Sundried Tomato :: 127-3 Smithtown Blvd, Nesconset

Sundried Tomato Café and Pizzeria is tucked away in the middle of the Nesconset Plaza Shopping Center on Smithtown Boulevard. You could easily miss it, but don’t! They have a more interesting menu than your average pizza/pasta joint.

Jennifer ate:

The Da Vinci Panini (without chicken) — ($8.50)

I’ll be honest. I’ve eaten at Sundried Tomato at least a half a dozen times and have tried only two things, both of them paninis. I don’t know why. Probably because I’m not a big pasta eater, or maybe because they were both so good, there’s no need for me to try anything else.

I suppose it wouldn’t be a post of mine if I didn’t mention how COLD it was inside. I’m still trying to understand why restaurants cannot regulate their thermostats properly. Perhaps they have only one thermostat and it’s located in the kitchen. But how hard would it be to install a two-zone system. Moving on…

My two menu-items-of-choice are The Da Vinci Panini without chicken, and the Calabrese Panini. All of their paninis come with a mini gravy boat-full of tasty macaroni salad, and a side of dipping sauce/dressing. For The Da Vinci, the dipping sauce is a balsamic concoction that is perfectly suited to the sandwich. Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil on a toasted ciabata roll. They really pile on the mozzarella cheese, which is tasty, but can get to be too much at times. What else can I say? It’s delicious. I only wish they had some outdoor seating for nice days so I can enjoy my food without shivering.

The bottom line:

The Da Vinci Panini without chicken – very, very good.
Overall rating: If you’re local and you haven’t tried Sundried, I’d suggest a visit… soon!

Chuck ate:

Crispy Chicken Panini ($8.50)

Yes, Chuck did eat here too, and he did eat the Crispy Chicken Panini. Only, I can’t get him to write a review about it so suffice it to say he enjoyed it!

Thai Angel Restaurant :: 1812 Vets Highway, Islandia

We’re back! And we’ve ventured outside of Smithtown. This time to the Thai Angel Restaurant in Islandia. It’s tucked into the outdoor mall on Vets Highway in Islandia (next to the Walmart and Dave & Busters)  and nestled in a corner with confusing signage that hangs over the Radio Shack sign. It’s easy to miss.

Jennifer ate:

Spicy Noodle with tofu from the lunch menu — ($10.95)
Thai Iced Tea (a must-have with any Thai dish) — ($2.50)

I’m just going to start out with “yum”. And not just because I love Thai food (I do).

It’s easy to miss Thai Angel because of the way the mall is laid out, so keep your eyes open, you don’t want to miss this place. There’s a bar when you first walk in which, during lunch, has several bored-looking people standing around waiting for their to-go orders. Once you’re seated, the large dining room has high ceilings, deep red walls with gold-painted Thai goddesses, and beautiful solid wood high-backed chairs that I liked, but Chuck and Aaron didn’t.

Of course, before I go on, I must mention the temperature. I know it’s cold outside (in the 20s) but come on. That means you have to better heat the inside. The restaurant was freezing cold inside! Cold enough so that you can barely feel your fingertips and your food cools more quickly than you can eat it. Even the guys were cold. Moving on…

The lunch menu has a nice selection of offerings and come with soup or spring roll and Thai salad. The Thai salad came out first and was yummy! The peanut dressing is usually good, but this one was spicy as well, which I enjoyed. Next came the vegetable spring rolls, which were delicious. Probably because they were fried. But the light sauce they sat in was also very tasty.

I’m glad I saved my Thai Iced tea for the main dish though, because it was perfectly spicy and the tea takes the sting out. The broad rice noodles were super and the veggies were perfect. I wish I knew how they are able to make their tofu so crispy and tasty. It was outstanding. I would have liked a few more veggies, maybe a bit more tomato and basil, but the overall flavor was delicious. Really, really good. I will probably be craving this again tomorrow.

The bottom line:

Spicy Noodle with tofu – so yummy.
Thai Iced Tea – perfect.
Overall rating: Gotta go! Now! Go. Really, really good. Just bring a warm coat. And maybe gloves.

