FOODIE
Dazzled By Lucia

By Luann & Lou / foodie@longislandernews.com

It’s not hard to find good Italian food in Huntington, but it would be a challenge to find the impeccable and unique kind of Italian cuisine found at Lucia Ristorante on Jericho Turnpike.

Situated in the Waldbaum’s shopping center, Lucia exudes the elegance and quality of a high-end restaurant in a comfortable, modern atmosphere with romantic lighting and warm colors. The setting is ideal for an intimate dinner for two, a business dinner for many, or a family night out, and the food is superb, offering high quality ingredients at manageable prices.

In the words of the restaurant’s manager Joe La Cerva, born and raised in Sicily, these guys “have oil and balsamic vinegar in their blood.” Owner Joe Agnone of Naples, Italy, came to America in 1969 and worked as a delivery boy in Manhattan. He opened Anthony’s Pizza, also in the Waldbaum’s shopping center, in 1979, and 25 years later opened a restaurant next door called Casa di Anthony. Earlier this summer the restaurant’s name was changed to Lucia.

With a new name came a new chef, Richard Desmond, formerly of Dandylions and Bliss restaurants. When he came out of the kitchen, there was a split second where we thought the death of Luciano Pavarotti was a myth. Not only does Desmond almost resemble the great tenor, he has a voice like him too! He serenaded us with Puccini’s “Recondita armonia” and the very popular “Nessun dorma,” entertainment he is known to sometimes provide to patrons from time to time. The operatic chef did not fail to dazzle us with his modern twists and turns on classic Italian cuisine.

The succulent song of Desmond’s delights began its crescendo with an appetizer of calamari ($8) that was simply out of this world, probably the best we’ve had in a while. Tender, flaky, lightly battered and golden fried, the calamari sits in a piquant roasted garlic lemon butter sauce that warms the tongue and pleases the palate.

A refreshing grilled asparagus salad ($10) with baby greens, peppered provolone and cherry tomatoes in a sweet balsamic dressing came with prosciutto, crispy and pink.

We also enjoyed a crabcake prepared with a savory tarragon horseradish sauce ($10).

Our culinary opera continued with an entrée of pignoli crusted tilapia over Sicilian couscous ($18). You taste the fried crust for just a second before the fresh, moistness of the tilapia finds your taste buds. In the couscous, a sweet caramelized melon relish creates a melodious harmony with crisp peppers.

Next from behind the curtain came short ribs with aged ricotta over a bed of risotto with a distinctive saffron seasoning ($20). Braised in a pepper tomato sauce, the meat has a tenderness to it that can only come from slow cooking over many hours. We didn’t even need to use a knife.

Homemade cavatelli is topped with a creamy bolognese ($15) with fresh chopped meat and pieces of eggplant, bringing a fresh version of classic comfort food to the table.

As our meal entered its decrescendo into dessert, we enjoyed a wedge of milk chocolate torte ($8). Lighter than fudge but heavier than mouse, its sweet cocoa will satisfy any sweet tooth. A modern take on a napoleon ($8) came with layers of thin, crispy, flakes separated by a fresh, light cream sprinkled with powdered sugar. Strawberries and sugared clumps of rice crispies added a unique touch.

With impeccable presentation and tremendous attention to detail and service, Lucia is a culinary trip worth taking. We will certainly be back to allow Agnone and his crew to impress us again.

Lucia Ristorante
& Bar
717 East Jericho Turnpike
Huntington

631-549-3400

www.luciaristorante.biz

Atmosphere: Comfortable, elegant dining.
Cuisine: Modern, contemporary Italian
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m.-9 p.m.


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