440 W Union Ave
Bound Brook NJ
I get my car serviced in the area, and while waiting for my car to be ready, I noted a delicious smell. It inspired us to go out to eat, and after some searching, we decided to visit Ray's. It wasn't meant to be, because they were closed for a private party on that day, so we decided to return over our spring break.
What an absolute treat it was. The food was outstanding, and there was SO MUCH! We ordered a fried calamari appetizer, and probably shouldn't have because so much more food came. It was great!
My sons shared a ravioli and loved it. My husband raved about his chicken marsala, and my dinner was great too (I ordered a Pasta Pomodoro, but I'm pretty sure I received Pasta Primavera). We were treated to bruschetta and garlic knots while we waited, and then a great salad came with our meals--so often these treats are no longer part of the meal so these were great surprises!
We were so full that we practically rolled back to the car. The food was delicious and, as I said, there was a LOT of it. Well worth our money!
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Jozanna's
My whole family loves Jozanna's. My sons (4 and 7) love love love the pasta e fagioli soup and share a grown up spaghetti and meatballs. My husband and I have been thrilled with our meals, having tried both specials and the regular menu. We've also gotten pizza to go and it's a standout in an area filled with varying quality of pie. We really like this one, but pizza is one of those personal preference kind of dishes. Service is always phenomenal, and despite having months between our first and second visit, we were remembered. Amazing.
Oh, and on our last visit, we tried the desserts. Outstanding and delicious and rich...save room.
Al Dente
The food here is amazing. The service is fast and friendly, and the place is really cute, but oh wow, the food.
I could not get their burrata out of my head the first time a photo was posted on facebook, and it does not disappoint. It is creamy and smooth and has such great flavor. It is the star of the Taglieri course options, but the other favorite of mine is the eggplant rollatini appetizer. The eggplant is so soft and delicious that you'll forget it's that purple fruit from your garden.
My husband had something from the specials menu, Lobster Ravioli Fantasia. He made our sons try it, saying "your face is going to explode because this is so good."
Finally, my sons (ages 5 and 7) shared a pasta e fagioli soup and a gnocchi dinner. They loved both and said they were full when they finished the plate.
We love that Al Dente is BYOB, but I really love that burrata!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Mama Rosina's
350 E Main St
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
(732) 805-3377
http://mamarosinas.info/
You know how it is during the holiday season, so when we had a Living Social deal and a hectic evening, we moseyed over to Mama Rosina's. I was highly anticipating the meal, largely because I had read that it was in the former Bound Brook train station and knew this would be a real treat for my family.
As far as atmosphere, this was in fact a real treat. The trains flew by and my sons bounced off their chairs to run to the window. It's such a cool space, with the bar situated in the former ticket booth and it appears they have maintained some of the original windows for that space.
The service was really great too; I now judge service mostly on how accommodating they are of my children and at Mama Rosina's, they were incredible toward my kids (aside from the built in train entertainment).
The problem, of course, was that the food just wasn't that good. I had the Pollo Rosina, described on their website as "Breast of Chicken Sautéed with Mushrooms, Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Pink Cream Sauce, Topped with Mozzarella."
The chicken was terribly overcooked, which made the rest of the meal really unpalatable. The sauce was ok, though I definitely picked up the flavor of canned tomatoes, but after picking out the chicken, I was really disappointed and ended up not even taking my leftovers home.
My husband's dinner got a rating of "fine," which is a sure sign of good enough to eat and enjoy but not good enough to come back. I actually would probably give it even lower marks, which is terribly disappointing to me. I had super high hopes of LOVING this place, which is close to home and could have been a real regular place for us.
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
(732) 805-3377
http://mamarosinas.info/
You know how it is during the holiday season, so when we had a Living Social deal and a hectic evening, we moseyed over to Mama Rosina's. I was highly anticipating the meal, largely because I had read that it was in the former Bound Brook train station and knew this would be a real treat for my family.
As far as atmosphere, this was in fact a real treat. The trains flew by and my sons bounced off their chairs to run to the window. It's such a cool space, with the bar situated in the former ticket booth and it appears they have maintained some of the original windows for that space.
The service was really great too; I now judge service mostly on how accommodating they are of my children and at Mama Rosina's, they were incredible toward my kids (aside from the built in train entertainment).
