The Melting Pot

190 W Main St
Somerville, NJ 08876

Instead of Christmas gifts this year, my husband and I went to a nicer than normal dinner. We chose the Melting Pot this year after I received an email that they were having a special for Christmas Eve. For $40 per person, we had a cheese course (with veggies, apples and bread--we chose Spinach Artichoke), a salad course (I had the California Salad, and my husband had Caesar), the Seafood Trio (this was our only non choice with the Christmas Eve special--it included scallops, shrimp, tilapia, and salmon), and finally the dessert course (we chose Chocolate Smores). We figured this was an incredible deal, and it was all delicious.

We arrived at the first reservation we could get--4pm--so as to accommodate our toddler, and the service was great. They were very accommodating of us and our needs around our child; this sort of surprised me given their more upscale setting, but I was beyond pleased to experience it.

We very much enjoyed our time at the Melting Pot and we also were really happy to get such a great deal. Sign up for their Club Fondue to find out about these events!

Fratelli's Pizza

201 Stelton Rd
Piscataway, NJ 08854

It's possible that the quest is over. The purpose of this blog was to track all the bagel and pizza restaurants we've tried in our quest to find the best in the area. Fratelli's might just be it. They aren't the closest to our home (That's Romano's, which is a 2 minute drive), but it's really very good. We tried them after reading rave reviews online, and we were very pleased with our meal. We've tried a half mushroom half pepperoni and their vegetable special, and they were both very good. Their prices are pretty comparable with the other pizza places in the area, although I can't remember exact numbers.

We'll certainly continue our search, but are very happy with Fratelli's!

Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe

559 E Main St
Denville, NJ 07834

We originally had plans to go to Chevy's in Denville, meeting friends who live in the area. Some of our party couldn't make it, so they suggested we instead go to the Rattlesnake Cafe. They said the menu was larger and the food better than Chevy's. They sure were right. The food was so much different than one would find in a chain Mexican restaurant. My husband had Crawfish gumbo to start; it was really good, but he said it got much too hot as he got further into the cup. He's not really one for spicy food... our friends told us that many of the online reviews complain of too much spice in the food here, so if you don't like spice, make sure to let your server know! As our entrees, he had Chipotle Pork and Mushroom Enchiladas, and liked them very much. I had the Red River Relleno Combo. I was skeptical and a little afraid it would be too hot, but it was really really good! They were HUGE, which was surprising. I don't have a really large stomach, but ate about half my dinner. I figured they wouldn't reheat so well, and didn't take them home but I sure wish they would have! I heard that they have Fried Ice Cream, which I love, and I was sort of sad I had stuffed myself so much that I didn't have room!

Another one to try

Joey's Grill

552 W Union Ave (@ Rte 287)

Bound Brook, NJ 0880

and it earns Upromise points!!

Bridgewater Diner

1244 Us-22, Bridgewater, NJ 08807

I've wanted to visit the Bridgewater Diner for a long time, so we decided to give it a whirl a few weekends ago. We went for breakfast, and the meal was pretty standard diner breakfast. The prices were fairly reasonable, and the food was good. It was served REALLY quickly, which brings high marks for those of us with small children.

A lot of the diners I've mentioned as pretty standard for diners means we haven't been back, but I do want to try the Bridgewater Diner for a different meal to see how they would be there.

Pizza places to try

Sooo, our search continues. I found a new place for tonight, and wanted to add a few to our "to try" list. Here's what I found that looked interesting, based on the yahoo reviews and those on urbanspoon.com.

• Rome Pizza--Dunellen
• I can't find any of the other places now! HA!
  

Big Wally's Subs

3322 Washington Rd
Parlin, NJ 08859

We were out driving one day and stumbled upon Big Wally's. We took our sandwiches to JFK Park and had a great time. They were so good, we now make the 30-45 minute drive down because it's definitely worth it. They have great specials, which is always a plus for me since I like to try new things, but they also have great typical hoagie sandwiches. Their subs are big and soo delish.

Girasole

502 W Union Ave, Bound Brook, NJ 08805

I had heard a lot of buzz about Girasole and had been wanting to go for a really long time. We finally had the opportunity yesterday to go for lunch, and we are so thrilled we did.

First they brought out some of the best bruschetta I've ever had. My husband had the Mushroom Bisque soup special, and it was incredible. I sort of expected him to lick the bowl. We both received salads next, and the vinaigrette they use is delicious. It was a nice, leafy green salad--hooray for no iceberg!

