By Tes Silverman

info@longislandergroup.com

Andrea’s 25 Manager Tyson Loverro presents veal chop and shrimp Luciano entrees.

The history of Andrea’s 25 begins with Andrew Sorrentino, who started a pizzeria in Lake George 20 years ago, then ventured to owning other restaurants, including Matteo’s on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station.

When Andrew died in 2009, sons Salvatore and Matthew, along with their cousin, Peter Campisi, founded Andrea’s 25 in 2010 in honor of Andrew, which is Andrea in Italian. Twenty-five was his favorite number.

Inside, you are greeted by the modern, yet elegant decor and a warm welcome by managers and staff. Serving classic Italian cuisine with a modern flair that’s also the focus their second location in Woodbury, which opened in 2012, diners are sure to have a meal that will satisfy their love of Italian food.

To start, orders of antipasti such as avocado salad ($14.95/small, $20.95/large); broccoli rabe and sausage egg rolls ($14.95/small, $20.95/large) are great to whet your appetite. The avocado salad with romaine lettuce, red onions, grape tomatoes finished with extra virgin olive oil vinaigrette is light but quite filling. The broccoli rabe and sausage egg rolls are hand-rolled and sautéed, but not oily. If you’re not usually a fan of broccoli rabe, the spicy Italian chimichurri cuts through the bitterness and leaves you with a medley of spices and a slight kick.

The broccoli rabe and sausage egg rolls with spicy Italian chimichurri sauce is an excellent appetizer.

For entrees, the ones to try are Sal’s Mac & Cheese ($20.95), veal chop Voldostana ($44.95), shrimp Luciano ($24.95) and seafood risotto ($24.95). The macaroni and cheese is made with mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino cheeses, and combined with pancetta, making it a hearty meal. The veal chop is pan fried, topped with mozzarella and prosciutto and finished with a mushroom marsala sauce that enhances the flavor of the very tender veal. The veal chop is more than enough to share with another diner.

The seafood risotto is among the prime entrees at Andrea's 25.

The shrimp Luciano is sautéed in Andrea’s 25 own special Luciano sauce (white wine, lemon, butter and a touch of marinara sauce) and served atop a bed of spinach. The shrimp is perfectly cooked and the combination of ingredients used in the Luciano sauce result in a light, slightly lemony dish. The seafood risotto is filled with different flavors and textures from the PEI mussels, calamari, shrimps and little-neck clams. While risottos itself can be heavy, this risotto accentuates the various types of seafood and its freshness.

If you’re still up for dessert after having a sumptuous meal, the Napoleon and Italian cheesecake, both $12, are great.

The large portions for entrees extend to their desserts and the Napoleon is quite large enough for more than one person to taste. The Napoleon is very creamy and not too sweet, so it’s perfect for those who are concerned about their sugar intake.