Magnolia
Cherry blossom http://www.bbg.org/discover/cherries
Duke Farm http://www.dukefarms.org/
Orchids
Showing posts with label NJ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NJ. Show all posts
Monday, May 05, 2014
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Thanksgiving Magic
I've gone over to J's for thanksgiving for a few years but always managed to miss the prep stage of the big feast. This year I finally found an opportunity to participate in this ritual and wanted to write down a few key notes. Maybe next year I will remember to take photos.
Corn Bread
Since the entire family liked this year's corn bread better, I'm going to give J credit for mixing the ingredients. The wet ingredients went first (sour cream, canned corn, whisked eggs, etc), then the cornmeal were stirred in. Lastly was the melted butter (all two sticks of it, but at least the sour cream was non-fact...). We waited for the butter because we didn't want the hot butter to cook the raw eggs.
Potato/Sweet Potato
Boil them in giant pots of water until soft/done. Let cool and soak in cold water after discarding the hot water. This process will help the skin come off easier. I used a knife to make a few cuts on the surface then just use my fingers to kind of peel off. For mashing, J's family has a few tools to help which turns them into small strings. It reminds me of a pasta machine or something, I'm not sure what the real name is. To season mashed potatoes, add salt/pepper/garlic. For the sweet potatoes, mix well with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some tbsp of orange juice concentrate. We put them into two separate baking dishes, one with candied pecans on top and another with marshmallows. Cover them for baking right before the dinner.
Zucchini Quiche
Peel the zucchini first, but don't worry about not being perfect since a little green actually makes the resulting quiche more colorful. Tip for grating zucchini is to keep the end for easy handling instead of chopping it off. L liked the hot version of this and I agree with her. At dinner the cold and warm versions were served.
TurkeyThe main event. R always gets a fresh turkey and therefore it doesn't take as long to cook. I didn't get involved in this as much since it follows a recipe and cooking time. I just have to add that cranberry sauce (homemade) goes so well with turkey that I don't understand people who go without it.
Dessert
Two hours after dinner, assorted teas are served with piles of dessert. J actually managed to survive the lines at Mr. Todd's [link] and got the apple pie and blueberry pie.
Tips for the cooking experience:
Sit down, relax, and put on some music. Make it a group activity. Since we had a can of orange concentrate left over, I made orange coke. You can also make orange mix drinks and get creative.
Thanksgiving Wisdom:
1) Q - Why do we make these dishes only during thanksgiving? The recipes are easy enough for everyday dishes.
A - It's more special if we only make them on thanksgiving.
2) Order pizza the night you're prepping all the dishes. You don't want to think too much about food while you have to peel potatoes and other stuff. Since J's household always start the prep/cooking process on Wed (except the turkey and the last bit of marshmallow sweet potatoes), Thurs is relatively stress free with only the turkey to mind. We had time to play board games (Carcassonne, blokus, etc) and watch TV.
Corn Bread
Since the entire family liked this year's corn bread better, I'm going to give J credit for mixing the ingredients. The wet ingredients went first (sour cream, canned corn, whisked eggs, etc), then the cornmeal were stirred in. Lastly was the melted butter (all two sticks of it, but at least the sour cream was non-fact...). We waited for the butter because we didn't want the hot butter to cook the raw eggs.
Potato/Sweet Potato
Boil them in giant pots of water until soft/done. Let cool and soak in cold water after discarding the hot water. This process will help the skin come off easier. I used a knife to make a few cuts on the surface then just use my fingers to kind of peel off. For mashing, J's family has a few tools to help which turns them into small strings. It reminds me of a pasta machine or something, I'm not sure what the real name is. To season mashed potatoes, add salt/pepper/garlic. For the sweet potatoes, mix well with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some tbsp of orange juice concentrate. We put them into two separate baking dishes, one with candied pecans on top and another with marshmallows. Cover them for baking right before the dinner.
Zucchini Quiche
Peel the zucchini first, but don't worry about not being perfect since a little green actually makes the resulting quiche more colorful. Tip for grating zucchini is to keep the end for easy handling instead of chopping it off. L liked the hot version of this and I agree with her. At dinner the cold and warm versions were served.
TurkeyThe main event. R always gets a fresh turkey and therefore it doesn't take as long to cook. I didn't get involved in this as much since it follows a recipe and cooking time. I just have to add that cranberry sauce (homemade) goes so well with turkey that I don't understand people who go without it.
