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!

Garden Grill :: 64 N. Country Road/25A, Smithtown

(No photo)

We’ve finally ventured off the main strip(s) of 25 and Rte.111. We discovered this little cafe tucked away just north of 25 on N. Country Road. The Garden Grill Restaurant is a 120 year old Victorian Country Inn with a self-proclaimed warm and gracious atmosphere.

Jennifer ate:

Almond Encrusted Artichoke Hearts (appetizer) — ($9)
Fresh Mozzarella (appetizer) — ($9)

I’ve probably driven by this place a dozen times and never even noticed it. It’s clearly a converted house (just like our ZeroG offices!) and it really is very warm and cozy once you get inside. We were seated immediately and attended to quickly.

I’d reviewed the menu online prior to visiting, so I was prepared for how few vegetarian options there would be. I opted for two appetizers to make up a meal, the almond encrusted artichoke hearts and the fresh mozzarella. They were both presented on simple, square plates and were minimally decorated.

The mozzarella was layered with tomato slices, and decorated with too few of the tasty onions and roasted red peppers. The balsamic dressing on the side was a nice touch, and very tasty. Overall though, it was pretty bland. Neither the mozzarella nor the tomatoes were remarkably tasty.

I was surprised to find that the almond encrusted artichoke hearts were deep fried, especially since that was not mentioned on the menu. (If I had known I would not have ordered it!) And while deep frying can be light, like in the case of most tempura dishes, these were still pretty greasy inside. The almond crust was good, but the oil inside really diluted the artichoke flavor. The balsamic reduction was drizzled on sparingly, which is a shame because it was tastier than the creamy dressing served with it on the side.

All in all it was a decent meal. The service was fast, the food wasn’t bad, the ambiance was nice (the temperature was okay), and I would probably even go there again. It would be a great place to take clients. But for a health-conscious vegetarian, they have woefully few options.

The bottom line:

Almond Encrusted Artichoke Hearts – Kinda greasy, not enough flavor.
Fresh Mozzarella – Kinda bland, but okay.
Overall rating: It was okay. Not bad, not great. If you’re not vegetarian, and less picky about fat and calories, they have lots of options for you.

Chuck ate:

Well, Chuck did eat here, but he’s been “too busy” to blog about it. So you’re stuck with my review alone…

Salsa Salsa :: 320 Maple Ave., Smithtown

Salsa Salsa is a well-known, Port Jefferson and Smithtown staple, even though it’s tucked in to a corner in an odd shopping center on the corner of Maple and Rte. 111. A self-proclaimed burrito bar, Salsa Salsa is Tex-Mex with fun, colorful decor.

Jennifer ate:

Chips & Homemade Guacamole ($4.69)
Greek Salad Wrap ($6.99)

I had been to Salsa Salsa once before and I remembered the fun, colorful interior. This time the weather was nice and they had the front of the restaurant open, which is apparently a big garage door! As usual, the cool booths were full so we sat in one of the small tables.

Service was good and fast. I ordered my usual unsweetened iced tea, but beware! It wasn’t just plain iced tea at Salsa Salsa! It was flavored with some peachy-passion fruit flavor and they didn’t warn me first! (They really should have.) The flavor was not good so I traded it in for plain water.

Their signature homemade guac was very tasty, although I like mine with a little more flavor punch. This tasted like homemade with just the right texture, and the serving size was ample for two to share, which we did. The chips, which are served in a fun, cone-shaped display, were tasty without being greasy.

For some reason I opted for the Greek Salad Wrap, which is neither Tex-Mex or Mexican, but I see some sort of Greek Salad offering on every Tex-Mex, Mexican, and pizza/pasta place I go so I got curious. I thought maybe they’d throw some black beans or pepper jack cheese in there. Nope. Just your standard Greek Salad on a wrap. Tasty, but nothing unexpected. The presentation was boring, too. Just a foil-wrapped wrap on a plate with a couple of flavor-less plantain chips. Which is okay. The wrap was good!

We were stuffed and didn’t try dessert. If you do, why not post your own opinion of it?

The bottom line:
Homemade Guac and Chips – Yum!
Greek Salad Wrap – Good. A nice alternative to Tex-Mex if you lost to the majority vote and you wanted Greek.
Overall rating: Very Good! I think I preferred what I ordered last time, but I can’t remember what it was. I’d go back and try something new!

Chuck ate:

Mesquite Grilled Chicken Burrito ($6.89)

What looks like to be a converted garage, Salsa Salsa is very small and unassuming, it’s easy to miss, so keep an eye out!

We were greeted promptly and sat towards the back, the huge retractable door offering up plenty of fresh air through the restaurant. We could have very easily just walked into a small restaurant in San Juan with its vibrant oranges and limes, the feel was open, friendly and festive.

We started with the chips and salsa and I was pleasantly surprised with the salsa, it was different than your typical tomato salsa. This was a thick, smokey flavored puree that clung to the chips. It was very good and we quickly finished it.

For lunch, I opted for a “Fat Burrito” stuffed with mesquite flavored grilled chicken, guacamole, rice and beans, with a side of sour cream and more fresh guacamole. The burrito was good, although not great. I think I was expecting something a bit more “wet” possibly with some sauce inside, while the mesquite flavor was prevalent, the beans and rice where a bit bland. I would have dipped it, but as I said before, the salsa was finished. The portion was quite large and I was only able to finish half the burrito, which I brought home for lunch the next day. One caveat with the fresh guacamole…you better eat it all there, because it doesn’t keep well for the next day. So take advantage of it at the restaurant, it’s very good.

The bottom line:
Mesquite Grilled Chicken Burrito – Large portion, good solid meal. A bit bland.
Overall rating: Salsa Salsa has a great ambiance and would be a good place to do a quick lunch.

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.

Tasting the culinary delites of Smithtown, NY

Since we’ve been part of the local Smithtown community from our inception, we felt it was high time to try all of our local eateries. Smithtown actually has some great restuarants (both chain and independent) and Jennifer and Chuck have decided to sample every single one! We’ll start with the Main Street strip and then venture out. Every Wednesday (schedule permitting of course!) we will each try a dish from the lunch menu of a selected restaurant, then give our reviews.

Some of the establishments are dinner only (H2O comes to mind) so those will be sampled on a “if-it-happens-it-happens” basis.

We are by no means professional food critics, although we do occasionally have the need and desire to eat. To that end, we find ourselves fairly qualified to take on this daunting task. In addition Jennifer is vegitarian and Chuck is not, so this offers an interesting opportunity to get a nicely balanced critique (All American Burger… look out!).

Check back weekly for updates on Zero Gravity Eats Smithtown! And in between, visit our company website at www.zerogny.com.

Jennifer & Chuck