My wife and I have eaten at various Asian restaurants within our neighborhood and surrounding areas. We've never had a complaint - all were good including "take out." When the Spice Workshop opened a few years ago, we tried this restaurant. You can either eat in or take out. This establishment is a game changer! It's located in a small strip mall and has an unassuming presence. Once entering, everything quickly changes. You are greeted by a lovely staff member. The menu is incredible and may require a bit of time to order because of the extensive and diverse variety of cuisine. The food is served hot with large portions served carefully to meet your preferences - whether you dine in or take out. If this wasn't enough to convince the customer that this is the place, then the exceptional freshness, quality and taste of your order is incredible. No longer will we dine anywhere else. If you dine in, your water glass is refilled without you having to ask. The staff are very attentive to detail which is clearly reflected in the over sized portions, quality and cuisine. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior of the restaurant is simple, inviting and you easily enjoy your meal in a leisurely manner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'm conservative in my opinions. Recently, I invited a friend to dinner. I didn't expect to hear his compliments through his meal. He mentioned that he was overly impressed. If you're searching for a fabulous restaurant with a large menu and attention to your wishes, then Stop, Don't Pass Go and Reward Yourselves. You've found it! The servings are so generous that you're still be enjoying your meal the next night. read more

Enjoyed cold Chengdu noodles, mapo tofu, green beans with minced pork and fried rice. The green beans were a tad too salty for me so I don't know if this was just an off night. The mapo tofu was delicious. Service is friendly. read more

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We ordered the dumplings in chili oil, dry pepper chicken, and the pad Thai. The dumplings and dry pepper chicken were fantastic. Larger chicken pieces and less spicy than I've had it at my favorite Szechuan restaurant, which is like 6 hours away lol. My bf said the heat was good for him but I could definitely ask for it spicier. I think we should've ordered another Szechuan dish over the pad Thai because there's excellent pad Thai nearby. We will be back again! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Our after-work Friday dinner was quiet and cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

What a great experience! I came with my husband and two friends on a Saturday night and had a fantastic dinner. We ordered the Chengdu cold noodle salad, dumplings in chili oil as appetizers and the shredded pork in garlic sauce and fish fillet in cumin as well as the string beans with minced pork. This was more than enough food for us and every dish was delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I highly recommend this small welcoming restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They do a big takeout business too. The waitress has limited English but uses Google Translate like a pro. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm hesitant to post this in case it gets too crowded but their food is so good I don't want to be selfish.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We'll be going back often. read more

This place is so so good! Have only ever gotten takeout but authentic real food and so different than anything else I've ever tasted. I love the cumin lamb and my husband the shredded chicken in garlic sauce. I need to try other things soon read more

I came here quite a few times when I used to live in Centereach by Middle Country Road. It's very nice to have an authentic Chinese food restaurant in Centereach. I guess it's because it's close to Stony Brook University with a lot of Asians; hence the many up and rising Asian restaurants in that area. Did pick up order online and never sat in the restaurant before. The staff here spoke mandarin and English. So food here is amazing and they use a lot of spice in their spicy fish fillet. Really red and a lot of seasoning! I got the crab with ginger and scallion and the crabs were tiny in my opinion but still really good. Very authentic Sichuan dishes compared to your typical fast food Chinese restaurant read more

Love finding authentic Szechuan food out in Long Island. This has been one of my go-to spots for dining in with friends, ordering take out, or delivery. They have authentic dishes along with American Chinese food, for the more picky eaters. The variety of the menu is great; there's something for everyone. Many items on the menu are delicious and worth trying. My favorite dishes I've kept on reordering are the Cumin Fish, Mapo Tofu, Homestyle Pork Belly, and Szechuan Spicy Chicken. My go-to side is the Stir-fried String Beans with Minced Pork. I've gotten that almost every time. The dining area is clean and spacious. The service is quick and friendly. Definitely give this place a try! read more

Spice Workshop - Stir-Fried Green Bean with Minced Pork, Mapo Tofu, Homestyle Pork Belly, Dumplings in Chili Oil (top to bottom) - Szechuan Near Me - Centereach, New York

