I GOT IT!

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The weather took a break from snowing and the temperature even rose to slightly above freezing as we ventured out into the gloom and frost of Valentine’s Day to celebrate the special day.

I made a reservation to a little place in East Islip called Vinnie’s Mulberry Street for dinner, and arrived on the precise time.

Tucked away on East Main Street, this charming and somewhat expensive restaurant was really a delicious revelry of good old-fashioned Italian food, and having experienced it once, decided to make it my love nest for the evening.

I went on their web site earlier in the afternoon and looked at the menu, made a note of what I wanted and the prices all looked reasonable, noting on each course so I wouldn’t have to scan the menu and make up my mind under pressure. The prices on the menu on the Internet are NOT the prices in real time at the table! This is an old trick I’ve come across before, reasonable prices on the net to get you into the restaurant where they are higher!

I had one bad experience with it a while back, and this time around it was even worse. The first time the reservation was made on the phone for 5:30 pm and they mistakenly made it for 5:00 pm! The owner, a type A personality was a little muffed that we arrived ‘late’, until I straightened him out about what the time was supposed to be.

Then there was last evening. It started when the waitress came to the table to take our drink order. TLW (The Little Woman) ordered a scotch and soda and I ordered my usual Jack Daniel Manhattan straight up this time. The young lady, a pleasant sort asked TLW what brand of scotch she wanted and TLW answered J&B. “You got it!” said the happy little tip taker, only to come back to tell us she ain’t got it, is there another brand instead. TLW gave her another brand preference and Ms. Tiptaker said: “You got it!”

I ordered for myself after TLW ordered, and asked for the Pasta Fagioli in a cup for an appetizer, $2.95 on the Internet and $3.55 in real time, a seafood salad and a shrimp and scallop scampi dish. THEY DON’T HAVE SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS SCAMPI STYLE ON THE MENU! Said Ms. Tiptaker! She offered an alternative and I said Yes to it and she said: “You got it!”

Then for an appetizer, we both ordered the pasta fagioli in a cup. Ms. Tiptaker said: “You got it!” Bringing it out she placed each cup in front of us and left. I dig into mine and it is Luke warm, and so is TLW’s! I call over Ms. Tiptaker, and she apologizes and 5 minutes later brings us a fresh bowl piping hot.

My seafood salad was excellent and I enjoyed every morsel, but then the main course came out.

Now I love seafood, fish of all kinds and I was expecting a great experience here. I dig into the mussels, the pasta and the shrimp. Then I try a clam, and suddenly I am transported back to the beach I frequented and the time I managed to get sand into my sandwich, the clam was gritty!

I will go back again, because I love the way they cook, they may have been under pressure from a busy night they had, the place was filled, and they were most accommodating to us when we asked for a booth. Mistakes like that do happen, I wouldn’t fault them too much, but I guess they were sloppy that night because of, as I stated they were very busy.

Try the place, you will like it, just don’t bother with the web site.

YOU GOT IT!