Phantom Gourmet: Antique Table In Winthrop & Lynn

WINTHROP - If you're looking for fresh cut pasta, slow cooked sauces, and a friendly staff that will make you feel at home, you need to take a seat at the Antique Table. With locations in Lynn, and a new spot in Winthrop, Antique Table is the brainchild of three friends, Carlos Soto, Mario Perez and Executive Chef Abraham Gallego.

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You can usually find Carlos and Mario working the room, while Chef Abraham tends to his busy kitchen pumping out some of the best Italian eats in the area. While all three owners will welcome you with a warm smile, the man you've got to meet is behind the bar.

Stephen LoMonaco is the friendly face you'll see as you enter the Antique Table, always ready to pour you a drink, have some conversation and help guide your way through the big Italian menu.

"For me, it's like a lot of the food that I ate growing up. I grew up in a big Italian family, and it just reminds me of things that my mother used to make and grandmother used to make."

The appetizers at Antique Table are way beyond your standard Italian starters. There's prosciutto stuffed with provolone, peppers and basil and drizzled with a balsamic reduction; and the light and tasty Shrimp Grand Marnier, a signature item and specialty of Chef Abraham.

"The shrimp Grand Marnier are four shrimps that are egg battered, and pan seared in a Grand Marnier sauce, with fresh squeezed orange juice," Stephen explained. "He plates them up beautifully over warm oranges, and drizzles the Grand Marnier sauce on top. I mean, the presentation alone is just beautiful. It's such a perfect balance of savory and sweet and crunchy. It's just delicious."

There are crispy pizzas that are perfect to share, and calamari spiked with crispy cherry peppers, something Stephen is absolutely addicted to.

"I tell you, those cherry peppers are like my favorite part of the whole dish, because they're hot and spicy, crunchy, and delicious. I could get a plate of just the peppers, and sit there and eat them."

Since Antique Table is situated just a few blocks from the Atlantic, you can be sure the seafood is always fresh. There's the Seafood di Mare, chock full of clams, mussels, calamari, scallops and shrimp; or the pillowy lobster ravioli smothered in a mouthwatering lobster cream sauce. But the dish that you've got to try, according to Stephen, is the Antique Table Haddock.

"The Antique Table haddock, in my opinion, is the best thing on our menu. It is a panko crusted piece of fresh haddock. It comes served over our house made risotto, and it comes in a lemon, butter, and caper sauce. The risotto is buttery, and delicious. The caper sauce adds this nice saltiness to it, and this like crunchy panko crusted piece of haddock is just delicious."

If you just want some traditional old school Italian eats, Antique Table's got that too. There's hand rolled ricotta gnocchi baked with marinara, mozzarella and basil; and some of the best Chicken Parm in the land, according to Stephen.

"It's a nice big portion of chicken parm that's been seasoned with these delicious breadcrumbs, and covered with our marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, served over our house made pappardelle pasta. It's phenomenal. I've had chicken parm at thousands of places, and I think ours is above the rest."

For the true carnivore, there's the Veal Voldastana served in a fragrant truffle oil cream, or the French cut Pork Chop presented in a creamy port wine with mushrooms and roasted potatoes.

"All of it comes together just so beautifully. It's the perfect marriage of all these different flavors, and textures together on one plate," Stephen said.

For dessert, you can opt for the sinful White Chocolate Bread Pudding, or trust Stephen's sweet tooth and try Antique Table's Crème Brulee.

"The crème brulee is this delicate custard. It's rich, and creamy and then you have the brulee sugar top to it. They add this slight little crunch, and it's just like eating this delicate piece of sugar-glass. It's just so delicious."

No matter what you order off the menu, at The Antique Table, it's bound to be served with a smile, because as you can tell, the staff truly enjoys coming to work.

"I feel like I'm friends with half of my regulars on Facebook, at this point," Stephen said. "I've made friends here, lifelong friends here, which is awesome."

You can find The Antique Table at 19 Crest Avenue in Winthrop, 2 Essex Street in Lynn, and online at antiquetableonline.com.

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