Kettleman's Bagels

456 Elizabeth Ave.
Somerset, NJ 08873

(732) 868-0008

My husband said he wanted bagels today and that he wanted to try a new place. I hadn't seen that there was a new bagel place in the new strip malls by Shop Rite, but I guess he did. He went and got a dozen bagels this morning, and a container of cream cheese--the total came to $8.35. I don't usually get the bagels, but he said their prices are comparable to everyone else in the area.

It doesn't much matter, because their bagels are really excellent and HUGE. They were so fresh, I was very happy! I had an everything bagel, and it was really tasty. The Boy had a plain bagel, and seemed to just gobble it up. BAJ agreed that his bagel was really fresh.

It also makes me very happy to have a bagel shop near my commute since I don't pass ANY and have lately had a lot of morning Pork Roll cravings. This shop is right near daycare, so SCORE!!!!

Blitzburger

108 Easton Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

I don't think I ever reviewed Blitzburger. We started by heading to Tido's Junkyard Dogs, looked and the menus, got ready to order, then saw the sign that no credit cards are accepted. We started to search for an ATM when we saw Blitzburger, which was also on my mental list.
It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside. The lingering smell of stale beer from Olde Queens tantalized my newly pregnant nose.... The prices of their burgers really surprised me; they certainly aren't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. That said, their prices are fairly reasonable, considering the ENORMOUS size of the burgers (10 oz!), and they now have a $4.95 special menu. It was way more than my queasy stomach could handle, but it was REALLY tasty. BAJ got one of their chicken burgers, and liked it a lot too.

In short, it was really good, but a little on the pricey side for us. We thought their fries were good, and I think we had a shake too (as I said, it's been awhile!), but it was close to $20 for us to get sandwiches, fries, and two drinks...

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!

Ovations

295 Canal Rd
South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

Ovations has been on my list for a long time. I've heard they have excellent sushi, and they're frequently recommended by people on a message board I frequent. Tonight, I had a hankering for PF Chang's, but their "wait" was essentially 3.5 hours. Not happening. So, we turned to the "wishlist" on urbanspoon, and I suggested this one, since my husband made a comment yesterday about wanting sushi. Not sure if this was the place for our toddler, I called them up. I was told he would be fine (because of their dining room), and that they don't have a kids menu but could make him "kid friendly" food like pasta with sauce or butter, hamburger, chicken fingers. Final question, did they have a wait? No, they didn't.

We arrived, and the parking lot was empty. Score!! The ambiance was pretty nice; they had balloons on each table that said Happy New Year, and a zen sort of atmosphere.

I was pleasantly surprised when our waiter arrived with a specials list; these aren't offered at many places we frequent. Unable to eat sushi, I ended up getting a special of Penne Pasta, which was billed as Pasta Primavera with some chicken. I wouldn't quite describe it as that, but it was quite good and VERY large.

As for The Boy, we got him an appetizer of chicken quesadilla. He didn't end up eating it, but it was also quite large for the price. Hopefully, despite only eating the sour cream, he'll have it for a nice lunch tomorrow.

I convinced BAJ to get the Sushi Dinner. It was a nice plate of a variety of sushi. I did taste the California Roll, and it was excellent. He agreed that all the sushi was really good and very fresh. Hooray! He also indulged in that which I could not and ordered a martini. Again, he said it was very good.

In all, we were pleased with our meal. It was WAY closer than either PF Chang's, and we had a great meal. YAY!

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!