NIBBLES ; Taste the Caribbean in Arlington

By Simone Press

When winter hits and snow starts to fall, sometimes you need a taste of the tropics to warm you up. Something Savory, a hidden gem along Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington Heights, can do just that.

Head chef Johnny Levins, who grew up on the Caribbean island of Nevis, conjures dreams of sandy beaches and turquoise waters with his blend of French culinary skills and island inspiration. Want a taste of summer? Start with coconut-fried calamari ($7.95), then try island-style chicken stew ($12.95), a delicious medley of yucca, calabash and green papaya. Shrimp and scallop brochettes ($16.95) are served on a bed of vegetable rice with a warming sauce of passion fruit and Thai basil. Jambalaya ($14) is a tasty mix of andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp.

Top it off with a tart but sweet piece of Johnny’s Key Lime Pie ($4.50) and you just might forget that the weather outside is frightful.

Something Savory, 1312 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington Heights; 781- 648-0333; somethingsavory.com

CAPTION: SOMETHING SAVORY: Chef Johnny Levins with his jambalaya. STAFF PHOTO BY TED FITZGERALD

Originally published by By Simone Press.

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