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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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Frutti di mare

Frutti di mare from Joey's in Worcester, MA

Frutti di mare from Joey's in Worcester, MA

I love going out to eat in the summer months! As refreshing as an outdoor BBQ can be, I also look forward to the steamy nights I don’t have to cook and heat up my kitchen!

That being said…summertime also equals bathing suit season. For me…that means making smart choices when it comes to ordering or lightening up some of my favorite dishes.

This July evening at Joey’s Bar and Grill meant following this summer rule. I decided on the a spicy seafood dish served in a garlic sauce over pasta. I swapped pasta for spinach and hoped for the best. The portion was of reasonable size with large chunks of flaky haddock, four tender scallops, and a generous handful of calamari and mussels. While the sauce was light and garlicky, the flavor was not full-bodied and lacked complexity. The spinach, while healthy and full of vitamins, did not adequately replace the pasta and were quite bitter. Now, don’t get me wrong, I devoured every morsel on my plate. It took every fiber in my being to resist the urge to mop the leftover sauce with the freshly baked, homemade frocaccia bread.

All in all, the dish, while satisfactory, fell short of the high expectations I have of Joey’s food from consistent luck every past visit. However, I am at fault for this disappointing meal. I blame it on making a poor swap to look better in a bathing suit.