At the turn of the 20th century, when many Italian-Americans came to New York, they brought with them a delicious, garlicky shellfish dish called scampi. In the old country, it was made with olive oil, garlic and tiny langoustines that they referred to as scampi. But in America, it evolved to feature more readily available ingredients: shrimp, butter and, often, herbs. Thus, shrimp scampi as we know it was born.
By the ’80s and ’90s, the dish was a crowd-pleaser ubiquitous on both kids’ menus and upscale restaurants before it fell out of fashion, disappearing from trendy eateries and becoming something of a chain-restaurant cliché. (Hello, Red Lobster!) Now, it’s making a comeback, popping up in surprising forms and variations at new restaurants around the city.
“With our lives being so complicated, [people] want something a little comforting when they go out to eat,” says chef Michael Vignola, from Midtown’s swanky Henry at Life Hotel, where the spicy scampi pizza is a best seller in his restaurant.
Garlic supreme
At Henry, the garlic is the main attraction on the spicy scampi pizza ($18). The pie features the fragrant allium in three preparations: confit, roasted and fried. “It represents three different phases of garlic,” says Vignola of the shrimp-studded pie, which gets an added kick from Espelette pepper and bitter escarole. 19 West 31st St.; 212-615-9910, LifeHotel.com
Old-fashioned fun
There’s plenty of nostalgia on the menu at trendy new Greenwich Village restaurant the Loyal, and, naturally, that includes a shrimp scampi entree ($28). Chef John Fraser’s version bucks tradition by adding shiitake mushrooms and snap peas, while a side of noodles with a sauce made from shrimp stock and Parmesan adds old-school comfort. “There’s nostalgia associated with [scampi],” Fraser says. “It was good as a kid, and it [still] feels good … as an adult, but with a nice glass of wine.” 289 Bleecker St.; 212-488-5800, LoyalRestaurant.com
Double your pleasure
Last December, chef PJ Calapa opened Scampi in Flatiron, and the restaurant boasts two versions of the dish. The mafaldini scampi ($23), with a rich sauce made with lobster stock and garlic butter, is by far the bestselling pasta. The langoustines scampi ($27, pictured) offers a version of the dish more akin to something you’d find in Italy, with simple grilled head-on langoustines in butter, garlic and lemon. “There’s an Italian chain that has given shrimp scampi a bad name, but instead of hiding behind it, we embraced it,” says Calapa. “I think we have the opportunity now to create those food memories.” 30 West 18th St.; 212-888-2171, ScampiNYC.com
Tomato time
Old Rose, the sunny restaurant within the Jane Hotel, just added a mafaldini scampi ($20) of its own to its menu. With garlic, chili flakes and butter, it’s a classic rendition, save for the addition of roasted tomatoes. They “[wash] the palate clean, [and] sets you up for the next dive in,” says chef Jack Goode. 113 Jane St.; 212-255-4143, OldRoseNYC.com