Dessert
Two hours after dinner, assorted teas are served with piles of dessert. J actually managed to survive the lines at Mr. Todd's [link] and got the apple pie and blueberry pie.
Tips for the cooking experience:
Sit down, relax, and put on some music. Make it a group activity. Since we had a can of orange concentrate left over, I made orange coke. You can also make orange mix drinks and get creative.
Thanksgiving Wisdom:
1) Q - Why do we make these dishes only during thanksgiving? The recipes are easy enough for everyday dishes.
A - It's more special if we only make them on thanksgiving.
2) Order pizza the night you're prepping all the dishes. You don't want to think too much about food while you have to peel potatoes and other stuff. Since J's household always start the prep/cooking process on Wed (except the turkey and the last bit of marshmallow sweet potatoes), Thurs is relatively stress free with only the turkey to mind. We had time to play board games (Carcassonne, blokus, etc) and watch TV.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Cathay 22
124 Rt. 22 West
Springfield, NJ 07801
973.467.8688
website
I've been to this restaurant so many times that I never thought to blog it. After a recent visit J. really liked the Peking Duck so urged me to mention it in the blog. Why not right? Give props to NJ.
Note that I refer to the Chinese menu because I haven't looked at the English menu that much. It also combines various visits I've made to the place.
Appetizer
//Hot&Sour Soup: Definitely one of the best hot&sour soups I've had.
//Cold Appetizers: I couldn't find the menu but I do remember liking the celery, beef tripe, and jellyfish.
Entree
//Peking Duck: I don't claim to be an expert of Peking Duck, especially because I have not tried every Peking Duck joint in Beijing proper. However, I'm rating it based on my experience with Peking Duck dishes I've had. This one had good crispy duck skin and meaty pieces with tableside service where they prepare the pancakes for you. Each pancake holding a good amount of duck with a small spread of sweet sauce and shredded scallions. J definitely gave it a thumbs up and surprised me by ingesting a good amount of duck skin without being snobby about it. (previously I've had too many bad experience with people hating on duck skin...saying it's too fatty etc.)
//Water Boiled Beef: I never know how it's called in English. I've made it before (see blog entry). It's my favorite Sichuan style dish and Cathay 22 makes it really well, even better than Spicy & Tasty (related entry)
//Western Sichuan Lamb: Very tender lamb with enough spices to make your head spin. I'm not sure if it has cumin (probably not).
Vegetable Sides
//Asparagus: Yes, they manage to cook asparagus with peppers and make it a bit spicy too. My parents are huge fans of this asparagus dish
//Tiger Peppers: I believe this is deep fried until it starts to have some dark stripes on it. Very spicy peppers. Beware! Of course, you may get one of two that's not too bad so it's a lottery pretty much.
Springfield, NJ 07801
973.467.8688
website
I've been to this restaurant so many times that I never thought to blog it. After a recent visit J. really liked the Peking Duck so urged me to mention it in the blog. Why not right? Give props to NJ.
Note that I refer to the Chinese menu because I haven't looked at the English menu that much. It also combines various visits I've made to the place.
Appetizer
//Hot&Sour Soup: Definitely one of the best hot&sour soups I've had.
//Cold Appetizers: I couldn't find the menu but I do remember liking the celery, beef tripe, and jellyfish.
Entree
//Peking Duck: I don't claim to be an expert of Peking Duck, especially because I have not tried every Peking Duck joint in Beijing proper. However, I'm rating it based on my experience with Peking Duck dishes I've had. This one had good crispy duck skin and meaty pieces with tableside service where they prepare the pancakes for you. Each pancake holding a good amount of duck with a small spread of sweet sauce and shredded scallions. J definitely gave it a thumbs up and surprised me by ingesting a good amount of duck skin without being snobby about it. (previously I've had too many bad experience with people hating on duck skin...saying it's too fatty etc.)
//Water Boiled Beef: I never know how it's called in English. I've made it before (see blog entry). It's my favorite Sichuan style dish and Cathay 22 makes it really well, even better than Spicy & Tasty (related entry)
//Western Sichuan Lamb: Very tender lamb with enough spices to make your head spin. I'm not sure if it has cumin (probably not).
