Vidalia, Lawrenceville

So Matt and I have officially been together for 2 years (yay!) and for our second anniversary we wanted to find something cozy and intimate in our new home town. Mission accomplished. Vidalia is small on the inside (about 16 tables or so) with an additional outdoor dining area. The lights are somewhat dim, the music is soft, there are paintings by local artists on the wall... very adorable. It was the exact atmosphere we were hoping for.

After settling in our (very) bubbly waitress opened our wine and let us get to the menu. The dishes are very much Italian influenced, but with some new takes on old favorites. We decided to start our meal off with the Asparaci Valentino and the Funghi Ripieni. ohmigod. SO delicious. The Asparaci Valentini is described on the menu as Italian ham, mozzarella and asparagus baked in puff pastry with a sun dried tomato sauce. This is deceptive. What it should say is 'plate of delicious warm ooey gooey cheesy ham and veggies with world's tastiest sauce'... or something like that. The sauce was a little salty, crazy tasty, rich and creamy, thick and delicious. Sundried tomato has the ability to overpower a dish, but this was incorporated so well, and accented the asparagus, ham, and cheese perfectly. The chef knew what he was doing, because the sauce was placed atop the puff pastry bundles of goodness late in the plating stage, so there was no sogginess. It wasn't the prettiest dish but it was a fabulous start to our anniversary meal.

The other appetizer, the Funghi Ripieni, was equally fab. A giant Portabella mushroom filled with spinach, sausage, and, to quote the menu, 'finished in it's natural broth'. Uh... can we say YUM!? Oh! BTW...They aren't mentioned in the description but it is my duty to let you know that the bed of roasted red peppers that this humongous mushroom rests upon are superb! You grab a sliver of cold red pepper and smack it on a forkfull of spinach-y, sausage-y goodness? FANTASTIC! Matt and I were both convinced that there was some cheese in this dish as well, but if there was it was so mild and well blended that we can't be 100% sure. It's just a texture thing that we both got while eating it. The filling was so rich and decadent that it's hard to believe that the spinach and sausage alone could do the job. Again, not a beautiful looking dish, but that doesn't change the fact that it rocked.

After our appetizers we finally got around to tasting the home made garlic bread. It was VERY garlicky... almost spicy. Probably could have roasted it just a touch longer. Never fear, though, because our entrees were out moments later. I ordered a pasta in Gorgonzola sauce with grilled shrimp. The portion was big but the taste was juuust a bit off. I didn't get that strong, tart Gorgonzola taste that I was really looking forward to. The shrimp were cooked well, though, as was the pasta. The fresh herbs on top (I do believe it was flat leaf parsley) gave it a nice brightness. It was delicious as a cream or cheese sauce... just didn't pack the punch I was hoping for when I saw the word Gorgonzola.

Matt ordered the homemade Canelloni and boy, were we glad he did. It was so tasty! The tomato sauce was fresh and bright... SO good. There was a hint of heat in it and after several bites and a bit of inspection we noticed a few flakes of red pepper. That'll do it! It had such a nice tomato flavor... every component of the sauce really worked to bring out the natural taste of the fruit, which can so easily be burried by heat or cheese or herbs. The stuffing was spinach and sausage and ricotta and it was all wrapped up in a perfectly cooked pasta sheet. A little salty, a little garlicky, a little fresh, a little spicy... it all worked. Matt's only regret was that the stuffing was pretty similar to the mushroom appetizer we had, and while both were delicious, he could have used a touch more variety.


We are very much lookign forward to going back to Vidalia. The atmosphere is super friendly, the food was delicious, and the staff helpful. It's not terribly pricey, but it won't be an every week place for us. I am REALLY looking forward to trying their other dishes... take a look at the menu and you'll see why!

Vidalia
www.eatatvidalia.com
21 Phillips Ave
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-1072
(609) 896-4444

Paratha Junction, Franklin Park

There is no shortage of Indian food in Franklin Park, but I think I've found my favorite. Paratha Junction has amazingly fresh food, an extraordinarily friendly staff and is down right cheap. Not reasonable, not cost efficient... we're talking CHEAP. And it's good! REALLY good!

My Dad took me there recently for lunch and I have been back three times since. Their specialty is their namesake, the paratha. I like to think of it as an Indian quesadilla, because of its shape and style, but they're really stuffed breads. This is typically a vegetarian dish but Paratha Junction has several non-vegetarian versions. You can also choose the flour that you want them to be made with (whole wheat, refined white, or chick pea) at no extra charge!