The problem, of course, was that the food just wasn't that good. I had the Pollo Rosina, described on their website as "Breast of Chicken Sautéed with Mushrooms, Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Pink Cream Sauce, Topped with Mozzarella."
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| Sorry for the horrible dark photo |
My husband's dinner got a rating of "fine," which is a sure sign of good enough to eat and enjoy but not good enough to come back. I actually would probably give it even lower marks, which is terribly disappointing to me. I had super high hopes of LOVING this place, which is close to home and could have been a real regular place for us.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Pasta Lovers
142 W 49th St.
(between 7th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas)
New York, NY 10019
We chose this restaurant because of its location near Radio City. The reviews across the internet were mixed between really good and that it's a tourist trap and too pricey, but of the choices our group made, this seemed to be the best.
It's location to Radio City, Times Square, Penn Station, Port Authority, and Rockefeller Center is unbeatable.
Our food was fine. We split a Mozzarella Caprese appetizer, which was quite good. The mozzarella was super fresh, and the price was about double that of the same meal at a local central NJ Italian restaurant.
The rest of our group was late due to train issues, and despite having the appetizer, we were given a great deal of pressure from our waiter about where the rest of our group was. He wouldn't bring us bread and asked us probably three times where they were. I completely understand the need for table turn around, but the restaurant was empty. The tables on either side of us were the same size and unused.
My friends enjoyed their meals of varying pasta dishes, and my mom and I each had a pizza roll type thing--basically a stromboli. Based on the amount we each ate, we could easily have shared one. It was good, typical, but nothing to really write home about. These also happened to be the least expensive entrees on the menu; my eggplant stromboli was $10, which I thought pretty reasonable for anywhere, let alone Midtown Manhattan.
Our waiter warmed to us once our friends arrived, but I was pretty ticked off as a result of the pressure about the rest of our party.
So, my recommendation would be to find a small place over on 8th Ave if you're going to the area and are able to walk a little bit away from the center of the action. It's definitely fine, but who goes into town for a fine meal?
(between 7th Ave & Avenue Of The Americas)
New York, NY 10019
We chose this restaurant because of its location near Radio City. The reviews across the internet were mixed between really good and that it's a tourist trap and too pricey, but of the choices our group made, this seemed to be the best.
It's location to Radio City, Times Square, Penn Station, Port Authority, and Rockefeller Center is unbeatable.
Our food was fine. We split a Mozzarella Caprese appetizer, which was quite good. The mozzarella was super fresh, and the price was about double that of the same meal at a local central NJ Italian restaurant.
The rest of our group was late due to train issues, and despite having the appetizer, we were given a great deal of pressure from our waiter about where the rest of our group was. He wouldn't bring us bread and asked us probably three times where they were. I completely understand the need for table turn around, but the restaurant was empty. The tables on either side of us were the same size and unused.
My friends enjoyed their meals of varying pasta dishes, and my mom and I each had a pizza roll type thing--basically a stromboli. Based on the amount we each ate, we could easily have shared one. It was good, typical, but nothing to really write home about. These also happened to be the least expensive entrees on the menu; my eggplant stromboli was $10, which I thought pretty reasonable for anywhere, let alone Midtown Manhattan.
Our waiter warmed to us once our friends arrived, but I was pretty ticked off as a result of the pressure about the rest of our party.
So, my recommendation would be to find a small place over on 8th Ave if you're going to the area and are able to walk a little bit away from the center of the action. It's definitely fine, but who goes into town for a fine meal?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Vincenzo's Ristorante
665 Bound Brook Rd
Middlesex, NJ 08846
(732) 968-7777
As far as entrees, my husband chose chicken marsala, I chose shrimp with crabmeat, and the boys split a half order of pasta with marinara sauce. I ordered a glass of house wine, my husband had an iced tea, and we ordered 2 milks for the boys. Both our meals came with a delicious house salad, with mixed greens (hooray for salads without iceberg lettuce!). My husband's also arrived with a side of penne with marinara (a strange sauce choice, given his marsala entree, but I know this is pretty standard). He really liked his meal, and it was enough that he saved half for lunch the next day. I was so full from the bread, bruschetta, antipasto, and salad, I only had a few bites of mine, which came over a bed of spaghetti. Mine was tasty, though something seemed to be missing; I think I'd have preferred lumps of crabmeat rather than tiny shreds of it.
