Everybody knows that Tony Roma’s has amazing ribs. But when you visit the upscale eatery’s first Brooklyn location in Fort Greene, the dish you cannot miss is the Kickin’ Shrimp.
The lightly breaded, bite-sized crustaceans bite back with a bit of zing that sneaks up behind your taste buds, without overpowering the flavor.
The secret to the Kickin’ Shrimp’s kick is a touch of chili power in the flour used to coat the shrimp before they’re fried up in butter with another dash of peppers. Served in an oversized martini glass with a dusting of sesame seeds, the dish makes a perfect starter for a meal of red meat.
Look for the Kickin’ Shrimp in the appetizers before you move on to the serious business of gnawing on the eatery’s signature ribs, which come in a mouth-watering variety of beef or pork, baby back or St. Louis style, and are basted in a choice of honey, smoky, hot, or original barbecue sauces.
Tony Roma’s has restaurants around the globe, but opened its first Brooklyn restaurant just this month, on Atlantic Avenue at South Portland Avenue, across from the Barclays Center.
But the new Atlantic Avenue Tony Roma’s is not actually the first location the famed family restaurant has staked out in the borough — Tony’s daughter Sarina has lived in Williamsburg since last year.
Tony Roma’s Brooklyn [673 Atlantic Ave. at South Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 623‑8669, tonyromasny.com].
