Pomodorino Trattoria Italiano in Huntington is spicing up its family style old world culinary offerings with a new side of entertainment inspired by the restaurant’s history as a former storied comedy club.
The casual, affordable restaurant known for its spot-on brick oven thin crust pizza, hearty Italian classics, and mouthwatering culinary creations may also be remembered as the former location of East Side Comedy Club, where Eddie Murphy, Ray Romano, Kevin James, Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O’Donnell, and other big name comics got their start in the 1980s and ’90s.
“We’re bringing comedy back, entertainment, stepping up the staff,” says former advertising executive Phil Adamo, one of the new owners who recently took over the restaurant, which has been in business for 23 years. “We will make it even better.”
Adamo said the restaurant kept the great chef and staff, some of whom have been working here for many years.
On a recent visit, this reporter started with appetizers including the crispy, tender fried calamari with a side of Pomodorino’s tomato and basil sauce, the impressive homemade meatballs, and the tasty antipasto with grilled asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, soppressata, salami, Parmigiano, and Gaeta olives.
For the main course, we had the linguine oreganata — shrimp sautéed in white wine, garlic, oregano and seasoned bread crumbs served over linguini — and ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese in a walnut cream sauce, which tastes as good as it sounds. We capped off the meal with the never-disappointing tartufo gelato, a heavenly slice of cheesecake, and a picture-perfect cappuccino.
As for the entertainment, Adamo has been in touch with the club’s old owner, comic Richie Minervini, as the restaurant beefs up its lineup, including East Side Comedy Night on Sept. 26, psychic nights, part owner and saxophonist Tom Juliano playing with his band every Monday, and recurring Wednesday night appearances with actor and chef Joseph Gannascoli, who played Vito Spatafore on the HBO series The Sopranos, and will be cooking up his homemade carbonara on Sept. 18, Oct. 2, and Nov. 13.
“We are billing this as Murderously Delicious Wednesdays,” Adamo says, joking that it’s “a really fun time, but nobody is getting whacked.”
Pomodorino is located at 326 West Jericho Tpke. in Huntington. For reservations call 631- 425-1196. Information is on the events page at pomodorino.com
