Review: Casita RD in Baldwin
The Dominican pizza is piled with chicken alla vodka, mozzerella, longaniza, induveca, queso frito and Papi's Sauce on a green plantain crust. Credit: Stephanie Foley
Everyone needs a lively Dominican restaurant in their lives, and Baldwin's Casita RD is the place on Long Island. The small space is a splash of color with its tropical aesthetic and deep couches full of people drinking fruity cocktails.
Casita RD
Range of entrees: $15-$60
Handicapped accessibility: No steps, individual bathroom.
Attributes: Good for date night, Celebrations, Family-friendly
Reservations: No
866 Merrick Rd., Baldwin
The name translates to "little house," with the RD referring to República Dominicana. But the inviting spot is more of a fusion playground for chef Stephen Rodriguez, an Instagram-famous chef who experiments with the Japanese, Italian and Mexican flavors he grew up eating in Queens. He teamed up with Massiel Medina, opening the restaurant in a space that was the kitchen of her family's supermarket, Ideal Food Basket.
Massiel Medina and chef Stephen Rodriguez, known as Chef Papi on social media, teamed up to reinvent the space that was Medina's family's supermarket. Credit: Stephanie Foley
Chef Papi, as he's known on social media, is the inventor of the Dominican pizza, which subs mashed plantain for crust. It's slicked with Rodriguez's signature vodka sauce and stacked with fried salami and fried cheese, ingredients in the famous Tres Golpes breakfast platter of the Dominican Republic. The mashed plantain base is just firm enough to hold the savory toppings, but retains its pliable texture for a seamless bite.
Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
Notable dishes
Order a Dominican pizza for the table. But make sure to also get the shrimp mofongo, which is smothered in a cheesy alfredo sauce.
Tip:
After your meal, check out the incredible produce section at their sister business, Ideal Food Basket next door. So many different kinds of tubers.
The menu also delves into the world of Dominican sushi, which features ingredients like maduro plantains and fried cheese. Sushi purists, look away. But the star of the menu is the shrimp mofongo. The twice-fried dome of green plantain mash is topped with plump shrimp and drenched in a creamy alfredo sauce. It's soft, comforting and crunchy on the edges. Just like the restaurant itself.
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Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
