The Mean Fiddler

266 W 47th St
New York, NY 10036
themeanfiddlernyc.com

Today, we went into Manhattan with some friends. After wandering for awhile, we decided to go looking for some lunch. Our original plan was to find Pommes Frites, having heard there was a new location in or near Times Square. Alas, the internet might lie to you, and there might be no Pommes Frites location in or near Times Square. So, to 8th Ave we went in search of some inexpensive yet interesting food. I looked down streets for places that looked interesting, and we stumbled across The Mean Fiddler. They had pub food for most of their menu; burgers, chicken sandwiches, etc, but they also had a nice looking Irish food part of the menu too. Having spent a chilly morning wandering the big city, I decided a nice warm Irish stew sounded like the perfect lunch to me. I wasn't at all wrong. My dining companions loved that there were mashed potatoes on top of my stew. I loved that it was so tasty! A friend got the "mean burger," which is much like Burger King's Angry Burger, but he said it was much fresher and tastier. My other friend got the Dublin Chicken Burger, and remarked that it was REALLY good. Finally, my husbad got the Rachel, and thought it was pretty tasty!

For the four of us, our meal came to $60; not too shabby for a NYC lunch for four... especially considering we were all so full we just had a VERY light dinner.

Bagel Pantry

577 Middlesex Ave
Metuchen, NJ 08840

On our way to Metropark station, we decided to stop for some bagels. These were pretty tasty; fresh, good tasty cream cheese. I didn't go in, so can't speak to how reasonable their prices are, but the bagels were good and fresh. Yum!

El Meson

40 W Main St
Freehold, NJ 07728

You know when there is a restaurant that you've heard so much about that you just can't wait to try it? And you go and try it, like it, but then realize it's so far away it's not really worth it? Yeah, this is that story. I know, it's not that great of a story.

Anyway, I had heard about El Meson since planning my wedding in 2005. We got married in the area, and were searching for a restaurant in which to hold our rehearsal dinner. This came up in a discussion with a friend, and she said she had heard it was the best Mexican food around. In a quick google search, I discovered others agreed. It wasn't at all what I expected, and I don't know if I'd consider it the best Mexican food in the state, but it was pretty darn good.

As far as being "authentic," I don't know if that's true or not. What part of Mexico this style of cuisine is from, no idea on that either. I do know that their menu consisted of nothing one couldn't find at a typical Mexican food restaurant a la On the Border. But it tasted way better... the one exception, I'd say, was my chile relleno. There was just something about it that disappointed me. I was a little bit saddened to see they didn't have mole sauce on the menu; it's something I really enjoy but have a hard time finding. Each entree gave you a choice of salsa--the waiter asked if we wanted hot, medium, or mild, but having read the menu, I requested salsa verde; it was excellent!!!

The Bagel Peddler

1075 Easton Ave
Somerset, NJ 08873-1686
(732) 246-9045

We got three bagels from here a few weekends ago, one for each of us. Mine tasted not good, but I figured it was my morning sick taste buds messing with me, so didn't think much of it. The Boy and the BAJ shared one, and BAJ said it tasted pretty bad, so he tried mine. Turns out, my bagel actually did taste terrible; BAJ said it tasted like they forgot the salt. BAJ was really surprised, because he said he was pretty good, which was why I figured it was just my taste buds.

Anyway, we'll take the trip to Hole in the Wall bagels, which is much more consistently good.

The Famished Frog

18 Washington St
Morristown, NJ 07960

I had been here once before to meet a friend, but took my husband there a few weeks ago to meet some friends. First, we were really disappointed that they would not seat us (to a hungry, morning sick pregnant woman, this was not exactly acceptable) until our entire party was there, despite our promise that we would be ordering an appetizer for the table.

Anyway.

We started with two appetizers--Baked Brie and Spinach Artichoke Dip. The Spinach dip was much like any other you'd get at any restaurant. The Brie, however, was outstanding. So rich and gooey and delicious.

On my previous visit, I had the Lobster Grill, which I recommended to my friend, who devoured it. Guess it was a good recommendation. BAJ got the Bermuda Chicken Sandwich, which also got devoured. I don't remember what my other friend got, but she enjoyed it. As for me, I got Vodka Penne with chicken. As I said before, I was not feeling well, so I had a hard time eating my meal--no fault of the restaurant or the food, I just couldn't eat it.

