Sawa Restaurant & Lounge

Sawa is a variety show of a restaurant. Diners are treated to a procession of sushi, kebabs, tapas, soups, salads, entrées, hookahs, belly dancers, LED shows, and sports on flat-screen TV sets. There is a menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a five-hour happy hour, late-night happy hour, weekend brunch, wines, bottle service, and cocktails (22 flavors of vodka) - plus an extensive 18-item bill of fare for dogs. The only thing missing is a sommelier named Topo Gigio. The Japanese-Mediterranean eatery opened about a year ago in the Village of Merrick Park. Almost all patrons choose to sit on the outdoor patio, beneath the mall's royal palms. Also outside is a cabana with white curtains and sofas, the favored place for smoking hookahs. But it is as true of restaurants as it is with humans: Those that try to be a jack-of-all-trades end up mastering none. Sushi selections here suffice, kebabs are tasty, small "tapas" plates and entrées are wildly inconsistent, and service is awful.