Fun Food - Fast Food - Best Egg Cream

Delilah May is the youngest owner of the Upper Crust Café. At three months old, she has yet to test the food but keeps mom and dad company as they run their fun Garden City eatery. 

Ashley and Nicholas Lucchesi are the married team who purchased the former luncheonette two years back. Hardly newbies to the biz, they brought Long Islanders Toque Bistro and Lucca, both formerly of Bellmore.

Thursday's lunch crowd, in the backdrop of country/retro décor, was vibrant at the almost full eatery and the sun beckoned some to dine al fresco on Franklin Avenue. I ate with a dear friend who is an insurance executive and makes doll clothes as a hobby from her Northport home.

The Doll Lady and I tried the soups du jour. She had Dirty Potato Cheddar Bisque, which was creamy and decadent. Although bisque is generally defined as a seafood soup, it was so good we excused the linguistic blunder. I had St. Louis Barley Stout – thick barley stew with a drizzle of St. Louis barbecue sauce, which was unimpressive. 

The lunch menu had burgers, wraps and standard mid-day fare and a few culinary oddities like a Lobster Grilled Cheese. I went with the Cuban sandwich. The sour dough was golden brown and crusty with pickles, ham, a slab of pork and cheese oozing out of every side. The side salads were comprised of an array of fresh greens and plump cherry tomatoes and came in adorable clay flower pots, as did the crispy shoestring fries. 

Mac & Cheese was a little pricey at $13.95 but this grown up version did not disappoint – gruyere, fresh mushrooms, oven-dried tomatoes (where most of today's sun-dried tomatoes emanate) and a pesto-crusted top bubbling with more cheese in a small cast iron croc. Blue crab was optional but we went without. 

The wraps were sizable and filled with grilled meats and fresh veggies. Sides of coleslaw and potato salad were chunky, well dressed and homemade. Raspberry Iced Tea was refreshing, not overly sweet.

This comfort food menu had milk shakes and a childhood favorite - a chocolate Egg Cream. The Doll Lady admitted to never having tried an Egg Cream. If you lived in the boroughs and are over 35, chances are you've tried one of these intoxicating drinks. U-bet syrup in one-third of the glass with a little milk and seltzer and voila – a blast of nostalgia! After one sip of my Egg Cream I was transformed back to the streets of Queens where this stick-ball player was a two sewer hitter! 

Dinner is new to this locale – eight months old, the Lucchesi's say it has been a hit thus far. The dinner menu is one page and dips into the day menu with their special Mac & Cheese, Soups of the Day and an array of salads with multiple textures (pecans, goat cheese, dried fruit, olives, apples).    

The wine list is a nice size for a small eatery – bottles average around $29. In addition there is an upscale beer menu and a chic Peach Bellini.

Upper Crust serves up a robust breakfast crowd all day on Saturday and Sunday with all diner faves. Breakfast sandwiches are affordable - deli rates and a child's menu provides two choices for $4.95.

The Lucchesi family provided food that was fun, food that was fast and the best Egg Cream this aficionado has had on the Island!