Vegetable Sides
//Asparagus: Yes, they manage to cook asparagus with peppers and make it a bit spicy too. My parents are huge fans of this asparagus dish
//Tiger Peppers: I believe this is deep fried until it starts to have some dark stripes on it. Very spicy peppers. Beware! Of course, you may get one of two that's not too bad so it's a lottery pretty much.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Melting Pot
190 West Main Street
Somerville, NJ 08876
908.575.8010
website
I've heard of this fondue chain and people have recommended it to me when I was in DC, but I only had a chance to try it out recently.
//Big Night Out Set
1. appetizer fiesta cheese fondue. cheddar with Mexican herbs, spices, jalapeno peppers and salsa.
/we asked for as spicy as possible. it was delicious. I vote for all future tortilla chips to be served with the above cheese dip.
2. entree fondue fusion (* for my personal favorites)
*jerk-seasoned sirloin
lobster tail
*zesty peppered shrimp
pork tenderloin
filet mignon medallion
vanilla rum chicken
butternut squash ravioli
veggies (*potatoes, squash, brocolli, mushrooms, etc)
/basicall you poke fondue fork into a piece of meat/veggie and then cook it in the soup base in the pot. they also have a variety of sauces that you can dip with. I really liked the horse radish "cocktail" sauce for shrimp. I ended up using it for chicken too. haha. It's smart they gave us different color fondue sticks so we don't mix up our food.
3. dessert fondue cookies 'n cream marshmallow dream. dark chocolate marshmallow cream base, flambeed. topped off with crushed oreos. Strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, brownies, etc are then placed into the chocolate marshmallow bath heaven.
/J knew I loved cookies 'n cream so he chose this for us. Definite win.
//drinks
strawberry basil lemonade - it's actually alcoholic which is good. if you don't spike something this sweet you will get a sugar rush. I especially liked the fresh strawberry and basil bits. definitely gives me something to think about when I make my own lemonade.
//atmosphere
We got a booth for the four of us. The light directly above was bright but rest of the restaurant has a nice dim relaxed feel to it. I can't remember the music so it probably was quiet.
//service
Our waitress was helpful and she managed to smile and put up with us changing/replacing/upgrading the orders a million ways. We tipped well.
___
Update Jan 2010
I went back and had the opportunity to have two fondue pots (part of 5, with J's family) so I got to try more varieties. Last time we only had one pot for a party of four. I can't believe it took us 3 hours to finish dinner though. Wow.
1. appetizer: spinach artichoke with cheese was delicious. the alp and dell cheese special was made with a very strong mustard and wine so it was flavored nicely, but personally I liked the spinach artichoke better.
2. salad: california salad with blue cheese was dressed with a sweet zesty dressing. walnuts for extra crunch.
3. entree: we got the fondue feast with two different soup bases, coq au vin (herbs with wine) and court bouillon (vegetable broth). I still like the shrimp and beef the best. After I reviewed my old blog entry I realized that I also liked shrimp last time I came. Mushroom and broccoli also go very well with the vegetable broth since they soak up the soup flavor.
4. dessert: we got cookies and cream (again) because it's so amazing. The other pot was pure milk chocolate which was okay but not as good as ours. My fav dip items include marshmallows and graham cracker.
Somerville, NJ 08876
908.575.8010
website
I've heard of this fondue chain and people have recommended it to me when I was in DC, but I only had a chance to try it out recently.
//Big Night Out Set
1. appetizer fiesta cheese fondue. cheddar with Mexican herbs, spices, jalapeno peppers and salsa.
/we asked for as spicy as possible. it was delicious. I vote for all future tortilla chips to be served with the above cheese dip.
2. entree fondue fusion (* for my personal favorites)
*jerk-seasoned sirloin
lobster tail
*zesty peppered shrimp
pork tenderloin
filet mignon medallion
vanilla rum chicken
butternut squash ravioli
veggies (*potatoes, squash, brocolli, mushrooms, etc)
/basicall you poke fondue fork into a piece of meat/veggie and then cook it in the soup base in the pot. they also have a variety of sauces that you can dip with. I really liked the horse radish "cocktail" sauce for shrimp. I ended up using it for chicken too. haha. It's smart they gave us different color fondue sticks so we don't mix up our food.
3. dessert fondue cookies 'n cream marshmallow dream. dark chocolate marshmallow cream base, flambeed. topped off with crushed oreos. Strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, brownies, etc are then placed into the chocolate marshmallow bath heaven.
/J knew I loved cookies 'n cream so he chose this for us. Definite win.
//drinks
strawberry basil lemonade - it's actually alcoholic which is good. if you don't spike something this sweet you will get a sugar rush. I especially liked the fresh strawberry and basil bits. definitely gives me something to think about when I make my own lemonade.
