A Review of Cinco de Mayo Restaurant, in Calverton The restaurant Cinco de Mayo in Calverton would be a fitting place to celebrate the Mexican holiday of the same name next Sunday. The Mexican food served here is authentic, down to the house-made corn tortillas. The restaurant, which opened in late November, is in a free-standing corner building that once housed Crossroads Restaurant and Catering. Inside, the dining room still resembles the catering hall it once was, including crystal chandeliers. Mexican flags, a few embroidered blouses and some small baskets dot the walls. Tables have green tablecloths topped with white bistro paper and red cloth napkins. Cinco de Mayo is a family enterprise. It is owned by Refugio Iglesias and his niece Marva Martinez. Mr. Iglesias and his wife, Gabriela Martinez, both from Puebla, Mexico, share the chef duties; she is in charge of the Mexican dishes, he the American fare. Mr. Iglesias previously worked at the Manhattan restaurants Verbena (since closed) and the Harrison; his wife cooked professionally in Mexico. Like the tortillas themselves, the tortilla chips, which arrive at the table with a thick, vibrant salsa, are made on the premises. We made short work of the crisp treats. There are two guacamoles on the menu: one for $5, another for $12. The first is made fresh daily in the kitchen; the second is created at tableside to diners" specifications. We opted for the $5 version and found it just right: tasty and moderately spicy. Tortillas here are not the cardboard-tasting ones often found elsewhere. These are flaky, with real corn flavor. Tacos at $3 to $3.50 each are a specialty. Fillings for these soft tortillas include pig's ear and beef tongue for the adventurous. The ones we tried, spicy pork and Spanish sausage, were both exemplary. Soups made a good showing. The large bowl of chicken soup had a tasty broth, white-meat chicken, carrots, celery and shredded spinach. The mushroom soup (no longer on the menu, but a special) was creamy and rich. Salads were another first-rate way to start the meal. We tried a mixed salad with grapefruit and orange segments, feta cheese and a sherry vinaigrette. Another salad (now a special) featured sautéed mushrooms, fresh artichoke hearts, and goat cheese in a lemon vinaigrette. Tostadas are listed with the appetizers, but I ordered them as an entree and was happy I did. They consisted of three large, crisp tortillas topped with beef, cheese, lettuce, radish, avocado and sour cream, a delightful contrast of temperatures and textures. The burrito, a large, soft flour tortilla with a filling dominated by refried beans, was dull and not as appealing. The chef has a winning way with fish. We loved the crisply fried whole red snapper with its crunchy skin and moist flesh. It came with a sprightly house salad that included tomato slices and avocado and was dressed with a lemon vinaigrette. The pan-seared tilapia fillet with mashed potatoes and asparagus was also good, but the potatoes, though tasty, were only lukewarm. A chicken breast in a white wine, chive and mustard sauce was another winning choice. The best of the house-made desserts was the very creamy tiramisù, with the moist tres leches cake a close second. The flan, however, was not as silky smooth as it could have been. The menu at Cinco de Mayo includes a roster of breakfast dishes like huevos rancheros that are available all day and evening. We ordered the fruit salad from the breakfast list and enjoyed it more than any of the desserts: a huge bowl of fresh pineapple, strawberries, bananas and cantaloupe. Night or day, Cinco de Mayo has delicious food and a smiling staff serving it. Cinco de Mayo 3725 Middle Country Road (Route 25) Calverton (631) 591-2474 THE SPACE Free-standing building, with a large, airy dining room that seats 85. Complete wheelchair access. THE CROWD Couples and small groups, including families with children. Attentive, friendly servers. THE BAR There is a bar in a separate room, but the restaurant is awaiting its liquor license; for now, soft drinks are served, and patrons may bring their own wine and beer. THE BILL One menu is served all day. Entrees range from tacos at $3 to seared skirt steak with chimichurri sauce at $21. American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted. WHAT WE LIKED Tostadas, mixed salads, chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, spicy pork taco, Spanish sausage taco, chicken in white wine sauce, whole fried red snapper, pan-seared tilapia, tiramisù, tres leches cake, fruit salad. IF YOU GO Open Monday to Thursday from noon to 10 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Longer hours are planned starting May 5. Reservations are a good idea on weekends. There is a large parking lot.