Luso, a Portuguese wood char BBQ restaurant, adds yet another international sampling for Smithtown’s already diverse “menu.” Luso also completes the original mission of this blog to taste every dine-in eatery on Main Street. Good thing there’s more to Smithtown than just “the strip!”

Jennifer ate:

Sauteed Collard Greens — ($4.00)
Vinaigrette — ($4.00)
Fried Banana — ($4.00)
Heavenly Whites (dessert) — ($5.00)

That says, "Rodizio: all-you-can-eat MEATS..." which was not actually as surprising as it was funny. (At least it was for me.) Only $30 for all the meat you can eat! Hope they have a defibrillator in the back!

Okay, I’ll be honest. It’s almost not fair for me to review a Portuguese BBQ restaurant. I mean, I’m a vegetarian and this restaurant is ALL ABOUT meat. But we committed to reviewing all of Smithtown’s restaurants, so I felt compelled to give it a whirl. As expected, there were no vegetarian entrees, and not even any entrees that could be made vegetarian by eliminating the meat. The entrees WERE the meat, and they come with things on the side like rice and steamed vegetables. I did manage to find side dishes to sample at least.

But first, it’s pretty standard inside. Not sure I got any Portuguese ambiance, if there is such a thing. The cuisine could have been anything. They even had a “light” local radio station playing in the background. We were seated quickly in a nearly empty dining room.

It’s always interesting to see what a restaurant will bring to your table while you are either waiting to order or waiting for your food. And Luso brings out an unusual spread: a lightly dressed “salad” of iceberg lettuce, white onions and tomato, some rustic bread, and a small bowl of olives. It was fun to munch on while we waited.

Our server was somewhat difficult to understand, but we managed. I ended up with three of the four side dishes on the menu, and only skipped the fourth because it was black beans — which are usually prepared with ham or ham stock — and which our server confirmed that this was. The sauteed collard greens were very lightly sauteed, barely enough to wilt the greens. It was tasty, but bitter. It was much better when I spooned some of the vinaigrette on top, which is a chopped tomato and pepper vinegar-slash-dressing that is typically designed to top (what else?) meat! The best of the three was the fried banana, which was sweet and warm and really good. But as I’ve said before on this blog and elsewhere, you can deep fry just about anything and it will be tasty.

The presentation was nothing to write home about. And because I had so few options for the meal, I had room for dessert. I tried the Heavenly Whites while Chuck opted for the Chocolate Mud Pie (but only because I had already ordered the Heavenly Whites). The Heavenly Whites was a sundae-glass full of a yellow caramel-like cream, some crumbled vanilla cookies, and a great deal of whipped cream. And yes, it was delicious; although I could have used a bit more of the crumbled cookies. The Chocolate Mud Pie was good. It lived up to its name and was rich, decadent, and too much to finish — which is rare for me and a dessert. The Heavenly Whites was more unique and definitely tastier.

Admittedly, a vegetarian reviewing a Portuguese BBQ restaurant isn’t much of a review, but I found Luso to be an interesting addition to the Smithtown food landscape and would recommend it to all of the local carnivores out there. (See Chuck’s review below for more about that!)

The bottom line:

Sauteed Collard Greens – Bitter, but good. I think I prefer my bitter greens to be slightly more “wilted.”
Vinaigrette – This is what made the Collard Greens tasty. Chuck tried some on his Tilapia and liked it.
Fried Bananas – Sweet, warm, delicious. (And probably fattening.)
Overall rating: This is difficult for me for the reasons mentioned above, but I think I can see the merit here if you’re looking for a meat-based meal but they COULD grill up some veggies if they wanted to…. I bet they’d be tasty too.

Chuck ate:

Tilapia Grelhada ($16.95)
Chocolate Mud Pie (dessert) ($5.00)

My brother has frequented Portuguese BBQ restaurants in New Jersey and raves about them all the time. So I was eager to try Luso. This “Churrasqueira” which essentially means a wood-fired barbeque is certainly a great cultural edition to Smithtown’s strip. While the dining room was indeed empty, I’ve witnessed Luso (on more than one occasion) pretty packed for dinner. Meals are served “family style” which means the meat and sides all come as separate items. Each person can order something different and share.