//atmosphere
We got a booth for the four of us. The light directly above was bright but rest of the restaurant has a nice dim relaxed feel to it. I can't remember the music so it probably was quiet.
//service
Our waitress was helpful and she managed to smile and put up with us changing/replacing/upgrading the orders a million ways. We tipped well.
___
Update Jan 2010
I went back and had the opportunity to have two fondue pots (part of 5, with J's family) so I got to try more varieties. Last time we only had one pot for a party of four. I can't believe it took us 3 hours to finish dinner though. Wow.
1. appetizer: spinach artichoke with cheese was delicious. the alp and dell cheese special was made with a very strong mustard and wine so it was flavored nicely, but personally I liked the spinach artichoke better.
2. salad: california salad with blue cheese was dressed with a sweet zesty dressing. walnuts for extra crunch.
3. entree: we got the fondue feast with two different soup bases, coq au vin (herbs with wine) and court bouillon (vegetable broth). I still like the shrimp and beef the best. After I reviewed my old blog entry I realized that I also liked shrimp last time I came. Mushroom and broccoli also go very well with the vegetable broth since they soak up the soup flavor.
4. dessert: we got cookies and cream (again) because it's so amazing. The other pot was pure milk chocolate which was okay but not as good as ours. My fav dip items include marshmallows and graham cracker.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Scoops Ice Creamery
2014 US Highway 22
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
908.322.4550
This place was open on 4th of July until 10pm. Needless to say, I was impressed and felt sorry for the high schoolers working the shop. Sigh, those fond memories of working in an ice cream shop during the summer...If you've ever worked on the other side of the counter, you know how fun and scary it can be. Please be nice to the ice cream shop kids, sure they get free ice cream, but they have to stand on their feet all day and they are probably developing arm muscles aches and unhealthy high tolerance for the freezer while making the perfect scoop with toppings or what have you.
Anyway, I digress. Let's just get on with the food.
Ice Cream
//smurf: blueberry ice cream with marshmallows. I wonder if I should get extra marshmallow topping next time? Go for the overdose! Or maybe...sneak in my own lucky charm colored marshmallows.
//cookies n cream with crushed oreos. before I say anything, I have to mention this place had 4 kinds of oreo ice cream flavors. They have the regular cookies n cream. Then they have mint oreo (very common as well). And in addition they have chocolate oreo and coffee oreo. In conclusion, this is probably my new favorite ice cream place ever (yay oreos). You really can't go wrong with oreos. For my birthday I want an ice cream cake made from all four kinds of oreos. It'd be 1/4 of each. I don't mind if they have to use a divider or something to make it. Or maybe we can do a layered cake with 4 layers of different flavors.
Rant
//The ice cream shop girl gave me a generous scoop (what you call that a small?! crazy...probably enough to be two scoops) and a generous helping of crushed oreos. So generous they were falling out of the cup and I had trouble pushing it into the ice cream before eating.
Friendly atmosphere and outdoor benches, even a nice patio (for summer days probably). Besides a small spelling error on the flavor (well they missed an "o" in chocolate but I guess that's no big deal), I had no trouble deciphering the many flavors that they have. The glowing neon orange sherbet is tempting, maybe next time?
So since it was 4th of July, you'd think we'd spot some local town fireworks. While eating ice cream on the bench outside the shop, we heard some loud sparklers and saw fireworks coming out of people's backyard. I was more concerned for the neighborhood trees than the person lighting them. While it wasn't pretty or legal as Macy's fireworks, we did get our fireworks despite the rain and fear for explosions. Funny how things work out.
Random
//Why do I love fireworks?
-loud (probably most important element of fireworks, that's why watching them on tv is not quite the same)
-colors (so pretty!)
-special occassion (ok, so Disney World is a bit of an overkill doing it every night, but excluding Disney, you know it's special when fireworks go off)
-scenary (city, stadium, mountain, water). Fireworks near city skyline and water are the best. I've seen ones near Niagra Falls that were quite stunning.
-people. If you're watching it from a dark place, you will watch people's faces and eyes light up when the fireworks go off. It's cheesy romantic but the lighting really works.
