317 Main Street Wants To Bring 'Unique' Gastropub To Farmingdale

FARMINGDALE, NY—Farmingdale's ever-growing Main Street is getting a new addition. 317 Main Street, a gastropub, has eyes on opening in mid-to-late July.

Joe Fortuna, the co-owner, also co-owns The Nutty Irishman a couple of doors down. He leased the space about a year and a half ago as an insurance policy in case he needed to move The Nutty Irishman due to an apartment complex that was possibly moving in. After the apartment project was put on hold, Fortuna shifted his focus to launching a new business that could be a restaurant that catered. The idea for an American gastropub was born.

"We wanted to do something different," Fortuna, 53, told Patch. "There’s really nothing on Main Street that will have a similar menu to this."

While the interior is still being finished, the open kitchen is prominently displayed in the first area of the business. Behind the restaurant space is a stage, where the national acts and off-broadway productions the gastropub will attempt to book will perform. Cooking classes and dinner demos will also occur there. On each side of the event space are two bars.

In the back of the restaurant is a VIP area where patrons can meet and greet whoever's performing that night. A private bar will also be present.

The atmosphere that Fortuna and co. are going for is one where people of all ages feel welcome, which will be reflected by the food on the menu. It generally won't be restricted to 21 and over, though events will be for older crowds. Events will be publicized on the gastropub's social media ahead of time.

First and foremost comes the food service. The kitchen will be overseen by well-credentialed executive chef Eric LeVine, a champion of The Food Network's "Chopped" who was also featured on "Beat Bobby Flay" and "Food Paradise," among others.

"Fun" and "unique" seem to be LeVine's buzzwords when he describes the menu he's putting together.

The traditional burgers, tacos, wings, steak and seafood will all be available. LeVine will experiment with seasonality, as the local farmers who 317 Main Street is working with will have varying amounts of products available depending on the time of year. Lighter items will be available during the hot months of summer, while heartier dishes will surface during fall and winter.

"We’re definitely going to have some fun with seasonality," LeVine said. "Just playing with food and do something that's a little unique to Long Island."

Ramen bowls, Buddha bowls and sashimi bowls are some planned offerings. Cultural food like Spanish oven-roasted octopus and Italian pastas and raviolis made in-house are just a couple of ideas for an around-the-world culinary experience. Salad shakers will be on the menu, where the salads are prepared and layered into a glass jar. The server will come over to the table, shake it up and pour it onto the customer's plate like a martini.

"We want people to come in, have a great dining experience and think about their next meal and when they’re coming back again," LeVine said.

Instead of a traditional dessert menu, a server will bring over a cart that showcases all available options laid out on plates.

The drink menu will include seasonal cocktails, wines from different countries and craft beers that will be partially supplied by local breweries.

One feature the restaurant will provide is the chef's table. It seats 6-8 people, and the service can be attained by reservation. Not only do people sitting there get a special menu, they get to interact with LeVine and watch as their food is made in front of them courtesy of a wide open kitchen. Starting at $65 on the lower end, customers seated at the chef's table will get a five to six course tasting paired with wines. However, if the area is not currently being used, people are welcome to undergo the experience despite not having made a reservation.

LeVine said his goal is for customers to feel comfortable whenever they come but also have a different experience each time.

"The specials and the things we’re going to do are going to be varied," he elaborated. "So people can come in and have a simple burger, or they could have a six-course tasting menu. They could come in and have vegan dishes or come in and have their favorite type of steak. The experience can be as simple as come in and have some amazing tacos and a quick drink, or a full dining experience where you’re having course after course after course."

Another feature will be what LeVine calls flight and bite. A flight of drinks, be it sangria, cocktails or beers, will be paired with an appetizer. He expects those to be priced around $16.

Happy Hour will run from 3-7 p.m., and different flavors of popcorn, jars of hummus, etc. will be available.

One last feature 317 Main Street plans to implement is to allow commuters from New York City to call their food in ahead of time. They place the order on their cellphone, and when they get off the train at Farmingdale's LIRR station, their food will be waiting for them in a to-go bag at the restaurant just down the road.

LeVine is looking forward to the launch of the business, as well as everything it will offer.

"This will be the first time I’m opening a restaurant on Long Island, and I’m doing it with some great guys who are fun and energetic, and that’s what I like," LeVine said. "It’s a good mesh of all of our skill-sets together. Kind of being a day to day person in the restaurant, it’s the faith that we have in each other to rely on each other. Everyone does their part, and I come in and do my part."

As inferred by its name, the gastropub will be located at 317 Main St., Farmingdale.