Ideal’s Element

SUCH. DELICIOUS. FOOD! Went here on a date for a late brunch. The owner came to chat with us while we ordered. He is the kind of guy you just want to grab a beer (or rather, a glass of wine) with while you both share your adventures.
The bread is warm and crisped to perfection and any cheese you order is bound to blow your mind (and your tastebuds) with its quality and flavor!
Oh and the mimosas for brunch are some of the best I’ve had!

What a pleasant, satisfying meal I had here at Element. It was a Friday night around 8 P.M. when we were seated. Luckily, there was no wait and plenty of tables to chose from. We sat in the back. I picked through their wine list and we ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Price was very good on the bottle. Their menu is unique and offers cheese and meat tastings along with salads, bread melts, flat breads, and a variety of cheese-​centric appetizers. There’s also burgers, fries, and wings available. The cheese varieties include international and New York State picks from cow, goat, and sheep milk. We started with a cheese trio and let the chefs decide, skipping the cheddars. Element brought to us a board of bread (we ordered a second round), flavored olive oil, three cheeses and sweet pairings to go with each one (fig spread, quince paste, honey). Coupled with our wine and I was nearly full off sharing this trio with one other person. All three cheese picks were wonderful and paired with the bread, wine, and sweet made for quite an exquisite experience. We ordered the arugula with goat cheese flat bread afterwards. The flat bread was teeming with greens and cheese. The flatbread was also good, more of a fresh taste because of the arugula. The meal overall was pricier than it might have been at other restaurants in the area, even minus the bottle of wine but overall I’d say the novel eating style and wonderful tastings made it well worth it.

BRIE-​ZY CHEESY IS A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. If I were in jail and I were to have one last meal, this would be it. I day dreamed of this meal frequently days (and weeks) after eating it.
Moving on, the CHEESE PLATES ARE DA BOMB.
Pro-​tip: ask your server for cheese recommendations. They often have items that aren’t necessarily on the menu (ie. The Chimay beer bathed cheese. YUM.)

Since I became a vegan I have been missing this place. WIsh they had some vegan options like vegan cheeses, salads and soups. The new décor is nice.

Before the renovations, the food and service were excellent. Unfortunately not anymore. The veggie mac n cheese lacked flavor, this used to be my favorite. The chopped salad came unchopped. When we asked about salad dressing, the waitress said it comes that way (undressed), did want dressing? Duh… The clincher was asking if we were ready for the check while still eating! There were other tables still occupied, so it wasn’t like we were lingering after closing. Doubt if we would go back.

Went for the first time when I was visiting a friend. Got the three cheese/​meat flight. The hard goat cheese was great. Each cheese and meat we had was paired with a yummy treat (honey, pecans, Dijon, etc.). Our flight was also served with delicious thinly sliced bread and a rich olive oil. Our cheese server also educated us on our selections and their pairings, adding to the experience. For the flight and 4 glasses of wine, it was $ 60. Not too bad of pricing.
Great ambiance and location.

Wow, I went here before and after the renovation. The place looksuch better I have to say that but the food is the same terrible and terribly overpriced with bad service. Some of there items just shouldn’t be on the menu. Place is just way overpriced and lousy. Sorry, I tried to like it again but I’m done throwing money away

First off we have not been back since it was Ideal Wine and Cheese. We were a little skeptical at first. Worried that they were going to be too trendy for family dining. But, our experience here was just as enjoyable. Nothing in terms of the dining and wine experience changed. Great small plates, apps, and authentic main courses were still there. Really good wine selection and service were all top notch. Plus, we did like the changes to the décor. We can see the vibe they are going for and understand it. But, you can still take the family there early on a Friday and Saturday like we usually do. My wife and I can also look forward to maybe just getting some wine and cheese for a night out too.

Very hit or miss– burgers and melts are very good, veggies can be a wa wa wah. Very expensive for what you get for many of the dishes. Skip for all but melts and burgers.

My friends and I came here on Mother’s Day. We had a girls day, brunch then off shopping at The outlets in Deer Park. (that’s another review) the place had just re-​opened. We walked in and were seated immediately by a very friendly hostess. We were there for brunch, and when our equally friendly waitress came over we were offered a complimentary Mimosa, Peach belinni or Prosecco. Then we looked at our menus. I gave to interject at this point, the chairs were amazingly comfortable. I felt like I was being hugged lol. The entire décor was very modern and airy. Back to the menu. Great choices, we ended up getting an array. One lady got the eggs Benedict, one the croque madame and I hit a poached egg and cheese combo. The eggs Benedict looked really and the sandwich arrived all gooey with lovely cheese dripping all around, and my platter was interestingly yummy. The poached egg was delicate, the bread rustic, the cheese on the platter was delicious and the surprise addition of fig preserves added a perfect touch if sweet to the cheeses. The bread was really nice, lightly toasted it had a nuttiness that was paired well with the cheese and a dab of the preserves on top. Mmmmm yummy! I also must mention the coffee. We had ours with half and half or it may have been table cream, but the coffee was amazing. I had 3 cups. 3 and I’m normally a tea drinker. That speaks volumes. It was a very pleasant brunch. The restaurant is on Main Street and the street itself is adorable with do many great small shops. If we weren’t headed to the mall, I would have liked to walk around a bit. Will have to do that next time, and I’m thinking yes there will be a next time.