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
908.322.4550
This place was open on 4th of July until 10pm. Needless to say, I was impressed and felt sorry for the high schoolers working the shop. Sigh, those fond memories of working in an ice cream shop during the summer...If you've ever worked on the other side of the counter, you know how fun and scary it can be. Please be nice to the ice cream shop kids, sure they get free ice cream, but they have to stand on their feet all day and they are probably developing arm muscles aches and unhealthy high tolerance for the freezer while making the perfect scoop with toppings or what have you.
Anyway, I digress. Let's just get on with the food.
Ice Cream
//smurf: blueberry ice cream with marshmallows. I wonder if I should get extra marshmallow topping next time? Go for the overdose! Or maybe...sneak in my own lucky charm colored marshmallows.
//cookies n cream with crushed oreos. before I say anything, I have to mention this place had 4 kinds of oreo ice cream flavors. They have the regular cookies n cream. Then they have mint oreo (very common as well). And in addition they have chocolate oreo and coffee oreo. In conclusion, this is probably my new favorite ice cream place ever (yay oreos). You really can't go wrong with oreos. For my birthday I want an ice cream cake made from all four kinds of oreos. It'd be 1/4 of each. I don't mind if they have to use a divider or something to make it. Or maybe we can do a layered cake with 4 layers of different flavors.
Rant
//The ice cream shop girl gave me a generous scoop (what you call that a small?! crazy...probably enough to be two scoops) and a generous helping of crushed oreos. So generous they were falling out of the cup and I had trouble pushing it into the ice cream before eating.
Friendly atmosphere and outdoor benches, even a nice patio (for summer days probably). Besides a small spelling error on the flavor (well they missed an "o" in chocolate but I guess that's no big deal), I had no trouble deciphering the many flavors that they have. The glowing neon orange sherbet is tempting, maybe next time?
So since it was 4th of July, you'd think we'd spot some local town fireworks. While eating ice cream on the bench outside the shop, we heard some loud sparklers and saw fireworks coming out of people's backyard. I was more concerned for the neighborhood trees than the person lighting them. While it wasn't pretty or legal as Macy's fireworks, we did get our fireworks despite the rain and fear for explosions. Funny how things work out.
Random
//Why do I love fireworks?
-loud (probably most important element of fireworks, that's why watching them on tv is not quite the same)
-colors (so pretty!)
-special occassion (ok, so Disney World is a bit of an overkill doing it every night, but excluding Disney, you know it's special when fireworks go off)
-scenary (city, stadium, mountain, water). Fireworks near city skyline and water are the best. I've seen ones near Niagra Falls that were quite stunning.
-people. If you're watching it from a dark place, you will watch people's faces and eyes light up when the fireworks go off. It's cheesy romantic but the lighting really works.
Friday, March 23, 2007
3 Forty Grill and Rita's Ice in Hoboken
When I was thinking of what to write for this entry, I wondered if I should label all my entries with a location in the title for easy search in the future. Maybe I will one of these days.
3 Forty Grill
340 Sinatra Drive
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-217-3406
Website
Genre: Seafood, Raw Bar, Martini Lounge
Location: Waterfront, north of PATH/NJTransit Station, close to Quay and Trinity.
Besides the obviously superb atmosphere (lounge, chill) and view (NY skyline and water) of the place, the food is amazing, too. I'll copy from the website menu what "Bob" and I had ordered.
Appetizer
Fritto Misto: crispy calamari, black cod and clam strips. house made tomato sauce $10
I liked the black cod pieces the best, although since the pieces are big, beware of burning your tongue. The calamari was ok. I wasn't actually too thrilled with the clam strips. Both sauces they provided were delicious. One was spicy and the other was more tomatoey. I recommend both!
Entree
Cilantro Pesto Center Cut Swordfish Steakblack: with quinoa, margarita shrimp tempura, champagne butter sauce $24
I couldn't for the longest time identy the black seeds. I wikied quinoa but it doesn't look like what I had in my plate. Bob and I suspect they are poppy seeds. The swordfish arrived in a round plate, with a shrimp tempura on a stick standing upright in the middle of the fish steak. The butter sauce and cilantro pesto were on and around the fish, creating a visually appealing effect. The black seeds were mixed with carrots, onions, peppers, among other things. The fish was light which was complemented by the seeds (grain?) which had a stronger flavor and texture.
Espresso Pork Chop (Chef Night Special): not on website. $24
I didn't taste the espresso but the pork was definitely soaked in some kind of wine since it smelled and tasted like it. Accompanied by carrots, green beans, and (gasp) mixture of mashed potatoes and mashed yams! I liked both the pork and the yams.
