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Seafood Bianco from Dino’s

Seafood Bianco from Dino's

Seafood Bianco from Dino's

Dino’s is located in a quiet neighborhood at the end of what appears to be a cul-de-sac. Even this somewhat out of the way location didn’t seem to keep people from finding it as there were a surprising number of patrons for a Tuesday evening. I couldn’t help but take note of the size of the dishes delivered to nearby tables and the amount of to-go boxes that were leaving with people after their meals were complete. Nonetheless, I ordered the Seafood Bianco which included shrimp, scallops, calamari, and mussels nestled into linguini. The seafood was to be simmered in a white wine garlic sauce with tomatoes and leeks. When my meal arrived, the seafood promised on the menu was definitely included. There were at least 12-15 mussels, rings of calamari, a handful of bay scallops, but unfortunately, only 2-3 shrimp. Most of the mussels were good, the calamari and scallops were okay and the number of shrimp comparatively was disappointing.

The dish as a forkful was great at first; full of flavor and seafood. As I progressed, a thick garlic aftertaste emerged and the linguine became almost too slippery to collect. The sauce separated at the bottom of the bowl to create a souplike mix of oil and cheese. The portion was enormous, but I would rather have had less food with a more consistent sauce and a better ratio of fresh seafood. I feel a lot is lost when portions become large and I was a little disappointed. Dino’s is great if you want a dinner that will double as a lunch the next day, but the flavors of my dinner did not stand out and a lot is compromised.

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Veal Soprano at Dino’s

Veal Soprano at Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

Veal Soprano at Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

Dino’s Ristorante Italiano is hidden away in a mostly residential area off Plantation St that you would never find unless you knew about it. This old-school, Worcester restaurant has ample parking and seating and even on a Tuesday night, was pretty busy.

At Dino’s each meal starts with fresh bread and a diced tomato salad, sort of a deconstructed bruschetta, that was very tasty and great pickings while figuring out what to order of the enormous menu.

For dinner I chose the Veal Soprano, veal sautéed and topped with prosciutto, Fontana cheese and fresh sage in a sweet, light tomato sauce with leeks and diced tomatoes. The portion was huge, two large medallions of veal and a side of linguine that was big enough to be a meal itself. The sauce was quite tasty with small chucks of prosciutto and large chunks of tomato mixed in. The veal itself however was slightly overcooked and a bit tough and chewy. The flavor was still quite nice, but the texture was too tough for my liking. The pasta was cooked perfectly, but I felt the tomato sauce (not the same sauce as on the veal) and pasta were both average. Overall, I’d have to rate this as an average meal, balancing a great flavor with the overcooked meat.