We were really pleased with our meal. I love a place that recognizes that folks like to go out to each with small children--they have not only a coloring placemat, but also gives kids a little Froggie finger puppet, in keeping with their theme.

Salt Creek Grille

1 Rockingham Row
Princeton, NJ

After hearing rave reviews of the Salt Creek Grille, we decided to go here for our anniversary lunch. We were very impressed upon entering the restaurant by the ambiance and decor, although as the place filled, we decided the acoustics were pretty bad--it was really loud in there, good enough for the two of us, but had there been four at our table, we probably couldn't have heard each other.

The food was very good. We shared a bowl of lobster bisque (just right for sharing; way too much to eat before a meal!), and then we each had a sandwich platter. BAJ had a Guava Glazed Hand Pulled Chicken Hero and I had a French Dip. We were very pleased with our meals.

I have to say, though, that it was really expensive for a bowl of soup, two sandwiches, and two sodas. Our meal came to nearly $50, and we didn't even get dessert. Compare this to the prix fixe lunch at the four star Frog and the Peach, which costs $25/person for appetizer, entree, and dessert, and the Salt Creek doesn't even compare.

So, for us, this meal was really really good. The service wasn't bad, at least until our server clearly got "weeded" for the lunch rush, and the ambiance is fairly nice. Yet, it wasn't so good to justify the prices for a lunch.

Franco's Italian Kitchen

552 State Route 18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
(732) 238-6777

A friend of mine mentioned that she really liked Franco's, so it was on my mental list. BAJ and I were driving around, trying to think of something for lunch, and decided to stop in. The place is really small, but has a nice atmosphere; we really liked the decor.

Our food was VERY good. We started with a caprese appetizer, which is one of my all time favorite things. This version had tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and was topped with a balsamic reduction (which was fabulous), sun dried tomatoes, and roasted red peppers.

We were also given a bread basket, which was served with bruschetta. The bruschetta was interesting in that it had jalapeno peppers in it. This wasn't something I was really into, but BAJ enjoyed the bruschetta a lot.

As for entrees, I had a meat lasagna, which was really good and a nice size portion too. BAJ had a sandwich; I don't remember which one specifically, but he liked it a lot. The bread looked REALLY good on it, although I didn't have a taste of his.

Service was a little perplexing... since it was lunch, they were really slow. I think we were served by the owner/chef, while another guy did pretty much everything else. I'd like to go back at a more typical time before I comment on the service.

In all, Franco's Italian Kitchen was a really good lunch, and one day, we'd like to go back to try their dinners!

Yutaka

90 West Main Street
Somerville, NJ 08876
Phone: (908) 218-5523
Fax: (908) 218-5110
http://www.yutakanj.com/

BAJ and I were afraid of taking The Boy for hibachi. Although we love it, we didn't know how our infant and then toddler would respond. Then, there was a discussion on a message board of which I am a member of this very thing. I read the responses to BAJ, and he then fixated on going.

Since Somerville has yet to let us down, that's where we headed for hibachi, and Yutaka didn't disappoint. I really liked the ambiance of their restaurant. I saw this little room with a low table and you have to take off your shoes; it looked so cool!

The food was pretty good, although not the best hibachi either of us has had. I felt the prices to be a little bit on the high side, even for hibachi. The sushi looked awesome, something we definitely want to return and try! The show was pretty good, contrary to some other reviews I've read. They do this funny thing where they shoot people with saki; it was a competition between our table and another as to who could get those most. Our chef was very kind to our 2 year old, letting him know when scarier things might be happening.

Speaking of which, the 2 year old did really well. He was scared for the big flames, but really enjoyed the show and the meal. He even ate with chopsticks (granted, by scooping, but nonetheless...)

Fresh.

562 Allen Rd
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
www.iwantfreshfood.com

Long time, no post. We haven't really been out to any new places. I know we've been eating out, but I can't even think of where we've been lately.

Anyway, today we wanted lunch out. I checked my handy dandy wishlist on urbanspoon and remembered I had wanted to try Fresh.

I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, which came with a slice of very fresh mozzarella, some tomato, arugala, and herb mayo. It was excellent, and too large for me to finish.

BAJ ordered a turkey reuben. He liked it a lot. Not a fan of reubens, it's not a surprise that I wasn't a big fan of it, but I'm not the one to go on here.