Dessert
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake: imported belgian chocolate,warm liquid center,tahitian vanilla gelato $10
Amazing, can't possibly describe it in words. Also came with strawberry slices and raspberry sauce. Beautiful and fantastic composition and taste. I will probably order this again next time.
Rita's Ice
Ok, since this is a chain, there's no need to record location and info.
I can't believe I have not visited one of these until today. Pretty sure there's one close to where my parents are, too. The woman who worked behind the counter was very helpful. She explained to me what Rita's had to offer. The various flavors of Italian Ice, Custard, and combinations that mixed Custard and Ice. I would have gone for a Gelati (mix custard and ice) if I hadn't had dessert at 3 Forty already. The custard sample she provided me was yummy, simple vanilla and chocolate twist.
I asked for a sampled of cherry Italian ice and then decided to go for a small of the same thing.
Besides dying my tongue red, the Cherry ice was a very refreshing snack. I imagine it's probably more popular in the summer. My hands started to freeze when I started to eat it. I even found some cherry bits inside. Apparently Rita's ices sometimes have fruit pieces mixed in.
3 Forty Grill
340 Sinatra Drive
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-217-3406
Website
Genre: Seafood, Raw Bar, Martini Lounge
Location: Waterfront, north of PATH/NJTransit Station, close to Quay and Trinity.
Besides the obviously superb atmosphere (lounge, chill) and view (NY skyline and water) of the place, the food is amazing, too. I'll copy from the website menu what "Bob" and I had ordered.
Appetizer
Fritto Misto: crispy calamari, black cod and clam strips. house made tomato sauce $10
I liked the black cod pieces the best, although since the pieces are big, beware of burning your tongue. The calamari was ok. I wasn't actually too thrilled with the clam strips. Both sauces they provided were delicious. One was spicy and the other was more tomatoey. I recommend both!
Entree
Cilantro Pesto Center Cut Swordfish Steakblack: with quinoa, margarita shrimp tempura, champagne butter sauce $24
I couldn't for the longest time identy the black seeds. I wikied quinoa but it doesn't look like what I had in my plate. Bob and I suspect they are poppy seeds. The swordfish arrived in a round plate, with a shrimp tempura on a stick standing upright in the middle of the fish steak. The butter sauce and cilantro pesto were on and around the fish, creating a visually appealing effect. The black seeds were mixed with carrots, onions, peppers, among other things. The fish was light which was complemented by the seeds (grain?) which had a stronger flavor and texture.
Espresso Pork Chop (Chef Night Special): not on website. $24
I didn't taste the espresso but the pork was definitely soaked in some kind of wine since it smelled and tasted like it. Accompanied by carrots, green beans, and (gasp) mixture of mashed potatoes and mashed yams! I liked both the pork and the yams.
Dessert
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake: imported belgian chocolate,warm liquid center,tahitian vanilla gelato $10
Amazing, can't possibly describe it in words. Also came with strawberry slices and raspberry sauce. Beautiful and fantastic composition and taste. I will probably order this again next time.
Rita's Ice
Ok, since this is a chain, there's no need to record location and info.
I can't believe I have not visited one of these until today. Pretty sure there's one close to where my parents are, too. The woman who worked behind the counter was very helpful. She explained to me what Rita's had to offer. The various flavors of Italian Ice, Custard, and combinations that mixed Custard and Ice. I would have gone for a Gelati (mix custard and ice) if I hadn't had dessert at 3 Forty already. The custard sample she provided me was yummy, simple vanilla and chocolate twist.
I asked for a sampled of cherry Italian ice and then decided to go for a small of the same thing.
Besides dying my tongue red, the Cherry ice was a very refreshing snack. I imagine it's probably more popular in the summer. My hands started to freeze when I started to eat it. I even found some cherry bits inside. Apparently Rita's ices sometimes have fruit pieces mixed in.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Outback
website
branch: NJ, somewhere on Rt. 22.
I don't usually review national chain restaurants, except maybe my previous entry on Bubba Gump Shrimp. Even if that place isn't everywhere. I wanted to note that the appetizers are quite good at Outback Steakhouse, in case if you missed out on your multiple trips to the place. If you can't tell, I had gone with a big group. Big groups are fun for ordering and trying different appetizers.
Follow the menu for more detailed descriptions by the restaurant.
Beer
Fosters for everyone (came in huge beer mugs, not frosted). I thought it was light. My gourmet cousin got a Sam Adams seasonal White Ale which had a hint of berry sweet aftertaste. Everyone at the table became increasing envious when he/she sampled this choice.