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My family has eaten at this restaurant several times mostly taking out. We have eaten at other Asian cuisines which were acceptable. However, The Spice Workshop is the best we've experienced. There is an incredible amount of diversity to meet anyone's palate. The food is always well prepared, hot and flavorful. The staff are always willing to help and please the customer. The food is authentic and we can find no complaints. We always return to the Spice Workshop. We would strongly encourage and recommend this superlative establishment! read more

UNDERRATED. The food was delicious and will definitely come back again. Service was super attentive. read more

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The service at the restaurant has always been very good. Although they seem under staffed, they work hard enough to make sure customers are tended to in a timely fashion. The food... never had a bad dish. Great authentic flavors. Able to request spicy level. This restaurant will always be on our rotation. read more

Spice Workshop, it's a new spot that took over Yao's Diner. The food looks great on Yelp. The menu items look interesting, I told my wife lets try this new spot on Friday. We walk in and are seated at a nice table. We place our standard order: Sesame Chicken, Orange Beef with a spring rolls and a scallion pancake. My wife asks for water and I ask for tea. And that's what was brought to us. I asked if my wife can also have some tea?? The waiter brings another cup... All the food comes to our table. What else came? Gnats?! I had to shoo them away from the food.. Speaking of the food, the sesame chicken was overbattered, I had to see if there was chicken! The dish was also over fried. The spring rolls? Over fried.. The orange flavored beef? A little over fried and we were able to finish the entree. There are a lot of authentic items on the menu. If you can't make an easy dish like sesame chicken?? I wonder if the authentic chinese food is made the same way as the american-chinese food. I'll never return. read more

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Just to be clear: This is NOT a place to go for ambiance. Spice Workshop is the diametric opposition to P.F. Chang's. Chang's has OK food, great atmosphere. Workshop has GREAT food, and that's what you want, right? Right. If you go in the chilly months, you may be treated to a dish of home-made kimchi, which IMO is better than the kimchi I've had anywhere else. If you don't have that served as a pre-meal treat, you might get home-made redskin peanuts, which are supposed to help regulate blood sugar and could be helpful if you're having rice with your meal. Have you tried the Wood Ear Fungus with Chili Pepper appetizer? If not, get it!! Tender, crunchy Wood Ears marinated in chili vinegar with fresh cilantro garnish... crisp and light, even refreshing. Stir-fried lotus root is a lightly-seasoned side dish with the consistency of crisp apple but not a heavy starch. Garlic and delicate umami flavors have made this a recent favorite. For a main shareable dish, the choice I have to make is "Fish Filets With Cumin", which are whitefish filets dredged in spices and then dry-fried with garlic, ginger, peppers and scallions into a fragrant and well-flavored treat, OR.. "Garlic Shoots with Preserved Pork". This is leek greens stir-fried with marinated roast pork (I think) and it comes to table as tender greens, sliced, with the most wonderful baconesque meat flavoring it. I advise going and dining in because the food is best enjoyed fresh, not dumped on your plate at home after it's been packaged for a 40-minute DoorDash adventure to your home, but... you do you, just make sure to try the amazing authentic Chinese food from Spice Workshop! read more

Walked in and the restaurant was chilly inside, asked the waitress to raise the temperature but it continued to be chilly. Took 10 minutes to get our food, which was delicious every single entre we ordered was perfect. The waitress did not continue to bring tea and was unavailable a lot of the night. Biggest criticism is that the waitresses and establishment did not speak any English, if I didn't come with a friend who was fluent in Chinese, I would not have as good and easy an experience. Food was absolutely delicious and worth it!!! read more

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Stopped in for dinner after a friend recommended it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is definitely rustic but the food was good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had chicken with garlic sauce, fried rice and lo mein. Everything was good and the chicken with garlic sauce was very good. Our waitress was nice and service was good as well. read more

