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Barolo’s Hidden
Corner Off Route 110
By The Foodies./ foodie@longislandernews.com
What’s tucked away on Walt Whitman Road, has a relatively
high Zagat rating, and is named after one of Italy’s
most famous wines?
The answer to this foodie riddle is Hermann’s Barolo.
We found ourselves at the Melville restaurant for the first
time during Dine Huntington Restaurant Week. Doing our foodie
homework, we found out that the 2011-2012 Zagat restaurant
guide – based on input from local consumers – gave
them, on a scale of 1-30 with 30 being the best, a 25 for
food, 20 for décor and 24 for service.
“Expect ‘consistently delicious’ Continental-Italian
fare at this ‘classy’ ‘local favorite’
in Melville where the ‘fantastic’ dishes are ‘impeccably
prepared and served’ by an ‘eager-to-please’
staff,” Zagat reports. “Even if the ‘small,’
‘dark’ room ‘could use a little sprucing up’
it’s still ‘highly recommended’ for ‘special
occasions.’”
That write-up and a $24.95 prix fixe was enough to get us
through the door. Walking in, a small bar straight ahead played
to a small, quiet crowd. The small room off to the right,
with only a handful of tables, surely makes for an intimate
evening. The bigger dining room to the left accommodates parties
of all sizes. Dimly lit, the setting feels formal, although
diners were dressed in both their Sunday best and in casual
attire.
Barolo’s menu is impressive, and most everything sounds
good. Appetizers on the menu that caught our eye included
the carpaccio of beef (paper thin filet mignon topped with
fried onions and horseradish aioli, $11). We tasted the fried
zucchini ($10), which we’ve seen come many different
ways. These were like shoestring French fries, tasty but with
not much zucchini in each string – so if you’re
not a huge fan of the vegetable’s taste, you can still
enjoy the dish. A creamy and satisfying eggplant rollatine
($11) was a hit with most at our table. Clams oreganata ($10),
served whole and on the shell, and fried calamari ($12) are
also solid standards.
There are lots of pasta choices, including carbonara, bolognese
and ala vodka dishes ($19-$23). Entrees that caught our eye
included: veal scallopine sautéed with tomatoes, mushrooms,
red bell peppers, garlic and olive oil ($25); herb-crusted
American rack of lamb ($38); and steak Contadina (grilled
shell steak sliced with roasted potatoes, sautéed red
peppers, sausage and onions, $34). Limited to our Restaurant
Week menu, we went with the pork chop ($25) and the Chicken
Barolo ($24). The pork chop was a huge hit. A large portion
of two thick chops, tender and juicy, the flavors of the hot
and sweet peppers and garlic balsamic vinegar demi-glaze really
make for a great combination. The Chicken Barolo – with
proscuitto, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and a chardonnay
wine sauce – was good, although a bit ordinary when compared
to the pork chop.
Dessert consisted of a raspberry tart, tartufo and tiramisu,
all nice ways to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Barolo is open for lunch, too, so stop by and tell them the
Foodies sent you.
Hermann’s
Barolo
Hermann’s Barolo
1197 Walt Whitman Road
(at Sweet Hollow Road) Melville
631-421-3750
http://hermannsbarolo.com/
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