Dino Does It All

Some menus, no matter how strong, have a single item that stands out. It’s what you order every time you go and you always tell your friends about. That’s how I feel about the spaghetti al limone at Dino.

I always anticipate the stroll up to Dino, an Italian restaurant at 222 DeKalb Avenue, between Clermont Avenue and Adelphi Street. The storefront is small, but inside is bigger than it looks and there’s a large backyard if you care to brave the mosquitoes this time of year.

Dino was opened by Clinton Hill residents Thiru and Heather Rajamani in 2010 and it’s named after their son, according to Dino’s Facebook.  They’re also the proprietors of the stand-out Dosa Royale (258 Dekalb Avenue, between Vanderbilt and Clinton Avenue).

They know from good food.

All meals start with a bit of olive-laden olive oil and fresh bread. It’s simple, pleasantly salty, and wonderfully refreshing. It’s a good way to whet the customer’s appetite.

The spaghetti al limone ($15) is excellent and one of my favorite things in Brooklyn. The pasta is always perfectly al dente, there’s a touch of heat, and the lemon flavor manages to be refreshing the whole way through.

I always order the spaghetti. Always. It always delivers. Always.

Feeling like I had to venture beyond my usual lemon spaghetti, I also ordered the skirt steak ($24). It’s not what I’d usually get an Italian restaurant, but I decided to test the boundaries. I eschewed the mashed potatoes that it usually comes with, as I was carb loading with the spaghetti.

The steak was juicy and flavorful, granted a bit of sweetness from the balsamic while remaining immensely meaty. It was very good, but it was the spinach that stood out.

The spinach should be called Galahad, because that’s the last time anything on Earth was that pure. It bursts with flavor and tenderness.

I’ve been to Dino many times, and there are other standouts on the menu. The Dino Caesar salad ($13) deserves to be ordered, or at least tried. While I’ve never had it, I’ve heard raves about the eggplant parm and I intend to have it the next time I go.

You know what else I’ll have? The lemon spaghetti. And you should, too.

Dino
Address: 222 DeKalb Avenue, between Clermont Avenue and Adelphi Street.
Phone: (718) 222-1999
Try: The lemon spaghetti. It’s amazing.
Avoid: Nothing. Test boundaries.
Kids: They’ll love the lemon spaghetti.