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DINING GUIDE - ANTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS - MAY 3, 2013
Think Small
Photos by Lyn Dobrin
Waiter William Landron at The Brass Rail.
At these restaurants, only the dinnerware is downsized BY LYN DOBRIN
EDITORIAL@ANTONNEWS.COM Good things come in small packages, they say, and delicious food can come on small plates, as I found out during my exploration of local restaurants that have embraced the “small plates” concept. And, sometimes you find an exquisite dish that will haunt you in your dreams, like the foie gras I was served at Lola in Great Neck. More about that later. Small plate dining is great when you can’t decide on a particular dish, when you want to try something new, and when you’re socializing with a group and are willing to share. Unlike appetizers, which are intended to whet the appetite for the meal to come, small plates are the meal. Although the Spanish think they invented the concept with tapas, says Carlos Roman, the owner/chef of Vinoco in Mineola, he thinks we owe it all to the Greeks with their
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mezes. Picture Socrates discussing philosophy while nibbling on green olives and stuffed grape leaves. Small plate dining has been around for a long time. At Vinoco, Roman grabs his inspiration from all places — his native Peru, the Caribbean, Greece, Asia and Spain — seeking to unite salty, sweet, bitter and acid in his imaginative tapas. “I’m playing with flavors,” he says. His flat bread is a perfect example, featuring Serrano ham, figs, caramelized onion, Asiago cheese and toasted almonds. Vinoco’s combination of smoky pepperoni, shrimp, mango, smoky paprika and tempura flakes are good served as a quesadilla or with lettuce wraps. Seafood lovers can appreciate the small plates offerings at The Brass Rail in Locust Valley. Four plump shrimps came with creamy grits in a lemon cream sauce with tasso ham,
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