Guy Anthony's
2208 Jerusalem Avenue
Merrick,  NY 11566
631.221.5555

Contemporary Italian Cuisine In An Elegant Atmosphere

Guy Anthony’s Buon Appetito can be found on the Corner of Jerusalem Avenue and Powell Avenue in Merrick.  The restaurant is easily accessible by either the Southern State Parkway or Bellmore Ave.  As you drive down Jerusalem Avenue, you will notice a contemporary stucco-styled building with purple awnings and plenty of windows.  Patrons can enter the restaurant through a door located on Powell Avenue.  An ample amount of parking can be found behind the building.

Guy Anthony’s Buon Appetito is co-owned and operated by Guy Bolognese and Anthony "AJ" Orlich.  Guy proved to be a hands-on proprietor as he worked the bar the evening of our visit.  AJ is also the executive chef at Guy Anthony’s.  Both gentlemen succeed in serving fine contemporary Italian cuisine in an elegant atmosphere.

Guy Anthony’s is more than just a restaurant, off-site catering and full-scale party planning services are also available.  The restaurant is open for private parties on Saturday and Sunday afternoons until 5pm for groups of less than 70.  Lunch can be enjoyed by patrons Tuesday through Friday, and dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday with entertainment every Thursday and every other Friday.  Every Thursday evening Guy Anthony’s has live music for customers to enjoy, which was a pianist and singer the Thursday night we visited. 

Upon entering Guy Anthony’s you encounter the bar, which separates you from the open ended kitchen.  While taking in the restaurant as a whole one cannot help but notice the dedication to the color purple.  The awnings outside reflect the color of choice for the interior decor of Guy Anthony’s.  The walls are sponge painted a deep relaxing purple tone, while the seat cushions are also color coordinated.  As mentioned earlier, patrons have an excellent view of the immaculate kitchen, wide open behind the bar.  We enjoyed watching the staff hard at work behind the scenes in the kitchen. 

The restaurant creates a contemporary setting with wrought iron spiral lamps that hang from the ceiling and walls.  A variety gold framed mirrors on each wall provide a stylish twist of embellishment.   High ceilings assist in producing an airy open space for the dining area, with large wrap around windows that capture the light of day or the twilight of night.

The wait staff wore dark purple button up shirts with black pants; coordinating well with their surroundings.  They clearly helped one another throughout the dining room and provided excellent service with a smile to each table.  We constantly saw wait staff members making sure patrons were satisfied.

A black basket full of assorted artisan breads (below left) was immediately brought to our table.  The three varieties of bread were pomodoro bread, garlic squash bread, and parmesan bread sticks.  All of which were delicious.  The pomodoro bread tasted like pizza without the cheese.  The garlic squash bread had the slightest hint of squash with a nice overture of garlic.  The tasty parmesan bread sticks were also served warm.

From behind the bar, Guy fixed up a batch of delicious French Martinis (above right) for our table.  A smooth and fruity blend of Chambord, vanilla vodka and pineapple juice created this refreshing beverage.

We tried the Country Salad (below left) with tossed mescaline greens, craisens, mandarin oranges, gorgonzola, and diced walnuts covered in honey mustard vinaigrette – an excellent blend of ingredients.  The honey mustard vinaigrette was a different approach and had a nice finish.  This salad was filling, so be sure to save room for the entrée.

The Hot Antipasto platter (above right) contained mozzarella en carrozza, shrimp scampi, and whole baked clams.  The mozzarella was snuggled deep within the carriage of breading surrounding it.  The shrimp was fresh and full of lemon seasoning.  The baked clams were obviously very fresh and well seasoned. This appetizer will satisfy with variety and flavor.

We then sampled Stuffed Button Mushrooms (below left).  This stuffed appetizer is often served in Portobello mushrooms.  The romano and leek stuffed mushrooms were nicely seasoned with cheese on top and presented in a pool of  pesto sauce. This would be an excellent starter to get your appetite peaked.

Our fourth appetizer is a frequent special at Guy Anthony’s, Asian Style Calamari (above right).  While often available as a special, regulars know it can be secretly requested any evening.  A nice aroma came from the tangy sweet and sour calamari.  There was a slightly spicy kick to the finish; definitely a pleasant departure from the traditional preparation of this seafood.  This would be a great choice to share among friends.

Our first entree of the evening was Guy Anthony’s Grilled Salmon (below left), which was a special that evening.  The salmon was served over sautéed baby spinach alongside crabmeat ravioli in a burre blanc sauce.  The outer edges of the plate were garnished with diced red peppers, which added to the vibrant colors of this plate.  The collective flavors of this dish were fabulous as was the beautifully artistic grill marks that only added to the superb presentation.

Cannelloni (above right) stuffed with veal and spinach in light cream sauce was served as our second entrée.  This is one of the most popular dishes at Guy Anthony’s.  The dish was eye appealing as shown in the photo.  The veal stuffing was delicious, and all flavors came together nicely.   The top was baked just so it was slightly crunchy.  This entrée would be a hearty option for anyone.

Our last entrée of the night was the Veal Sorrentino with Gnocchi (above).  This combination of veal, eggplant, prosciutto and mozzarella in a marsala sauce was quite enjoyable.  The veal was thinly sliced and wonderfully delectable. 

When it came time for dessert, we noticed a variety of traditional options. There were two desserts we tasted that we highly recommend. First their Homemade Tiramisu (below left) was quite the perfect little ending to any meal. This Tiramisu was an outstanding combination of well-balanced flavors with superb fluffiness.

However, the star of the show was the Warmed Chocolate Devine Cake (below right). Just as the name suggests it was a heavenly creation. Picture a cookie crumb crust beneath vanilla and chocolate mousse with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Guy and AJ serve up a great combination of fine food, excellent service and live music.  If you want to watch the staff hard at work in the kitchen, and dining room for that matter, take a trip to Guy Anthony’s Buon Appetito in Merrick.  You will be provided with outstanding service and fantastic dining options.  Guy Anthony’s Buon Appetito’s menu as well as off-premise catering information can be accessed online at their website.  They also offer a Lite Cuisine section containing options with less than 450 calories for the health conscious. 

Overall RatingExcellent

Cuisine: Contemporary Italian

Ambiance & Décor:  Casual & Elegant

Prices: $15-$24

Website:
Guy Anthony's


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