Business Q&A: Sangre de Uva

Thanks to Rockville Centre residents Patrick Cottrell and Jennifer Lopez, Rockville Centre now has a destination for authentic Latin cuisine. Sangre de Uva, located on North Village Avenue, opened in February and features a variety of Cuban, Spanish and Portugeuse delicacies. Lopez and Cottrell are also graduates of . Here, Lopez explains what makes Sangre de Uva so unique.  

Why did you decide to open in RVC?

Patrick and myself both grew up in the area and we love this community. It’s a wonderful place, which over the years has grown so much, especially in the restaurant and bar scene. We wanted to give our town a taste of what we know. I'm a first generation Cuban-American, both my parents are Cuban and my grandparents are from Spain. I have been traveling to Spain since I was 12 and have learned and embraced the culture, food and wine over the years. Patrick is a New York City fire fighter and studied (culinary arts) at Johnson and Wales. Our chef, Miguel Rodrigues, is Portuguese and was the manager/chef at Antonio's in Oceanside. We really wanted to combine both cultures together and share that with the community. 

How has the reception been since opening?

We have had such a great outcome these past few months and we really didn't advertise that much, which is wonderful. Rockville Centre is a very tight community and, just by word of mouth, we really have gotten a great outcome. The community has been very receiving and supportive of what we have introduced to them.

What kind of food is on your menu?

We are an authentic Portuguese and Spanish tapas restaurant with a Cuban twist. (Tapas are "little appetizers," according to their website). We offer Pulpo Ceviche which is fresh octopus topped with diced peppers and onions tossed in a citrus salsa. It's a very popular dish in Portugal and at our restaurant. (We also offer) Camarones Iberico, (which is) sautéed shrimp, spanish tortilla — an omelette made with veggies, meat and thick potatoes. 

(We serve) my mothers recipe for Ropa Vieja, which is shredded flank steak sautéed with peppers, onion and garlic served on golden tostones. We carry an array of dried meats and cheeses from Europe, and of course we offer paella, our most popular dish.

What kind of wines do you offer? 

Right now a little more than 45 imported wines mostly from Spain and Portugal. We are expecting to carry about 60 which will (come from) California, Long Island, South America and (other areas of) Europe. 

We have red and white Sangria which is amazing. I've been told by many that it is the best they've ever had. We also carry about 12 different beers.

What price range can customers expect?

Our prices range from $5- $20 per Tapa. Our (wine prices) start at $24 per bottle.