of the same: dinner at Fauna in Aquebogue. The menu at the new American restaurant identifies its namesake as the Roman "mother goddess of earth, rural life, fields, cattle and wild creatures."

But the food here is not limited to the local bounty. Diners will find an appetizer of sesame-crusted tuna served with wasabi and a ginger cream baby bok choy slaw. Entrees include pan-seared pork chops escorted by Israeli couscous, and a pan-roasted loin veal chop accompanied by rösti potatoes. The last are a Swiss specialty of shredded potatoes formed into patties and crisply fried.

They resemble German potato pancakes and may be a holdover from the days when this building housed Hans' Gasthaus.

Fauna's ambience is quite different from its predecessor. Diners enter through a bar and lavender-painted lounge area of plush chairs and couches. There, patrons are sorted into smoking and non-smoking parties with the former directed to a nearby porch dining area while the latter are led back, past the doors to the kitchen, to a more quiet yet nondescript room with white walls and forgettable prints.

Our sweet waitress (with a German accent) was another holdover from the Hans' Gasthaus days. The staff was amiable and accommodating, but service was still a bit rough. Dishes were delivered piecemeal, with some diners kept waiting after tablemates were served. And the runners never seemed quite sure who had ordered what.

Still, the food is vibrant and satisfying. We were happy with nearly everything we tasted. A memorable gazpacho loaded with chunky chopped vegetables and crowned with a dollop of sour cream highlighted the best of local produce. So, too, did a platter of grilled vegetables glossed in a rosemary-garlic oil accompanied by two triangles of homemade focaccia-style bread. Even better was the bruschetta: thin rounds of grilled bread topped with melted, homemade mozzarella encircling a mound of sautéed wild mushrooms drizzled with truffle oil. Another treat for mushroom lovers was the house-smoked portobellos served over sautéed baby spinach and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts and melting Gorgonzola.

Also-rans included the sesame-crusted tuna, which tasted terrific but was such a small portion that we wondered if half of it had fallen off the plate on the way from the kitchen, and the shrimp cocktail. The latter, with five firm jumbo shrimp, was diminished by its platemate of field greens, which had no dressing or taste.

Only one entree got a less than enthusiastic welcome: a sauté of shrimp, tomatoes, wild mushrooms, snow peas, basil and dried spicy peppers tossed with spinach linguine. Except for the fiery peppers, it was lacking in flavor.

A special of marinated chicken breasts in a sun-dried tomato pesto-caper sauce was the best main course sampled. Three other specials also drew raves: duck breast in a raspberry-Shiraz reduction, flaky ivory halibut in a sherry cream sauce with a cheese-laced risotto and a classic, crisp veal chop Milanese under a snappy arugula salad.

The veal chop on the menu, with its tangy mustard-port sauce is also recommended, as is the juicy shell steak crowned with crunchy onion crisps. Twin center-cut pork chops translated to fork-tender delights.

Speaking of delights, save room for the homemade desserts. Taking first prize was a special of white wine poached peaches (two big halves) placed atop a thin slice of shortcake over a ginger cream sauce. Whipped cream gilded the sweet. Also worthy were the cloud-like angel food cake with whipped cream and assorted berries, and a satin-textured, lavender and ginger infused crème brûlée. Chocolate lovers should try the chocolate extravaganza cake with fudge-like texture or the creamy toffee bar cheesecake enhanced with scattered bits of toffee and chocolate. But skip the blah chocolate raspberry Napoleon made from too-thick layers of puff pastry and nothing special chocolate frosting. But don't skip Fauna, a fondly remembered find on the North Fork.

DAN'S PAPERS, WORLDWIDE CUISINE:
Fauna's Creative Chef Goes Global In Search Of Perfect Summer Fare
By Susan W. Simm (June 26^th, The Front Burner)

Even more than the rest of us mere mortals, chefs love to talk about food. So we decided to invite a few of our top toques to contribute to a new column here in Dan's North Fork, The Front Burner, which will feature stories by and about our local masters of the Garland range. Bon appetit!
-S.W.Simm, Dan's North Fork Editor

"I started an experiment on a whim late last fall," said Mark Mittleman, chef/co-owner of Fauna in Aquebogue, "and it was a hit. My regulars loved the fact that we had always borrowed our specials from an eclectic variety of international cuisines."

From that point, Mark decided to explore whichever cuisines the guests seemed to want to taste. And so, for about six weeks, he did just that.

"Each week we prepared the cuisine of one country while planning our visit to the next. It worked. We got some great feedback and enthusiasm from our guests. So after the six weeks, we decided to start a new trip."

As winter began, so did Fauna's second world tour. They kicked it off with one of Mark's favorite cuisines, Thai.

