Yes, most people come to Montauk to try the many seafood restaurants in this fishing capital of the world. Then why come to Luigi’s of Montauk for Italian food? Because the food is great, the service is amazing, and the prices are so reasonable that families and big parties can afford to come here.
Luigi’s is located just off the beaten path, off Montauk’s Main Street, across the street from the Police Station and the Hampton Jitney stop. We decided to come on a Monday night, to check out their specials menu, which includes an entrée, soup or salad, and coffee or tea, all for only $15. This goes on every Monday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and we saw many people coming to take advantage of it. There were plenty of delicious Italian specialties on this Monday’s specials menu, prepared by Luigi’s Chef Alfredo Tubatan. These included Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken, Veal and Chicken Parmigiana, Veal Marsala and Picatta, and Linguini With Clam Sauce. But since it was our first time to Luigi’s for dinner, we wanted to try much more of Alfredo’s fine cuisine.
We walked into this spacious restaurant, with a choice of three dining areas to sit in, and decided to sit in the inside dining room near a window. The walls were white stucco with colorful paintings all around, and the tables were covered in checkered tablecloths, which gave the place a European look. There were open archways separating the two inside dining areas, trimmed with a long bough of leaves.
As soon as we saw the extensive menu of Italian specialties, we were craving some wine to go with it. Our friendly waitress Brenda, who has been there 12 years, brought over some glasses of Chardonnay and Chianti for my dining partner and me. The many appetizers included Hot Antipasto for Two, Cold Antipasto, Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms, and Seafood Salad, marinated in an Italian Dressing. But we chose the Calamari Fritti, which was succulent and lightly floured, fried and served with a delicious marinara sauce, and the Baked Stuffed Clams, which were hot and tasty, chopped and mixed with onions, garlic, Parmesan, Romano, and herb breadcrumbs.
You get a large selection of seafood at Luigi’s, in addition to the chicken, veal, Surf and Turf, and Steak entrees, so we decided to try the Lobster Ravioli and the Seafood Oreganata, which was a large assortment of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and a lobster tail, baked with seasoned breadcrumbs, and served with a choice of pasta or vegetable. We had it over angel hair pasta, and the seafood was tender, tasty and delectable. The Lobster Ravioli consisted of large, rounded pasta shells stuffed full of rich lobster filling, with a Tomato Basil Sauce, and the portion was one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. We also shared a Caesar Salad, which is one of my favorites, and this one was frosted with cheese and had homemade croutons. In between courses, our attentive bus girl, Vera, was always on hand for anything we needed.
We were getting full from these large portions, but we took a break over some coffee, and shared some of Luigi’s famous desserts, which included the New York Cheesecake, Tiramisu, and the Homemade Cannoli. All were sinfully rich, creamy and practically melted in our mouths. A perfect end to a perfect evening!
Luigi’s Restaurant, located at 41 South Euclid Avenue in Montauk, is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., until the third week in October. Call 668-3212.
