Comtesse Therese Bistro: Vineyard Restaurant In Our Own Backyard

I’ve heard tales from people who travel to France and Italy of these wonderful little family owned vineyards. You can stop by for an afternoon glass of wine harvested by the family that has lived there for generations while enjoying grandma’s cooking on the back patio of the vineyards restaurant. Until recently, these types of establishment were a myth from overseas, that is until I heard about Comtesse Therese Bistro. Turns out we have our very own vineyard restaurant right here on Long Island’s North Fork - who knew!

Guests enter a historic 1835 building and are transported to a French country manor house. The only wines on the menu are - of course - Comtesse Therese Vineyard wines. After tasting a few we recommend the 2006 Hungarian Oak Merlot. This round and smooth wine is aged in Hungarian oak barrels and pairs well with grilled meats.

The menu here is short, and for a good reason. Just like it’s European counterparts this vineyard restaurant is true to it’s roots - literally. Just as the wine comes from their very own vineyard the food is harvested locally and the bulk of the menu is as ever changing as it’s ingredients. That said, classically trained Executive Chef Arie Pavlou has created several menu staples that are not to be missed. The classic escargot with traditional garlic and parsley butter was cooked perfectly and we found ourselves soaking up the leftover sauce with every bit of bread we had on the table. (At one point I believe my dining companion may have even licked the plate…shhh don’t tell anyone!) We also sampled the brie en croute, which featured brie cheese and wild mushrooms in perfect balance wrapped-up in a golden brown puff pastry served along side a mesclun salad.

Just when we though the chef had already hit the high note of our meal, the smoked local duck breast arrived on our table cooked to perfection with a sweet sauce. This dish is prepared differently each night, but the duck is always fresh and comes from a farm in the same town as the restaurant. It doesn’t get any more local than this dish.

Finally, it would be a crime if we didn’t tell you that no matter how full you are at this point in the meal - you MUST - and we mean MUST order the homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream. The mint is picked fresh from the restaurant’s garden, and the light finish of this herb mixed with gourmet chocolate is sure to please everyone at the table.