Newsday.com: A shoutout to neighborhood favorites

A shoutout to neighborhood favorites

BY JOAN REMINICK
joan.reminick@newsday.com

Long Islanders live surrounded by a sea of red sauce, breathing garlic-scented air.

At least once a week, most can be found at the local spaghetti joint or trattoria. At the more atmospheric places, the furnishings are wood; a few sport red-checkered cloths. Many, though, are bare-bones spots with formica-topped tables and pizzerias up front.

There's usually something for everyone in the family -- pasta with plain butter for the youngest and, for everyone else, choices that range from a chicken parm hero to linguine with white clam sauce.

What all these restaurants share is a tab that doesn't strain the family budget, along with a welcoming spirit and a heaping of nostalgia.

At Sisina in Port Washington, you'll find satisfying baked pastas in a setting that evokes a village square on the Isle of Capri. Mother Kelly's in Cedarhurst has been a source of good old-fashioned Southern Italian food for more than 40 years. Both offer big flavors and humongous portions.

In Lake Success, Fratelli Iavarone Cafe makes the most of provisions from the family market next door. The fare is simple, spirited and Southern Italian at Blue Moon in Rockville Centre, as it is at Patsy's in Syosset. Uncle Bacala's in Garden City Park offers lotsa pasta and parmigianas, while Cara Mia Due in Seaford, where much of the pasta is family-made, can handle extra-large groups.

At La Casuccia in Farmingdale, Ivan Cordero, born in Ecuador, cooks with Italian flair and serves with a generous hand.

In East Northport, Chefs of New York turns out big plates of hearty basics, while, nearby, at Torcello's, the pasta e fagiole warms many a winter night. A family-style ristorante with panache is Mangiamo in Huntington, where the country-style rigatoni is a sturdy crowd-pleaser. The father-son team at Pronto in Babylon bring Italian authenticity to the crisp-crusted rice balls, just one choice on a well-priced menu. And no one leaves hungry -- or without shopping bags of food -- at Carnival in Port Jefferson, where the eggplant rollatine is grand. Ciro's 107 in Kings Park serves a rich herbal minestrone, along with a host of other classics. At Lucia in Huntington Station, chef and tenor Richard Desmond regales diners with creative dishes such as baked ricotta, and, if they're lucky, a few arias. Vinnie's Mulberry Street in East Islip draws a loyal following with lively and well-priced dishes, such as penne with escarole and white beans. And Butera's, with locations in Massapequa, Woodbury and Smithtown, can't be beat for a salad with a sassy Italian accent.

There are others, of course -- you probably have a long list of your own favorites for good Italian eating at reasonable prices. This is, after all, Long Island.