"I myself always crave Thai food, but the closest Thai restaurants are in Sag Harbor and Southampton. I figured that, closer to home, there had to be others out there who shared my craving for Shrimp Rolls or Pad Thai, so my executive chef, John Wayne Voisine, and I began research on Thai food. It was extremely educational and exciting. John and I have each prepared many styles of food - California, Nouvelle Cuisine, American grill, Italian - but this was a whole new ballgame. We wanted to make a menu that was completely composed of traditional cultural dishes. We wanted you to take a bite, close your eyes, and almost hear the sounds of Bangkok."

The response once again was overwhelming. And because all along Fauna maintained its regular menu, regulars who might want to stick "closer to home" still had the option to do so. So you might have two people eating Hot and Sour Lemongrass Prawns and two eating Black Angus steaks or Chilean Sea Bass.

"For us, it was incredible because we got to cook challenging and exciting food and, at the same time, keep everyone happy. I've never been a big fan of restaurants that change their entire menu all the time - while it may work for the house, it tends to alienate guests who come to rely upon points of refuge on the menu. The happy medium works best where a range of tastes is concerned."

From that point on, Fauna's successful little experiment snowballed. Guests got in the habit of asking what cuisine they were focusing on the following week, where they got their ideas, and how things were prepared.

"As you can probably guess, those types of questions are manna to those of us who cook for a living. As this year's season approached, we made our yearly menu changes, and all the new additions to the menu came from the different cuisines we had explored over the winter. We knew that Worldwide Cuisine was a success, and when our customers began asking when we were going to start up again, we knew it was time to put our heads together and begin another journey."

As a result of Fauna's successful program, general manager Bob Kern of Martha Clara Vineyards approached Mark with an idea. "Many of the cuisines would pair very well with Martha Clara Vineyards' vintages, he said, and suggested we demonstrate the cooking process to everyone. And so Worldwide Cuisine Cooking Demonstrations at Martha Clara Vineyards was born."

Following are Fauna's planned cuisines for the summer season as well as dates for the cooking demos at Martha Clara.

Special cuisines at the restaurant - week of June 27, Spanish; July 4, American Cajun/Creole; July 11, Italian; July 18, Greek; July 25, Korean; August 1, Caribbean; August 8, Japanese; August 15, Indian; August 22, South American; August 29, German.

Cooking Demos at Martha Clara - July 12, making fresh mozzarella; August 9, sushi making; August 23, South American specialties.

DAN'S PAPERS, DINING:
Fauna: A Restaurant "On the Cusp"
By Jolie Trueman-Honey

"I feel that we're on the cusp of something here." So says Mark Mittleman, co-owner and consulting chef of Fauna, just celebrating its first anniversary on the Main Road in Aquebogue. I know what he means. The North Fork seems to be buzzing this year. It's as if forces aligned to produce a cosmic shimmer that bathes the North Fork from Aquebogue to Orient. People just can't stay away. And Fauna is the culinary gem that, in this reviewer's opinion, sparkles brightest.

Pass by any evening and you will see a flock of handsome vehicles nesting up against the unobtrusive building that formerly housed the German restaurant Hans' Gasthaus, and before that, for many years, Little Joe's. But enter and you'll swear you've never before set foot in the place. Mark has utterly transformed it into a hip yet elegant eatery that is the incarnation of his carefully thought-out plan.

New American cuisine with Asian influence is how Mark describes it, but, in truth, there's no way to pigeon-hole this restaurant as the choices are so varied and interesting that there will certainly be something to entice even the jaded palate. Case in point: the starters. The grilled garlic bruschetta is served on ciabatta rather than traditional Italian bread, and topped with homemade mozzarella, sauteed wild mushrooms, roasted peppers and drizzled with truffle oil. The tuna sashimi (which is also available as an entree) is delectable. Served seared but quite rare, it is encrusted with black and white sesame seeds over a bok choy slaw prepared with ginger cream. Wasabi and soy add an extra little jolt to the tongue.

A special appetizer of the evening was Mark's own duck confit placed atop a mound of sauteed spinach with walnuts and dried cranberries. The duck, Mark was pleased to tell us, is from a local farm within minutes of the restaurant, which explains the superb freshness. But how he manages to crisp the skin while keeping the meat so moist and flavorful is a secret that Mark is unwilling to share. He does the cooking himself on Tuesday evenings, by the way, a fact that apparently keeps Fauna hopping on a night that otherwise might be light. On other evenings, the kitchen is ably run by chef John Wayne Voisine, formerly of Basilico in Southampton.

But back to starters. I am a total crab when it comes to crab cakes. The slightest bit of cartilage and I can no longer eat with enthusiasm. Fauna's Maryland crab cakes were smooth, sweet and delicious. Instead of relying on the standard "Old Bay" seasoning, Mark lets the crab "speak for itself" and enhances the flavor with dollops of roasted ancho-pepper remoulade and avocado mousse. But my pick of the evening was the roasted butternut squash pot stickers. Available either steamed or fried (I had them fried -- what the heck!) the squash is slow roasted and mashed with caramelized shallots, cinnamon and nutmeg and served with a mango coulis and soy reduction. Wow!

