TAKE A BITE...LONG ISLAND 

Welcome to the first installment of Take A Bite...Long Island.  This recurring column will feature reviews of various restaurants and food on Long Island.  This first column happens to indirectly tie-in to real estate.  Years ago, I took did my real estate training to get licensed in Woodbury.  The class was given at a hotel on Jericho Turnpike, just down the road from the shopping center where Butera's Restaurant of Woodbury is located.

The real estate class was given over the course of six full days.  On the first day, I stumbled upon Butera's, and after the first lunch, I was hooked!  One of the things that I looked forward to in each of the following five days of classes, was the lunches that I would have each day at this fine dining establishment.  Even though I spent each day eating alone while working on the class materials during the lunch rush, I was always made to feel as welcome as a large group that would generate bigger tips.

Aside from the great service, the food was outstanding, and considering the portions, actually very reasonably priced.  This was the kind of place that you want to return to again and again.  For Suffolk County residents, traveling to Woodbury or to Massapequa may not be ideal, even though it would be well worth the trip.  This problem was solved recently when Butera's opened another establishment on Main Street in Smithtown.

At first blush, you may think that Butera's Restaurant of Smithtown is too fancy for young children, but it is actually "kid-friendly."  Upon arriving for lunch, we were greeted by the friendly staff and promptly escorted to our table.  The staff was happy to oblige our request for a high chair for our one-year old, and provided my five-year old with a nice supply of crayons.

Most places give the kids a menu with some games to color, but Butera's really caters to kids by allowing them to color on the whole table.  Well, ok, not the actual table, but the tables are all covered with brown paper to protect the table cloths.  My son and I had a great time drawing sports figures and logos from our favorite teams.  During this particular lunch, we were the only ones with kids, as it was mostly business people, but we never felt out of place.

Coloring is fun, but the real reason to go to Butera's is for great food and service.  Upon sitting at the table, one of the very friendly staff members immediately takes your drink order, while another staff member brings out the delicious assortment of breads and glasses of water.  This may seem like a small detail, but sometimes it's the little things that really make a difference.  After pouring a glass of water for each person, a large carafe of ice water is left on the table so you never have to wait for more water.

The bread basket features some amazing focaccia bread and garlic knots.  You could fill up on the bread and water and go home satiated, but you wouldn't want to because the food is so good.  At lunch time, focaccia is all the rage, as it is the bread of choice for the delicious sandwiches that Butera's has to offer. 

The lunch menu features the perfect blend of sandwiches, salads, pasta.  There is a nice variety, but the menu isn't so large that the decision-making becomes a chore.  The whole family chose focaccia.  My wife chose the grilled chicken sandwich with spinach, roasted pepper and melted mozzarella cheese, and I went for the classic, chicken parmesan sandwich.   Each of the sandwiches came with a huge amount of perfectly crip french fries.  My son chose the focaccia pizza from the kids menu, and this fussy eater loved every bite!

Everything was outstanding.  The portions were tremendous, and we each had another meal the following day.  Soda and iced tea refills were offered, and we were checked on regularly by the wait staff and the management.  If you're looking for a place with great food and great service with reasonable prices and large portions, you MUST check out Butera's!  You will leave happy and full.