I really liked the vibe of the shop too. Their decor is very casual and, well, fresh. The staff was very courteous. It's a counter store, but they bring the food out to your table, and as we were leaving, we were asked how everything was--he seemed genuinely concerned.

They have cookies in jars on the counter, which caught the attention of The Boy. They looked so good, as did the many other treats. Maybe another time.

We were very pleased... it's a good thing that BAJ only has a short time for lunch and is too far from here, or he might be going to Fresh for lunch every week!

Mr. Tod's Pie Factory

(732) 356-8900
1760 Easton Ave
Somerset, NJ 08873

I previously reviewed Mr. Tod's negatively, saying that it was "just ok," and that I didn't need to go there again.

Well.

BAJ's aunt made a wrong turn (??) and ended up stopping here for pie. She brought a key lime pie.

It was fantabulous. We were having a party, and this went so fast, people didn't even know pie was an option.

I take back my "eh" review... I apologize, Mr. Tod! Please don't take away the key lime pie!

Pizza Man

(973) 835-3383
574 Newark Pompton Tpke
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444

This is my father in law's favorite restaurant. And he is a man who.... let's say he knows what he likes. I'm more of a try lots of new places kind of person, but I do have to say I've never had a bad meal at Pizza Man. It probably wouldn't be the place I would take company, but the meals are solidly good, and the prices are reasonable.

It gets moved down a bit in my "book" because they are so very cramped. As a result, you will often feel like you are right on top of the diners to your side. As a result of their small dining room and very good food, any time after 5:30, there will be a line to get in the door.

If you don't mind feeling claustrophobic, definitely try Pizza Man; their food is excellent.

Mannion's Irish Pub

(908) 203-0700

150 W Main St
Somerville, NJ 08876

We decided to go out (again) for dinner. Cooking has been, um, not happening so much around here. BAJ said he was sort of in the mood for "fried stuff with cheese" (that's a Friends reference for those not paying attention) and really wanted Broccoli Bites (that's an appetizer from the now defunct Bennigans). He also seemed to be interested in going to Somerville, and asked where in Somerville would be ok for our 2 year old. So, to urban spoon I turned and came across Mannion's. I checked the menu and they had food that looked good, appetizers that were fried and had cheese, and seemed to be kid friendly.

We got there around 6, and he was surprised that it was DEAD EMPTY. I told him that it was Saturday and normal people (that would be both those who are not teachers AND those who are not parents) usually go out to dinner later than that. As a result of their being so empty, we had great service and our food came out very quickly. I very much liked that our server asked if she should bring out The Boy's food when it was ready or with ours, although I also know this is due to the server rather than the establishment.

No appetizers, unless you count a round of Harp. $5 for a pint seems a little on the high side to me, but there are few places in which I've found Harp on tap.

Our meals came with a salad, and it was a good one--romaine lettuce (instead of iceberg), black olives, carrots, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers. I do like a good salad.

I got the Irish stew, and was very pleased. It was so good, and the meat was REALLY tender. Yum; I took what was left home. BAJ got Shrimp Wellington, which was a little bit disappointing... he said it was "fine," and I thought it tasted really fishy.

In short, they are a pretty reasonably priced restaurant (although NJ Monthly's website rated them as inexpensive... I suppose that's true if you stick to the sandwiches, but not for dinner...

Alfonso's Trattoria

99 W Main St
Somerville, NJ 08876
(908) 526-0616

We were running errands that had us out way past time to get home and cook dinner. We really weren't in the mood for anything in particular, so decided to go to a diner. The path we took, however, led us through Somerville, and on a whim, we went to Alfonso's.

Wow, what a treat. They have a great ambiance, and the food was very good. I had lasagna, which tasted better than homemade. BAJ had a seafood cannoloni that was very good too. Finally, The Boy had macaroni and cheese, which wasn't bad for us and he nearly devoured it.

Portions are large, prices are reasonable, food is excellent.



Another great Somerville restaurant!

Leonardo's II

2021 Us Hwy 1
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(609) 396-4466

We went to visit my grandmother, who took us out to eat. I remarked on the decor when we entered the restaurant; it was very nice and different too.
We weren't all that interested in wine, but I overheard that the serve bottles, but lots of other people were BYOBing it up. We also weren't all that interested in appetizers. The specials sounded wonderful, but again, something on the menu caught my fancy.