We also were given a delicious, soft, fresh bread, which was served with oil and fresh garlic. This was really interesting, since we are so used to getting oil with spices or roasted garlic at Italian restaurants.

We each chose off the regular lunch menu for our entrees. They were both very tasty and we decided that the portions were a perfect size for a dinner entree and exceptionally large for lunch. I took some of mine home, and hope to have it for lunch today.

We were so full after our lunch that we ended up skipping dinner. Although my husband thought it was an expensive lunch, I figure that the cost of lunch combined with no cooking dinner surely balances out the cost.

We will return to Girasole SOON and OFTEN!

La Scala Fine Italian

117 N Gaston Ave
Somerville, NJ 08876

We just came home from a phenomenal dinner at La Scala in Somerville. We started with a Caprese Salad appetizer. It had fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, red onion, basil, and a balsamic reduction. It was the perfect size for our party of four, and was simply outstanding. We very much enjoyed our warm rolls, which were served with an olive oil mixture as well as caponata.

We each enjoyed our meals a great deal, and were sharing from them because we were so happy. Each entree was served with a decent sized house salad (or soup; we all chose salad). One of us chose the tre fungi ravioli, the plate of which was practically licked clean. Another chose the Chicken Marsala--he enjoyed it, remarking that the chicken was so tender, although he was a little disappointed by the marsala sauce. Another had the Chicken Francese, and was quite pleased. Finally, I had the Chicken La Scala, which is served with a sherry wine sauce, pears, and cranberries. It was outstanding. In all, the portion sizes were remarkable (my entree had two thin pounded chicken breasts, as well as green beans and mashed potatoes), and the prices were reasonable. All this food and the bill came to around $80.

The atmosphere was quite nice, and our service was outstanding.

The restaurant is BYOB. I was able to make my reservation online, which was then confirmed via telephone.

My husband and I commented that we will surely return to La Scala.

Hoagie Hut

357 Union Ave, Bridgewater, NJ

We went to this deli yesterday for some yummy sandwiches after reading some great reviews on Yahoo! local. The hubs and I split a hoagie on a whole wheat roll. I'm not sure what it was about the sandwich, but neither of us was blown away by it. It might have been that the roll wasn't that great, but I was sort of disappointed in the hoagie as a whole. We declared that if we were in the area, we'd go back, but wouldn't make a special trip.

Park Deli

(732) 545-6585
80 Raritan Ave
Highland Park, NJ


Looking for lunch the other day, we happened to discover this place via yahoo local, and gave it a try. From the outside, this is probably a place I would have bypassed, but I'm glad we went in and gave it a try.

I love a place with a large selection of sandwiches made up... I'm not creative, and without such a suggestion, I go to my old standby of Italian hoagie.

They have lots of options here, which is wonderful, and these selections are certainly a Russian dressing lover's dream-- I think every one has Russian on it.

I like that they use Boar's Head too.

My sandwich, the Roller Coaster Hero, was pretty good. I forget what BAJ got, but it was good too (Of course, I had to try it). He raved about them over on yahoo local, but I think he liked it a little more than I did.

Cricket Deli

408 Elizabeth Ave
Somerset,NJ 08873

We usually rely heavily on reviews when selecting our meals out. Instead of following our usual pattern, though, we chose this deli shop while driving around.

They have a decent specials menu and their prices were fair. Neither of us, though, was really blown away by our sandwiches. BAJ got a reuben esque sandwich, and it was "ok," and the same went for my Italian hoagie. We also picked up a pasta salad, which I felt was kind of bland and BAJ didn't even try based on my review. Baby SBF was the only one who really seemed to enjoy the salad.

So, in short, we probably won't be going back here again.

Midtown Gourmet

111 S Main St, Manville, NJ 08835

We decided to try this spot for lunch after reading the reviews on yahoo local. I had the California cheeseburger deluxe and hubby had the Pastrami Reuben Deluxe. Our entire bill came to $12 plus tip! Service was great, and hubby is still talking about how "Goo-ood" his sandwich was.

It reminded me a lot of Cheers because everyone seemed to know each others' names! :)

Court House Sub Shop

16 E Main St, Somerville, NJ 08876

We decided to try this after reading the previous reviews here. Neither of us had a sub, and maybe that's where we went wrong. We both had the club sandwich, and they were both "fine" for us--nothing to really write home about.

If we happen to be in the area and looking for a sub, we might go back here... but we're not making the trip to go.

