FOODIE
Dining Al Fresco At Amici Of Commack
By Luann and Richard/ foodie@longislandernews.com

With spring quickly approaching, the desire to dine outdoors may start to bubble within restaurant-goers. When that is not possible (and even if it is) rely on Amici of Commack to take you to an entirely different world—a world of dining “al fresco” in the fresh air of one of sunny Italy’s piazzas.

Nestled in the eastern corner of the Commack Corners Shopping Center at the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Commack Road, Amici would be easy to miss if you didn’t know where to look. Once you pass through the restaurant’s wooden doors, which sharply contrast with the look of neighboring stores, like the Blockbuster, the noise of the busy intersection melts away as you enter a world of mahogany browns, orange hues and calming greens. The wall mural décor of landscapes and seaside scenes, patio-like chairs and sandy colored tiles make you feel like you are dining outside. You can almost hear the breeze.

After you are seated, your server takes your drink order. Aromas from nearby tables float through the air, awakening your senses. Then you are given your menu, which boasts a variety of pasta, risotto, meat and fish dishes. Don’t get too attached to the menu items, though, for the specials list is extensive—so extensive, in fact, that you probably will need to hear it twice.

Our waitress read us a list of over 10 specials that included a seafood cocktail for two, mussels marinara, pan-seared dried sea scallops, Mahi-mahi, duck, lamb, crusted tilapia, and orada, a Mediterranean fish, served whole. The menu and specials are products of chef and manager Raul Flores, who has been in the business for 22 years and with Amici since it opened three years ago. Though the menu is mostly northern Italian, Raul plays with other continental cuisines and bolder flavors with his specials.
After much debate and a recommendation from Raul to order from his specials, we settled on a few of them and one menu appetizer that caught our eye, the carpaccio di manzo ($9.95), thinly sliced raw filet mignon over arugula and Pecorino Romano cheese, drizzled with truffle oil and topped with thin crispy onions.

Oysters Rockefeller ($13.95) is a fine choice, topped with spinach and a light sauce. The oysters come plump, sizeable and juicy, and nearly melt in your mouth.

The entrees that followed did not disappoint. The pink tequila sauce in a chicken dish with artichoke hearts ($18.95) brought a pleasantly tangy and creative kick to what easily could have been an average dish, but nothing is average at Amici.

The showstopper, however, came with our other entrée choice, a classic bouillabaisse that elicited a “wow” from us when it was placed on the table, an enormous dish with piles of seafood over a bed of pasta in a delicate saffron cream sauce ($31.95). It was like an Italian Christmas Eve dinner all over again! Seven kinds of fish—calamari, mussels, clams, peeled baby shrimp, tender scallops cooked to perfection, half a lobster and a crab claw—topped fettuccini, barely even visible, there were so many pieces of seafood.

Desserts ($6 each) range from a creamy, soft homemade tiramisu with ladyfingers to classic Italian cheesecake. We had both.

Unique ambiance. Flawless presentation. Quality food. Amici has it all. It can even host parties for groups up to 80 people. Keep your eyes peeled for exciting developments—we got a tip from Raul that they might offer cooking classes for a romantic night out at some point.

Amici
6546 Jericho Turnpike
Commack Corners Shopping Center
631-499-4820

Cuisine: Northern Italian, continental fare,
and a variety of specials
Atmosphere: Like having dinner in an Italian piazza
Hours: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday. 5 p.m.-11 p.m.
Friday & Saturday. Closed Mondays.

Main Menu