Any Rockville Centre dining tour worth its salt must stop at Chadwicks American Chop House & Bar. The village’s restaurant hub sits opposite the Long Island Rail Road’s Rockville Centre station amid the mini-metropolitan clamor of crowded streets and foot traffic.
A relaxed atmosphere greets guests immediately, with candlelit tranquility presiding over each white linen-topped table in the dining area. The rattle of the restaurant’s bar area can be heard beyond a separating wall, but it is by no means disruptive and instead offers amusing overheard conversations.
Turning to the cuisine, Chadwicks plates American fare with international flair, along with classic chop house mainstays. Popular starters include the lobster bisque, the three onion and three cheese French onion soup, crispy pork belly and, on special, a BLT mussel pot studded with Gorgonzola cheese.
The steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels, plump and flavorful, are presented in a sweet tomato broth that plays perfectly against the salty cheese morsels. The crispy pork belly’s unctuous delivery is irresistible, with the fatty richness revealing itself after the eater penetrates the delightful crunch of the belly’s exterior. Chadwicks’ version is served as thick strips, glazed with a sweet honey chipotle sauce, toasted sesame and apple carrot slaw topping that provides more bite to the dish.
For entrées, Chadwicks offers land, sea and air options, with plenty of pasta as well. Popular dishes include various veal and pork chop preparations, filet mignon and an enticing Black Angus New York Strip. The Atlantic Salmon entrée was cooked perfectly—flaky, but it still maintained its firmness, integral to any great salmon dish. Chadwicks offers an array of sauces with its entrées, including a Madeira wine sauce, which brought a sweet-savory slant to the salmon. Ample side dishes are available with the entrées, with the broccoli rabe pairing wonderfully with the salmon.
Another entrée that seemingly jumps off the menu is Chadwicks crispy, slow-roasted half duck served with a honey-pepper fig glaze. Rendering the fat is key to achieving the crowd-pleasing crunchy duck skin while injecting much-needed moisture into the meat. Chadwicks’ kitchen team does not miss the mark. The whipped sweet potatoes is the perfect foil for this waterfowl.
With its elegant atmosphere and professional preparations, Chadwicks proves to be a gem in Rockville Centre’s crowded dining scene.
Read Part One and Part Two of Steve Mosco’s Rockville Centre food series.
