Long Island Bar & Grill

What's it like?

The proposed Fancher Creek development in Southeast Fresno will hopefully offer new selections for fine dining in the area (should construction ever start—the “Coming Fall 2007” sign is fading a bit). Until then, we have Long Island.

Perhaps I should be careful using terms like “fine dining.” Long Island faces little competition in the area, and it’s decent, but far from what fine implies. Kim and I have eaten here several times, mostly with her family, but Friday we needed a date.

If you’ve never heard of the restaurant, that’s because it’s tucked away behind the main strip of malls at Clovis and Kings Canyon. The lighting is dim (which I like) and the wood paneling is a bit out dated; the dining tables wrap around the bar, which is fun to watch on a Friday night.

The food is decent, though I’d be much more enthusiastic if the entrees were priced comparable to other restaurants in town of this caliber. Prime rib, which has been the special every time we’ve been here, is $20, and comes with a baked potato and vegetables that have been smothered in butter and garlic. They do have several selections of fish (Kim’s previous experience with the Tuna steak wasn’t very positive)—she ordered sole this time, with lemon and capers, which was quite delicious. They also have a champagne vinaigrette which we always enjoy on the salad.

Entrees average $20-30, which I’d gladly pay for more attentive service and a little more flavor. But a comparable dinner elsewhere would cost $15-20 for the same entrees. For us, we’re paying for proximity.