Irish musician Gregory Grene.
Campari Ristorante, on historic Main Street in Northport Village, is celebrating the diversity of food and culture with a brand new music/dining experience. For the next six weekends, chef and owner Danyell Miller will host talented world musicians and pair the music with food.
Looking to do something different and to get people out for something fun on these cold winter nights, Miller, along with music producer/singer-songwriter Toby Tobias and local food advocate Dylan Licopoli, banded together to create “Fusion of Live World Music and Inspired Culinary ‘D’- lights.”
“Each Saturday night we will feature a different musician playing traditional music from their country,” says Miller. “The idea behind it was to celebrate culture and pair it with food inspired from the musical style being performed at each event. We want to bring the freshest, most attainable and local ingredients to this venue.”
A trio featuring Gregory Grene from the famous Irish rock band the Prodigals will start things off on Saturday, February 21, by performing Celtic music. Miller’s menu includes an appetizer of hard cider steamed mussels and crab cakes arrabbiata. The soup, named after one of Grene’s songs, Whiskey Asylum, is made with arugula, whiskey and heavy cream. The salad, named Gregory’s Grene is a spinach and kale with fried parsnips, beets and carrots in an apple cider dressing. For a main course, Atlantic cod from Montauk will be served as beer battered fish and chips with fingerling potatoes.
On Saturday, February 28 a New York musician will represent North America by playing Delta Blues music paired with a Mississippi/New Orleans inspired menu. Upcoming music and menus include South African, Balkans and Jewish.
“The Long Island community is a diverse one with many cultures and backgrounds, each with its own musical heritage and distinct sound. Our idea, which stems from a cultural and musical landmark in Johannesburg, South Africa where I was born and raised, called the Market Theatre, was to create a venue where the music of these diverse cultures could be represented and heard to deepen our understanding and enjoy the music that is deeply embedded in these cultures,” says Tobias. “The added benefit of surrounding this exciting music with the delectable food creations of chef Danyell is, for me, a truly rewarding and sweet opportunity.”
Campari Ristorante is a popular dining spot in Northport and serves traditional and progressive Italian culinary favorites. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Campari’s offers a wonderful selection of wines by the glass and by the bottle; all desserts are meticulously made in-house by Miller.
“The Fusion of Live World Music and Inspired Culinary ‘D’- lights” will run every Saturday night from February 21 to March 28. Two ticket options are available: For $25 you will receive a choice of tapas and one complimentary beverage. A three-course fixed price menu is available for $50 and includes one complimentary beverage. Seating starts at 8 p.m. and the music begins at 9 p.m.. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call 631-757-6700.
