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The old Sunny Buffet that sat prominently for over 20 years on East Main Street in Bay Shore is about to undergo a major transformation.
Plans for a unique-to-Long Island food concept called The Embassy are underway.
The aforementioned transformation will start with the outside, where owner Steve Fleming has plans for a living wall exterior.
Basically, the exterior of The Embassy will be covered in vegetation.
“It’s going to be heavy; I’m going to tell you. People are going to be shocked … Flowers up to the roof,” said Fleming, who moved from Ireland in 1985 and has been building high-end bars, mostly in New York City, ever since.
“We know how to build a bar,” he said.
As for that unique food concept, “We’re going to do food from all around the world,” he said. “You can come here and order food from several different cultures. You can order Italian; your wife can order Chinese.”
Then there’s the fusion aspect.
“We mix things,” he said.
For example, the corned beef and cabbage egg rolls, or the lobster shepherd’s pie, or the prosciutto and mozzarella dumplings.
The interior will feature a center bar reminiscent of Cheers, book shelves, fireplaces, handcrafted furniture and molding, and three snugs where up to eight diners can enjoy privacy together.
“They’re VIP rooms for up to four couples (each), kind of like a stage coach, but they’re open,” Fleming explained.
The bar is being built from mahogany from an old Saratoga hotel that was knocked down in the 1920s.
Fleming is looking to open in early 2020.
Before building starts, he and the team will be using the space as a workshop to build furniture. “We just need to get our permits,” he said.
The concreted backyard is also being transformed into a courtyard, complete with flowers, paths, lanterns and pavers.
“It’s going to be gorgeous out there,” Fleming said. “Like a little Washington Square park.”
As for the name, it advances Fleming’s vision of bringing cultures together, which, he said, is also a characteristic of Bay Shore and its history.
“It’s going to be an embassy for every culture,” he said. “We’ll line the building with flags from the most popular countries” that are represented in Bay Shore.
“It’s going to be pretty insane,” he said.
Check back at greaterbayshore.com for updates.