I usually do delivery from Spice Workshop. I had their fish fillet in spicy sauce and fish filet with tofu and the flavor is always on point. The prices are a bit steep but It is worth it. I'm very picky with Chinese food because I like more of the authentic menus more than the Americanized ones and Spice Workshop offers both which I like. I've passed this place many times but have never been inside so I can't comment on service or ambiance of the place. I do know that the food is consistently good and they have an extensive menu to choose from. You'll definitely enjoy! read more

We went to the Spice Workshop for Luna New Year. The menu is authentic Chinese with a selection of America Chinese dishes too. The food was best Chinese I have had in Suffolk County. If you are adventurous definitely give it a try. read more

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Take Out Review: Tasty food, unique choices for the area. Trying out Spice Workshop for the first time, I wasn't sure what to expect. I anticipated that the food would be very spicy! While most of the dishes are spicy, you can definitely find dishes that have little/no spice. Located on Middle Country Rd, there's a small lot in front of the shopping center where this restaurant is located. Inside, it's fairly large. The prices are good. The portions aren't huge so some might think this place is on the pricey side. Some of the orders come with white rice. I personally didn't mind the prices. The service was friendly but there is a large language barrier. Nevertheless, my order was 100% correct...and it was a very large order. I was able to order online and pay cash upon arrival which was super convenient. The food was tasty! If your not a spice lover, you should still be able to find something you like. I loved the unique choices. It's hard to find other restaurants on Long Island that serve so many different dishes. I will be reviewing what I tried: -Steamed Spare Ribs in Rice Flower: Really underwhelmed by this choice. The ribs had a very odd texture and lacked flavor. I was very unimpressed. 0 out of 5 stars -Beef Tripe & Tongue in Hot Pepper Sauce: This was a little spicy but nothing crazy. I did enjoy the taste of both the tripe and the tongue but I wasn't in love with the dish as a whole. 3.5 out of 5 stars -Spicy Duck Tongue: If you read my reviews, you know I try anything & everything! Duck tongue was on my list. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan. The tongue was very hard and had lots of bones in it. It was almost inedible. 0 out of 5 stars -Kung Fu Fatty Beef: Hands down my favorite dish of the night! The beef had such great flavoring and it was almost melt in your mouth tender. 5 out of 5 stars -Spicy Chicken Wings: Yes they are spicy and get progressively more spicy as you work your way to the bottom of the container. The wings were nice and crispy but they were salty. I would still get them again. 4 out of 5 stars -Steamed Dumplings: Downright delicious an a must order! 5 out of 5 stars -Dumplings in Chili Oil: They were good but I suggest the steamed dumplings over these. 4 out of 5 stars -Thinly Sliced Pork with Garlic & Chili Sauce: Odd texture, very gelatinous but had a great garlicky flavorful overall. 4.5 out of 5 stars -Hunan Stir Fried Beef: If your a spicy lover like myself, your going to love this! It was so flavorful. The meat was cooked perfectly. 5 out of 5 stars. Overall, I'm happy I got to try a new place and support another local business. The food choices are definitely different and might take some getting used to, but the flavor is there! read more

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Authentic Chinese food. Very great food and service. The food could be more spicy. Would love to go back. read more

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Delicious food..so flavorful. I highly recommend lamb with cumin, crispy fish, dan dan noodles and hand ripped cabbage. If you like spicy food with tons of flavor you'll love this place. read more

Service was excellent and the food was authentic Chinese. Had dan dan noodles, string beans with mince pork, dumplings in chili sauce, my wife had authentic chinese dishes which i cannot pronounce but everything was very good! read more

So yummy! Our favorite dishes are mapo tofu, spicy glass noodles with minced pork, Szechuan spicy chicken, and boiled sliced fish in hot chili sauce. The staff is always very nice. We rarely eat in the restaurant and mainly get takeout, but the ambience inside the restaurant always seems nice. I wouldn't get any lamb dishes here though - they seem to be dry and tough to eat. Other than that, we love it here! read more