Middlesex, NJ 08846
(732) 968-7777
When looking to celebrate my birthday, I had a serious Italian craving and wanted to try a new restaurant. Vincenzo's kept coming up as recommended in my searches, so that's where we decided to go.
Since first impressions mean a lot, let me start there. The atmosphere is very nice. It's classy but casual--I didn't feel out of place in my work clothes, and I didn't think my husband was out of place in jeans and a tshirt. They have a small bar, where some people were having pre dinner drinks. When we walked in, we asked for a high chair, but were told they only have booster seats. Generally, this would be ok for us, but since my 17 month old son was not interested in sitting still and sliding out of the strapless booster seat, my husband ended up eating with Squirmy in his lap. Next, there's not really a kid's menu, but we were told we could choose any pasta in a half portion. Ok, so they're not exactly kid-friendly, but they're kid accommodating.
We were greeted with waters around and bruschetta appetizer, along with a really yummy bread basket. I'd read that the Antipasto appetizer is excellent, and without this knowledge, my husband suggested we order it. It was excellent indeed, with the most delicious prosciutto I've ever had (I'm generally not a fan, but this was yum), super fresh mozzarella, a variety of olives, and other yummies. It was a big platter, and well worth the $9.95.
As far as entrees, my husband chose chicken marsala, I chose shrimp with crabmeat, and the boys split a half order of pasta with marinara sauce. I ordered a glass of house wine, my husband had an iced tea, and we ordered 2 milks for the boys. Both our meals came with a delicious house salad, with mixed greens (hooray for salads without iceberg lettuce!). My husband's also arrived with a side of penne with marinara (a strange sauce choice, given his marsala entree, but I know this is pretty standard). He really liked his meal, and it was enough that he saved half for lunch the next day. I was so full from the bread, bruschetta, antipasto, and salad, I only had a few bites of mine, which came over a bed of spaghetti. Mine was tasty, though something seemed to be missing; I think I'd have preferred lumps of crabmeat rather than tiny shreds of it.
Overall, we were happy with our meals, but then the check arrived. We didn't ask for clarification, since we were in a hurry to get out with our now unhappy boys (certainly not the restaurant or server's fault at all), but we were charged almost as much for a cup of pasta and sauce (the half order) as if we'd order a full plate of penne with vodka sauce (We were charged $12.99, the full size penne with vodka, which likely would have come with salad was $14.99). Our drink order (not broken down, but a glass of house wine, an iced tea, and two milks) came to $14.50. I guess I should have asked for prices before ordering everything, since none of these items had prices on the menu, but I did expect to pay closer to $6-10 for the kid's meals, and it seems like our drinks were on the high side too.
Luckily, we had a restaurant.com certificate, but I felt ripped off as I left. The atmosphere is nice, the food is decent, but the prices and lack of kid friendliness means we won't be back to Vincenzo's.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Mr Assante Pizza
201 US Hwy 22
Green Brook, NJ 08812
We were looking for something a little bit different, so I turned to Yelp to find places nearby that might be cheap and yummy. I stumbled across Mr Assante's, which was well reviewed, and which a friend had mentioned as really good. So we called (since I couldn't find a menu anywhere online) for the specials and was happy to discover one of them sounded absolutely delicious, so I ordered it, and hubby went for a Chicken Parm sub, his standard.
We were both REALLY happy with our dinners. My special was pasta with eggplant, roasted red peppers, and a few other tasties, came with delicious bread and salad.
It's kinda far, though, so we probably would only go back if we were in the area, though we DO want to try their pizza, which is totally raved all over.
But if you live close or are in the area, definitely check out Mr Assante's!
Green Brook, NJ 08812
We were looking for something a little bit different, so I turned to Yelp to find places nearby that might be cheap and yummy. I stumbled across Mr Assante's, which was well reviewed, and which a friend had mentioned as really good. So we called (since I couldn't find a menu anywhere online) for the specials and was happy to discover one of them sounded absolutely delicious, so I ordered it, and hubby went for a Chicken Parm sub, his standard.