Fresh Food Kitchen

223 W End Ave, Raritan, NJ 08869

This place had very good smoothies, and a wide variety of sandwiches, but we felt that their prices were rather high for what we got. Everything was tasty, but we won't be going back.

Hansel and Griddle

53 Mine St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

We very much like this place. It's a place I probably would have gone to far too often had I been a Rutgers student for undergrad. They have great sandwiches and reasonable prices. Their barrel of pickles is always a tasty treat.

Check out their menu here

Legends

122 N Main St, Milltown, NJ 08850

Oh yum, is this place good. They have all kinds of interesting sandwiches and the bread is out of this world. It's a little bit of a hike for us, but always worth it.

FYI, they are not open on Sundays.

Check out their menu here

Time to Eat Diner

400 Us-202/206, Bridgewater, NJ 08807

A typical diner. Food was good, service was decent. Their parking lot always seems busy, but we wouldn't make the trip unless we happened to be in the area.

It is also situated in a tough spot, driving wise. We wanted to go to the Wegman's in Bridgewater after our meal, so had to go toward the mall, find a place to turn around and then come back... unless there is a back way we don't know, which is entirely possible.

Sunset Diner

335 Us-22, Green Brook, NJ 08812

Typical diner. The food was good, the service was fine. We were lucky to get there before the crowd.

Seems to have a large crowd of regulars, based on what we saw on a recent visit.

Sahara Restaurant

165 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

I went here with some friends for lunch a long time ago (I was only slightly pregnant!). One of the girls raved about this place and their salads. I had a hard time selecting something from the menu but eventually tried something....I don't mind trying new things at all, and my friends said that what I picked was typically good....I don't remember what it was but suspect it was Baba Ghanoush. My lunch was ok, but nothing to really write home about. Dunno, maybe Turkish food isn't my thing, maybe I just need to try something else.. but I probably won't be doing it at Sahara.

Food aside, their decor is delightful, with outdoor seating available (if you don't mind the lovely Easton Ave as your view).

Steck's Delicatessen

325 Highway 202/206
Bridgewater, NJ 08807

BAJ asked that we try a new deli place today for lunch, so to the internet I went. I found this place and, based on the reviews on yahoo local, decided it would be the place to go. We had a bit of a hard time finding them, not expecting them to be in a strip mall, but the internet age allows us to have the internet on our cell phones so we just called them up. They're on the Somerville Circle, right next to Barnes and Noble!

My husband had a "Cold Cut Sloppy Joe," and proclaimed the bread to be delicious. I ordered an Italian sub and it was good, although not outstanding. My husband has also been on a quest for good German potato salad and proclaimed the search has come to an end! We also had an order of pasta salad, which was good and had an interesting flavor that we couldn't place.

Big Wally's

3322 Washington Rd, Parlin, NJ 08859

We were out driving one day and stumbled upon Big Wally's. We took our sandwiches to JFK Park and had a great time. They were so good, we now make the 30-45 minute drive down because it's definitely worth it. They have great specials, which is always a plus for me since I like to try new things, but they also have great typical hoagie sandwiches. Their subs are big and soo delish.

Joe's Meat Market

28 Main St, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

Joe's is great... their specials are delicious, their meats are fresh, and their bread is outstanding. Better yet, I signed up for their email list and eventually won a free lunch!! I really like the Jorge's Chicken Melt, which is a special, but their regular subs are fantastic too!

Bagel Dish Cafe

327 Raritan Ave
Highland Park, NJ

I love going to this place. It started by me on a hunt for lunch one day. I was driving around, looking for something interesting to try, when I stumbled upon the Dish Cafe. It's interesting, though, because we at one time went to the Bagel Dish, their sister store, often. Anyway, we got takeout from there and were very happy. While I waited for our order, I was intrigued by their breakfast menu, and decided we had to go there sometime.

It's your basic diner, but there's something more homey about it than typical diner. Coffee is served in mugs from all over the place; they probably get them at yard sales, but it lends a nice atmosphere to the place.

They have great specials; I love to get the Belgian Waffle special, which comes with whipped cream and strawberries and only costs $5.95... that's only available on Saturday and Sunday. I also like to try their varied and interesting array of omelettes, which can also be made into a wrap.

BAJ is happy because he gets a decent lox and bagel there, and I'm happy because I can get my eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, coffee, bacon, etc etc etc craving satiated... until the next weekend, that is.