A friend took me here for lunch - a favorite of hers and her husband's. The menu has so many options, so I'm glad I had a person-in-the-know to help me select dishes. I can't recall the names of the dishes, but we ordered a cold spicy noodle dish, spicy fried chicken bits, an egg drop and corn soup and a spicy tofu dish. The portions were generous and everything was very tasty. The spice level was moderate - not bland like so many Chinese restaurants call "spicy," and not so hot that tears streamed from my eyes. There was so much food left over between the two of us. I'm looking forward to my noodles and soup for lunch tomorrow. The atmosphere was plain yet tasteful. The hostess was also our waitress - her English not so good. One minor negative - we were served hot tea in paper cups. I always prefer my tea in in China or porcelain cups. I will be back! read more

Don't bother coming here. Ordered food from the lunch special. Portions are very small. Food wasn't that great. Also didn't notice till I got home that they never gave me soup even though it said lunch special will come with rice and soup. Also the woman at the counter didn't even speak English. She had to use this little device to translate and half the time it wasn't even saying the correct sentences read more

The best chinese food on LI. Everything is fresh, tasty, and very authentic. The place doesn't look like much but you go there for the food. read more

We drove from Bklyn for a funeral and decided to eat before heading back home. 3 little letters OMG. Authentic Chinese food that made us feel HAPPY to eat. We had double fried fish, egg plant garlic sauce, Vegetables lo mein (to die for. FRESH FRESH ingredients and true to the culture. When is the last time a Resturant's meal made you happy? read more

Spice Workshop - What was left over - Szechuan Near Me - Centereach, New York

Good food . Different from the other Chinese restaurants. Must give it a try . Their menu had changed so make sure you have the new one otherwise the over the telephone order can be an adventure . [[HIGHLIGHT]]Can't talk about the ambience as we ordered takeout[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I am awarding 5 stars because this venue is the only real ethnic Sechuan restaurant in the somewhat immediate area of where we live. We took friends there Saturday around 9pm to enjoy their real deal menu and we brought a couple of bottles of wine to make our meal more enjoyable. If you are appreciative of HOT, Mala Sezchuan offerings this place is for you. If your a fan of Americanized dumbed down Chinese food go elsewhere or you may not be happy with the choices. We have been there several times and its not been crowded which is good because they dont take rezzys. You need to know that most of the staff does not speak English...they use handheld translators which you speak into and it speaks Chinese to them. This visit we were fortunate to have several Chinese gentlemen at the next table and they were glad to give our order to the server in Chinese....made getting the right things easier. We had appys of the Beef Tongue and Tripe, Chengdu Noodles,Sesame Spinach and an order of Mapo Tofu...all delish! For mains we had the Sliced Fish in Hot Chili Oil, Fried Jumbo Shrimp and Eggplant...both well prepared and ever so tasty! Going to this restaurant is like walking into another world...China for instance, and acting like a tourist...all well worth the effort. Ya gotta try it! read more

Absolutely delicious and not at all overpriced! Beautiful tables as well. We will definitely be coming back. read more

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This place might just be a diamond shining hope on fantastic Chinese cuisine. The place appears unassuming when you pull up. It's not that the place isn't nice, it's just that you wouldn't expect this place to be hiding. It should have a sign glowing and sparkling catching the attention of every passerby. This is REAL Chinese food. It's good, it's fantastic, and my goodness is it delicious. The staff is very attentive, there might be a language barrier, but they have a translation device that makes things easier. But if you're patient, you're gonna love this place. The prices are reasonable, about 20 to 30 dollars per person. If you share you could bring that number down a bit. The hot tea is delicious and so flavorful, I didn't have to add a sweetener it was just good. Do not miss this place. We will be back. read more

Absolutely love this restaurant.I don't know why we just found it. They open almost a year. It's real Chinese food. I went there for lunch with my girlfriend. We ordered 4 dishes and we love it!!!!! Taste so delicious and not too salty. The staff is so nice and went out of their way to provide great service. Love the food and will definitely go there again. I put 5 stars because food is excellent and I appreciated staff service. read more

