Buona Sera :: 88 East Main Street, Smithtown

Located in the Waldbaum’s shopping center, this Restaurant/Pizzeria is a one-two punch of quality food and great service.

Jennifer ate:

Panzanella ($6.50)
Insalata Nuova ($7.50)

Having been to Buona Sera for pizza before set my expectations to that of an ordinary pizza/pasta restaurant. However, it was clear almost immediately that Buona Sera is much more than a pizza/pasta place.

Although the inside temperature was on the cold side, the attentive wait staff quickly made sure we were comfortable. Once seated our drink orders were taken and served quickly. The standard bread for the table was a basket of very delicious garlic knots drizzled with butter and parmesan cheese, along with a plate of good olive oil with a dash of balsamic vinegar and a handful of kalamata olives.

For lunch I ordered two items from the salad section, which I expected would be small because the prices were low. Upon arrival I was surprised to see two gigantic plates of delicious-looking food set before me. The Panzanella — a bruschetta-like dish of diced tomato, red onion and fresh mozzerella on toasted garlic bread with a red wine vinagrette dressing — was outstanding, and would have been enough for a meal. But I had also ordered the Insalata Nuova — a large plate of chopped mixed greens, gorgonzola, diced fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers and diced roma tomatoes with pesto and raspberry vinagrette.

The Insalata Nuova was good, filling, and nicely presented. I appreciated the dressing being served on the side, and truthfully, with the cheeses and pesto, not much additional dressing was actually needed. The pesto was unusual but good, a bit creamy, and the gorgonzola was not the best I’ve had. But the overall dish was very tasty and worth trying.

After our meal we were offered a selection of delectible desserts to try, but we were way to stuffed to taste them. Next time I will save some room!

The bottom line:
Panzanella – Perfect! I would get this again next time.
Insalata Nuova – Really good. It tastes just like you would imagine from the description.
Overall rating: Another great Italian restaurant in Smithtown! If you’ve tried and enjoyed Buona Sera for their pizza, you’re going to love their dining room menu!

Chuck ate:

Chicken Mona Lisa with sides of sautéed brocolli and salad w/ blue cheese dressing ($12.95)

Well, I’ve been coming to Buona Sera for a while now, but it’s always been for pizza or a chicken roll. Buona Sera’s pizza is really good, so it’s a nice place to stop in for a couple of slices and a diet coke. However, today we decided to check out the entrées and see what Buona Sera offered for lunch.

Buona Sera’s ambiance is more of an upscale pizzeria with a long counter, room for transient seating, and a medium-sized dining area separated by a half wall for the dining patrons. But don’t let the casual feel fool you — the quality of both the food and staff are on par with a high-end Italian restaurant.

We arrived at noon and the place was just beginning the lunch rush (which always seems to be brisk with transient business). We were seated towards the back (on request) since the restaurant was a little cold. When we requested the heat to be turned up, no less than 3 people attended to the situation to remedy it (it turned out that the back door was opened for deliveries).

Water arrived promptly as well as a basket of butter-drizzled garlic knots with parmesan cheese — VERY tasty (I think I ate five of them!), as well as a plate of pitted, melt-in-your-mouth Kalamata olives in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Joe, our server, arrived soon after to take our drink and lunch orders. The service was impeccable, prompt, courteous, and informative. We were attended to several times during the meal for more bread and to ask how everything was. This was welcomed and unobtrusive since Joe seemed to know exactly when we needed something.

Our food arrived quickly. The blue cheese dressing was thick and tangy and the salad was piled high with lettuce. I had the Chicken Mona Lisa for the meal, which is a lot like Chicken Cordon Bleu but has mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peppers and provolone drenched in a creamy Marsala sauce. On the side, I opted for the sautéed broccoli. Both where excellent and very tasty.

We were offered dessert via a very appetizing dessert tray, but we were just too full to go for it!

The bottom line:
Chicken Mona Lisa – Excellent, especially with the broccoli
Overall rating: Buona Sera is an excellent choice for a casual meal out for some excellent Italian food. And if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for something quick — stop in an grab a slice, you can thank us later.