We were both REALLY happy with our dinners. My special was pasta with eggplant, roasted red peppers, and a few other tasties, came with delicious bread and salad.
It's kinda far, though, so we probably would only go back if we were in the area, though we DO want to try their pizza, which is totally raved all over.
But if you live close or are in the area, definitely check out Mr Assante's!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Stuff Yer Face
49 Easton Ave
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
www.stuffyerface.com
How is it even possible that I've never posted about Stuff Yer Face? Before we were married, we loved hanging out on the patio on warm spring/summer days, just people watching. Our lives have changed, but we still love Stuff Yer Face.
First is the food. Their bolis are great, and you can get pretty much anything you want on them. You'd think a place like this wouldn't have veggies to lull you into thinking it's on the healthy side, but they do. My favorite is the Laura Boli, with all kinds of veg. I also like that you can get a boli in any size to fit your appetizer--the baby boli is very small (think kids' sized) but comes with soup or salad for the same price as a regular boli. One thing we've tried that is really interesting is the Potachos--essentially, it's nachos using potato chips instead of tortillas. It's pretty good, in a very weird sort of way. On our most recent visit, we tried the Broccoli Melts appetizer, which was a pretty good substitute for the now defunct Bennigan's Broccoli Bites we loved so much.
We also love to go to SYF for the beer. I love that I can try beers I never would have thought of, and we both joined their Beer Club, which (I think) gives you a SYF gift certificate after trying a certain (large) number of beers. Sorry my details are fuzzy, we signed up on a day we added a large number to our cards.
Finally, this is the ultimate in kid friendly. If you have a lot of kids, it's ok that you're loud. The food served is definitely on the "something for everyone" side, and I know my kid likes when he can get exactly what he wants, so the build your own boli is great for him. The only thing that isn't on the kid friendly side is that they don't (to my recollection) have changing tables, though it's sort of hard for a parent to expect to find one in a college bar, so don't hold that against SYF too much!!
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
www.stuffyerface.com
How is it even possible that I've never posted about Stuff Yer Face? Before we were married, we loved hanging out on the patio on warm spring/summer days, just people watching. Our lives have changed, but we still love Stuff Yer Face.
First is the food. Their bolis are great, and you can get pretty much anything you want on them. You'd think a place like this wouldn't have veggies to lull you into thinking it's on the healthy side, but they do. My favorite is the Laura Boli, with all kinds of veg. I also like that you can get a boli in any size to fit your appetizer--the baby boli is very small (think kids' sized) but comes with soup or salad for the same price as a regular boli. One thing we've tried that is really interesting is the Potachos--essentially, it's nachos using potato chips instead of tortillas. It's pretty good, in a very weird sort of way. On our most recent visit, we tried the Broccoli Melts appetizer, which was a pretty good substitute for the now defunct Bennigan's Broccoli Bites we loved so much.
We also love to go to SYF for the beer. I love that I can try beers I never would have thought of, and we both joined their Beer Club, which (I think) gives you a SYF gift certificate after trying a certain (large) number of beers. Sorry my details are fuzzy, we signed up on a day we added a large number to our cards.
Finally, this is the ultimate in kid friendly. If you have a lot of kids, it's ok that you're loud. The food served is definitely on the "something for everyone" side, and I know my kid likes when he can get exactly what he wants, so the build your own boli is great for him. The only thing that isn't on the kid friendly side is that they don't (to my recollection) have changing tables, though it's sort of hard for a parent to expect to find one in a college bar, so don't hold that against SYF too much!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Ecco Bistro
458 Elizabeth Avenue
Somerset, NJ 08873
732-271-5700 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 732-271-5700 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.eccobistropizza.com/index.html
Lots of running around yesterday had us choosing to go out to eat. Since we were so pleased with a recent pizza experience here, we decided to try their restaurant side as well. We were really pleased with our meals. The decor of this restaurant is very nice; the three year old and I sat on a wall length bench with decorative pillows. It was really pretty, though getting the three year old to NOT lay on said pillow proved difficult. The bathrooms were beautiful, and even my husband commented that they are really nice.