Chuck ate:

Chicken Pad Thai from the lunch menu ($10.95)

Ok, first things first. Thai Angel is a really nice looking place with rich color on the walls, Asian decorations and appointments, and clean spacious bathrooms. It was a bit cold in the restaurant though. In regards to the chairs, while they looked nice, they were incredibly uncomfortable. They felt similar to pew seating, not concave scallops to hug your hiney, just flat wood.

However, we didn’t come here to talk about chairs, we came to eat. And eat we did. The salad was good and spicy (which was surprising), but I enjoyed it quite a bit. Next was the clear noodle soup which was also good but I would have liked some more noodles in it (it was a bit veggie-heavy for my tastes — Jen would have liked it though ;P). The meal arrived quickly and on large, leaf-shaped plates — a very nice, subtle touch. I usually like trying something different, but since this was the first time here, I figured I would go with the safe bet and order the Chicken Pad Thai. Boy, was this a good move! The Pad Thai was excellent. Just the right amount of spicy (for me) with generous amounts of finely chopped chicken, noodles and veggies. I ate the entire plate and felt satisfied (not full).

The bottom line:

Chicken Pad Thai — Excellent flavor and a generous portion.
Overall rating: Excellent food and decor, just bring along a cushion.

American Roadside :: 80 East Main St., Smithtown

American Roadside Burgers recently opened up in Smithtown, right on Main Street (where the Boston Market used to be). You can’t miss it as you drive down 25A through the village, especially since you’ll probably be stuck in traffic.

Jennifer ate:

Veggie Burger — ($4.24)
Sweet Potato Fries — ($2.66)

A burger joint. How very appealing to a health-conscious vegetarian. I’d been avoiding this place since it opened. Even Chuck, with his (mildly) high cholesterol, wasn’t looking forward to blogging about a hamburger restaurant. But, it is in Smithtown, right in the village, and we vowed to review every restaurant in Smithtown (if it’s open for lunch) when we started this blog, so we resolved ourselves to going.

The decor is pretty cool. The dining room is spacious with comfy places to sit, there are interesting things to look at, there’s a hand washing station outside of the bathrooms, rolls of paper towels at each table, an interesting fountain soda selection, and funky music to match the theme. There’s also a wall to commemorate all the brave souls who ordered, and consumed, the RoadStar burger (four cheeseburgers on a bun, yes, FOUR!). I suppose if your heart can survive that, you deserve to have your name on the wall. (Either that or it’s a great place for cardiologists to find patients.)

I checked the menu online so I could mentally prepare, and was happily surprised to see a veggie burger on the menu. And the thing about American Roadside is, it’s all about the toppings, which are free. So, piled on my veggie burger I got ketchup, mustard, pickles, red onion, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and roasted jalapeños. I also ordered the sweet potato fries. (When in Rome…)

I was happy to see that they offered a “skinny” option, which was the burger without the bun, wrapped, instead, in lettuce. I’ve had other things this way and it’s quite tasty and you don’t miss the bread. But for this, I felt I owed it to the blog to have the American Roadside experience, so I had the bun. They also have a salad on the menu, which sounds pretty bland. But, hey, at least it’s on the menu.

Getting down to the flavor. It was GOOD! Honestly, I was surprised. I’ve had dozens of veggie burgers that ranged in flavor from “good” to “not unlike cardboard”. The toppings do make the burger and these toppings were tasty. I should have also asked for the “pink” sauce, but I didn’t know what it was. It’s a mixture of ketchup, mayo and Worcestershire sauce, and we ended up getting a little cup of it to dip our sweet potato fries in — yum! I definitely recommend that. The fries were very tasty. Of course, deep fry just about anything and it will taste good.

So, pleasant surprise, American Roadside is good. It would be a really fun place to take your kids and teenagers. We were tempted by the old fashioned milkshakes and ice cream sandwiches (and something called Lug Nuts which sounded to me like zepolis), but felt guilty enough eating burgers and fries so we skipped dessert.

