Dining Review of the Inn at New Hyde Park

I've been to several weddings over the past year, so I think I have a pretty good eye for what constitutes a nice reception. Firstly, the wait staff should be friendly and helpful. If there are only 2 bathrooms in the building a guest shouldn't have to get lost finding it. It should be aesthetically pleasing; in other words, wedding parties and their guests should be able to take pictures in the place without cringing. Fountains and chandeliers are always nice touches to a reception hall. Most importantly, the food should be delicious, from cocktail hour all the way to dinner. The two families are paying a lot, so they should be able to receive sincere compliments about the food afterwards. In addition, wedding guests who like to stay out on the dance floor have worked up an appetite and deserve to look forward to an appetizing meal.
All of these criteria have been met by The Inn at New Hyde Park, where I attended the most recent wedding on January 5th 2008.
The website in itself is quite impressive, and as I perused it last week I eagerly awaited my experience.

Practicing and perfecting the art of gracious hospitality since 1938

When I arrived early for the cocktail hour with my boyfriend, one of the neatly dressed staff members kindly showed us where we could sit while waiting for others to arrive. When I told them the groom's last name, they informed me what room the cocktail hour would be taking place. There are three separate halls designed for weddings and other parties, but I didn't feel overwhelmed since they knew the events for that evening. Later during the reception one of them introduced himself as our table's personal waiter and would be pleased to take our drinks and other requests. There was nary a moment where we had to "flag" him down to get us something, because he knew exactly when to show up.

Award winning executive chef

I believe anyone would be honored to say that they're the chef at this establishment. To be a chef is to have a career, and anyone with a career should make it one of their top priorities, as this chef certainly has. The food was award winning, from cocktail hour all through dinner. The cocktail hour itself represented an international culinary extravaganza and a foodie's delight. From flavors of Tuscany such as Tortellini Salad and Eggplant to Japanese sushi, it was tempting to try everything. Where most wedding dinners offer a selection of either chicken, beef or fish, The Inn at New Hyde Park has triple the amount of entrees. They consist of the following: Stuffed Shrimp, Long Island Duck, Broiled Porterhouse, Chicken Monaco, Norwegian Salmon, Stripped Bass and Vegetable Purse for the vegetarians. Intrigued by the name, I ordered the Norwegian Salmon, which came with mashes potatoes and mixed vegetables. From prior experience the mixed vegetables are usually dry, but this time they retained their juices and were a delicious compliment to the salmon.

As it's also a restaurant, my boyfriend and I were discussing coming here for dinner some night. We both agreed that the quality of the food and service makes it an easy catch for both locals and those willing to come from out of the way to receive an award winning dining experience. How often does a restaurant leave you inspired?

The Inn at New Hyde Park
214 Jericho Turnpike
New Hyde Park, New York

Business Number (516)354-7797