The Onion Tree pops up at Rites Brewing in Bay Shore
Masala Margherita Neapolitan pie and slices of Roman pizza at The Onion Tree in Sea Cliff. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Within a year of opening The Onion Tree in Sea Cliff (a Newsday Top 50 restaurant and top pizzeria), Jay and Raquel Jadeja closed their 4-year-old Wild Side Bistro in Oakdale. Thus, since 2020, South Shore fans of their unique blend of Neapolitan pizza and reimagined Indian cuisine were out of luck. Unless, Raquel said, "they wanted to make the trek to Sea Cliff."
But now the Jadejas are planning a series of visits to the South Shore thanks to a collaboration with 2-month-old Rites Brewing in Bay Shore. On Fridays, Nov. 14, 21 and 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. They’ll be making their three most popular pies, the Margherita D.O.P. Napoletana and two rectangular Roman pies, the chicken tikka masala and the masala Margherita ($20). Whet your appetites with burrata chaat cups or lamb seekh kabab tacos ($8).
In addition to their Onion Tree Pizza Co. in Manhattan’s East Village (est. 2024), the Jadejas also launched an Indian chicken concept this summer: Crispy Karma operates out of the pizzeria and also as a storefront in Times Square. Why am I telling you this? Because a portion of that menu is popping up at Rites Brewing on Sundays, Nov. 16, 23 and 30, again from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Parsi fried chicken sandwich from Crispy Karma. Credit: 191 Media Group
Raquel said they were currently scouting for a Long Island location for Crispy Karma and "we wanted to get the name out here."
In Bay Shore, they’ll be serving spice-rubbed chicken wings, baked and drizzled with either fiery hot sauce or butter-chicken sauce ($10) and two sandwiches: Parsi fried chicken (marinated with cilantro, chilies, garlic, ginger and lime) and Punjabi roasted chicken (mustard oil, lemon, coriander, Kashmiri chilies, paprika and fenugreek). Both are served with fried banana chips and are $14.
Rites Brewing, 1460 N. Clinton Ave., Bay Shore, Instagram: @ritesbrewing
