Your Table is Ready

By Kevin Biggiani 

With spring in the air, and the vaccine rollout going strong, my family and I recently took a stroll to downtown Oyster Bay and decided to have dinner at an Italian restaurant called Autentico. I am so glad we did. 

Autentico is located at 124 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York.  A sign on the door gave us the chance to wait to be seated outside, but we decided to eat inside instead. 

​Upon entering the restaurant, we were warmly greeted by a member of the restaurant’s staff and seated right away by the open door. The inside was very cozy and comfortable. There were only a few tables, which were generously spaced apart. It was daytime, but the blinds were drawn and the room was dark, lit only by flickering, flameless candles. 

  We were given time to settle in before a waiter finally came back and gave our party individual menus. The menus were all handwritten, detailing the chef’s creations available that day. The colorful, complementary breadsticks were fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. 

We had plenty of time to review the menu before the waiter returned to explain every dish offered that night before taking our order. Our waiter was attentive, social, and friendly. 

There was a nice assortment of appetizers and salads to select from. This writer had the green salad with avocado fresh mozzarella and toasted almonds, which was quite delicious.  Authentic Italian smells emanated from the kitchen as we awaited out next course.

In traditional Italian custom, a pasta dish is the first course, and a meat, chicken, or fish dish is the second. Frankly, the portions are quite generous, so selecting one dish as a main course would be sufficient. I selected the Pappardelle alla Bolognese, which was a freshly made pasta dish in a red meat sauce. 

Lastly, it was time for dessert.  There were about ten different desserts to choose from. I selected the Apple Strudel with Vanilla Bean Gelato. It was heated to perfection. However, I do not think you can go wrong with any of the dessert options.

​If you are looking to eat at a fine local restaurant in our charming downtown area, you must try Autentico. You will find delicious food at a reasonable price, and the service is excellent. Buon Appetito!