I ordered the Tilapia since I wasn’t really in the mood for beef. Tiliapia is typically a very mild fish, but the flavor of the sweet butter and lemon sauce over the crispy/flaky wood-smoked fish was exceptional. The vegetables (broccoli, carrots, and potato) were steamed lightly and had just enough crunch for my liking. They were not seasoned so the flavor of the vegetables really came through. The rice, which had some carrots and peas, was also very good. I ended up getting half of the meal to go.

Like Jen mentioned the dessert menu is impressive (from a flavors standpoint). The Mud Pie was a little too rich for me (I’m not a dark chocolate kind of guy) – but the Heavenly Whites was light and extremely good.

The bottom line:

Tiliapia – Excellent flavor with a hint of smoked wood and a slight crunch with the white flaky fish, lemon butter was was also really good.
Overall rating: Luso is a great restaurant to bring friends. Since it’s different than the typical “family style” most Long Islanders are used to, I believe, it will make for a “different” night out. Just bring your appetite.

Although Chop Shop opened on Main Street nearly a year ago, we’re only now just getting around to having lunch there. Its prominent location on Main Street is hard to miss, and its big, black awning and signage definitely get attention.

Jennifer ate:

Chopped Salad — ($5.95)
Crispy Portobello Panini — ($12.95)

I was surprised by how empty the restaurant was at nearly 1pm on a weekday; there were only 2 other tables seated, and the dining room is rather large for a Main Street restaurant. Service was quick, the specials were unique, and the decor was crisp yet inviting.

Every time we talked about eating at Chop Shop, someone would inevitably wonder aloud if I, as a vegetarian, would be able to find something to eat. I almost always do so I wasn’t concerned. Truth be told I am often more concerned about finding something healthy.

And so I started with the Chopped Salad, because, well, I was at the Chop Shop. It was huge so I shared it with Chuck. (Plus it’s one way of getting some vegetables into him.) It was good! Lightly dressed with a balsamic dressing, nice balance of veggies and lettuce, very fresh tasting. Definitely enough to share.

There were actually several meat-free options — several pasta dishes and two sandwich/paninis. I opted for the Crispy Portobello panini in spite of the fact that “crispy” usually means “fried.” I’d hoped for “lightly breaded,” but the portobello was indeed, deep fried. The thing about portobello mushrooms is that they have so much flavor on their own, that they don’t really need deep frying. And in this case, the frying did nothing to enhance the taste.

Chop Shop's Crispy Portobello Panini

The presentation was fun; a large, funky plate was decorated with an enormous sandwich, a small bowl of cole slaw, and a handful of homemade-looking potato chips. The cole slaw was good, though I’m not usually a fan — at least it wasn’t dripping in sauce. The potato chips were okay, but felt more oily than necessary and had zero salt. The panini was pretty good. The goat cheese was warmed by the fried mushroom and melted into a sauce-like consistency. In terms of balance, there was definitely more bread and fried mushroom than anything else, which felt out of balance to me. I left most of the bread on the plate, along with the nearly-flavorless potato chips.

As usual, we were too full for dessert and were in and out in about half an hour.

The bottom line:

Chopped Salad – Pretty good.
Crispy Portobello Panini – Good.
Overall rating: It was just okay for me. I’m a bit underwhelmed. I do give them points for originality, and for offering meat-free options. Not sure I’d go back. Although it would be a good place to bring clients, there are so many other (better) options on Smithtown’s Main Street. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Chuck ate:

BBQ Short Rib Tacos ($11.95)

OK, so I’ve passed Chop Shop many times and now that the summer is upon us, the blog can get re-vitalized. What better way to “get back into it” then with one of Smithtown’s nicer looking eateries. From the outside, Chop Shop is well designed, dark-grey painted brick and a minimalist brand on the awning make it seem very upscale. The interior is dimly lit and comfortable. When you walk in, there’s a bar to the left and a deep dining room to the right.

