Relish

It's nice to know the organic tomatoes in your salad come from a farm in Ronkonkoma, that the red crisp lettuce was grown on another in Brookhaven. At Relish in Kings Park, the provenance of your produce is posted on a chalkboard, courtesy of chef-owner and ardent locavore Stephen Cardello.

Service here is unfailingly friendly, surroundings casual-chic.

TO RELISH

There's truth behind the menu description of "light as a cloud" ricotta pancakes with fresh blueberries and strawberries. I'd give an "A" to the "new school" egg sandwich with house-made maple turkey sausage, tomato, Swiss and spinach. Cardello also makes the chorizo in the muy buena Mexicali omelet.

The grill turns out a beefy, bodacious burger at the precise doneness ordered. Fine hand-cut fries accompany it. A delectable "Philadelphia style" roast-pork sandwich features broccoli rabe and provolone on a semolina roll. There's also a pastruben -- pastrami, corned beef, sauerkraut, melted Swiss and Russian dressing on grilled marble rye.

One dinner begins with a delicate pumpkin bisque laced with diced Honeycrisp apples. Wings (whether Buffalo-style or coated with spicy-sweet ancho chili sauce) are big and meaty. A colorful Greek salad with stuffed grape leaves and pepperoncini is fresh, sprightly.

Spicy house-made sausage, basil and tomatoes take linguine with clam sauce beyond the everyday. And there's subtle fire in the chicken and chorizo soft corn tacos with green chili and roasted corn.

Love the Butterfinger milkshake. Running a close second is a chocolate-mocha bread pudding.

TO RETHINK

Mac and cheese is ordinary, topped with soggy crumbs. Good but not great is an open-faced grilled flatiron steak sandwich with slow-roasted tomatoes, spinach and provolone.

And what's with the aerosol whipped cream (even if it's organic) on my otherwise perfect bread pudding?

BOTTOM LINE

Set your GPS for Kings Park.