Gioia In Oyster Bay: A Joy to Behold

By The Grouchy Old Man.

After reading the reviews on Yelp, my friend insisted that we eat at Gioia in Oyster Bay. How bad could a place be that has joy in its name. The overall vibe of Gioia was incredible. You could feel the pulse immediately once you walked in. People kept coming and going. Conversations were lively. It was definitely a scene in downtown Oyster Bay.

Our waitstaff was incredible nice and helpful. They passed the beverage standard. They kept the water glass filled. They asked us if we wanted a drink and gave us a healthy poor. The only complaint that I have on the beverage service is that they did not have a real choice on the beer front. Only an IPA. A good selection on the wine choices though.

I was disappointed on the menu set up. Most of the items incorporated food that I do not eat or not like. For a picky eater, it was a challenge. I hate being challenged at dinner. This was my fault for not checking this out before heading over there. Add to the fact, that the chef was unwilling to make certain dietary changes that I requested. As a result, I struggled for dinner choices but this is a classic first world problem.

We ended up ordering the Baby Gem Salad and the Cucumbers Appetizers. For entrees, we had Maltagliati (which has shrimp, asparagus, tomato and herbs) and the Chicken Cutlet Alla Modena ( which has tomato and balsamic dressing).

We really enjoyed the salad. The dressing really made it pop. I would definitely order that again. As to the cucumber appetizer, there was too much going on the ricotta and parmigiana cheese. I think it would be better served with less ingredients like Torrisi does.

As to the entrees, the chicken dish was deep fried and we did not taste any of the balsamic dressing so it was dry as can be. The Maltagliati was definitely better but I am not a fan or the asparagus so I did not love it. My dinner companion had a different opinion and loved all of the food.

My conclusion is that Gioia is a great restaurant for the right person. As I age, I tend to fall back to old classic Italian American dishes. Gioia does not offer these options so for me, this restaurant will be a one and done.

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