In his restaurant within a restaurant, Chef’s Loft at The Stone House, Chef Peter Botros offers a unique space and INNOVATI VE MENUS

By Jessica Jones-Gorman • Photos By Amessé Photography

When Peter Botros is in the kitchen at the Stone House, crafting dishes for the hundreds of diners who frequent his Clove Lakes restaurant on any given night, the chef always leans classic: wedge salad, rack of lamb, roasted chicken, and mashed potatoes.

But when he’s concocting a menu for his newly opened Stone House offshoot, Chef ’s Loft, that’s when things get a little creative.

“The entire reason why Chef ’s Loft was born was so that I could presentsomething different, something entirely outside of the box,” Botros said. “Being that the Stone House is a large restaurant— a mainstream dining experience where guests come to host luncheons, dinners, and other family affairs—we try to keep things as traditional as possible. Yes, there’s some twists on our dishes there, but we make things approachable for everyone in our demographic. But Chef ’s Loft is an entirely different story. That place allows me to play.”

Open since March, the smallish dining space, which was previously unused by the restaurant, seats less than 20 people and overlooks the Stone House’s main dining room.

“Prior to opening, this space was only utilized for storage,” Botros noted. “When we took over the restaurant in 2014, it was one of the first things my staff and I noticed. So exclusive, small, and quaint, we thought it was one of the coolest spots on the property. We knew we had to do something…turn it into a sort of VIP-style area.”

Botros had the loft completely renovated, added a generous amount of reclaimed wood, and built and backlit a wall designed entirely from blocks of Himalayan sea salt. (“The vibe here is just really cool,” he said. “The wall glows with different hues of pink and orange and the space is just so unique and picturesque.”)

Northwell A22 SPREAD

The intimate spot is only open on Saturday evenings, typically seats 16, and has been sold out every week since its opening.

“The response has been completely unbelievable,” Botros said. “We have diners who have made permanent reservations with us and return each week for their seating.”

The Chef ’s Loft features a gourmet tasting menu that changes monthly. The five-course meal is priced at $125 per guest, and includes a salad (think crystallized cilantro doused with Meyer lemon jam), appetizer (chilled snow crab, cauliflower soup), some form of seafood (Oysters Rockefeller, seared scallops), a meat (Wagyu beef, pork tenderloin with a sriracha cherry chutney), and dessert (blueberry peach empanada, wild strawberry tart with basil sorbet, and balsamic cotton candy).

“It’s artsy, creative, innovative,” Botros said. “There’s really no rhyme or reason to each menu, but it does follow a general idea: there’s always a cold dish, there’s always a salad, but nothing is ever traditional.”

Botros, who is trained as a mortgage banker and who has a master’s degree in marketing and finance, cooks each course in clear candlelit view of diners, and chooses the wine for every dish. He said his love of culinary arts was born when he started working in the food service industry as a teenager.

“I’ve always loved food, and am inspired to create dishes that are new and innovative,” he said. “Chef ’s Loft has allowed me to implement so many great ideas that I haven’t been able to try at the Stone House. I look forward to creating these menus each month.”

In August, the Loft’s menu includes a loaf of sourdough bread served with roasted pepper and goat cheese spread, followed by chilled snow crab with grilled corn salsa, chipotle kettle corn and key lime caviar, all paired with Sauvignon Blanc. The second course is a charred Spanish Octopus with smoked paprika, Meyer lemon jam, arugula, and crystallized cilantro paired with a Tempranillo. A smoked chicken mac ‘n’ cheese with braised chicken thigh, smoked gouda béchamel and hickory-smoked Kentucky-fried chicken skin is paired with a Pinot Noir, while the Wagyu beef is served with a roasted garlic puree, black garlic chimichurri, and beach mushrooms— all served with a Malbec. The Wild Strawberry Tart is complemented by a sparkling Moscato.

For September, menu items include chilled spicy shrimp with cucumber lime sorbet, goat cheese and walnut strudel with vanilla honey drizzle, bronzed swordfish with golden raisin mostarda, filet mignon with Portobello sushi, and a strawberry mango “guacamole” for dessert. In addition to the Saturday night gourmet tastings, Chef ’s Loft can also accommodate 12-20 people or up to 25 in a cocktail-style setting.

Chef’s Loft at The Stone House
1150 Clove Road / 718.442.3600
thestonehousesi.com