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A Memory Steeped In Sicilian Tradition La Capannina is not your average pizzeria. Here they offer the finest pizza and Italian cuisine straight from a memory steeped in Sicilian tradition. The Wainscott location has been open for 15 years and the Holtsville location, in which we visited, has been satisfying palates for three years now.
Owners
Lorenzo
Renna and Diego Belfiore have been partners for 15 years and take much pride in
their business. They are both from the Palermo region of Italy and learned how to
cook through hands on experience from their family members. They believe that you
shouldn’t serve something to people that you wouldn’t eat yourself and many of
their perfected recipes are family recipes adapted in Italy. (La Capannina serves
primarily traditional Sicilian and southern Italian dishes) After experiencing the
success from the Wainscott location they found the ideal location for a new
restaurant in Holtsville, which was built from scratch from the ground up. The
dining area is large, open and elegantly decorated featuring stylish drapery and
high, decorative ceilings. There is ample seating throughout the restaurant,
including a cozy bar area, and upon entering you’re greeted by the intoxicating
smell of freshly baked pizza. We began our dining experience with a breadbasket filled with warm, fresh Italian bread and Foccacia bread sticks (below left). We were pleased to learn the bread served here is actually made in house.
The
La Capannina Sampler features two baked clams, three fried shrimp, three mozzarella
sticks and fried calamari (above right). Served with a traditional marinara sauce
for dipping, this appetizer offers a little bit of everything and is very popular
amongst patrons. The clams were whole and the stuffing was a delight. The fried
shrimp were lightly breaded and tasteful. The calamari were very tender and dusted
with a light seasoning and the mozzarella sticks are a classic item that never
disappoint. This sampler is a great starter to share amongst the table. A must order when visiting La Capannina are the Mini Rice Balls Della Nonna – mini rice balls stuffed with rice and mozzarella cheese served on a bed of vodka sauce and topped with a scoop of creamy ricotta (below left). These rice balls are far from average and out of the ordinary, but in an extremely good way! It’s a fresh, innovative spin on your classic rice ball recipe. The outer coating is extremely crisp and with the soft rice and oozing mozzarella cheese inside, you’re bound to be impressed with just one bite. It’s a real gem on the menu that should not be overlooked.
When
it comes to salads, the Country Salad is a delicious, health conscious option (above
right). The salad is served with a side of their homemade, low fat, raspberry
dressing and consists of Mesclun greens, goat cheese, candied walnuts, dried
cranberries and grapes. The goat cheese really stood out as it was incredibly smooth
and the delicious dressing ties the ingredients together nicely. You’ll find that
every bite offers a taste of each ingredient. We continued with an irresistible pasta entrée – The Rigatoni San Marco (below left). The al dente prepared rigatoni is presented in a pink cream sauce with chicken, baby spinach and mozzarella cheese. Each bite was rich and creamy, the chicken was tender, the spinach was fresh and it was an enjoyable, lavishly cheesy dish!
The
Braciola Siciliano is a specialty entrée featuring thin slices of beef rolled with
prosciutto di parma, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and hard boiled eggs, then cooked
in their famous tomato sauce (above right). The restaurant prides themselves on
their specials, offering a new variety of them each week. Served on a bed of creamy
tomato tarragon risotto, the braciola was fork tender and the entrée as a whole
offers an interesting combination for your taste buds. Our dining experience ended on a sweet note with two commendable desserts – the Hazelnut Gelato (below left) and a slice of Almond Cake (below right). The gelato is cleverly presented in a mini martini glass and topped with whipped cream, drizzled with chocolate syrup and served with pieces of cannoli shell. The Almond Cake tastes similar to a toasted almond bar and is soaked in liquor. Both desserts were very impressive, decadent endings to our meal.
La
Capannina is a family oriented and welcoming restaurant that offers something for
everyone. From friendly, accommodating service to their delicious food and heirloom
recipes, you’ll enjoy a pleasurable dining experience from start to finish!
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