After some digging around, here's what the Sam Adams website said of White Ale (at least I think that's what he got, we all forgot the name after we sampled it, go figure):
The spice blend includes orange and lemon peel, dried plum, grains of paradise, coriander, anise, hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, and vanilla.
Appetizers (fav. ranked on top)
Seared Ahi Tuna
this was gone within seconds. the sauce that came with it was great, too.
bread (free for the table)
dark bread, still warm. I've been told to saw slowly in order to not crush the thing while cutting.
Darling Point Crab Cakes
I'm usually not a fan of crab cakes, and I have not tried them in Maryland. but the ones here were very tasty.
Grilled Shrimp on The Barbie
Not saying it's better than Bubba Gump, but definitely exceeded my expectations. For some reason I'm always somewhat skeptical about seafood at a steak themed place.
Kookaburra Wings
I prefer my wings hot and spicy, although the seasoning and spices on those were good.
Soup:
French Onion
wasn't impressed because it was too salty for me. the bread and cheese bit worked out ok though. Maybe I was supposed to eat this with more bread?
Meat (!):
Ribeye14 oz. medium rare
Took gourmet cousin's advice on this item and was very pleased with the choice. He had the same thing, but rare. I tried a bit of this "rare" meat and still liked my own better.
Salmon
Dad ordered this and said it was fine. I tried a bit and thought it was way too fishy for my tastes. I think I'm wired to prefer tuna to salmon and that's that. Well...except smoked salmon in bagels.
Besides the long wait we endured while watching adventures of Bobby Flay on FoodNetwork, the meal was quite fullfilling. If you're ever hungry and waiting at a restaurant, just turn your head away from the TV with FoodNetwork on it. In fact, if you're not fed at home, don't ever watch FoodNetwork. Watching people on TV eat good food is really not that enjoyable.
branch: NJ, somewhere on Rt. 22.
I don't usually review national chain restaurants, except maybe my previous entry on Bubba Gump Shrimp. Even if that place isn't everywhere. I wanted to note that the appetizers are quite good at Outback Steakhouse, in case if you missed out on your multiple trips to the place. If you can't tell, I had gone with a big group. Big groups are fun for ordering and trying different appetizers.
Follow the menu for more detailed descriptions by the restaurant.
Beer
Fosters for everyone (came in huge beer mugs, not frosted). I thought it was light. My gourmet cousin got a Sam Adams seasonal White Ale which had a hint of berry sweet aftertaste. Everyone at the table became increasing envious when he/she sampled this choice.
After some digging around, here's what the Sam Adams website said of White Ale (at least I think that's what he got, we all forgot the name after we sampled it, go figure):
The spice blend includes orange and lemon peel, dried plum, grains of paradise, coriander, anise, hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, and vanilla.
Appetizers (fav. ranked on top)
Seared Ahi Tuna
this was gone within seconds. the sauce that came with it was great, too.
bread (free for the table)
dark bread, still warm. I've been told to saw slowly in order to not crush the thing while cutting.
Darling Point Crab Cakes
I'm usually not a fan of crab cakes, and I have not tried them in Maryland. but the ones here were very tasty.
Grilled Shrimp on The Barbie
Not saying it's better than Bubba Gump, but definitely exceeded my expectations. For some reason I'm always somewhat skeptical about seafood at a steak themed place.
Kookaburra Wings
I prefer my wings hot and spicy, although the seasoning and spices on those were good.
Soup:
French Onion
wasn't impressed because it was too salty for me. the bread and cheese bit worked out ok though. Maybe I was supposed to eat this with more bread?
Meat (!):
Ribeye14 oz. medium rare
Took gourmet cousin's advice on this item and was very pleased with the choice. He had the same thing, but rare. I tried a bit of this "rare" meat and still liked my own better.
Salmon
Dad ordered this and said it was fine. I tried a bit and thought it was way too fishy for my tastes. I think I'm wired to prefer tuna to salmon and that's that. Well...except smoked salmon in bagels.
Besides the long wait we endured while watching adventures of Bobby Flay on FoodNetwork, the meal was quite fullfilling. If you're ever hungry and waiting at a restaurant, just turn your head away from the TV with FoodNetwork on it. In fact, if you're not fed at home, don't ever watch FoodNetwork. Watching people on TV eat good food is really not that enjoyable.
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