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OVERVIEW: When visiting a five star Italian restaurant, most individuals wouldn't order a meatball hero, or a pepperoni pinwheel - a small pizzeria would be better for this. As such, if you have a hankering for some sesame chicken, orange beef, or crab rangoons - maybe you would be better off ordering from one of the thousand American style Chinese food takeout joints, littering long island. But if instead, some top notch authentic Chinese food is on your radar, Spice Workshop is a sure bet. Their skillful chef specializes in spicy Sichuan style dishes, with some northern and Cantonese style items rounding out the menu. And, after ordering different dishes here, on multiple occasions, we haven't run across a stinker yet. In fact, every item we sampled, was on par with what you would experience dining at a really good, Flushing Chinatown restaurant. And believe me, I can count on one hand, the number of restaurants in Suffolk county, where this is possible. WHAT TO ORDER: Appetizers -Chengdu cold noodles. Delicious street style spicy noodles. Wonderful flavors. -Wood ear mushroom cold salad. If you've never had this, try it. Uniquely delicious. -Dumplings in chili oil. Tender, spicy, garlicky, pleasure. Killer good. Main Dishes -Stir fried fish filets with cumin. Crispy, a little spicy, with chilis and cilantro. Order this. -Sauteed shredded pork with sweet bean sauce and fresh buns. Not sweet, it's savory and delicious. Take a bun fill with pork and scallions and enjoy! -Sour beef soup with tomato. This is an entre. Super thin beef in a spicy sour broth. With mushrooms and noodles. Uniquely delicious. -Sizzling egg tofu. In a beautiful sauce with minced pork on a sizzling platter. One of the best tofu dishes I've ever had. Order this. -Mapo tofu. Tender tofu, with minced pork in a spicy sauce. Pure joy. Others: -Fried potatoes, green peppers and eggplant. One of my favorite vegetable dishes. -Hand ripped cabbage. Fantastic flavor. Get this. -Braised eggplant. Tender alternative to eggplant in garlic sauce. Exceptional. SERVICE / DECOR: Friendly & helpful servers, some with limited English. However, just pointing at menu items works fine if needed. Also, this is a fairly new establishment, so during the dinner rush, service may become a little strained. If you feel this limitation is bothersome - don't be a whiner - get over it and just enjoy the food. The restaurant itself is decorated nicely enough, and seems clean kempt. PARTING THOUGHTS: If authentic Chinese cuisine is your thing, don't pass this establishment up. If your not sure what authentic Chinese is all about, try some of the above dishes. I'm sure you will discover something new and interesting to enjoy. - read more

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Fantastic food and nice interior! The owner doesn't speak much English, but she's very nice and accommodating. My family and I eat here frequently. My parents are from China and they say the food here reminds them of the restaurants back in China--quite authentic. I recommend any of their fish dishes, golden corn, cumin beef, braised pork, but honestly everything I've tried here is delicious. Perfect for large parties, as they have tables with lazy susans that make it convenient to eat family style. Best Chinese restaurant on Long Island. read more

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This is 100% hole in the wall place that serve pure authentic Chinese food. I love the environment and the food OMG is so delicious. The owner was super friendly and every dish was huge and pretty. I will 100% recommend and come back. read more

