FOODIE

Fresh Eats At Italian Grill
By Pete & Rosie & Mike & Lil /foodie@longislandernews.com

Who knew “two big Sicilian boys from Texas who love to cook and eat” would end up with restaurants on Long Island?

The national Carrabbas chain belongs to Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola. With nearby locations in Smithtown and Islip, the restaurant boasts tasty grilled meat dishes, brick oven pizza and al dente pasta dishes.

Frequenters of the Smithtown location, we visited again with a large party on a busy Wednesday night, and they handled us well. The lively dining room was packed with groups chatting, laughing and enjoying glasses of vino, since Wednesday is wine night. The open kitchen served as an appropriate backdrop, as flames from the brick oven danced behind a counter.

Every meal starts with warm bread served alongside olive oil with herbs. A soup or salad comes with most entrées, and on this visit we had both. The house salad ($6) is served on an ice-cold plate to keep the fresh veggies cool and is topped with creamy parmesan. Lentil and sausage soup ($4/$6) is delicious and packed with diced tomatoes and onions. It has the kind of spicy kick to it that creates a heat that rises in the back of the throat.

Tender, flaky calamari ($7/$9) is lightly battered and fried, served with a marinara sauce that is chunky and neither too sweet nor too acidic. Mozzarella marinara ($7/$9) is breaded, greaselessly fried and served with the same marinara. An antipasti platter comes with both, as well as the bruschette of the day ($11).

Brick oven pizza is baked at 600 degrees. The Margherita ($9) has a slight kick to it, served with Roma tomatoes, basil, extra virgin olive oil and mozzarella cheese.
Meat cooked on the wood-burning grill is tender and juicy, and is complemented well by one of Carrabbas’ sauces. Chicken Bryan ($16.50) comes topped with creamy goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and a basil lemon butter sauce. Chicken Marsala is hearty and above average but not thick, topped with mushrooms and prosciutto in a Lombardo Marsala wine sauce ($16.50). Pollo Rosa Maria ($16.50) is chicken stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto, topped with mushrooms and a sweet basil lemon butter sauce that complements the prosciutto. Our recommendation is to try all three by asking for the Chicken Trio so you get one of each for some variety.

A Mahi Mahi special comes with a filet almost steak-like, thick, flaky and fresh, and is served with lobster ravioli ($16.5 for the ravioli alone) in a white wine cream sauce.
Rigatoni Martino ($13) is al dente, tossed with grilled chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce, topped with ricotta salata and scallions.

Mini desserts called “bacinos” make you feel less guilty about indulging; options are varied and include a pudding with raspberry topping, banana nut bread with pudding and cream, crème brulee and cannoli cream with pieces of cannoli shell.

With large party carryouts and a specialty martini list, there are many reasons to enjoy a meal from Carrabbas.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill
730 Smithtown Bypass
Smithtown
631-265-1304
www.carrabbas.com

Atmosphere: Lively and homey

Cuisine: Italian grill

Price: Moderate

Hours: Sun 12-9:30 p.m.;
Mon-Thurs 4-10 p.m.;
Fr: 4-11 p.m.; Sat 3-11 p.m.

Main Menu