Our waiter was very accommodating--my grandmother can't hear so well, and he was happy to let her read the specials, apologizing for his handwriting. She also can't eat iceberg lettuce, and so he told us they have other mixed greens that could be substituted. He also was really on top of helping accommodate our toddler's needs of a special plate, keeping the hot food away, etc. It's all in the details.

As for entrees, we all had different things, and each of us enjoyed our meals. I had a chicken dish that was marinated in pesto, served over grilled vegetables, and dressed in a raspberry cream sauce. It was really stinking good; the chicken was so thin and so tender, and the presentation was just beautiful. BAJ also had a chicken dish... I don't remember details, but it was served with tomatoes and fried ravioli. He liked his more than he liked mine. My grandmother had veal marsala, and she seemed to have liked it. She did comment that they served it "the Italian way." I'm not sure what she meant by that, but it typically means she approves of something (as the child of Italian immigrants, it's definitely a compliment).

We all took home leftovers. Portion sizes are pretty large.

If I lived in this neighborhood, this would certainly be my standby Italian restaurant.

Stefano's Woodburning Pizza

1297 Centennial Ave
Piscataway, NJ
732-562-9696

We've been here twice now. The first time, it was just a regular mushroom pie for us, and that was pretty good. The second time, however, we ordered something off their old menu (they have changed names and remodeled the inside) and were really dissatisfied. First problem wasn't theirs... it was a white pizza, which isn't really our thing. We thought it was very dry and also on the doughy side. That said, we did eat the whole pie as leftovers, so it must not have been all that bad.

We'll keep going to Stefano's when we want something different or if we're in that area, but will probably stay away from white pizza.

Cafe Primavera

2 JFK Blvd
Somerset, NJ 08873

Cafe Primavera has been on my mental list for a long time, since I've seen such great reviews for it and it's very close. Last night, we went out to dinner with my father in law, and he chose it after we gave him three other choices. YAY!

BAJ and I both got the "Summer Recession Buster" special, which gave us a salad, an entree, and a dessert for $14. He had chicken marsala, and thought it was very good and probably among the top 5 he's ever had. I had shrimp with tomato, basil, and angel hair and it was also very good. The salad was pretty typical--lettuce, a tomato, shredded carrots, and a cucumber, but the dressing was tasty. The Italian Ice was DELICIOUS, so good that my father in law ordered a gelato.

The prices were reasonable, it had a very nice atmosphere, and the food was not only very good but also a pretty good portion size. We WILL be going back to Cafe Primavera!

Papa Johns

65 Raritan Ave
Highland Park, NJ 08904


I have been a longtime fan of Papa John's. It was an addiction in college, and I was so happy when they came to this area. I have been so disappointed since, though. The pizza is fine, I guess, but certainly not what I remember. using their online ordering SUCKS. You wait forever, so it's not even worth the time. We have stopped going to Papa John's and now just go to the local pizza places instead.

Biagio's Harbor Cafe

509 Us Highway 9
Lanoka Harbor, NJ 08734

We decided to take my parents out to dinner, and they chose Biagio's. This was our second trip there, and it has been very good both times. The first time, we went on a Sunday, and my mom commented that her food wasn't as good that time as it was this time (she ordered the same item).

Prices were fairly reasonable; it came to around $20 for each of us (after soft drinks). They are a BYOB. I ordered the special of Eggplant Rollatine... for an extra dollar, it added soup AND salad (as opposed to just one of those) as well as dessert. The soup I chose (cream of spinach) was excellent, and my meal was as well. I chose the cannoli desert, which I ended up taking home. This was two small cannolis, but they were still tasty.

Everyone enjoyed his meal at our table, and we were pleased with the service. Our waitress wasn't fabulous, but the owner was bussing tables, running checks, joking with the customers, which helped speed that process.

Daylight Donuts

149 Pierce Street, Suite 8
Franklin Township, NJ 08873

BAJ found this one day by driving by, and figured he'd give it a try one day. He came home RAVING about their donuts. The next time I had a chance, I figured I'd give it a try too. I asked the two owners which donuts are their favorites... one of them suggested this amazing sounding concoction of a chocolate covered donut with raspberry filling. He didn't have them ready, so I figured I'll come back and try it another time (since I was heading out to work), but he did offer to make it for me right there. I tried my donut (don't remember which choice I made) and it was OUTSTANDING. So fresh and tasty! I came home and told BAJ about the donut the man described to me, and we were BOTH drooling over this, so that weekend, went back and had the man make them for us. It was FABULOUS, but messy. Definitely not something for the drive into work.

