a pizza history

It was thirteen years ago that I met one of my good friends and although I don’t see her often, when I do, it’s like nothing has ever really changed. In high school (Catholic high school), the teachers always sat us alphabetically which I believe is one of the main reasons we became friends. All I had to do was slightly turn around and we would crack jokes about how annoying school was, how this one teacher was WAY too into english, or even how the Chem teacher looked like a fairy from Sleeping Beauty. Although we don’t go to school anymore or even work together, one of our main common denominators is our love for good food.

One Friday, we decided to head over to Arturo’s in Middletown, NJ. As we navigated our way through some back roads, we ended up in a quaint little downtown and our destination awaited us on the corner full of food lovers alike waiting their turn for a seat. The wait was over an hour but there was no way we were turning back now. We were in it to win it. And that’s exactly what we did.

After waiting a bit, we were seated outside and we knew exactly what we wanted to eat. The menu is simple but everything sounded delicious. We first started off with the ricotta crostini and market salad (special). The ricotta crostini was made with slightly toasted bread, topped with fluffy whipped ricotta cheese, black sea salt, and drizzled with olive oil. The flavors blended so nicely to create a cloud of savoriness in your mouth. 

if you play your carbs right

I honestly struggled with what to focus on in this blog post. I was blown away with all of the food that I ate at Calandra’s Italian Village in Bloomfield, NJ. The visit to this literal village was definitely unexpected. I never planned and definitely did not expect this delicious of a meal on this particular night. Originally, I was just planning to go with my really good friend and her mom to their dress fitting for her upcoming wedding. I have to say it really was so fun and exciting because they both looked so beautiful in their dresses. I was so caught up in it all that I totally didn’t even think I was hungry.

Then we got into the car…and I was hungry! My friend said we could go to Calandra’s bakery and although I am typically down for bakery visits, I really felt like I needed to eat real food. Who knew that Calandra’s was not only a bakery but an Italian restaurant directly connected to it.

Because it was so late, we had to pick up out baked goods first. The place is HUGE!! I didn’t know where to start. So many displays, so many options. I could have purchased the entire store. and I really wanted to for my dad but I held back.

These are just a few of the displays. The cupcakes looked so amazing and there were so many options. Although the cookie case does technically look “empty”, it was about 9:00 at night which tells me that their cookies are an absolute HIT! I decided to buy a few mini treats. I had a mini vanilla cupcake, mini lemon cupcake, mini raspberry cupcake, an eclair, a cream puff, and a mini fruit tart. All so cute and adorable. The cupcakes were my favorite though. Not too sweet and freshly baked for the perfect fluffy texture. Just the perfect amount of frosting on the top with so much flavor! I want more!

Once finally making a decision and packaging up all of our treats into little white boxes, we headed to the restaurant portion of the building. Which was beautiful by the way. The tables were beautifully set and huge windows lined the walls.

As soon as we sat down this was put on our table…

Oh my God. A whole ramekin filled with grated parmesan cheese- YES! And right next to it…

hibacheap

Hibachi is a great option for food and entertainment all in one place. However, I find that many chain hibachi restaurants are over priced, and well, over played. The places are so crowded and the cooks always seem like they’re in la la land because they’ve done the same thing 60 times in just one night.

A friend and I wanted to have hibachi that was affordable and easy but that wouldn’t compromise any of the flavor. Enter: Sushi House in Bridgewater, NJ. This restaurant is located close to Bridgewater Commons but far enough away from all the fuss. Half of the space is saved for sushi and regular entrees and the other half are the hibachi grills.

The very best part about this place is the price for everything that you get! I was able to get salad with ginger dressing, mushroom soup, shrimp, chicken, noodles, fried rice, vegetables AND ice cream. All of the whopping price of $20.

The soup and the salad seem to be standard. I ate most of the salad and took a few sips of the soup. It’s easy to start eating right away and not save room for all the of the food that is about to be placed on your plate.

Then, we were given fried rice, noodles, and the shrimp appetizer.The fried rice is probably my favorite part. It’s sticky, salty, and absorbs all of the flavors that surround it. Please tell me how many times you’ve paid extra for the delicious hibachi fried rice. Nope, not me! Not here! Not now. The noodles are super delicious too! Just plain fried noodles you can’t beat. Now how often have you gotten noodles AND fried rice?? And then shrimp too! Three perfectly cooked pieces of shrimp that are just as tasty when eaten alone or dipped in the mustard and ginger sauce. I still can’t decide which one in my favorite-but I guess I really don’t have to.

just beleaf

It’s really easy to find good pizza, burgers, bagels in New Jersey but what is not so easy to find is a really good salad. I mean really good without having to change your expectations and break the caloric intake for the day. I had faith though- faith that good salads were out there and that they were going to find me (or I find them- whatever, that’s just logistics). It took some time, as most things worth having do, but I finally found not one, not two, not three, but FOUR really good salads in just a couple of weeks. They’re out there people, you just got to believe.

