HotelChatter

If you give the meal a try, make reservations in advance. The small, elegant dining room was pretty full when brunch started at noon. When we hopped on the chow line, we saw that the seafood spread was the buffet star. People hovered over the table of lobsters, crabs legs and shrimp cocktail. Everything was fresh—we couldn't get enough of the plump shrimp or the tasty lobster—not like the typical D-grade buffet food.

That's not to say there weren't more traditional brunch offerings, like all-you-can-handle Bloody Marys and mimosas. There was an omelet/Belgian waffles station; a table of croissants and other bready goodness; trays of spinach quiche, salmon and more; a sushi station; and a table with so-so butternut squash ravioli and prime rib.

There's also a sweets table with a chocolate fondue fountain. We gorged on the rich caramelly pecan tarts, light-as-air tiramisu and white chocolate mousse served in delicate chocolate cups.

Overall, we'd recommend this brunch for a special-occasion outing and only if adore seafood. Although most of the food is delish, it wouldn't be worth $64 if all you ate were eggs. But lobster lovers will get a lot of bang for their buck; we were so full that we didn't eat the rest of the day.

As for the guest rooms here, they are decidedly "Long Island" in decor. See what we mean here. Rates start at $265 a night.

[Photos: Jennifer Kester]