Long Island Restaurants

Nick Diangelo

Running the show at Nick DiAngelo: Frank Greco, left, corporate chef; Seth Feyler, restaurant manager, and Jennifer Irwin, general manager. (Photo by Ken Spencer)

The buzz you hear comes from West Park Avenue. Nick DiAngelo is in town.

Buoyant, boisterous and booming, the new restaurant has opened packed tighter than a jar of hot peppers. Huge portions of gutsy Italian-American favorites and thick, flavorful steaks are the attractions at this carefully scripted establishment.

This is the second Nick DiAngelo. The first is in Merrick. They're the offspring of George Martin, the Rockville Centre mainstay, which has an updated bistro style and a steak-and-new American menu. The mini-empire also includes the more casual Max's Grille & Tavern in Rockville Centre.

The latest Nick DiAngelo is a big space, softly lit and dressed in dark wood. There's a popular bar off the main dining room. You may spend some time there while waiting for a table.

Nick DiAngelo takes reservations only for six or more. But the eatery does have a call-ahead policy to alert the front desk of any smaller group's impending arrival. Sometimes, it shortens the wait.

You could profitably spend the time perusing the sprawling, triptych menu. And stop at the first item: Nana Rose's Original Minestrone. It's a husky, satisfying opener served in a bowl that could double as a lidless casserole. The house's sweet, appealing, cheese-laden onion soup is just as good.

Nick DiAngelo sends out a respectable pile of fried calamari, an addictive tangle of fried zucchini and onions, and a savory rendition of mozzarella in carrozza, the Neapolitan fried cheese sandwich.

Each night, the kitchen concocts a hefty hot antipasto for two or more. Some of the winning entries are sausage-stuffed polenta, eggplant rollatine and stuffed peppers.

The restaurant comfortably takes an American turn with meaty, mellow crab cakes, accented with a zesty, peppery riff on sauce remoulade. Pair the crab cake with a velvety filet mignon for a nouveau surf-and-turf.

The steaks here are excellent. Consider the strip steak al forno, covered with cherry peppers, mushrooms and provolone, with a Cognac-laced sauce. The timid need not apply. That advice also applies to diners contemplating the porterhouse steak for two, sliced and set on a bed of peppers, potatoes, onions, broccoli and sliced sausages.

As with the minestrone, there's ample attribution around here. "Frank's veal," a saute with eggplant, prosciutto and fontina cheese; and "Charlie's chicken," roasted, with sausages, peppers, onions, potatoes, broccoli and garlic, are geared toward family-style dining. "Charlie's famous balsamic chicken" can be had solo. Add $2 for "white meat only." If it's good enough for Frank and Charlie, it's good enough for you -- and maybe your kid's entire soccer team.

The rustic fare continues with a workmanlike entree of veal and peppers, a lighter veal scaloppine with lemon and pine nuts, and the obligatory quintet of Parmigianas, from veal and eggplant through shrimp, chicken and a chicken-eggplant combo.

"Deep dish lasagna Bolognese," a heavyweight contender, vies with baked rigatoni and five-cheese ravioli in its own pasta category. They're more appealing than overwrought penne alla carbonara and overorchestrated porcini tortelloni with sausage, candied walnuts and Gorgonzola cream.

Delicate St. Peter's fish prepared piccata-style swims over from George Martin, in a lemon-caper sauce, set on lush lobster risotto. The Salmon dijonnais capped with crabmeat has the potential for cliche, but it works. The seafood specials have more verve, especially the pepper-seared ahi tuna and its pistachio-crusted cousin.

The bread basket stars focaccia. You can go beyond that with the garlic-and-cheese topped Tuscan bread. Keeping things Tuscan, sample a well-made side dish of escarole and white beans.

Desserts are super-sized. The skippables are a bland strawberry shortcake and dry tiramisu. The serving of creamy cheesecake with berries could feed three; black-bottom banana cream pie and brownie sundae, two. You'll finish the designer ice cream sandwich, layered with Haagen Dazs, by yourself.

That last sound is a sigh of contentment.

Reviewed by Peter M. Gianotti, 4/10/05.

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