Salad #1 comes to you from Stefano’s Pizza in Branchburg. Although this place seems like an ordinary pizzeria, what lies beneath the surface is something unexpected. It’s an outdoor oasis filled with trees, plants, a huge brick oven, and a wood burning fire place. You’d never know that you were in the middle of a strip mall when you enter. That being said, their Stefano’s Salad is just as satisfying to the palate as the decor is to the eyes.

a dairy delicious dream

I guess it’s a safe thing to say that dairy is one of my favorite food groups. Not necessarily because of milk but because of what milk can become- cheese, ice cream, whipped cream, even yogurt sometimes. YUM!

I didn’t realize that dairy had hypnotized and lured me into a place of no return until I really thought about the dinner I ate last Tuesday- that I’m still dreaming about. That I wish I could have again, right now.

This dream-like meal took place at Chimney Rock Inn in Bound Brook. Now when I tell you I used to eat mozzarella sticks like it was my job when I was younger, I’m not lying. Maybe if I a got a quarter for every mozzarella stick I ever ate I wouldn’t be so stressed about finances and where my future is headed. But unfortunately, that salary never came through and I realized that mozzarella sticks aren’t really good for the figure either. So, I hardly ever have mozzarella sticks. Until I do. And I am hooked on the homemade mozzarella sticks from Chimney Rock. Yes, homemade. Fresh mozzarella is breaded and fried to a crunchy perfection. The cheese is stringy, warm, and super satisfying. Topped off with some tomato marinara and it’s like when you’re head hits the pillow after a long day and you take that first relaxing sigh of relief. Ahhhhh…

Alright, so now I feel like life can’t get any better. But it does- good things are always coming my way. This was brought to the table…

food for president

Seems like all we see on TV these days is news about the upcoming presidential elections. This person did this, this person said that, this person dropped out of the race. It’s all exhausting especially because when it’s over, I’m not too sure there will be a “bright light” for us to really see and experience. When you need a break from all the hype, there’s one place you can go to get connected to our Nation’s roots: George and Martha’s in Morristown. 

This past week happened to be restaurant week in Morristown. A friend and I had plans to go to a specific restaurant for one of their prix fixe dinner specials. That plan went down the drain when I saw the bright sign for “George and Martha’s”. I had told my friend that next time I wanted to go there and she suggested we go there this time instead! I voted-YES! Because first off, this place looked adorable even from the outside. After going inside, there are light bulbs to decorate the walls, comfortable chairs (like the ones in your living room), and there’s a section for the bar as well as for the restaurant. It has a great vibe and the staff are extremely helpful and friendly.

After sitting down and being very excited to try this place, a waiter brought a delicious looking drink to a table near by. As soon as the waiter, passed our way again, my always outspoken (in a good way) friend asked, “WHAT WAS THAT??” The waiter directed us to their drink menu and their signature fishbowls. We voted- YES to the Singapore Sling, an old fashioned, fancy cocktail made with gin. Although undeniably large, it’s a great way to split a drink with a friend. The fishbowl in total is actually about four cocktails. So instead of buying 4 cocktails separately which would have added up, my friend and I split this one for $25 and it worked out just perfectly. Again, it does seem like alot but when you nurse it and you have food on top of it all-it’s all good.

Now, we needed something in our system. After seeing all of the options and what they had to offer, we voted-YES to the blue cheese spinach fondue with homemade potato chips. This dish made so many promises, it was difficult to say no. 

pizza fri-yay!

Ever since I can remember my family would always resort to pizza for Friday night dinner. I actually believed at one point that all families have pizza on Fridays. Turns out, they don’t. Some actually have pizza on Tuesday nights. Which is totally cool but if you know me, I like consistency and pizza on a Friday evening is something I look forward to every week.

I mean I do change up my order from week to week. I’m not exactly like Sheldon Cooper ordering the same exact take out meal prepared exactly the same way every time. I do like variety.

If we’re lucky, sometimes we order pizza from a special place. A place that is extremely delicious but just a little bit out of reach for a rush hour Friday drive. We heard of Sciortino’s in South Amboy from a family friend. They told us that it is their FAVORITE pizza. So, we had to give it a try.

soy special

There’s nothing better than eating dinner with people who are not technically related by blood but seem like they could and should be. These are the people that you would say are a step above your “friends” and the ones who bring out the best in you. They’re the people that make you forget your cell phone and that the outside world even exists- they help you escape. I’m sure there are people in your life you could think of that fit this kind of description. Well, at least I hope you can.

So long introduction short, I got to spend a special Saturday night at Sushi-O in Edison with the thing that I’ve cared about for a long time and I’m not just talking about the sushi rolls that I ate.

To start this amazing, very fulfilling meal, we ordered the miso soup and the kani salad.

The servings were HUGE. This wasn’t just a tiny bowl of miso soup but a full bowl of warm, salty broth loaded with tofu and scallions. And the kani salad wasn’t just a couple pieces of crab broken up and mixed with spicy mayo. It was an entire dish of crab mixed with this creamy and spicy condiment over a huge bed of lettuce.

