Cafe Verde — Restaurant in New Smyrna Beach

My friend and I tried Cafe Verde last night for dinner. The ambiance outside was very nice for the meal, though the mosquitoes did come out near the end.

We both ordered the Thai coconut milk curry, and we were both disappointed with the flavor of the curry - which tasted like the powdered curry you can get in the spice section of the grocery store (which is Jamaican curry - not Thai... There's a difference). It came out within 2 minutes of the order, and you might think that would be good, except we realized immediately that meant it was not cooked fresh, just basically thrown together in a bowl and ladled with some curry. This was further emphasized by the fact that the food was served warm, not hot.

We both felt like we make better curry at home... which is pretty sad for restaurant curry.

We choked it down because we were so hungry and decided to try something else, in case this was a fluke. So, we ordered the shrimp ceviche appetizer. The flavor was not authentic (again), and we were really trying to like the things we ordered.

Unfortunately, we just couldn't.

Okay, so we tried it, we didn't like it, but let's use the restroom before we go. Nope! The only restroom for customers wasn't working. I mentioned the bathroom issue to the server (I still really needed to go), and he said, basically, "Oh yeah. Maybe we should put a sign on it so people stop trying to use it."

Oh yeah, that's a great solution for the only bathroom in the restaurant for customers. Not that you should perhaps call someone to fix it... Because it's actually pretty important...

This was our experience, and we won't be back. If it weren't for the bathroom issues to top off the evening, I would have given a 2 star review but...c'mon. Seriously. This...

We showed up on Sunday around 2pm and were greeted by a sweet staff member. I believe they take reservations but we didn’t know that, so there was a little bit on confusion regarding that. Regardless, we were seated immediately. Atmosphere was great! Food was the best food I have had in a long time; and I frequently try new restaurants and foods. I had the Bibimbap which arrived hot on a cast iron skillet; flow cord were spectacular! Everything inside was delicious!

The Ahi Tuna was great, as well as the black beans and rice, plantains, Yuca fries, side salad, and French toast. Our waiter, Shawn, was very laid back and kind. He checked in with us appropriately.

The only downside was that the restaurant manager/staff allowed a screeching white Labrador puppy to loudly screech outside on the patio for their entire stay. The female dog owner did not appear phased, nor did her friend. No one said anything to the woman with the dog and it did not have any kind of medical vest on, so it wasn’t a service dog; plus, officially trained service dogs don’t screech like that. It was very disturbing and my family and I are hesitant to return to this lovely restaurant for this very reason. A restaurant that allows screeching dogs is not a restaurant for me.

Update: Went back and the food was just as great as the first visit. No screeching dog this time! Bathroom...

This sweet little gem wraps you in lush greenery and warm service before it even hits you with spot-on delivery of a diverse menu from authentic bibimbap to yellow thai curry (all done right). Even if it's not 1/2 off house wine night (which it was) I would strongly recommend the merlot (so mellow and smooth) or whatever suits your meal (as they have a lovely beverage menu). Another star for Cafe Verde is awarded for their acknowledgment of their most popular meals right on their menu. You can contemplate your faves as you sip your wine (and rest assured that any between which you choose will be a hit). I had the yellow thai curry with chicken on medium heat. I'm a fan of heat and this was the definition of perfect for me. I was concerned that the butternut squash might be a bit too sweet, but it blended so perfectly with all the other flavors (and that black rice ... chef's kiss...) I'm not kidding when I say that describing this meal brought me to near tears. Order another glass of wine and dessert (trust me on this - I'm not even a sweet tooth) and get whatever suits your fancy. I got the flourless chocolate cake, and my dinner companions had espresso flan. Either way, you'll be delighted. Look, I will probably almost cry every time I talk about my Cafe Verde experience for some time. If you love food... if you love yourself.. go...