Once seated, our server came right away and was very attentive throughout the lunch. She suggested a special (the Tacos) and they felt like the right choice. The tacos are part of Chop Shop’s bar menu so if you don’t see them on the menu, you’ll have to ask. I did share Jen’s salad and it was a bit heavy on the chick peas for me, but it was light and surprisingly filling.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the tacos, but I was pleasantly satisfied that they were exactly what I did expect — very tasty BBQ short ribs, in a taco. Simple and good. The dish came with sour cream and chopped tomatoes. Presentation was pretty solid for Jen’s meal, but the tacos were just 3 tacos on a plate, nothing inventive.

The bottom line:

BBQ Short Rib Tacos – Very tasty
Overall rating: Chop Shop is very clean and modern with dark wood and leather throughout. The food is tasty with lunch being a more reasonable meal (dinner is a little pricey).

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!

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…

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 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.

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.

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.

A tasty new Smithtown treat is Hotoke, a Japanese hibachi-style restaurant boasting the “Fusion Sushi” title you see so often these days. Hotoke is in the Uncle Guiseppes’ shopping center, just south of Main Street in Smithtown.

Jennifer ate:

Hibachi Lunch: Vegetable ($6.65)
with Buckwheat Noodles ($2.75)

We’ve been waiting for this place to open since we’ve been running low on interesting Smithtown eateries that we haven’t blogged about yet. And it was worth the wait! Interesting decor as you walk in, it’s dark but inviting and the restaurant is really set up with three distinct eating spaces that flow well into each other. The bar area is first, which, I imagine, is bustling at happy hour, but not so much at lunch. A more traditional dining room area is central, followed by hibachi-style seating in a somewhat closed off area of the dining room. (That’s the group-type seating where the chef cooks on a large, flat surface while doing fancy things with knives and sauces, and you sit with strangers. Doesn’t appeal to me, but has a large following by those who enjoy playing with their food (or having their food played with).)

The Vegetable Hibachi Lunch meal was outstanding! Of course, first came the mushroom soup and standard Asian salad with ginger dressing on iceberg lettuce, both were good. With the meal they brought out two tasty dipping sauces, one mustard (wasabi) and one ginger (reminiscent of the salad dressing). Both were very interesting and I couldn’t decide which way I preferred the already tasty veggies, alone or dipped in one of the sauces.

When you order the Hibachi Lunches you can also add on either hibachi fried rice or buckwheat noodles. Both were tasty, but the buckwheat noodles were outstanding! And far healthier than fried rice.

We finished off the meal with a dessert this time, the traditional deep-fried ice cream, which is always delicious! It is definitely big enough (and calorie-laden enough) for two to share.

The bottom line:
Vegetable Hibachi Lunch– Really, really good!
Buckwheat noodles – Try them!
Overall rating: Another superb addition to Smithtown’s collection of yummy Asian eateries. And it’s new so go check it out!

Chuck ate:

Hibachi Lunch: Chicken ($7.65)
with Hibachi rice ($2.75)
2 pcs. Smoked Salmon Sushi (a la carte) ($5.50)

Mmmmmm sushi. Seriously either you love it or you don’t. I (happily) love it and I get it every chance I can. My beloved smoked salmon came to me on an intriguing rectangular plate, tasty and sticky white rice and wasabi. It was good, real good and whetted my apetite for the coming Habachi lunch.

Unlike Jennifer I enjoy the Habachi Chef and the culinary antics that ensue. The performance aspect of the meal makes it more of an event than just “let’s eat!” and I like that. The lunch was exceptional, I found the ginger salad dressing tastier than other eateries we’ve blogged about and the Habachi chicken and rice were fantastic. As Jennifer stated, the sauces where excellent as well.

While I am by no means as enthusiastic about dessert as Jennifer is (particularly ice cream) – tempura ice cream is just plain awesome.

The ambience was great. I really liked the dark wood feel and the floorplan makes it perfect to host private parties. They also have a bar, so why don’t you saddle on up for happy hour and have yourself a Saki?

The bottom line:
Chicken Hibachi Lunch and Rice – Flavorful and light.
Smoked Salmon Sushi – Awesome.
Overall rating: Yeah, gotta agree with Jennifer. Hotoke is a great place and a fine addition to Smithtown’s excellent foodscape.

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.