Restaurant Week Eats: Chop Shop

 Joining in on the spirit of Long Island Restaurant Week, Smithtown's Chop Shop is offering an extensive menu for diners to enjoy as one of the three restaurants in Smithtown participating in restaurant week this year.

Décor: Chop Shop’s décor is intimate with dark wood tables, cozy mood lighting and comfortable seating. Diners have the option to sit in booths, tables, table/booth combinations or they can opt to sit at the bar. The Restaurant Week menu as well as the regular menu was available to diners for the week. The Restaurant Week menu was offered at $24.95 and featured the diner's choice of appetizer, entree and dessert.

The Drinks: Chop Shop offers an extensive wine list, as well as a variety of drink specials and a vast selection of beer. Their “Wine & Dime” special offered every Tuesday allows diners to buy one glass of wine at full price and the second for 10 cents.

Appetizers: The Hand Rolled Cuban ($8.95 on their regular menu) was one of the many choices on the evenings restaurant week menu. The Hand Rolled Cuban resembled a spring roll on the outside, but was filled with flavorful pulled pork, melted swiss cheese and a pickle. The dish came with a whole grain mustard dipping sauce and a side of house coleslaw both of which perfectly complimented the dish. The portion size was ample and could be split between two people and still be gratifying.

Entrees: Sauteed chicken topped with grilled pears, melted gorgonzola cheese with a sundried cranberry pan jous served with a side of mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed vegetables was selected off Chop Shop's Restaurant Week menu. The portion size of this dish made for the promise of leftovers immediately. The chicken was moist and the topping of pears and Gorgonzola balanced each other well against the sweetness of the cranberry jous. The mashed sweet potatoes were slightly sweet and extremely creamy.

Desserts: Apple Strudel from the Restaurant Week menu was served warm with a side of fresh whipped cream. The strudel crust was flaky and buttery and filled with apples, walnuts and cranberries. The apples were soft but not mushy and their sweetness was complimented nicely by the tartness of the cranberries. The walnuts were also a delicious addition to the desset.

Service: The service at Chop Shop was friendly and attentive. Diners are seated almost immediately upon entering the restaurant and are served water and asked for drink orders moments after being seated. Fresh bread with whipped butter is a welcome treat while perusing the menu. The waitstaff answered all questions concerning the menu and specific dishes and continually came back to check if anything was needed throughout the meal.

Signature Dish: The Chop Shop Burger ($13.95) was a classic 10 oz. sirloin cheeseburger topped with Vermont cheddar cheese and served with a side of seasoned french fries and house coleslaw. The burger was cooked perfectly and was well seasoned. The french fries were perfectly crisp and flavorful and the coleslaw was a nice addition to the meal as a whole.

Address: 47 East Main Street, Smithtown