The bottom line:

Veggie Burger with all the fixins – Pretty good.
Sweet Potato Fries – Sinfully good.
Overall rating: I actually liked it. I don’t know if I’d recommend it, since red meat is so bad for you, but if you take the veggie burger route, you might have a tasty meal with decent prices.

Chuck ate:

Cheeseburger ($3.82)

Boy oh boy. American Roadside Burger (ARB) is like the modern day soda shop from yesteryear. The decor is brick and exposed, painted steel and decidedly “rough.” The addition of a new Harley INSIDE the restaurant is a nice touch. Especially since it’s part of a promotional giveaway in conjunction with Lighthouse Harley Davidson (Each a pound of meat, win a hog).

So, I will admit I was dreading this one. I’ve just been trying to eat healthier as of late and the thought of a greasy burger wasn’t too appetizing. Man was I wrong. I went for the cheeseburger and topped it with onions, pickles, hot sauce, roasted jalapeños, ketchup, and lettuce. The burger was hot and the toppings where VERY fresh and tasty. This is probably one of the better burgers I’ve had lately. The thing I really liked about it was that it was a nice proportion. So if I was hungrier, I could go for the double and that would work nicely.

The fries where good (as Jen said) and the pink sauce was intriguing. I usually mix up a mayo/maple syrup sauce to dip sweet potato fries in (before you saw EWWWW…try it, seriously) and I think that would be a nice addition on the menu (hint, hint).

The food came out FAST. It wasn’t very busy, so I was expecting it to come out quickly, but we had pretty much just sat down when our server brought it out. So that was nice.

The bottom line:

Cheeseburger – Awesome, one of the best burgers I’ve had in a while
Overall rating: With a clean, retro/hip decor, fast service, and tasty burgers ARB is the place to go for your fast food fix.

Monte’s Pizzeria :: 300 Maple Ave., Smithtown

Just a few months ago this was an Anna’s Pizza, which also has a Huntington location. And even that wasn’t there very long. Monte’s is tucked in to the little strip mall where Maple meets Rte. 111, in the same strip as Salsa Salsa and, conveniently, Ralph’s Italian Ices — yum!

Jennifer ate:

Feta Salad — ($7.60)
Side of Sauteed Broccoli — ($3.95)

I really wanted to get here while it was still an Anna’s (not knowing it would soon be Monte’s), because I have an Anna’s down the street from my house and it’s delicious. I was dismayed a few months ago to see it had become something else, but as soon as I walked in I saw that it looked just like an Anna’s — right down to the painted wall mural that looks like it had recently been repainted.

The menu is a bit different from an Anna’s. Your basic pizza offerings are pretty much the same (although we saw an interesting-looking pizza with a garlic-knot rim!), but the other offerings are expanded from the old Anna’s menu. I opted to go beyond the pizza (which I assume is up to Anna’s quality) and tried a Feta Salad. It was tasty. Pretty simple salad of romaine lettuce with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and feta cheese. What I like most about it was that everything was chopped up and bite size. (I have a thing for already chopped salads.)

I also got a side of broccoli, because just being in what looked like an Anna’s made me want sauteed broccoli. (That’s my default order from MY Anna’s.) The sauteed broccoli was delicious! As good as always, but somewhat of a smaller portion for the same price. And maybe a bit more oily than what I get down the street, but yummy just the same.

We’ll have to go back and try the pizza another time because we were stuffed. But Monte’s is a nice, small pizzeria with expanded offerings. A nice option to some of the busier lunchtime pizza places with food that’s just as good. Give it a try and let us know how you liked it!

The bottom line:
Feta salad – Pretty good.
Side of sauteed broccoli – Yum, yum, yum!
Overall rating: I liked it. I’ll go back and try some pizza and maybe a veggie panini. (Plus Ralph’s is practically next door! Definitely go there for dessert. Yum!)

Chuck ate:

Blazing Chicken Panini ($7.25)
Side Salad with Bleu Cheese ($.99)

Oh Monte’s, Monte’s, Monte’s (did you get the gameshow reference?).

