Carpaccio opens at Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station

The year is 2022. The mission: Track down some octopus carpaccio and an entire menu of spritzes. And to do so, you won’t head to any of our quaint downtowns; instead, you should head to the mall.

The Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, specifically, where the aptly named Carpaccio has taken up residence in the prominent space once occupied by BRIO, an early pandemic casualty.

An airy space of clean lines, decorative tile and 245 seats, Carpaccio is a visually striking place that seems aimed equally at shoppers-who-lunch and those eschewing retail for a night out. While the name might be unfamiliar, Carpaccio’s culinary and decorative DNA is not: This is the newly minted Italian concept of the Limani Hospitality Group, who also operate Limani in Roslyn, Limani Taverna in Woodbury and Limani Grille in Commack. “This is our first restaurant in a shopping center, and when the opportunity came, we didn’t say no,” said the group’s partner and general manager, Franco Sukaj.

Behind the stick at Carpaccio is chef Massimiliano Francucci, a Capri native who most recently worked at Prime 1024 in Roslyn. Sukaj said Francucci has given a loose interpretation to Italian cuisine, and indeed the dense, bistro-like menu covers a broad stretch from Italian-American (chicken Parm) to Mediterranean (grilled octopus) to regional Italian (risotto with mushrooms). 

As the name promises, there are multiple iterations of carpaccio on the menu — beef, yellowtail, salmon and octopus — but that’s just a starting point for a lineup  which also includes pizza, salumi boards, salads, starters such as clams Oreganata, three kinds of meatballs (including veal), and entrees galore (crab- and mozzarella-stuffed shrimp, grilled branzino, filet mignon, chicken Piccata). Some pastas, such as fettuccine, pappardelle and ravioli, are made in house; a few full-on American dishes, including lobster mac-and-cheese, make appearances, too. Prices fall between $14 and $22 for starters, salads and meatballs; $16 to $22 for the selection of six pizze; and $23 to $59 for the larger meat and fish entrees. 

Equally notable is the drinks menu, anchored by a rota of spritzes and modern spins on classic cocktails, as well as a handful of beers and 18 wines by the glass.

Sukaj said about 50 people had been hired for the venture, which is still in its soft opening phase. To boot, the menu has lots to come:: Branzino ceviche, panini, cauliflower pizza crusts and a weekend brunch are all set to debut soon.

Limani devotees will find at least one familiar dish on Carpaccio’s menu: The wispy fried zucchini and eggplant that might cause a riot if ever it was axed. However, Francucci gives it an Italian spin at Carpaccio, serving it with fried mozzarella.

Carpaccio is open daily for lunch and dinner at the Walt Whitman Shops at 160 Walt Whitman Rd., Huntington Station; 631-479-3816.