Restaurants serving great seafood salads
Corazon de Cuba (26 E. Park Ave.): This ebullient Cuban eatery is a good choice for lunch or dinner (as the night progresses, the good cheer can ripen into cacophony). The Long Beach salpicon -- a simple, lemony salad of shrimp, calamari, scallops and mussels -- makes a terrific light meal. Heartier recommendations include the lime-garlic-marinated roast chicken, lechon asado (roast pork) and lusty beef-cheese caserola de quesos. Save room for the rice-pudding-stuffed empanadas. More info: 516-272-4200, corazondecubany.com Credit: Barbara Alper
When the weather turns sultry, you'll want something on your plate that's both cool and light. Few items fit the bill like seafood salads, which shine this time of year.
Here are just a few of Long Island's standouts.
CORAZON DE CUBA, 26 E. Park Ave., Long Beach, 516-272-4200, corazondecubany.com
At this lively bi-level Cuban spot, chef Oscar Juarez offers the Long Beach salpicon, a simple and impeccable seafood salad. It's beautifully plated and made with calamari, shrimp, scallops and mussels dressed with olive oil and lime juice. It's listed as an appetizer, but could easily serve as a main dish for lunch. $12.95
GRILLMARK, 1008 Willis Ave., Albertson, 516-621-9300, grillmarkonline.com
This casual quick-serve spot doesn't use proper dinnerware, so you'll have to get past the plating (a plastic to-go box) and concentrate on freshness and flavor. You'll find both in the peanut-dressed Thai shrimp salad. It features sizable shellfish over greens punctuated by fennel and pineapple, topped with peanuts. $13.50
LA CAPANNINA RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA, 173 Morris Ave., Holtsville, 631-569-4524, lacapanninapizza.com
In the same shopping center as the big multiplex theater in Holtsville is this pizzeria-trattoria. Here, you'll want to order the sprightly seafood salad made with calamari, scungilli and shrimp in a simple oil and vinegar dressing. $12
THAI COCONUT, 3266 Railroad Ave., Wantagh, 516-900-1168, thai-coconut.com
This Thai restaurant near the Wantagh LIRR station serves an ingeniously spiced calamari salad called yam pla muik. The squid is very tender and dressed with fresh mint, basil and lemongrass. $7.25