Jennifer described it pretty well (although do you think she likes Anna’s a little bit?). Monte’s is quite small with only a handful of tables and 3 booths. It’s really laid out for quick in-and-out slices; but if you skip the expanded menu, you’re missing out! While this tiny, out-of-the-way pizza place is unassuming, it also has some damn good food.

I ordered the “Blazing Chicken Panini” which was served on “Rustic Baked Bread” (which was excellent, BTW) and a side salad with bleu cheese dressing. The panini was hot and spicy hot as well. My palate is usually resistant to mild to medium heat and I “felt it” on this sandwich — which is a good thing — “blazing” indeed.

The side salad was decent with chopped tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. The bleu cheese was a bit tangier than I like, but good, nonetheless.

I agree about the pizza, we’ll venture back to check it out. They have some stiff competition on Main Street, but let’s see how they do!

The bottom line:
Blazing Chicken Panini – Spicy, hot, crispy, tasty.
Side salad – A decent salad.
Overall rating: Monte’s is a good choice for a quick and reasonably priced tasty lunch. Don’t bring 8 people down, but a party of 4 can fit in a filling and flavorful meal easily on their lunch break.

Maureen’s Kitchen :: 108 Terry Road

A staple of the Smithtown area for as long as I can remember, Maureen’s Kitchen started out as a trailer-style diner on the north side of Terry Rd (anyone remember the cow-painted Honda?). Several years ago they relocated to a large barn-style building on the south side of Terry Rd and increased their size and presence. Maureen’s kitchen is best described as an upper class, gourmet “greasy spoon“. Be aware though that Maureen’s does NOT accept credit cards — it is cash only and some menu options are fairly pricey (e.g. $6.50 for a kids PB&J).

Jennifer ate:

Vegetarian version of the Sliced Chicken, Eggplant, Asparagus, Roasted Peppers, Mozzarella & Pesto on Grilled Rye — without the chicken, of course! ($10.25)
Unsweetened Iced Tea ($2.25)

If you’ve read our blog before, you know that not only am I a strict vegetarian (not vegan), I also try to eat healthy as well. That means as little as possible of anything fried, anything too oily or creamy, as few as possible processed grains (white breads and most pastas) or refined sugars, food dyes and processed foods. If at this point you say, “I don’t care, just get to the food, what else is there to eat?!”, please scroll down to Chuck’s review. If you’re saying, “yeah, me too”, then please read on.

I’ve been to Maureen’s a few times before and have always opted for a breakfast-type food because Maureen’s is well-known for their pancakes and omelettes. But I’ve never been very satisfied with their breakfast food so I found an interesting-sounding sandwich and had them make it without the meat. (There are no meat-free sandwiches on their menu.)

I like unsweetened iced tea because I can sweeten it with just a little sugar and avoid all the processing that’s involved in pre-sweetened iced tea that comes in cans and bottles. They brought me a big glass of ice, with a little bit of tea on top. The rest of the tea came in a cute, but completely useless container which did not pour out the top but rather dribbled tea all the way down the side and all over the table. Once I was able to actually drink some of the tea, it was quite tasty.

Our food arrived very quickly — much more quickly than any time I had been there in the past — so I didn’t really have time to admire the decor, which is cute-ly themed with cows and cow patterned everything. (Hence the very large cow out in front of the restaurant.) It was a very diner-feeling food arrangement (without anything to snack on while waiting) of sandwich cut in half, pickle and red potato salad.

It is here that I must pause to complain. Yes, complain. Because while the sandwhich was yummy, the potato salad had BACON in it. It was mixed in and very hard to see since the chunky red potato skins were mixed in, too. So after going through the process with our server that I wanted a chicken sandwich WITHOUT the chicken, she didn’t feel it was necessary to inform me that the potato salad contained MEAT. Chuck said he has heard of bacon in potato salad but this was a first (and hopefully last) for me. Fortunately for the staff at Maureen’s, I did not ingest any bacon.