Our food was very good. It turned out that (for the first time in our relationship, I believe) my husband ordered first, and chose what I had decided on. I ordered my second pick, which he said he was considering too. So, we split them. We both liked his better (Ecco Madeira Chicken), but both meals were outstanding (I had the Brandy Fettucine). We received your standard bread with oil and basil, but it was particularly tasty and much thicker--we actually spooned it on top of the bread rather than dipping the bread into the oil like we normally would. I was very pleased with the salad that came with our meals; I thought the dressing was very different and outstandingly good.
We agreed on two problems with the restaurant: first, their menu is pretty limited, though it seems that there are many more choices when one looks at the menus posted online. Second, there's no changing table in either bathroom (that we saw).
Otherwise, this was a great meal, great atmosphere, and great prices. Definitely a great Italian place!
Somerset, NJ 08873
732-271-5700 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 732-271-5700 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.eccobistropizza.com/index.html
Lots of running around yesterday had us choosing to go out to eat. Since we were so pleased with a recent pizza experience here, we decided to try their restaurant side as well. We were really pleased with our meals. The decor of this restaurant is very nice; the three year old and I sat on a wall length bench with decorative pillows. It was really pretty, though getting the three year old to NOT lay on said pillow proved difficult. The bathrooms were beautiful, and even my husband commented that they are really nice.
Our food was very good. It turned out that (for the first time in our relationship, I believe) my husband ordered first, and chose what I had decided on. I ordered my second pick, which he said he was considering too. So, we split them. We both liked his better (Ecco Madeira Chicken), but both meals were outstanding (I had the Brandy Fettucine). We received your standard bread with oil and basil, but it was particularly tasty and much thicker--we actually spooned it on top of the bread rather than dipping the bread into the oil like we normally would. I was very pleased with the salad that came with our meals; I thought the dressing was very different and outstandingly good.
We agreed on two problems with the restaurant: first, their menu is pretty limited, though it seems that there are many more choices when one looks at the menus posted online. Second, there's no changing table in either bathroom (that we saw).
Otherwise, this was a great meal, great atmosphere, and great prices. Definitely a great Italian place!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Carpaccio Ristorante
651 Bound Brook Rd
Middlesex, NJ 08846
http://www.carpaccioristorante.com
When I was searching for a restaurant at which to hold my son's baptism party, I kept hearing wonderful things about Carpaccio's as a place for a small private party. So, when we decided to go out for dinner tonight, that's where I chose to go.
Somehow, my son caught wind of the word pizza, and that was all he could talk about. We told him that it's an Italian restaurant so they *might* have pizza, but that they might not too.
So, they didn't have pizza. They didn't have a kids menu at all. Nevertheless, we were able to convince him to order ravioli, and they did give him a smaller portion. Ok, they were flexible with our needs; they also had two high chairs (one that was probably from the time I was an infant) that made feeding our infant much easier. There's also no changing table, though they were great about offering me alternatives.
So, maybe I was a little stressed about the lack of family friendliness, but I wasn't really impressed by Carpaccio. The food was decent. I had Chicken Scarpariello, which had a great sauce and the chicken was VERY tender and cooked so well but the kind of sausage they chose was definitely weird (I wasn't sure if it was breakfast sausage or not), and BAJ had Chicken Valdostano, which he thought was pretty good too! We split a hot antipasto--not a clam liker, they made them taste delicious.
But, there really wasn't anything that would bring me back. Something I can't really put my finger on... even if we didn't have the kidlets, I don't think I'd want to go back.
Ah well, to keep looking!
Middlesex, NJ 08846
http://www.carpaccioristorante.com
When I was searching for a restaurant at which to hold my son's baptism party, I kept hearing wonderful things about Carpaccio's as a place for a small private party. So, when we decided to go out for dinner tonight, that's where I chose to go.
Somehow, my son caught wind of the word pizza, and that was all he could talk about. We told him that it's an Italian restaurant so they *might* have pizza, but that they might not too.
So, they didn't have pizza. They didn't have a kids menu at all. Nevertheless, we were able to convince him to order ravioli, and they did give him a smaller portion. Ok, they were flexible with our needs; they also had two high chairs (one that was probably from the time I was an infant) that made feeding our infant much easier. There's also no changing table, though they were great about offering me alternatives.
