Newsday Review by Peter M. Gianotti
Dino Vlacich and Tom Schaudel are the hydrogen and oxygen in Aqua.
Their handsome, satisfying "underwater grill" jump-starts dining out in 2007. Aqua rises on the former site of Tomatoes and, briefly, Red Ardesia. The new restaurant, with accents Italian and American, knows what you want to eat.
Vlacich owns Mio, the very good Italian eatery in Roslyn. Consultant Schaudel's chef-signature is boldest at Jedediah's in Jamesport and CoolFish in Syosset.
Their experience shows in the smoothly run dining room, a sunny-hued affair with lots of dark wood, coppery columns and high-back banquettes. A sizable bar, with TV screens showing sports or mimicking tanks of oversize tropical fish, adds some color.
But the most vivid impressions are on the plate. A mellow, warm mushroom flan arrives with a fine saute of assorted mushrooms and shallots and a drizzle of saba, a younger cousin of balsamic vinegar traditionally from apples.
White bean-and-escarole soup, made with chicken stock, braces you for any unexpected winter blast. A white bean puree accompanies marinated and grilled shrimp. Enjoy the shellfish that way or in a generous, straightforward cocktail.
Squiggles of mustard sauce flank well-seasoned, pan-seared blue claw crab cakes. The house's scallop bisque is richer than many of its local lobster counterparts. Tender, grilled octopus shows up so trimmed and manicured it looks like ultra-slim weisswurst.
Aqua excels with a near-paillard thin slice of grilled swordfish, paired with grilled polenta, escarole and a union of tomato, olives and capers. Also recommended: grilled salmon with black beluga lentils in a roasted tomato broth. Pan-seared flounder is a milder choice, boosted by artichokes, tomato and basil.
And the lobster risotto packs plenty of shellfish flavor. Pumpkin ravioli finished with butter and sage, and ricotta gnocchi with tomatoes, garlic, prosciutto and shrimp, are respectable.
A harvest of rosemary almost overwhelms the grilled rib-eye steak with fingerling potatoes. Only the steak house-quality creamed spinach isn't under the influence.
Desserts include Schaudel's generous "chocolate bag," a spin on the banana split, the edibly packaged equivalent to Zorro's signature "Z." The individual cheesecake with mango and a macadamia-nut crust eliminates any hope of a new year's diet. Warm, slightly rummy brioche bread pudding, and a coconut-enhanced crème brûlée provide fine company.
So does Aqua. The appeal is elemental.
Aqua Underwater Grill and Wine Bar
242 Sunrise Highway
Rockville Centre, New York 11570
Phone: 516-766-7662