So, the sandwich was pretty good. However, the menu neglected to mention that the eggplant was breaded and FRIED. (Once, at TGI Friday’s, I ordered eggplant parmesan. And while I figured the eggplant would be breaded and fried, I never imagined that it would also contain a breaded and fried mozzerella patty, which made it virtually inedible if I didn’t want to die of a heart attack before my 40th birthday… but I digress.)

Even though I was surprised by the breaded and fried eggplant, it was relatively light-tasting and the rest of the sandwhich was very good and bordered on delicious. (Deep fry just about anything and it tastes good.) The asparagus was cooked well and the balance was great. I couldn’t really taste the pesto, but I could see it. The allover flavor was really dominated by the fried eggplant. The pickle was great. I love a good pickle with a sandwich.

We didn’t stay for dessert. We were full and Chuck was afraid I would embarass him by reprimanding the server for not mentioning the MEAT in a supposedly meat-free side dish like potato salad. So I spared him — this time.

The bottom line:
Eggplant (fried!), asparagus, roasted peppers, mozzarela & pesto on grilled rye – Pretty good.
Iced tea – good, if you can get it into your glass!
Potato salad – it had BACON in it! (Yuck.)
Overall rating: In my opinion, Maureen’s is overrated. I quite like Chuck’s description of it as a gourmet greasy spoon type eaterie (gourmet in pricing only). In my handfull of visits, I’m underwhelmed.

Chuck ate:

Salsalito Turkey, Coleslaw, Swiss Cheese & Russian dressing on Bakery Rye bread ($8.75)

I’ve been to Maureen’s quite a bit over the last several years but usually for breakfast. So it was nice to go and have lunch and see what it was like without the ridiculous weekend crowds (seriously, you’d think that Billy Joel was doing a signing there on a Sunday morning).

The place is decorated in turn-of-the-century cow, with white black and red all over the place. Everything about this place screams COW (even the two life-sized wooden cows out front). Did I mention that there are cows everywhere? Anyway, it’s a fun place with ample room in the booths and a diner-style counter with the griddle-kitchen in full view. We were seated and served quickly – so (against what you’d think) this made a great, quick lunch stop.

I opted for the Salsalito Turkey sandwich grilled (instead of “cold”) and it was really quite good. I would have liked the turkey warmed through a bit, but the rye was crispy, the cheese was melted and the Russian dressing had a very good flavor (better than most). All-in-all this was a great sandwich and very filling. On the side I had the potato salad, which required some salt and pepper and as you no doubt have already read above, it has bacon in it. Luckily I was able to recognize this and stop Jennifer before she chewed any of it (close call). The sandwich was finished off with a 1/4 slice of a dill pickle (very good).

Soft drinks are served with glasses and the can, so no fountain drinks FYI.

The bottom line:
Salsalito Turkey Sandwich – flavorful and filling.
Potato salad – good but a bit bland.
Overall rating: Maureen’s Kitchen is a great lunch spot with fast service and tasty food with a gourmet tilt. There are no reservations though, so if you want breakfast, get there early.

Mannino’s Pizzeria Restaurant :: 40 East Main Street, Smithtown

Mannino’s has been around for a while but recently looked as though it had closed down. To our surprise it had not closed down at all and had just undergone extensive renovations. MAnnino’s has become a much larger, very nicely decorated pizzeria and restaurant. And it’s conveniently located right in the heart of downtown Smithtown.

Jennifer ate:

Minestrone soup ($4.95)
Portobello Gorgonozola Salad ($8.95)

As seems to be the running theme, it was quite cold inside. Aside from that, the newly renovated interior was spacious and professionally decorated with modern colors and textures. We were promptly seated and our drink orders taken immediately.

Although I hesitate to mention a restroom in a post about food, it makes sense to add here that even the restrooms were attractively decorated — and sanitary, too! The light comes on automatically so there’s no touching a germy light switch. They were roomy inside. Plenty of room for a wheelchair or stroller. The sink came on automatically at just the right temp and the soap dispensed as a clean, non-drippy foam. And the ladies room at least had a diaper changing station. Ok, enough about restrooms.