We LOVE Daylight Donuts, and are so glad we gave it a try. The owners are so very nice; they not only offered to make me that donut special, but they also offered my toddler son a donut.

Desert Moon Cafe

Franklin Commons
456 Elizabeth Avenue
Somerset, New Jersey
Phone: 732-805-0810
Fax: 732-805-0820

After my very first Zumba class, I was in the mood for Mexican food. We had seen this place, and wanted to try it, so that was the time to try. It earned lots of bonus points for being close to us (closer than Chipotle or On the Border or Baja Fresh), but we thought it wasn't as good as those other options and that the value wasn't as good as the two take out places on that list. I felt that the portions weren't as large as Chipotle and the options are better there and Baja Fresh. Baja Fresh's food is much fresher and tastier and they have way more options.

In short, we will probably go back should we have a serious desire for Mexican, but we would probably be more willing to make the drive to one of the other Mexican take out places around.

China Magic

25 Plainfield Ave, Piscataway, NJ‎ - (732) 885-8887‎

The other night, I was kind of in the mood for Chinese food. We never tried the place right around the corner, so went for it. We were very pleasantly surprised... it was really good! We compared prices to the other restaurant in Piscataway we had visited, and for every item we ordered, China Magic was more expensive--by no more than 50 cents, but still, something to consider.

For us, though, it's worth the extra cost to have GOOD Chinese food right practically within walking distance!

Harvest Moon

392 George St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

I LOVE beer. And someplace that offers me beer that I can't necessarily get anywhere else earns really high marks. I've been to Harvest Moon before, and have generally been pleased with the beer and the ambiance, but disappointed in the food, feeling that there really weren't many options and that I was just settling.

Tonight, however, was quite the opposite. Since we had our toddler with us, as well as a friend with whom we wanted to chat, we asked to sit in the dining room instead of the downstairs bar. As far as ambiance, it was ok... our service was pretty good. We ordered a beer sampler, which gave us about a large shot of each beer offering. There wasn't one on there that any of the three of us was interested in having as a pint. I found one I would have ordered, but still felt as though I was settling.

The food, however, was REALLY good. Our friend got a burrito, and not only was it REALLY large, but she said it was wonderful. BAJ ordered a pizza, which he said was good, but it didn't seem to be enough for him. I got a chicken wrap, which was delicious and I brought home leftovers as well.

When we got home, BAJ said that he just doesn't like their beer, and I have to concur. If I were to hear they are bringing back Crazy Girl Golden, I might change my mind, but otherwise, I probably won't be going back to the Moon.

The Frog and the Peach

29 Dennis St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
www.frogandpeach.com

We have gone high class... err, we have gone to a high class restaurant. Feeling the need to eat and desire to splurge, we decided to go to The Frog and the Peach for their Prix Fixe lunch. For $25, a soup or salad, an entree, and a glass of wine or dessert at one of the best restaurants around sounded like a great deal. And a great deal it was... sort of. The food was exquisite; I had the salad, Pan Seared Organic Chicken Breast, and a glass of the house wine. BAJ went for the soup (broccoli cheddar), Beer Battered Jersey Dayboat Catch, and Creme Brulee. Everything was outstanding. The problem was that although $25 each for all this food, Everything it was way more food than we would have eaten, especially for lunch.

We were given the choice of eating in the "Garden room" or in the main dining room. Not knowing the difference, we said it didn't matter. Since they were not busy, they invited us to take a look at the garden room, and we were glad we did. It's got a nice vibe with plants and sunshine, and overlooks the outdoors. If you don't know any better either, go for the garden room!

The Frog and the Peach. Well worth the price, well deserving of the buzz.

Randazzo Pastry Shop

611 Us Hwy 202
Raritan, NJ 08869

We drove by last weekend and noticed that there always seemed to be a lot of cars in their parking lot, so today we figured we'd stop in since we were in the area. The first thing that caught my eye, even before we entered was their pastry display. Wow, those cakes are gorgeous. We went to the line and each ordered sandwiches. The Boys were both in love with the pastries, although The Boy seemed more interested in where they went when they disappeared (as trays were taken out for serving). The Man ordered a HUGE cookie, which has not yet been tasted.

