Dark Horse Restaurant
1 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY
631-208-0072
You don’t expect to find this little gem when you drive into the main town of Riverhead, a smaller town out towards the east end of Long Island. Situated on a corner, it is a bright and spacious location that is clean and stylish with it’s simple ‘woodsy’ yet chic decor. Mike and I drove out there for the soul purpose of checking it out and giving it a try. Upon our arrival we were met with a simple, yet short, menu that said flat out that they SPEAK Gluten Free. They did not lie. Our waiter knew exactly what we were asking and explained that they do not cross contaminate ‘what so ever’, have a dedicated fryer (you guys know I love this part) AND make their own bread on site. I could tell that we were in for a treat.
Mike and I ordered a ginger martini, Gluten Free Crab Cake Appetizer, Bison Ground Steak Burger, and the day’s special of Bison Chili with Corn Chips. Their selection of gluten free items ranged however from sandwiches to salads to pastas and more, which makes for a big variety on such a small menu.
Crab cakes are often difficult to come across gluten free, and seeing as I am sometimes in the mood for them (this day being one of them) I had to take the opportunity. While the taste was delicious, I was somewhat disappointed in the portion size for the price. For 11 you get two smaller than fist size crab cakes, with a side of spinach and lettuce and orange chipotle mayo. The cakes were a bit on the dry side, yet when paired with the mayo were simply savory. Unfortunately, given the size the best part of this was the salad.
The Bison Chili and Bison Groun Steak Burger were definitely more size and price worthy. Bison is an interesting meat in my opinion, which adds a more natural flavor to any dish. I cannot explain it’s flavor, other than being more ‘down to earth’ tasting than other meats. The Chili was superb, tasting warm and flavorful. Adding the chips was a fun way to eat the chili, and made it easier to share. Mike and I did feel however that the amount of cheese pulled your senses away from the chili flavor itself, especially with the added toppings of sour cream, quacamole, and onions, so we could have done with less cheese.
The Bison Ground Steak Burger was also great, you did not loose the flavor of the meat in this dish. Instead, it was enhanced by the bbq sauce made on premise that it came with. The house made bun was soft and moist, it is a real treat to have a burger on a bun in the store. The burger also came with coldslaw and potatoes that were decent, although somewhat blander than I would have expected.
All things considered, this was a good dining experience, although Mike and I agree that for what you get the price is far too high. If you are looking for a good venue on the island for a special date occasion in a great location with friendly people and good tasting food this is the place if you want to treat yourself by sending a bit more cash.
Food Quality: .5