I opted for soup and salad, first because I was cold, and second because I tend to stay away from pasta (so carby!). Both were delivered piping hot! So hot that I had to nibble on more of the soft, bread rolls while the soup and salad cooled. (More carbs — ugg!)

The soup was good. The usual minestrone. It was a much bigger bowl than I anticipated from the $4.95 price. It was a meal in itself. A bit oily, but very tasty. As for the salad, I have had many portobello and gorgonzola salads but this one was a surprise. The portobellos were cut up into chunks and looked a little too much like meat for my liking, but the texture was perfect! It was very flavorful, but tasted a bit like meat, too. There wasn’t much of the mesculin green base and the gorgonzola was melted on top which diluted its strong flavor. Good thing the portobellos were so good. Again it was a bit on the oily side, but the flavor was good.

The bottom line:
Minestrone soup – Tasty. Not exceptional, but very good.
Portobello Gorgonzola Salad – Flavorful, tasty, large! Plenty for a meal.
Overall rating: Very Good to Excellent. Next time I think I’d just like to try the pizza.

Chuck ate:

Tortellini Antica ($11.49)

So Mannino’s is indeed renovated, and VERY nice. Once a slim, unassuming pizza joint (I would stop in periodically as I like to change up pizza every so often), Mannino’s is now a double-wide of modern ambiance and flavor.

While Jennifer is almost universally cold at restaurants, I will have to agree with her this time. It definitely was a bit cold and I even left my coat on. I also tried her portobellos since she was convinced they were actually meat (crazy vegatarian! LOL). They were, in fact, not — but the glaze gave them that feel (although texture was consistent with a mushroom). It’s worth noting that that was the first bite of a portobello that I have ever had. It wasn’t bad — but I attribute that to the glaze and not the mushroom itself.

OK, so for lunch, I went ahead and got the cheese-filled Tortellini tossed with peas, mushrooms, prosciutto and onions with a light cream sauce and romano cheese on top. I have no qualms with carbs as I regulary do extensive cardio-breathing to burn them off . The dish was very good, very hot, and very filling. The tortellini were cooked a bit al dente (the way I like it) and it was surprisingly lighter than expected. I wasn’t able to finish it (although I attribute that to the 3 rolls I ate ).

The rolls bear a mention since while they looked like your typical pizza dough rolls, they were quite large, really soft and warm, and (most importantly) NOT greasy.

The bottom line:
Tortellini Antica – Tasty and filling.
Overall rating: Mannino’s, with it’s spacious dining area and tasty food is a must visit. Another feather in Smithtown’s amazing Italian cuisine cap.

Baja Grill :: 20 E. Main Street, Smithtown

Centrally located in the heart of Smithtown village, Baja Grill offers lunch and dinner hours, and is both business and family friendly.

Jennifer ate:

Hot Wrap: Grilled Vegetable ($7.95)
(Served Enchilada Style for an additional $1.75, and on a spinach wrap for an additional 50¢)

I’ve eaten at Baja Grill many times at both the Smithtown and East Northport locations and am rarely disappointed. Although it is ALWAYS too cold inside (winter or summer), the decor is fun and fresh. If you’re not lucky enough to be seated in a raised 2-seater, the tables are often too close together, but it rarely feels that way once you sit down.

Today the service was very quick! We were seated and had drinks and chips in no time. Their tri-color chips and fresh salsa are a favorite of mine, even though the chips are clearly deep fried and most likely contain trans fats (just a guess). Our orders came exceptionally fast as well considering it was the middle of the lunch hour. I almost always have the Border Salad with cilantro lime dressing, but branched out this time and tried the Grilled Vegetable Wrap served Enchilada Style (melted cheese and pico de gallo on top). Not only was it served quickly, but it was hot and fresh and very, very good.

The wrap was gigantic and I was full after only half. I had the other half wrapped to go and am assuming it will re-heat well for tomorrow’s lunch.

There are plenty of vegetarian options, since in most cases adding chicken or beef is an add-on. There are even healthier options if you’re careful. But chances are, if you’re going out for tex-mex, healthier choices are not a priority. If I wasn’t so full from the chips, I would have tried one of their desserts. If you try one, let us know!