Both of our sandwiches were good and REALLY big. BAJ ate all of his, but I couldn't even take down the whole half. This, by the way, was the half sandwich.

Prices seemed reasonable, and certainly for the amount of food you get in a sandwich. We will definitely be going back to Randazzo's.

URBANSPOON ROCKS!

You should check it out. And wow, check me out on the North Jersey... I'm the number 1 blog on there!! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I use it frequently and it doesn't look like too many other bloggers do. ;)

Old Bay Restaurant

61-63 Church Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 732-246-3111

I was browsing on restaurant.com, and it made me really want to go out for dinner last night. The most appealing choice was Old Bay. I've been here a few times for drinks, and the hubs and I had a really rushed dinner there one night before catching a train. That time, our meal was excellent, and it was this time too.

We started with some drinks... he had a mixed drink, which I believe was called a Swamp Water. The waitress warned us that it was something people either loved or hated, and we could certainly see why. To us, it tasted a lot like a Soco and lime (reasonable, considering the ingredients), and we liked it enough but wouldn't order it again. I tried one of their draft beers--something I'd never had before and enjoyed it well. I was surprised, though, because I really only went for the beer upon seeing the $3 pints... I did miss the "only after 10pm" part. Oops.

We went for the appetizer of three cheese bread, and it was really good. Pretty typical of cheese bread, but then it had a nice bruschetta like topping. Yum, we gobbled that sucker up.

I went for the Shrimp Creole. It was pretty tasty, but wayyyyy more food than I could handle, esp after a beer and appetizer. Hooray leftovers. The hubs, however, DEVOURED the Stuffed Sole with Lobster Sauce. Our waitress mentioned that it was her favorite on the menu, and he agreed. It came out with an awesome presentation; not at all what we expected.

So all this food plus a restaurant.com certificate, and it was still a pricey meal. But, then again, it was a LOT of food, and alcohol too. The certificate certainly helped, but we probably wouldn't have gone for the app without it (hey, isn't that the reason a restaurant would do those things anyway?)

Overall, we are VERY pleased with the Old Bay. The service was good, the food was excellent, and it was a great early weeknight evening for the toddler in tow crew---The Boy was able to sort of run around without us worrying AND without his disturbing other patrons. He LOVED that we were sitting at a window with a street view.

Villa Madrid

615 Ringwood Ave
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
(973) 616-0005
http://www.villamadridrestaurant.com/

This spot has been a troubled one... we went a few years ago to Monster Sushi, which was in the spot. It didn't last long. We believe, however, that Villa Madrid will stay for a long time.

Our party of 6 started with a round of appetizers that we all shared. Everything was excellent, from the lobster and crab ravioli, the octopus, the seafood and crab cakes, the seafood stuffed mushrooms, the chorizo and shrimp with garlic, all the way to the shrimp and mushrooms with garlic. Everything was perfect.

We waited to see if we would need entrees after the appetizers, and most of us did. A friend and I chose to get another order of the crab cakes, two others got the skirt steak, and my husband got the paella. Everything I tried was wonderful, and the entrees we got were LARGE... it's rare for my husband to take leftovers, and he might even have done so had we not gotten the appetizers. Their entrees also came with a really good cream of mushroom soup.

Finally, our friends shared flan, which was pretty good. It was flavorful, but cold... I didn't think flan was supposed to be so chilled.

I did feel like the pricing was on the high side, particularly for a BYOB, but it was definitely a nice treat to go here.

A&S Pizza

A & S Pizza
(732) 828-8981
940 Easton Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873

We were, once again, jonesing for pizza on a Sunday night. We compromised with a Sicilian pie (hubs wanted pan pizza from Pizza Hut, I preferred not) and decided to try somewhere new. The pizza was fine, prices were ok, but my complaint is the service.

I called the order in around 5:45, and was told 15 minutes. I waited about 5 minutes before leaving the house. I took me about 10-15 minutes to get there from the house. I went in to pick up the pizza and was told it wasn't quite ready, a few more minutes. So I sat down. At some point in my wait, I saw that the clock said 6:15. My pizza didn't come out until 6:30. That means it was AT LEAST 15 minutes from the time I got there, and at LEAST half an hour from the time I called in my order.

