Last week I ate at Cabana's Island Restaurant in Mentor. Neither my dining companion nor I had been there before, and we selected the restaurant based on the name and the coupon from the "Our Town and All-Around Dining Directory," which was good for $10 off our meal. And boy, what a place to beat the winter blues! The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant are tropical and relaxing.

However, that relaxed atmosphere translated right to the service, which was slow. It took a long time to be greeted, a long time to meet our server, a long time to get our drinks, a long time to get our food (our appetizer never came at all). But our server was very friendly and accommodating (she was sure to remove our appetizer from the bill), and the food was fantastic and worth the wait!

I ordered the Montego Bay Chicken, while my companion ordered one of the day's specials: Jamaican Java Chicken. Both meals were quite tasty and the perfect portion size for a night out -- not too much, but definitely enough to fill you up. I loved that the chicken I ordered came on a bed of sweet potato fries, a guilty pleasure of mine. And I'm not usually a fan of green beans, but Cabana's were juicy and crispy, with a summery taste that matched the feel of the restaurant.

I was impressed that my cocktail only cost $4, when I've gotten similar drinks elsewhere for twice that amount. The prices are moderate, with both of our meals about $10. After the coupon, our bill for two entrees, a cocktail and two beers totaled only $24.

The food and drinks were tasty enough to entice me to visit Cabana's again, in hopes that the last week's slow service was just a fluke. After all, there are a few more tasty-sounding things on the menu that I'd like to try.

Cabana's Island Restaurant
The Matchworks Building
8500 Station St.
Mentor, OH 44060
(440) 255-0697
info@cabanasrestaurant.com

If you're interested in your own "Our Town and All-Around Dining Directory" coupon book, you can get one when your News-Herald subscription is set up for EZ Pay, which is the automatic deduction from your credit card every month. You can also order one online at www.ourtownandallaround.com.

-- Cheryl Sadler