The bottom line:
Grilled Vegetable Wrap – Yum!
Overall rating: Excellent. This is good tex-mex with a fun atmosphere, lots of choices, family friendly and (usually) good service. Try either location, Smithtown or East Northport. Both are good.

Chuck ate:

Tacos del Abuelo ($10.49)

Ah Baja. Like Jennifer mentioned above the decor is excellent and really feels like a South American beach hut with plenty of color. Service was supreme, fast and attentive. I had the tacos as softshell with Taco meat and they were excellent. Typically I would think 3 wasn’t enough, but with the chips, refried beans (which were really tasty BTW) and rice, I was unable to finish the last taco. I am still full (satisfyingly so) even as I write this.

The bottom line:
Tacos del Abuelo with taco meat – Fresh, flavorful and filling (the three “F’s”)
Overall rating: While Baja Grill is a chain restaurant, it has a local town feel with truly excellent and tasty offerings.

Aegean II :: 61A Rte. 111, Smithtown

Aegean II is tucked in the corner of the Uncle Giuseppe’s shopping center just south of the Smithtown post office. According to a Newsday survey we found online, it was recently user-rated in the top 10 of pizzerias on Long Island.

Jennifer ate:

Gorgonzola Salad ($5.50)

We had pizza at Aegean II a couple of times before, and both times the pizza was very good. (Grandma slice in particular.) However, our dine-in experience today was quite a different matter.

While we did arrive on the early side (just before noon), the dining room was way too cold to be comfortable. The wait staff seated us in the “warmest corner” but looked confused when I again mentioned the chill. They said it would warm up. It never did.

It was pretty inside; brick walls designed to look like brick ovens and cleverly draped sheer fabric encasing tiny white tree lights made for a very interesting and effective lighting situation. The tables were amply spaced and comfortable, and the ambiance was appropriate. One exception was the music. Piped in holiday music was playing louder than was comfortable (no doubt anticipating the lunch rush), but it was the static-y radio reception that made the sound unbearable. We eventually mentioned the noise to the wait staff, who again looked confused, but did change the station to something much more soothing.

Aegean II’s lunch menu beyond pizza is extremely limited. I chose the gorgonzola salad to avoid carb heavy pasta and heros. I also asked for bruschetta, which was not on the menu, in an effort to have an appetizer that was not meat-filled or fried, but was told they could not make it. In the meantime, very soft and tasty garlic knots were served on the table and we eagerly chewed while we waited for our lunch.

Unfortunately, when lunch finally did arrive, it was very disapointing. The gorgonzola salad was nothing more than a small bowl of iceberg lettuce (mostly the white insides), 4 grape tomatoes, a handful of cucumber slices, and a sparse sprinkling of flavor-flat gorgonzola. What must have been a bottled balsamic vinagrette was served on the side. I would actually describe the salad as awful. In fact, it was the exact same salad that came with Chuck’s ravioli, only without the blue cheese dressing.

I did taste a small bite of Chuck’s cheese ravioli and was again, underwhelmed. The red sauce was runny and bland. The pasta itself was almost flavor-free. Neither of us finished our meals.

It seems that Aegean II’s most redeeming quality is that it is located next door to Alpine Bakery, where they make outstanding cookies, cakes and breads. Stay away from their black and white cookies, they’re a bit dry, but their torrone, almond horns, tri-color cookies, pignoli cookies and other Italian specialty cookies are outstanding! I’ll be trying their lobster tails next! (That’s a cream-filled puff-pastry dessert, btw.)

The bottom line:
Gorgonzola Salad – If you’re expecting a gorgonzola salad like you may have had at other Italian places, you’ll be disappointed. Unless iceberg lettuce is your idea of a tasty salad, stay away from any salad at Aegean II.

Overall rating: With all the great Italian eateries in Smithtown, why even bother with Aegean II? I recall that their pizza was good, but their dining room lunch menu was something to be avoided.

