Cooperage Inn - Baiting Hollow

Walking into Cooperage Inn in Baiting Hollow, feels like walking into an older relative's cozy home.
The floral wallpaper, fireplaces, carpeting and extensive home style decor, will make you feel instantly relaxed. That's exactly the type of atmosphere Cooperage Inn is going for.
Lauren and I first came to Cooperage in the Fall. Everything was decorated with the warm colors of the season and the menu reflected the time of year as well.

We were immediately seated in a big open room, several feet from a live musician. While we looked through the very large menu, we were treated to some familiar cover songs.
Service was fast and a friendly waitress took our orders almost immediately.

Lauren started with the seasonal Butternut Squash Soup, which she found tasty and delicious. It was hot and creamy and tasted of the Fall season.

For a main course, Lauren went with the Pumpkin Ravioli. She described it as very good. She also said it was filling, although it does not appear to be a very big portion.

I ordered the Market Vegetable Primavera which is pasta Sautéed with carmelized garlic and olive oil, white wine and plum tomatoes. It was light, enjoyable and very filling. The meal also came with a fresh garden salad (always a nice perk) and I topped it off with an extremely delicious creamy garlic dressing. The salad was crisp and good. Both of our main meals came hot and left us very satisfied. We both commented several times on how comfortable we felt while eating. Unlike other restaurants we have been to, there was really nothing to distract us from enjoying our meals.
We both also found the Cooperage Inn to be very reasonable in terms of bang for your buck.

This summer month of July, Lauren and I went back and sat outside. This was a different experience entirely. We had the same great food, except we were on a little garden patio surrounded by a waterfall and an eclectic mix of decorations. We enjoyed the experience very much. But you will need to expect the service to be a little slower, since it takes the server time to go in and out from the restaurant.

This time, Lauren ordered one of their "Oversized Salads." She selected the Cooperage Inn Waldorf Salad which is chicken salad with celery, walnuts, red onions, mixed lettuce, diced apples and Mandarin oranges, creamy house dressing, toasted almonds and raisins. It was quite a combo. Lauren really loved every bite. She also commented on the real variety in the menu. People around us were eating everything from Lobster to Ribs, and Burgers to Salads. Cooperage Inn is one of those perfect family places where everyone can find something they'll enjoy on the menu.

For my main course this time, I had the Fusilli Rustica.
It is Sautéed chicken, sweet and hot sausage, onions, zucchini and yellow squash, plum tomato basil sauce, and melted fresh mozzarella. I found it to be really tasty, but definitely spicy. It's a great fresh mixture of ingredients, but make sure the person ordering really likes spicy food. The veggies and pasta were cooked perfectly, and the chicken and sausage were both really delicious.

Also to be noted, is the Sunday Breakfast Buffet. I can honestly say it's one of the best buffet's I have been to on Long Island. It comes complete with the usual carving and omelet stations, but really stands out in the dessert department. The buffet rooms has an entire spread of homemade muffins, cakes, pies and cookies. Each one delicious. It's really very standout. They also make a mean homestyle pot roast that I must have helped myself to 3 plates of.

Lauren and I give Cooperage Inn a hearty 4 mints - on the Dinner Mint Scale.

Cooperage Inn
Baiting Hollow
2218 Sound Ave
631-727-8994
http://www.cooperageinn.com/