Last time we checked in with Nino Selimaj, he was adding Nino’s 208 to his other restaurants, Nino’s, Nino’s Positano, Nino’s Tuscany, and Nino’s Bellissima Pizzeria. Two years later, Selimaj is taking a break from the Italian thing: He’s hired Ricardo Cardona of Sofrito, Sazon, and (quite recently) Gabbana as his executive chef and about a week ago, they reopened Nino’s 208 as Casabe Bistro Latino. Plus, this Wednesday they’ll reopen another one of Selimaj’s spots, Osso Bucco, under the name Scarpina Bar & Grill. Our slideshow offers a look at the new glowing staircase as well as some of the dishes, and below you’ll find the “Mediterranean-Latin fusion” menu. Items haven’t yet been priced, but we’re told they’ll go for $25 and under. Dinner will be served from 5 p.m. till midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends.
Soups and Salads
FISH SOUP
Mediterranean fish stew
CREAMY WHITE BEAN SOUP
Creamy white bean soup/rosemary & lobster
GREEN LENTILS
Green Lentils with Merguez
SCARPINA SALAD
Chopped romaine, tomato, cucumber, mint,
onions, with olives, cilantro, leuma lime garlic vinaigrette
MIXED GREENS
with Tomato, Avocado and Queso Blanco/ balsamic garlic cumin vinaigrette
BABY ARUGULA
with grilled halummi cheese, guava, pistachios
SHRIMP SALAD
Spicy shrimp,maduros,palmitos,garbanzos, tahini vinagreete
GOAT CHEESE
Mediterranean-Latin spices crusted goat cheese, beets, apples/cumin vinaigrette
Kebabs
Lobster & mango
Shrimp on sugar cane
Chicken & eggplant
Lamb & squash
Filet mignon & Mushrooms
Portobello, eggplant & tomatoes
Skirt steak
Dipping Sauces
Tamarind chili sauce
Peanut BBQ Sauce
Chimichurri cilantro
Sweet chili sauce
Sesame citrus sauce
Avocado en ajices
Ginger passion fruit
Garlic aioli
Calypso/tomato and sofrito sauce
Tahini
Mini Tagines
TAGINE
Shrimp rice soup with saffron
FISH BALLS
Sea Food Meatballs with Creole sauce
CATAPLANA
Portuguese Seafood Stew with Garbanzo, Tomato and Wine Broth
OCTOPUS
Octopus with olives and feta cheese cous cous
CLAMS
Steamed Clams in green garlic sauce
MUSSELS SCARPINA
Steamed Mussels in fennel tomato & olives, garlic chips.
EGGPLANT STEW
Eggplant stew with organic fried egg
BRONZINO
Crispy brozini sticks with creole sauce
Pastry/cigars
Feta y espinaca
Braised short ribs in red wine and sofrito
Spicy oxtail and cabbage
Ceviches
SHRIMP
Shrimp, Fire Roasted Tomato Mojo
SALMON
Salmon, cilantro, capers, red onions, mint
And pomegranate juice
BRANZINO
Mediterranean fish, jalapeno vinegar tomato and onions and cilantro
LOBSTER
Lobster in Vanilla, saffron, rosemary & pineapple
MEZZE
HUMMUS /3 bean hummus /flat bread and cassava
BABAGANOUCH tahini and yogurt
LAMB TACOS WITH BLACK BEAN SPICY HUMMUS
3 BEEF CABBAGE wraps Kibe with Creole sauce
TZATZIKI
CHEESE FONDUE
TARAMOUSALATA
SHRIMP & SOUJOUK SAUSAGE CAZUELITA
GARLIC SHRIMP
Shrimp or Chicken Breast in Garlic Sauce & Harissa
Baby B Ribs
Mamajuana rum Marinated Baby Back Ribs with Peanut Chipotle BBQ Sauce
CRABCAKES
Baby arugula, citrus segments, fennel & cucumber yogurt
BACALAO CROQUETTE
Potato and Salted cod Croquette with Garlic Aioli
SPANISH TURNOVERS
LAMBI/CONCH
PICADILLO DE CARNE KOBE/KOBE
BERENGENA Y QUESO DE CABRA/
GOAT CHEESE AND EGGPLANT
CHORIZO CON QUESO
Main Courses
HORSE RADISH CRUSTED SALMON
With Roasted tomato & coriander coulis/ Kirby cucumber slaw
YELLOW FIN TUNA
coated with cumin mustard and coriander seeds over green lentil ragu, lamb bacon and tomato comfit
CRISPY BONELESS SCARPINA
Stuffed with Crabmeat shrimp bay scallops basmati rice with coconut & tomato broth.
BAKED BRANZINO IN BANANA LEAF
with preserved lemon, fresh bay leaves and sea salt served with butternut squash cous cous
WILD STRIPPED BASS
with lemon sea salt over Paella Risotto, clams, lemon, mussels, shrimp-octopus and green peas.
BRAISED LAMB SHANK
with lamb Bacon, Batata pure balsamic rioja wine au jus.
LAMB CHOPS
with olives & mint chimichurri sauce & aged goat cheese and fingerling potato
CORNISHED HEN A LA PLANCHA
Brick press over cauliflower & Manchego cheese rice & sherry porcini mushroom au jus.
VEAL CHURRASCO
with truffle garlic Yukon gold Potato Pure, sun dried tomato wild mushroom chimichurris & Broccoli rabe
STEAK LATINO
Dry aged Sirloin steak Vidalia onion escabeche yucca fries and 3 chimichurris
SEAFOOD ASOPAO TAGINE
with Lobster, clams, mussels, spicy tomato Broth with saffron rice and fennel.
Scarpina Bar & Grill, 88 University Pl., nr. 12th St.; 212-645-4525
