Anyone with a slice of Italian heritage knows about reliving long gone memories of Sunday afternoons with their sense of smell. Recalling the fragrance of a pot of sauce or a roast chicken can send you right back to Grandma’s house in an instant.
At DiNardo’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Whitestone, homemade is not a slogan dreamed up by a desperate restaurateur; instead, it’s standard operating procedure for a man who grew up eating the foods he now serves to hungry patrons.
“Half of the recipes here come directly from my mother,” said Rocco DiNardo. “Everything else is my creation. And it’s all tasty.”
Start your meal with one of DiNardo’s six homemade soups; pasta fagiole, minestrone, straciatella, lentil, tortellini and chicken noodle. The chicken noodle is classically prepared with chunks of chicken and fresh veggies. You will be thanking Grandma after the first taste.
A variety of salads are also available for whetting your appetite. The Caprese Salad features fresh mozzarella, vine-ripe tomatoes and fresh basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. If you’re looking for lettuce, try Rocco’s Salad. This mesclun salad is topped with artichoke hearts, cucumber, roasted peppers, tomatoes and carrots.
For an entrée, Rocco suggests the chicken Saltimbocca, which literally translates to “jump in the mouth” and there is no dish more aptly named. A boneless chicken breast sits blanketed with spinach, prosciutto and mozzarella in a white wine sauce; the flavors meld together perfectly in this Old World Italian dish.
Feeling the vegetarian pangs? Order DiNardo’s eggplant rollatini. Thinly sliced and fried, this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is rolled with a mélange of ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and topped with a tomato sauce that comes straight from Mama DiNardo’s recipe file. The sauce is so good, it is tempting to order a bowlful and devour as one might soup.
Seafood and veal is also available, but do not overlook DiNardo’s pasta dishes. Do yourself a favor and order the penne a la vodka. Sure, everybody makes this Italian restaurant staple – but not everyone prepares it like Rocco. The homemade pink sauce is studded with little pork treasures – also known as pancetta. These meaty morsels, generously infused, add the perfect texture to an already sublime dish.
Order pizza by the pie or the slice at DiNardo’s; from the classic cheese to a number of specialty pies. Paninis are also available, as are heroes, burgers, calzones and rolls.
Since opening in July of 2009, DiNardo’s has enjoyed a steady stream of loyal customers who can vouch for the freshness and quality of every dish on the menu. For Rocco, there is no better way to gain new customers than to keep satisfying already dedicated fans.
“Nothing gives me more satisfaction than watching people eat my food,” said Rocco. “I treat people well because it is what I do best.”
DiNardo’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
145-16 14th Avenue
Whitestone, NY 11357
Tel: 718-357-6747
Fax: 347-732-0177
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 – 10 p.m.
Closed Sundays
Catering: Yes
Delivery: Yes
All Major Credit Cards Accepted