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So I was on the lookout for Yao's diner, Only to find that the establishment closed a couple weeks ago. We were concerned about this place especially since we were going to have this food for Valentine's Day. We sat outside for a good five minutes, and realize that a majority of its clientele was Chinese. My girlfriend and I shrugged our shoulders and decided that this was worth a shot. We walked in and we were greeted by the Friendly staff and was shown Our seats. The place did not look like what was previously posted about Yaos diner. This made me question whether or not this is the same place. When questioning the Individual who was serving our table, he stated "The place is under new management and has a new chef" and "The place was reopened approximately a week ago". he then handed us a menu and asked us what we would like to drink. I asked for tea, however they did not have any tea. This is off to a bad start already. We open up the menu and the whole entire menu was in Chinese (with the exception of one page at the end of the menu which included fairly Americanized dishes such as sesame chicken and Mongolian beef). We were more excited of this unexplored area. We asked the server what he would recommend since, frankly, we could not understand or read 95% of the menu. He recommended spicy chicken nuggets, pork belly with vegetables, and an appetizer of beef and Szechuan sauce. To say the least my girlfriend and I Were concerned. But both of us said "Why not?" Our server brings out the pork belly dish first. The pork belly had peppers, scallions, ginger, and pork belly.It was seasoned with Some sort of hot oil. And oh my God let me tell you that this dish was amazing. The vegetables, the pork belly, the sauce was hands-down one of the most Out of this world a Chinese dishes I've had a lot in a long time. Maybe because I don't eat pork that often, but this dish had the perfect amount of seasoning and meat to vegetable ratio. It was spicy, but not too spicy. Just enough to make the dish taste amazing. The pork belly was a little dry, however, it gave the dish a specific dynamic texture which just elevated the dish. Next we were handed Cold beef covered in Szechuan sauce. The Szechuan Hot oil was basic, however was delicious at the same time. I have to admit that this dish was fairly heavy, however works very well with the white rice. I felt like there was a little too much of the hot oil mixture, which kind of over powered the dish. Maybe this was just me not being able to tolerate the spiciness. Last but not least we were handed the chicken nuggets. I was imagining being handed McDonald's chicken nuggets cover in soy sauce or Szechuan sauce. However we were handed diced up dark meat, Szechuan sauce, peanuts, ?fish sauce, fried goodness. It was not the best dish of the night (that goes to the pork belly) but let me tell you that this dish was really good. The ?fish sauce (or what ever sauce they put on it) gave the chicken an umami taste and was complimented by the peanuts in the dish. There were scattered red/green peppers which were also a nice touch. Let me tell you that this place is really good. I will definitely be coming back here. They are friendly and serve amazing food. Sure their rocky introduction and appearance may be off putting, but their food is amazing. I hope they dont lose this characteristic and "Americanize" their dishes. There are only about a handful of places that are like this out on the island. Dont lose that. I will admit i wish you had an english menu so i knew what i was ordering. Lol. Good luck! read more

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Great food consistently. Very good service, and a authentic schechuan feel and experience. Go here any time to have a authentic experience.

Absolute freshest, tastiest, Chinese outside of China Town. I have never had a bad dish here. Order online for take out. The app works great, and it's easy. No worries about language issues. read more

Amazing, authentic Szechuan cuisine with excellent service. Generous portions. So friendly and family-run. As good as if not better than many places in Flushing. Homemade, handmade dumplings and noodles. Food was perfectly seasoned, too. Mapo tofu was phenomenal, as were the Dan Dan noodles, stir-fried eggplant and string beans, Szechuan chicken, and crispy fried pork. I believe it is also bring your own beer/wine/liquor, too, which is great. If you like Chinese food, you must try this place. read more

Very convenient spot right on middle country. I've been looking to try this place ever since LOL kitchen closed down to get my Szechuan fix. The inside is very elegant and lovely. The service was also excellent, the server (owner?) knew I must've been the one to put in an online order and she went out of her way to give us curbside pickup. No English at all, but we communicated by pointing and nodding. It was fine. Food was good, but overpriced. I did enjoy my fish filets in chili sauce but, the scallion pancakes were soggy. My hubby got the general Tso chicken which is a Cantonese dish and probably isn't their specialty but enjoyed it anyway. I wish their vegetable dishes were cheaper. I love shredded potato and shredded cabbage and braised eggplant, but I can't bring myself to pay that much for vegetables. Overall I will return to try different dishes. Very sweet lady great service. read more

Came Here Tonight with my Fellow Chef Friend' and got our MINDS BLOWN!!! ABSOLUTELY BLOWN!! The Lamb with Cumin! Strings Beans with Crispy Pork!! Sautéed Eggplant with String beans and Much More!! Forget about Flushing. This Restaurant is Now my Favorite Restaurant on Long Island. The Wonderful Hostess/Lady upfront is an Absolute Doll! Smiling all Night. She doesn't speak much English but' who cares Her Restaurant and the Chef are Amazing!!! read more

Sooo glad I finally tried this place!! Ordered their crispy cumin fish, dry pot potato and their eggplant green pepper eggplant dish. All items were absolutely delicious read more