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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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Shrimp Scampi from Livia’s Dish

Shrimp Scampi from Livia's Dish on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Shrimp Scampi from Livia's Dish on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Livia’s Dish starts you off with homemade lemony hummus and fresh, slightly grilled crostini sized bread.  I appreciate a ‘unique’ approach to the rather overdone and usually overlooked dinner roll. Without a microwave and with a freezer solely for gelato, the menu is small but with great variety.  As this translates to better quality dishes, I was very excited and panic ordered the shrimp scampi. Someday I will order something other than scampi if it is on the menu, but this was not the day.  The shrimp scampi was standard: tomato, garlic, olive oil with shrimp over linguini sprinkled with Parmesan and bits of parsley. The shrimp were well-cooked, but I must ask-why are the tails always left on in pasta dishes and stews?  I end up messy because I dig out the shrimp meat inside them. Anyway, the sauce was very rich and adhered to the pasta in a most pleasing manner. Pools of oily nonsense were not left on my plate upon finishing the meal. And I did finish the meal. The pasta was so tender and the sauce so flavorful that I ate until I regretted it. Then I smiled and decided it was worth it. Two thumbs up, I would do it again!