Review: Salumi in Massapequa, Plancha in Garden City

In 2011, Lilly Kanarova and Josh Kobrin opened the kind of restaurant they wanted to eat in: a relaxed spot serving exceptional cheeses and cured meats, plus Spanish-style tapas and wines drawn from some of the lesser-known regions of the world. Salumi remains in a class of its own, a Mediterranean taverna of sorts with a rustic edge and dedicated, longtime clientele.

The wooden beams and European market-like setting furthers the comfortable vibe. Leather couches complement oversize booths for groups, and there is ample bar seating for solo diners. A chalkboard announces various wine specials and cheese offerings. By day, the adjacent dining rooms are light and bright; at night dim and moody, but both welcoming and warm. 

The wine list is adventurous, with an Italian lean, and the food — whether roasted whole baby carrots with hazelnuts or bone-marrow crostini — are unfussy and on point. Open for brunch (until 3 p.m.) lunch, and dinner, traditional tapas like patatas bravas, pan con tomate, and garlic shrimp, and robust charcuterie boards focused on region (Italy or Spain) or wine (white or red) are served all day. Chef specials and large plates include a unique dry-aged steak board and a generous platter of jamón Ibérico. At lunch there are sandwiches on homemade bread, and fresh organic eggs for frittatas and croque monsieurs and madames at brunch.

Nearly 50 wines are available by the glass--red, white, bubbles, dessert, fortified. Beer and cocktails are equally plentiful. Sister restaurant  Plancha, opened in Garden City in 2013 (931 Franklin Ave.), embodies the same spirit with a similar menu, skewing a bit more Spanish both on wine selections and with the happy addition of paella. 

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