Martino's Cuban Restaurant

212 W Main St
Somerville, NJ

We live so near to Somerville, and haven't really had a chance to check out the many many restaurants there. We made plans to get together with some friends, and decided to go to Martino's. I couldn't really find any reviews online, so was apprehensive.

We walked in and the smell of the restaurant was incredible; it smelled fantastic! Our food was really good--we got an appetizer for 6, which consisted of stuffed clams, fried yucca, sweet plantains, croquettes, and something else I can't remember. Everything was delicious. Our party all had different choices, but we both had the chicken. The sauces were both great, although the meat itself was a little tough. Our friends had the desserts (there are only two on the menu; flan and tres leches cake) and raved about it.

Also appealing was that this seemed like a place for campers. We were one of several good sized parties, and the staff seemed to have no problem whatsoever with us sitting and chatting. I felt under no pressure to skedaddle as I often do in other places.

They're BYOB, and I thought the prices were very reasonable. I think our entire bill for 6 people, which included 6 entrees, an appetizer to share, and 2 desserts, came to under $120. Not bad at all.

Bagel Market and Deli

900 Easton Ave # 52, Somerset, NJ 08873

I hope I'm rating the correct place here. I'm referring to the bagel shop behind Apple Farms Farm Market.

This place stinks. I have gone a few times, and most recently my bagel was terribly stale. YUCK.

The guy was nice enough, and of course commented on my beautiful baby, but sorry that doesn't make up for crappy bagels!

Hole in the Wall Bagels

25 Easton Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

This place has become a weekend standard for us since moving to our new house. They're nearby and their bagels are good. In addition, they actually listen when my husband orders me a "light on the peanut butter."

Their name is quite fitting, since it literally is a hole in the wall, with the tiny waiting area typical of New Brunswick takeout. But their bagels are GOOD.

Stelton Pizza

1315 Stelton Rd # 3, Piscataway, NJ

This used to be our favorite pizza place. Even though it was 10-15 minutes from home, it was well worth the drive. We actually used to live really close to this, so would go there all the time.

Then we ordered two pies... a large mushroom and a large pepperoni. The cost was nearly $30 (I think it was $28 to be closer to exact), which seems like a lot. Further, the pies we got that night weren't that good.

So, used to be good but now too pricey and too far to be worth it.

Ray's Pizza

408 Renaissance Blvd, North Brunswick, NJ

This was on our way home in our last apartment. It was pretty good, and the price wasn't anything we ever commented about. Their mozzarella sticks were kinda gross, but my husband liked them. They did have this sandwich that I really liked... we liked it enough to be "regulars" when we lived over there.

Jersusalem Pizza

231 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ

When we first came to central NJ, we saw this place on route 27 in Highland Park. My Jewish husband was super excited to see such a place, but we never got there.

Now, we live pretty close--about 10 minutes--and so decided to give it a try. We ordered a large pie with peppers, mushrooms, and black olives. It came to $18.99 after tax.

We decided that it was good, but far too pricey for us.

As an aside, it seemed that those coming to Jerusalem Pizza were not there for Pizza. Nearly everyone who came in got hot dishes rather than pizza; I think I was the only one there to pick up a pie.

Romano's

9 Plainfield Ave, Piscataway, NJ

One mile from home? Can't get much better than that. Their pizza is ok, but nothing to write home about. I go there if I'm all alone or if we have a need for something super fast, but are willing to drive farther from home in our search for better pizza.

Tata's Pizza

208 Hamilton St, New Brunswick, NJ - (732) 846-6232

A New Brunswick resident highly recommended this place, so we decided to give it a try. It was long ago, so I don't remember details, but do remember we said it was "good, but we'll keep looking." Is it wrong that their name always makes me giggle?

Bella Roma Pizzeria

66 Main St, S Bound Brook, NJ - (732) 469-6448

We ordered a large mushroom pie. It cost $13.64, after tax.

The pie was decent... not fantastic, but good. We'd certainly eat here again. It took about 7 minutes from door to door for pickup.

We have yet to try this reheated.

Pizza and Bagels

We've been living in central NJ for quite some time--since fall 2000 for me and since July 2001 for my husband. We love both pizza and bagels and are on the quest to find ones we LOVE. A "rubric" (yes, we are teachers) has not yet been developed, but we generally consider price, taste, and distance from home.

I am often saddened that not many people leave reviews on the internet. The opinions of others is a great guidepost, especially for those new to an area. So, I'm journaling our very own thoughts, knowing fully that no one will see this. :)