To follow, we ordered WAY TOO MANY sushi rolls. This is a perfect of example of our eyes being so much bigger than our stomachs.

That was just one plate.

There’s the second.

I won’t go through and bore you by naming and explaining each one. But the bottom line of the story is… Every roll and piece of sushi is very fresh. The rolls were intricately created, designed, displayed, and eaten. The sauces mixed together forming explosions of flavor in your mouth. From spicy to cool. From creamy to crunchy textures. From fried and battered to fresh and bright. This meal fulfills all of the cravings that you may have. We were full of food and full of happiness.

I know I have written about a few sushi places in the past but I can say that Sushi-O sticks out in my mind from all of the other places around because of its creative menu. It offers more than just the typical spicy tuna roll or California roll. There are full pages in the menu with specialty rolls that have creative names and combinations of different fish, rice, seaweed, soy bean wraps, and sauces. I’m sure all of which are equally as delicious.

Check out there soy special menu at Sushi O

Social Feedia

There is no better way to wind down from a long, work day other than to be social with your friends by sharing drinks, food, and fun. (And this time, I mean physically sharing these things, not like posting about them on social media). The best time to do this is during happy hour when the prices won’t break your piggy bank and you don’t have to feel guilty for having that second martini. Recently, I stopped at a place called “Social” in Somerville.

Social is a nice restaurant and bar with a “cool”, contemporary vibe. There are huge windows along the walls that bring in massive amounts of natural light to lighten up the mood during the day but when it’s night time, there’s a more serious, almost club-like atmosphere. The bar is in the center of the dining room and is the focus of attention. I have to say, even the bathroom is really nice. There are rocks in the sink! Something about it makes you feel like you’re at a spa and that you should be treating yourself really nice.

All of the workers are extremely friendly and attentive. As soon as my friend and I were seated at a table, we were given the happy hour menu. Monday- Friday from 4-7 pm, Social offers items such as $5 UV Vodka cocktails, $5 martinis, and a few small plate appetizers for $3. 

To commence the happiest of hours, I decided to try their pomegranate martini. (Pictured left) It was delicious! Extremely refreshing, a tiny bit sweet, a little bit tart, and freezing, freezing cold! On the right, is the pineapple upside martini which is also a very decadent and delicious martini option- just a little bit sweeter if that’s what you like!

Along with the two martinis, my friend and I also ordered our own small plate of crispy calamari. It’s just enough to have a crunchy sampling while you wait for your main dish and at $3 a piece, it’s hard to not go for that kind of delicious deal.

Also, while you wait, they serve a delicious, warm, crunchy bread with a roasted pepper dipping sauce. Definitely worth the extra carbs.

So after all of the picking and sipping, more food arrived at the table. Instead of going for a salad like I was planning, I decided to eat a real diner. I was told the chicken francese was amazing. I couldn’t really remember the last time I had really good chicken francese so I was pretty excited to try it!

Come on. How good does that look? I have to say although it was a slow process, I ate about 80% of the food that was on that plate. It was so good, I just couldn’t stop eating it! The chicken was ALL white meat, lightly breaded, and perfectly tender. There weren’t any of those weird bad pieces that I am so picky about. It had a good lemon flavor that wasn’t too powerful and an amazing butter flavor that was extremely addicting. I would go back again and again for that chicken francese and that wasn’t even one of the happy hour specials offered.

Finally, to finish off the happiest of hours, I ordered an espresso martini. This was my first espresso martini and I’m so glad I finally tried one! It’s a different take on the chocolate martini. Same kind of thick, rich consistency but with a coffee flavor that is perfect for dessert! Also the three little espresso beans floating on the top add a nice touch. You eat with your eyes first, right?

The perfect night cap.

Side note: Have you ever logged on to lets say facebook, instagram, twitter, maybe even pinterest and said to yourself, “Okay, only five minutes”? Only to realize that two hours have a passed and you don’t know where your life went? That’s kind of what happened this night. Except, I wasn’t upset at all more like sad the the time flew by so quickly and the experience was over. Luckily, the restaurant still remains and the specials are still offered so I can go back and get lost in my social feed all over again.

Put down your devices and start being social the right way!

For more information visit: Social Restaurant

the eggstravagant burger

This, my friends, is off the charts insane. I don’t know what came over me on this particular morning. I  mean, clearly, I don’t always eat the healthiest of things but I typically would never have gone this far. But I did. And I have no regrets.

The Committed Pig in Morristown is really the cutest place for breakfast and brunch. It’s small with a homey feel. On a Sunday, it’s important to get to this place early if you don’t want to wait on a long line.

Except, it’s  worth the wait so you should just go anyway no matter the time.

Anyway, first comes coffee. Not just a cup of coffee but a huge thermos of coffee given to you so that you can refill your cup as often as you’d like. I know you’re thinking, “That probably doesn’t stay fresh or hot”. But it does and it’s an awesome way to avoid the whole “wait for your waitress to come refill your cup” ordeal.

After sitting at the table for at least 10 minutes debating what to have for breakfast…