Ribbon Cut at Ragazzi, New Nesconset Eatery

The Smithtown Chamber of Commerce, along with town councilmen from the Town of Smithtown, cut the ribbon Friday at Nesconset’s Ragazzi Italian Kitchen and Bar.

The restaurant is co-owned by Roger Bedoian, a restaurateur and partner at the former Mangiamo and Tello in Huntington, and Dr. Salvatore Trazzera, a cardiologist who is also the founder of NYTEX Sports and the chief executive officer of the Texas Brahmas minor league hockey team.

The six-month-old restaurant occupies the former spot of Pizza Uno, across from the Smith Haven Mall. Bedoian said bad weather kept the ribbon cutting ceremony from happening closer to the Sept. 1, 2010 opening of the restaurant.

General Manager of the restaurant Dena Fenza said the restaurant brings a New York City restaurant feel to Long Island, with above par service and the feeling of having a home cooked meal.

“The atmosphere here is beautiful. It looks like a New York City type of a restaurant in Nesconset. Besides the atmosphere and the friendly service that you’ll get here, you’ll also get good old fashioned homemade food,” said Dena Fenza, general manager of the restaurant. 

Along with the restaurant’s authentic Italian cuisine is a trendy dining room and bar area.

“The décor is absolutely gorgeous. I’m very impressed with it,” said Deanna Varricchio, Smithtown Receiver of Taxes.

Smithtown Councilman Kevin J. Malloy agreed.

“I think it’s wonderful. The staff is fantastic. The atmosphere, they spent a lot of money on. It’s a really beautiful place. I would recommend it for everybody to drop in and have a nice meal. It’s very family oriented,” he said.

The menu includes a variety of homemade specialties like “Pollo Alla Parmigiana” and unique dishes like “Sushi Italiano.”

“We serve traditional Italian, but we also have a couple of things on the menu that are kind of like an infusion Italian,” Fenza said. “We have an Italian sushi, which is not a traditional sushi. It’s prosciutto with rice and herbs rolled with fresh roasted peppers. Instead of the sushi being drizzled with soy or wasabi, this is a balsamic and pesto drizzle.”

Ragazzi also offers smaller portions for lunch, numerous desert choices, catering and curbside take out and an extensive wine list and cocktails, including the “Ragazzi Mojito.”

The restaurant also incorporates old family recipes into the menu.

“I’ve shared my grandmother’s rice ball recipe. They’re not made like the big ones that are stuffed with peas and meat – the Sicilian style. This is more like the Naples style – tiny ones stuffed with mozzarella cheese,” Fenza said. “Over the summer, I taught the kitchen how to do all the family recipes.”

Bedoian spoke very passionately about Ragazzi’s rice balls and meatballs, and said the best dish, not only at Ragazzi’s but of anywhere on Long Island, is the Shrimp Ragazzi – jumbo shrimp in a pink cream sauce with hot and sweet peppers.

“Whatever dish you order on the menu you won’t be disappointed,” he added.