Cafe Havana - Smithtown

Cafe Havana Bar and Grill is a fun place to go if you're looking for something different.

From the second you pull into the parking lot - you'll feel like you've traveled to the tropics for a meal.
The menu features Cuban food with Puerto-Rican influences and an atmosphere to match.


Lauren and I were seated in one of 3 large rooms. The place had a pretty decent crowd for a Thursday night and was especially loud because of a big party going on in the next room.

Our friendly waitress took drink orders first.
Lauren started with a Sangria, which I of course sampled. It had fruit floating in it and was delicious.
I ordered the Mango Mojito, which was also wonderful.

For the main course, Lauren ordered Arroz con Pollo (Boneless chicken and savory rice.) The rice was served in the center of the dish with more chicken mixed in seasoned with cilantro and surrounded by moist chicken in a gravy sauce.

I ordered the Chorizo a la Havana (Sauteed Sausage with Savory Saffron Yellow Rice.
The dish was well flavored but I found it to be a bit too salty.
Interestingly enough, nothing had any kind of spicy kick to it.
It's definitely the place to go - if you like your food well seasoned but mild in terms of spiciness.

Lauren and I actually ended up switching dishes because we liked what the other one ordered better. I enjoyed the Cilantro rice and chicken, which Lauren found a little dry.
And she loved my sausage dish, which I found too salty. Worked out perfectly for us.
We did both comment on how full we felt after the meal. We ended up having some leftover too. I think it was the rice that did it.
We also filled up on bread before the meal. It came with a mango butter, which we both found to be a nice touch.

So you think we would be too full for dessert. Wrong. All we had to do was look at the menu and we instantly became hooked.
We opted for the "Havana's Bananas" dessert. It is fried banana pieces with chocolate sauce, powdered sugar and served with vanilla ice cream.
It was REALLY good.


All in all - I wouldn't completely agree with what the menu boasts. It calls itself "The Most exquisite meals this Island has to offer." While it was good and a fun atmosphere - It's not the best Lauren and I have ever had.

We give Cafe Havana a 3 out of 5 mints on the dinner mint scale.

H20 - Smithtown

H20 is an upscale Seafood restaurant and grill located right off Jericho turnpike in Smithtown.
Lauren and I were excited about this place since we first drove by it and we certainly were not disappointed.
Upon arrival, we both commented on the beautiful exterior of the restaurant. The trees are all lit up and to get to the front door, you must walk through a beautiful outdoor patio.


Lauren and I were seated in a very comfortable booth in the main dining hall.
Our waitress, Margarete, greeted us with a smile and handed us large menus along with a wine list.

Lauren ordered a glass of White wine and I had a delicious coke. Let me take a minute to discuss how I feel about restaurant Cola. Coke or Pepsi at every restaurant does not taste the same. I always said I wanted to be a tester for the Coke company and make sure the balance of Syrup and CO2 was the same everywhere.
But, like everything else at H20, the soda was in perfect balance.

Being that H20 is a seafood restaurant, we started off with Half a dozen little neck clams, which Lauren once again refused, and a spicy tuna roll from the Sushi bar.
Both were delicious.
The bread and oil brought to the table also make for a tasty beginning.
Hard not to fill up on their bread.


I commented to Lauren that my mouth was filled with delicious tastes that all went together. H2O certainly knows how to stimulate the palate. We were both discussing how much we were enjoying ourselves before the main course even arrived.

Lauren ordered Jumbo Shrimp with Corn on the cob and Asparagus - which she said was delicious. She said the shrimp were really huge, filling and well seasoned.
I ordered the Marinated Skirt Steak with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes (which I had them switch out for Wasabi Mashed Potatoes)
This was of course no problem. The staff of people serving us, were all very attentive and helpful.
The meal was one of the best I have had in a long time. The steak was juicy and tender and seasoned incredibly well. The gravy was awesome and I loved how the steak was served, sliced with the ends crispy.

Lauren and I were too full for dessert, but we did manage to sneak a peek at the menu. Everything looked great! I'm sure we'll be eating there again soon.

This place gets a 5 out of 5 - on the Dinner mint scale.
An incredibly enjoyable restaurant and night out!