“Very good” – The New York Times
October 3, 2014
Asian restaurants on Long Island used to be modest spots, with minimal décor reminiscent of the country in question. Most Japanese establishments were known for their simple lines, pale wood and shoji screens. Thai restaurants might add a few statues of Buddha or royal elephants, and some traditional Chinese places relied on dragon imagery and red-tasseled lanterns.
All that has changed. Now many of these local restaurants — most of them pan-Asian — are veritable palaces, one more stunning than the last.
Moonstone is serene, with a décor in shades of white, silver and gray. The eye-catcher in the room is an Art Deco-inspired wall: Light and shadows bounce off its tiny glass tiles, a dramatic effect produced by recessed lighting. The bar, too, is stunning: A curved ceiling is inset with small gray stones.
Tables are topped with white tablecloths and dove gray napkins. Service matches the décor. No gruff waiters here. A basket of crispy noodles, the good, wide, super-crunchy kind, was brought as soon as we were seated. We made short work of them, but another bowl arrived before the first was empty. One of my favorite appetizers, the hoisin-glazed bacon sliders, was assembled tableside with élan. The dish consisted of six small steamed buns folded around an assembly of tasty pork belly, pickled green papaya and shredded carrots, all brushed with hoisin sauce.
Also very good were the lacquered and meaty spare ribs, called glazed dragon tails on the menu, and the scallion pancake, served in eight thin, hot and crisp wedges. The pork pot stickers, filled with generous amounts of meat, were also a hit. Although not as delicate as Japanese pan-fried dumplings, they were superior to the overly thick versions found at many Chinese restaurants.
My favorite entree was called white prawn: seven jumbo shrimp tossed with long slices of cooked yet still crunchy celery and white lily buds, the last of which were crisp-tender with a slightly nutty flavor. The drunken halibut, small fillets in a light white wine sauce, was delicately delicious. More robustly delicious were three, fork-tender meat dishes, all served with crunchy vegetables: a thrice-cooked pork tenderloin with cabbage and three colors of peppers; a beef with crisp broccoli; and a chicken in a spicy garlic sauce.
One of my family’s favorite go-to Chinese entrees, the Singapore mei fun — angel-hair pasta in a light curry sauce with chicken and shrimp — was a bit spicier than most we’d tried, but we were still quite happy with this moist, ample dish.
Desserts are made in-house (except for ice cream) and include selections from both the East and West. A hit from the East was the crisp banana spring rolls served with a luscious lychee sorbet, studded with fruit. Western picks included a tangy key lime pie with graham cracker crust and an individual apple tart served with toasted coconut ice cream.
With sweets like these, we didn’t miss the traditional fortune cookies (which are available upon request). We liked nearly everything at this lovely new restaurant. It should make Asian food lovers in Nassau County very happy.