So, maybe I was a little stressed about the lack of family friendliness, but I wasn't really impressed by Carpaccio. The food was decent. I had Chicken Scarpariello, which had a great sauce and the chicken was VERY tender and cooked so well but the kind of sausage they chose was definitely weird (I wasn't sure if it was breakfast sausage or not), and BAJ had Chicken Valdostano, which he thought was pretty good too! We split a hot antipasto--not a clam liker, they made them taste delicious.
But, there really wasn't anything that would bring me back. Something I can't really put my finger on... even if we didn't have the kidlets, I don't think I'd want to go back.
Ah well, to keep looking!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Zinna's Bistro by Luca
1275 South River Road
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Formerly known (as of 12/26, it still was!) Rolly's Bistro, we went to Zinna's tonight to use the restaurant.com certificate we had purchased back on December 26. We went with friends and met relatively early, so the restaurant was fairly empty.
Most of our party was enticed by the very attractive early bird menu. Alas, we were told this could not be used with the restaurant.com certificate. Half our party ordered from the regular menu and the other half ordered from the special menu (appetizer, entree, and dessert for $13.99? GOOD deal.) We also got an appetizer of bistro boats (or something similar), which was a fancy potato skin dish and very very good. We also shared the two appetizers from the early bird menu, bruschetta. It was really tasty.
I ordered penne with meat sauce. The penne was really not that special, but boy was that meat sauce delicious. BAJ ordered lobster something or other (something like a lobster ravioli) and said it was really good, but a bit on the small side. My friend ordered cheese ravioli, and her husband had meatloaf. Everyone said their meals were delicious (and the sauce for the lobster was quite good!). The Boy had a grilled cheese with french fries; he seemed to enjoy it, as he seems to enjoy all grilled cheese....
Then, we shared a vanilla gelato and a black cherry New York cheesecake. Both were quite good.
Our food was all pretty good, which is what ultimately matters. Our bill wasn't bad, especially after the restaurant.com certificate dropped the price by $25. The service was a little on the...not so attentive side. It wasn't particularly slow, I suppose, but we did sit for a while with empty glasses. The restaurant itself was nice inside; it had a nice feel to its decor, for lack of a better word.
Zinna's is a great restaurant, and if we lived closer, we'd probably visit them a lot more often. I'm glad we finally got there, after hearing so many glowing reviews of Rolly's. I was a little hesitant to try Zinna's, but this is a good place!
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Formerly known (as of 12/26, it still was!) Rolly's Bistro, we went to Zinna's tonight to use the restaurant.com certificate we had purchased back on December 26. We went with friends and met relatively early, so the restaurant was fairly empty.
Most of our party was enticed by the very attractive early bird menu. Alas, we were told this could not be used with the restaurant.com certificate. Half our party ordered from the regular menu and the other half ordered from the special menu (appetizer, entree, and dessert for $13.99? GOOD deal.) We also got an appetizer of bistro boats (or something similar), which was a fancy potato skin dish and very very good. We also shared the two appetizers from the early bird menu, bruschetta. It was really tasty.
I ordered penne with meat sauce. The penne was really not that special, but boy was that meat sauce delicious. BAJ ordered lobster something or other (something like a lobster ravioli) and said it was really good, but a bit on the small side. My friend ordered cheese ravioli, and her husband had meatloaf. Everyone said their meals were delicious (and the sauce for the lobster was quite good!). The Boy had a grilled cheese with french fries; he seemed to enjoy it, as he seems to enjoy all grilled cheese....
Then, we shared a vanilla gelato and a black cherry New York cheesecake. Both were quite good.
Our food was all pretty good, which is what ultimately matters. Our bill wasn't bad, especially after the restaurant.com certificate dropped the price by $25. The service was a little on the...not so attentive side. It wasn't particularly slow, I suppose, but we did sit for a while with empty glasses. The restaurant itself was nice inside; it had a nice feel to its decor, for lack of a better word.
Zinna's is a great restaurant, and if we lived closer, we'd probably visit them a lot more often. I'm glad we finally got there, after hearing so many glowing reviews of Rolly's. I was a little hesitant to try Zinna's, but this is a good place!
Friday, September 4, 2009
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!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
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!
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!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, July 17, 2009
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!
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!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
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.
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.
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