Chuck ate:

Baked Clams Appetizer ($6.95)
Cheese Ravioli and salad with creamy Italian dressing ($6.95)

Oh boy, how do I follow that review? Well, unfortunately for Aegean II, I have to agree with everything Jennifer said. While Aegean II’s pizza is outstanding their dine-in food is abysmal.

I started with the baked clams which were OK. A little bready and not a lot of clams, but OK nonetheless. They were covered in a light wine sauce which was good. The garlic knots (as Jennifer noted) were good as well — not a surprise since they come from the “front” of the restaurant (more on that later).

The salad came next, which I had ordered with bleu cheese. However, it arrived with creamy Italian. I ate it anyway, but there was just too much dressing for my taste. I didn’t finish it. (I usually always finish the salad.) Then the meal, a large plate of quite unappetizing raviolis. Covered in half-melted mozzarella cheese with a thin red sauce, this was not a tasty meal.

On the good side, the service was pleasant and prompt and the decor was very nice, even the large faux waterfall in the back.

The bottom line:
Baked Clams — In the words of Randy Jackson, they were “just aight”.
Ravioli — not good.

Overall rating: Aegean II gets high marks for it’s pizza, chicken rolls, etc. so if your looking for a good quick slice or other pizza-place fare, Aegean II is perfect, just stay way from the dining room.

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.

Mykonos :: 45 Route 111, Smithtown

Mykonos Greek-American Restaurant in Smithtown is off the main strip tucked into the shopping center near Uncle Giuseppe’s. We’ve been there before for Greek salad take-out, but this was our first time for a sit-down meal.

Jennifer ate:

Humus – appetizer ($5.25)
Spinach Pie with Greek Salad – lunch special ($7.50)

All the booths were filled when we arrived for lunch, and we were seated immediately at a table. The décor is simple and the piped in music had a definite Mediterranean feel. Our beverage order was taken right away and we quickly ordered an appetizer of Humus for the table.

The lunch menu had many options —even for vegetarians — and each lunch comes with a beverage and soup. But vegetarians beware, the egg-lemon soup has chicken in it, which I did not expect.

The humus was tasty but probably pre-made — it didn’t taste fresh. It was good, but lacked the texture and garlic-bite to which I’m accustomed. I ordered the spinach pie for my meal. It was a bit on the salty side and a bit dry, but was overall pretty good. I always like their Greek salad. It’s usually the dressing that makes or breaks a Greek salad and Mykonos’ dressing is delicious. But I would prefer a little bit nicer lettuce, there is usually too much of the white inside of the iceberg lettuce and not enough of the outer green leaves for my tastes.

The bottom line:
Spinach Pie – pretty good, a little salty and dry I’d try something else next time.
Overall rating: Not bad. I’ll go back again for my Greek Salad take-out, and would try another sit-down meal, but I’d have something else… maybe the Greek pizza!

Chuck ate:

Keftedes in Pita w/ Greek Salad – lunch Special ($7.95)

We’ve been getting takeout Greek salads from Mykonos for years and they are quite good. So today we decided to give it a sit-down try and see what else they have to offer. The lunch menu had some excellent prices and a variety of offerings. Instead of going for the gyro (which I usually get when I eat Greek), I decided to try something different. I was unsure about what Keftedes were and our server was able to explain that it’s basically a Greek meatball. Interestingly enough, it seems more like falafel in texture and taste.

Jennifer ordered us a humus appetizer while I checked out the restrooms (which where large and clean – always a plus!). The meal began with a a soup. I had the chicken and escarole. The soup was hot and flavorful. The lunch itself was good and filling with tomatoes, onions and cilantro. The Keftedes where a bit dry, but a little yogurt sauce solved that problem. The courses of the lunch came out quickly and our server was friendly and very attentive.

The ambiance was interesting, kind of reminiscent of a Greek farming town with stucco walls and faux windows looking out to a field. In addition, they had farming tools like yolks and scythes hanging on the wall.

The bottom line:
Keftedes and salad – Flavorful and filling.
Overall rating: Good solid Greek food with tasty salads. If you’re in the area and hankering for Hellenic fare, drop in.