From the outside, the Crossroads Café in East Northport gives the appearance of a neighborhood bar where you might expect to find a passable burger but little else of interest.  Look closer.

For eight years, chef-owner Rob Haddow has been has been quietly keeping locals in the know happy with an eclectic menu that makes the most
of quality ingredients.  Most nights, a companionable crowd looks well entrenched at the bar.  On weekends, the two dining rooms fill.  This is a restaurant where people feel comfortable bringing the kids.  The ambience is warm and understated.

Included in the price of every entrée is a perfectly dressed field of greens salad topped with gorgonzola cheese.  What’s more, every table gets
a gratis starter of bruscetta served with a chickpea puree plated alongside the individual ingredients included in that puree: whole chickpeas, basil oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar.  This means appetizers are not really necessary.

Still, you might enjoy trying a few.  One night, a crabmeat cocktail special came in a martini glass,
the sweet lump crabmeat lightly dressed with an herbal vinaigrette.  Steamed Prince Edward Island mussels
basked in a white wine, herb and garlic broth dotted with chopped tomatoes.  I liked the fine eggplant
Napoleon made with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.  Skewered Cajun shrimp were
grilled to the precise degree of doneness, spiced to a gentle smolder.

Haddow’s penne a la vodka was luxurious, dotted with Proscuitto and plum shrimp.  Rob’s spicy
farfalle, made with Italian sausage, red pepper, spinach, bacon and Proscuitto, proved gratifying.

But chicken Christina, boneless breasts sautéed with artichokes, broccoli, roasted red peppers and mushrooms was bland.  Equally fussy and uninteresting was veal Patricia, veal scallops sautéed with shrimp,
baby artichokes and mushrooms in a sherry veal reduction.  Opt instead for the terrific fillet of salmon with
an herb and horseradish crust.  One night, a special cumin-pecan crusted chicken with a chipolte beurre
blanc proved a knockout, served with an addictive mound of saffron-spiked orzo.

A dessert must is the chocolate coupe, a dense, dark mousse served with freshly whipped cream
and seasonal berries.  The chocolate raspberry truffle cake that was offered another evening was intense
and moist and worth the caloric expenditure.

Those prices for a few items may seem a bit high for the “eats” category, keep in mind that Haddow serves
generous portions.  Budget-conscious diners will get more than their money’s worth on Tuesday nights,
when Crossroads serves an all-you-can-eat roster of pastas for $10.95 a person.  Not bad for a Saturday
night kind of place.