Sooo, it really didn't matter to us how good the pizza was, the wait means never again for us.

Panico's Pizza

94 Church St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

A friend and I were out and about in New Brunswick on Friday. We walked by Panico's and it smelled so good, so I came home and told BAJ that I really wanted to try them some day. Fate intervened on Sunday when Food Network showed The Secret History of Pizza, which sparked off a pizza craving, particularly for Wood Fired Pizza (which happens to be my favorite).

So we agreed to order from Panico's. We checked out their website and ordered a large bruschetta pizza. We placed our order online. The instructions given were to call if we hadn't gotten a confirmation call within 10 minutes. We didn't, so I called them.

They had received the order, but never made the call. I asked how long until it would be ready, and was told 10-15 minutes. Apparently that meant from the time they started making the pie (which was 10 minutes before I made the call), so by the time the pizza got home it was barely lukewarm (we live about 10 minutes away).

The first thing the hubs said when he returned with the pie was that "Unless this is amazing, we're not going back there." He said that the customer service was kind of crappy--this is in ADDITION to the confusion about the online order.

Anyway, the pie WAS amazing. The crust was so darn good, and then the wood fire flavor was just great too. The flavors on this pie were excellent, with fresh mozzarella, lots of garlic, and red onion in addition to chopped tomato. I felt that the prices were a little bit on the high side ($17 for a large pie, after tax), but the fresh ingredients help to justify that. After trying the pie, hubs said he WOULD like to try them again, maybe as an eat in.

Lesson learned? Never use online ordering!

Luca's Ristorante

2019 Rt-27, Somerset, NJ
http://www.lucasristorante.com


I was anxious to try Luca's after reading so many rave reviews on urban spoon. My husband and I went there last night. I was very pleased by the ambiance of the restaurant. You really don't feel like you're in a strip mall restaurant at all.
We ordered a bruschetta caprese appetizer, and were very pleased by it... it was really fresh and tasty. The bread basket was really good too--we had 2 rolls, 2 sesame seed rolls, and something with garlic and melted cheese.
Our entrees were the disappointment of our meal. I was debating between the fresh pasta and a seafood pasta entree. I chose the seafood pasta (shrimp amalfi), and I probably should have gone for the fresh pasta. It really had no flavor, despite having broccoli, shrimp, mushrooms, and other things. My husband chose a chicken dish (chicken pulcinella). I thought the chicken itself was cooked perfectly--so tender. His comment was that all the parts (balsamic reduction, gorgonzola cheese, ham, chicken) were excellent, but together not so good. He felt that the gorgonzola really overwhelmed the other flavors. We chose not to get dessert, but a neighboring table got both tiramisu and gelato and were raving about it.

Anyway, we felt in all that the restaurant was fine, but not something we're going to make the drive for in the future.

Veronica Diner

84 Veronica Ave
Somerset, NJ

I came across this diner while researching restaurants for our son's Christening party. We didn't choose them, but they stuck in my mind anyway. Today, I decided to try them out.
When we pulled up, I was a little...dubious about the choice. It was a snowy morning, so their lot was pretty empty, plus it was at the end of a strip mall. You know that this can go either way. We decided to go in anyway.
The place is pretty small. We had great service, and the food was really reasonable. They have an early bird special (I got 2 eggs, a short stack of pancakes, bacon, coffee, and a small juice for about $6), so our total bill for the two of us came to around $15.
The food was pretty typical diner breakfast. It was a little bit further than I'd probably drive with so many diners around our house, but it was decent food. The hubs wasn't so thrilled with his (buttermilk pancakes), but mine was good. We both commented, however, that the bacon was REALLY good.

A&G Fine Foods

400 Lincoln Blvd, Middlesex - (732) 563-4001
www.agfinefoods.com

The hubs and I decided to try this place after hearing that they are fantastic. It was a nice little Italian foods place, and I'd really love to try their prepared meals, which looked fantastic. We both had our sandwiches on club rolls, which didn't really impress me, although BAJ liked it a lot. He had the Middlesex Special, which we both thought "ok," but we both really liked my #9. The meats were all really fresh and tasty, and on the whole the sandwich was very good. I'd like to try their hero roll since I was a little disappointed in the club roll. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was looking for. BAJ even mentioned them today as we were thinking about our lunch options, so we will definitely return here soon.