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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Swept Away A Fork in the Road: La Ginestra (Glen Cove, NY)




Yesterday I came to see my close friend, Chris, in the land of quiet Oyster Bay. He's been raving about a quaint, 20-year old restaurant in Glen Cove by the name of La Ginestra (broom in Italian). Typically, this type place I wouldn't write about, however, it was just TOO good to pass up.

Chris likes to eat AND order. Sometimes, I think his eyes are much bigger than his appetite, but somehow we always seems to finish everything. The restaurant is like a small, Tuscan home with Enzo, the Sicilian, presiding over the kitchen. The rooms are classic Tuscan colors with wooden ceilings and beams with fresh, colorful flowers on each table.

Antipasti included carciofi (fried artichokes) and fried zucchini with corncakes on top of mixed greens. Much to my surprise, the zucchini was actually fried with creamy ricotta cheese which combined well with corncakes. The artichokes, while beautiful on the plate, needed salt, could have been smaller and crispier sans the lake of olive oil and parsley. Manicotti was primi and fan-freakin-tastic~One long piece of manicotti that didn't even taste like pasta...just ricotta cheese encased in a thin layer of delicate pasta with a light tomato sauce.

I decided earlier in the evening if I was going to La Ginestra, I was going big! So, I got Costoletta di Vitello Giardiniera which translates to a big, lightly breaded veal chop; and when I say perfection, I mean it! Chris's pignoli crusted branzino in balsamic reduction wasn't bad either, but I couldn't get enough of the veal. Ate the entire thing accompanied by a Sicilian red wine only served to regulars.

If you're ever in the area, this is where you want to go. It ain't cheap, but all that fabulous food, wine and atmosphere for $199, isn't outrageous.

http://laginestra.kpsearch.com/df/default.asp

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