Your Palette "Snaps" To Attention

Snaps is a restaurant full of youthful exuberance located in Wantagh. The bright and lively décor is a mix match of colors that oddly enough compliment one another. Upon entering this establishment, a charming hostess offered us either a center table or one along the perimeter with a comfortable bench seat on one side. We chose the latter. We also must mention that classic rock filled the air.

At once, we were presented a dish of flat breads with three taste treats. Hummus, which had a nice consistency and was quite flavorful, an olive tapenade, which was a course and tangy medley of, marinated olives appropriately salty, and julienne roasted peppers served as a classic Mediterranean condiment (above right).

As we perused the eclectic menu, we opted for their well-known, fourteen course tasting which proved to be a representative “snap shot” of many of their signature dishes.

We started with the sweet and creamy Lobster Bisque (below left) with a dash of truffle oil that was marvelous. We thought this dish was truly exceptional and do suggest that Chef Scott Bradley enter Long Island’s Chowder Contest with this creation.

We continued with the Hawaiian Tuna Sashimi (above middle) with spicy soy yuzu sauce garnished with daikon, white radish, and flat leaf parsley. The tuna was wonderfully fresh and the sauce added a great warmth that complimented it perfectly. This dish was presented with chopsticks to follow the Japanese influence.

Next was the Tuna Tartar (above right) with ginger sesame emulsion and wasabi caviar, accompanied by crisp homemade chips that were fabulous. The layers of flavor brought out the freshness of the tuna with a wonderful explosion of taste in each bite. The chips made for the perfect vehicle for scooping the tartar.

Course four was a spicy Octopus Fra Diavolo (below left) served over penne. The Octopus was a “melt in our mouth” treat that was expertly paired with crushed chili tomatoes, roasted garlic, chickpeas, basil and Parmesan cheese. The chili tomatoes gave the dish a nice kick that was pleasantly spicy.

Then we tasted the butter poached Gnocchi (above right)  in a Parmesan truffle sauce. Butter, pasta, plenty of imported Parmesan and truffle sauce made this the ultimate comfort food.

The Peanut Crusted Tilapia (below left) in curried pineapple calamari broth with soba noodles was a nice medley of textures and layers of spice. The peanut crust was crispy and complimented the tilapia favorably while the warmth from the curry spice was the perfect “yin” to the sweet-diced pineapple yang.

After that we sampled Salmon (above right)  with Cuban black beans, mango salsa, and a citrus mojo sauce, the signature spicy marinade of Cuba. This dish was a beautifully tasty marriage of legumes, sweet fruit and citrus.

We moved on to try the Wok Seared Duck Salad (below left) with soba noodle and Thai vinaigrette.This Duck had an especially crispy skin that added a burst of decadent flavor to every bite. The soba noodle made a nice companion for this particular game while the Thai vinaigrette added an Asian flavor and level of acidity that certainly did not overwhelm.

The Rack of Lamb (above right) and purple stir-fried rice with a Korean sweet and spicy “ninja sauce” was superb. In lieu of the typical rack of lamb, we were presented with a “lambsicle” in consideration of the fact that this was simply a tasting. Most noteworthy were the two dollops of sauce, which were sweet, tangy, and spicy all at the same time.

The next course that was presented consisted of hanger steak (below left) with a tasty horseradish sauce, lightly herbed garlic fries, and creamed spinach. The steak was served rare in the center and black broiled on the outside atop the creamed spinach. It came with a side of truffle mac and cheese that was fantastic and garnished with shaved Parmesan.

The highlight of the evening was one of Chef Bradley’s signature creations. The Lobster Knuckle Sandwich (above right)  was truly a knockout! This dish is comprised of lobster meat, topped with a sunny side egg amidst a truffle broth. We especially liked dipping the tender lobster in the sunny side egg yolk.

Last, but most certainly not least, we were on to the dessert courses. The first sweet we tasted was a chocolate molten cake (below left) with a peanut butter bottom and vanilla ice cream atop graham cracker crumbs with powdered sugar and five dollops of chocolate sauce. This dessert was truly overloaded with chocolate and decadent in every sense of the word.

Our next sweet tasting was a classic crème brulèe (above middle). The custard portion was fabulous and although the caramelized top was slightly thicker than usual, it certainly made the grade.

Finally, we sampled what can best be described as Snaps’ most novel presentation. The dessert, which we speak of, is what we would call a “do it yourself” smores (above left) kit that is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

Overall Rating: Excellent Cuisine: New American Ambiance & Décor: Exciting & Casual Prices: Dinner $18 - $25, Price Fix & Tasting Menus also available. Website: www.snapsrestaurant.com

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