The owner of JP's Steakhouse, a newly renovated and recently reopened restaurant on Main Street in Farmingdale, Joe Brandine, has two philosophies when it comes to running a restaurant. The first, he said, is providing his customers with good food at reasonable prices and the second, which he believes is more important, is doing so in a clean environment, guaranteeing his customers safety and cleanliness.

Brandine said that many people who come into a restaurant are not aware of what goes on "behind the scenes," and how difficult it can be to maintain cleanliness in a restaurant. "You have to keep it up every day," he said, adding that he and his staff members clean the restaurant and scrub the bar on a regular basis.

Brandine reopened the restaurant earlier this summer and celebrated his grand opening last week together with co-owners Al Minkoff and Terry Watters. A Farmingdale resident for over 30 years, Brandine said he always wanted to own a restaurant close to home. He has owned restaurants in other areas such as Great Neck and wanted to bring his restaurant business into his own home town.

During the week of his grand opening, Brandine hoped to make his new customers realize that JP's is no longer the "Long Island Bar and Grill" that it used to be under the last ownership. Upon buying the establishment, the owners decided to keep the "JP's" portion of the name, although the menu is not the same.

"We have a whole new menu," Brandine said, "which a lot of people don't know." He added that the restaurant's specialty, his three favorite words, is "fine prime steaks." In addition to steaks, variously prepared, JP's also serves seafood, pasta dishes, appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts, among other items.

"We have an elaborate menu with fair prices," he said, "a fine array of gourmet prepared dishes." In addition to providing customers with a fine sit down restaurant, JP's also offers catering services.

Brandine added that the restaurant is a "tribute to Long Island." As it reads on the new menu; "[JP's] is dedicated to continuing the 100 year tradition of this historic building. We are committed to serving you only the freshest food in a relaxing, comfortable setting."

To provide that setting, Brandine explained the lighting scheme of the restaurant. During lunchtime, all the lights are on throughout the dining room and during dinner hours the lights are dimmed and the tables are decorated with candles.

JP's Steakhouse is open daily for lunch and dinner, with lunchtime beginning at 11:30 a.m. The dining room closes at 11 p.m. and the bar remains open later. Brandine and his co-owners invite local residents to come down and experience the new JP's.