The food at Fauna is certainly outstanding. But when you think about it, there are other elements required for an evening of fine dining. And Mark has clearly analyzed them all. "I pride myself on being extremely adaptable," he says. As an example, the main dining room is serene and elegant, the perfect setting for the "white glove" service that Mark and his lovely manager, Shannon Minnick, demand. Linen walls, soft drapes, simple but beautiful crystal and tableware form a soothing backdrop for the food, which is always center stage. Carpeted, the room with its graceful curved archways and alcoves, mutes the laughter and conversation that might otherwise be intrusive.

Compare this then with the bar and lounge area which are decidedly more funky: deep violet walls,sink-in comfy chairs and sofa that make sipping your cocktail (and there is a lavish cocktail menu) a luxurious affair. Adjacent to this room, and separated by a glass wall which enshrines an array of dried wildflowers, is the dining room for smokers. Mark has gone to great lengths to ensure that the two dining areas have totally separate heating and air conditioning systems aside from being at opposite sides of the establishment. The restaurant is also handicap accessible and far exceeds the legal requirements, Mark proudly mentions.

But on to the next course. Salads run the gamut from the simple mesclun dinner salad to the sublime. We tried the mozzarella and tomato salad which was served with red onion over mesclun greens with roasted red and yellow peppers and dressed with an olive oil and balsamic reduction. The Southeast Asian steak salad was nearly a meal in itself. Asian-marinated slices of rare steak lay on a bed of romaine hearts, snow peas, roasted peppers, scallions and baby corn. A sesame soy sauce bedewed the greens while a sprinkling of wasabi powder provided the finishing touch. Excellent!

The pace of the meal, by the way, is also something Mark has thought about. Plenty of time to relax and chat between courses but never so much that fingers begin idly thrumming on linen. The service is efficient, warm and welcoming, as if an invitation had been extended to the diner. And perhaps that's almost true, for one thing I haven't yet mentioned is that Fauna is truly a family affair. Mark co-owns the restaurant with his father, Bob, who can also be seen chatting with guests. His sister Andrea Gamble will often escort you to your table, and, when busy, Mom Millie might be making your cappuccino!

The entrees, which range in price from $20 to $26, are also varied and interesting. Pistachio herb crusted Chilean sea bass was one of our selections. Oven roasted, the fish was accompanied by a lemongrass cream sauce, a heap of roasted garlic-infused mashed potatoes, and sauteed snow peas. While tuna, shrimp and sea bass are always on the menu, Mark is quick to point out that, "We use local fish and produce whenever they're in season. For that reason, the specials are always changing. I love variety; I think most people do."

The pan-roasted duck breast was outstanding, served with tropical fruit salsa, a shiraz berry sauce and roasted butternut squash puree. (I, too, love variety, but I have to have that again!) The pan-roasted bourbon chicken is simple and yet delicious as the meat is served with a bourbon demi-glace reduction finished with a touch of cream.

For the steak lover, Fauna boasts a Black Angus 14 oz. shell steak with spiced onion crisps, potato croquettes and sauteed spinach, always cooked to perfection. Mark also caters to the vegetarian in your party offering his Napoleon of roasted vegetables -- an assortment of local vegetables layered and then draped in an Armagnac herbed cream sauce, all served with Israeli couscous and wild rice pilaf. A delicious alternative even for the non-vegetarian!

While there is no dessert menu, your server will be happy to recite the choices of the evening. We tried Mark's own version of tiramisu: in a ramekin, lady fingers soaked in espresso are topped by an avalanche of mascarpone custard, and sprinkled with chopped white and dark Belgian chocolate. Need I say more? I ordered the espresso hazelnut gelato served in a dark chocolate cup, surrounded by fresh fruit, and decorated with Belgian chocolate sauce and creme Anglaise. Worth the calories? Absolutely!

An evening at Fauna is truly an evening of outstanding dining. Mark provides an extensive wine list that includes selections from no fewer than sixteen of the local wineries, most available by the glass. Every three weeks or so, in fact, he teams up with a local vineyard for a "Wine Dinner." The next one is planned for June 12th with Palmer Vineyards. Make your reservations early.

And every Friday and Saturday evening in season, music is provided in the lounge, mostly light jazz, blues or folk. As the kitchen is open until 11:00, stop in for a bite or a dessert.

Yes, Mark Mittleman is, indeed, adaptable. And with Fauna, he has realized his concept of what the perfect North Fork restaurant should be. I concur. Enjoy!