Long Island Restaurants

Ruvo

South of Naples lies the Italian town of Ruvo, ancestral home of the Di Nicola family. The walls of their handsome Greenlawn restaurant are hung with abstract woodcut prints depicting the town. These were done by family patriarch James Di Nicola Sr., whose four sons own the restaurant, a true family operation.

Credit moderate prices and a well-focused Italian menu for the weekend crowds. Surroundings are attractive, a mix of brick, wood and warm tones of mango. The antique-looking barnwood bar, which dominates the front room, is a beauty and a popular gathering spot, too. But noise levels on Friday and Saturday evenings can deafen.

Good, crusty bread comes with a crock of olive oil afloat with fine black olives. Begin with the delicious zuppa di mussels, plump mollusks in a full-flavored tomato and wine broth. Calamari is super-tender, paired with a bright and spicy marinara sauce. The roasted red beet salad, made with arugula, goat cheese and toasted walnuts, juxtaposes the mellow with the piquant, the crunchy with the soft. A classic Caesar salad features sprightly greens and a rich (but not overly so) dressing.

Entrees may prove more uneven. Roasted chicken can be overcooked to stringiness. Shrimp scampi over linguine features nice fresh crustaceans, but the sauce can be over-thickened. The simple gemelli al ragu, pasta with meatballs and sausage, is best. A special of shrimp and roasted garlic ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and wine sauce is another savory option. Linguine with white clam sauce is made with lots of fresh clams and the right amount of garlic.

At lunch, wonderful peasant bread, brushed with garlic and olive oil and lightly toasted, is the base of the grilled chicken sandwich with goat cheese and roasted red peppers and the sliced steak sandwich with sauteed wild mushrooms and mozzarella. Hope that the steak is cooked to order. Both come with well-dressed field greens salads.

Desserts are house-made and noteworthy. Tiramisu is delicate and pleasantly tipsy, chocolate mousse pie dense and rich, apple crumb pie old-fashioned and all-American.

About reservations: You'll need them.

Joan Reminick

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Major Credit Cards Accepted

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Special Features

Wheelchair Access