Have You Ever Spent Time at the Americana in Manhasset On...

Have you ever spent time at the Americana in Manhasset on Long Island's North Shore?  Perhaps best known, at least in the 80's and 90's as the Miracle Mile, this mecca of high end shopping rivals any luxury retail destination you can imagine.  Gucci, Loro Piana, Versace, Armani, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Anne Fontaine, Louis Vuitton and nearly 60 more...only to be outdone by the incredible London Jewelers flagship store.  It is elegance and style defined.

Edamame with Rock Salt

As you might imagine, the dining experience has been elevated to meet the expectations of its shoppers.  My family and I usually dine at Cippolini, where I enjoy the artichoke salad or light pastas, but yesterday my mom suggested we try Toku.  It was wonderful!

Grilled Tofu with
Steamed Vegetables

Of course, as with most Japanese restaurants, you can order edamame, soup, seaweed salad or vegetable sushi, all a la carte, but that is where the comparison ends.  For $24 at Toku, you can enjoy a delicious prix fixe lunch.  As a vegan I tend to skip over those kind of menus as they never seem to work for me, but this was a welcome exception!
For my first course I chose the grilled tofu.  I expected it to come skewered with a little dipping sauce but instead it was this beautifully plated tofu steak over nicely seasoned steamed vegetables.  It was very tasty and I loved the water chestnuts, not for flavor as much as for the nice balance its crunch provided against the other textures.

Vegetable Soba

My main course was vegetable udon ~ buckwheat noodles sauteed in a slightly sweet, soy or tamari flavored sauce with julienne vegetables ~ carrots, celery, and snow peas, topped with baby micro greens.  I would say the temperature yesterday topped 10 degrees if we were lucky, so having a hot lunch, paired with two pots of jasmine green tea, was perfect!

Lychee Sorbet

For me to eat a lunch like this is so rare, and I was truly stuffed, but the third course in the prix fixe menu was, of course, dessert.  The only vegan options were sorbet, of which there were three choices, and I selected the lychee.  I figured I'd have a spoonful and be done.  Well, I didn't eat what I believe was a white chocolate triangle garnishing the plate, but that sorbet was fabulous, and between my son and I, it did not last long.  It had a silky texture, and a mild, fragrant flavor ~ a perfect end to a terrific meal.
If you have occasion to be on "the Island" and want an amazing place to shop, window shop, or dine, this should be your destination!