My spouse and I dined at 2 Spring for brunch on a Saturday afternoon in
early May 2018. 2 Spring is open for lunch/brunch and dinner on Tuesdays
through Sundays (closed on Mondays). You can make a reservation using the
online www dot reserve dot com system.
Since January 2018, 2 Spring has occupied the corner of Spring Street and Shore
Avenue, across from the Oyster Bay village triangle (at Audrey Avenue), in the
space that previously housed Café Al Dente.
2 Spring is a multi-level restaurant; on the street
level, it offers a zinc-topped bar and table seating (most of which share a
long wooden banquette on one wall) in a high-ceilinged cozy space. An exposed
staircase leads to additional upstairs dining. White-washed exposed brick
walls, lots of wood, a tin ceiling, and interesting lighting complete the look.
An outdoor garden patio offers al fresco dining during the warmer months;
however, despite it being a gorgeous spring day when we visited, and even
though the deck looked fully outfitted, decorated, and ready to accept guests,
the restaurant was not seating out there – our first letdown.
The restaurant offers American cuisine with a focus on farm-to-table
protein and fresh seafood. The menu offers raw bar items, small plates, and
composed entrees. Prior to opening 2 Spring, the chef/owner operated Manhattan
restaurants Gordon Ramsay at the London, recette, and The Gander,
and he staged at Per Se and Jean Georges.
He also
worked at Café Maxx and Mark’s on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, where we have
dined previously. He has been nominated for a James Beard award, Forbes “30
Under 30” list, “America’s Best Young Chefs”, and has won an Iron Chef competition.
Because we were short on time, we did not request appetizers, although several
sounded intriguing. We ordered an open-faced duck hash sandwich topped with
sunny-side-up eggs (and served with shoestring fries) and the cacio de pepe
(topped with a raw egg). Disappointingly, we were informed that the restaurant
does not offer any dessert at lunch/brunch. The food looked great but tasted
less so. Service was sluggish, but the dining space was filled to capacity,
including all seats at the small bar. (The upstairs dining room was unoccupied,
though.)
Our meal at 2 Spring was good, but not the excellent experience that we anticipated.