On my first visit there my Dad and I ordered the Lamb Keema Paratha and the Gobi (cauliflower) Paratha. After some prompting from the waiter, who assured us that we should order something for dipping, we threw in the Daal Makhni. Oh. My. God. SO good! The parathas were perfect; crispy and warm! The lamb paratha was AWESOME. The crumbled bits of lamb had a tiny bit of heat and were so deliciously seasoned it took me a while to even remember to dunk it in the Daal. I have had Mahkni dishes before and they work amazingly with meats, but I had never even heard of a Daal Makhni. What an amazing idea! There were lentils and kidney beans in a well seasoned tomato base. It was thick and tasty, perfect for dipping. There was definitely some kind of fresh herb, I'm thinking perhaps Cilantro, possibly mint. I mixed some raw onions into the whole shebang and WOW... flavor explosion! The cauliflower paratha was equally fantastic. The cauliflower was minced into such tiny pieces it was almost paste like... the filling literally melted in my mouth. Another perfect compliment to the Daal Makhni, every bite was loaded with flavor and just outstanding.

The meal discussed in this post cost .... get this... 11 bucks. Dad and I were both STUFFED and couldn't have fit another bite in to save our souls. I am telling you, this place is the best deal in town. On my more recent visits I have had a spinach stuffed paratha and some mango chutney for dipping (both out of this world!), but everytime I go I order the Daal Makhni... it's THAT good. The staff there is attentive and charming, and cannot fill water glasses fast enough. Oh, best part?? It's just as cheap for supper (the same menu is provided for lunch and dinner) so there are no excuses! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Paratha Junction

http://www.parathajunction.com/

3201 Route 27,

Franklin Park, NJ 08823

Phone: 732.940.1005

City Streets Cafe, East Windsor

We were trying to find a somewhere to lunch between Matt's parents house (Monroe) and our place (Lawrenceville). Matt's mom suggested City Streets Cafe, located in East Windsor (pretty much exactly in between us) and off we went. It's another one of those places that's located in a nondescript strip mall, but is deceptively large and well maintained within. The front area is very sports bar-ish... lots of TVs, large wooden bar, plenty of beers on tap. The back room was a bit homier, with art on the walls, giant wooden tables and just an overall coziness.

The menu had a tremendous variety... sushi, pasta, steaks, sandwiches, it was kind of all over the map, like a glamorized diner menu. After much debate (and several 'Oh Wait... I didn't see that before' s) we all made our choices; I went for the Reuben sandwich (that came with a soup), Matt went for the pepper jack wrap, his Mom went for the turkey burger, and his Dad ordered the Prime Rib sandwich.

My soup came out first (no one else got any, partially due to the fact that I ordered the special... 6 bucks for soup, sandwich, and drink... make sure to check the day's listings in the menu!) The soup that day was cream of spinach and it was eh... it tasted like cream of chicken soup (you know.. thick and yellow... usually good for making casseroles?) that someone tossed chopped spinach into as an afterthought. Not inedible, just not special. No depth of flavor.

Our food came out and there was a lot of it! City Streets provided us with very large portions which is becoming a rare practice these days. Matt's pepper jack wrap was delightful. The chicken was deep fried but we found a very pleasant surprise in the coating... Ritz cracker! They lent the chicken all their salted, buttery goodness, and it had a terrific crunch to it. Toss that together with some pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce and ranch and roll it up and Ta Da! A tasty lunch. Not the most exotic item on the menu but yummy just the same.
Matt's Mom's turkey burger was simple, yet perfectly cooked. Like I've mentioned before turkey is a tricky meat, and ground turkey is doubly so. This place served up a burger that was still moist and tender, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Placed atop a multi grain roll it was a great healthy lunch. To up the health factor, Matt's Mom opted for sweet potato fries instead of the regular kind (City Streets kindly provides the option and doesn't charge extra!) They were crunchy and sweet, not floppy or soggy at all...exactly how a fry of any kind should be served!
Matt's Dad got a sandwich that was large and overstuffed with slabs of meat and grilled onions. I guess I am jaded about steak sandwiches at diner-esque venues because I was expecting it to be either chopped meat or reaaaaaalllllyy thinly sliced. It was neither. When I say slabs I mean honest to goodness cuts of Prime Rib piled up on his roll. There were onions pouring off the thing and they were thoroughly grilled (read: delicious). It was supposed to have a cheese of some kind on it but he opted not to have it, which I believe was a wise choice. You wouldn't want to cloud the taste of the meat. Again, the sweet potato fries were delicious and oh so very crunchy.
Finally there was my Reuben sandwich. It was piled thick with corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese. I asked for the Russian dressing on the side and they were happy to oblige. Nothing really special going on with this one... the bread was a little soggy because there was a touch too much sauerkraut and the meat was was on the salty side. It couldn't compare to a New York style deli, but it was certainly edible... tasty even. Just not memorable. The one thing that it WAS though was huge... remember I got the special... so my unsweetened iced tea, the cup of soup and the giant sandwich shown below were all mine for a mere 6 dollars.

All in all I think that I should have ordered more adventurously. With choices like sushi rolls or seafood in asparagus-lemon sauce I don't know why I played it so safe. Luckily our overall experience there was a good one, so we do plan on heading back. I will be sure to test my limits further at that point! For someone on the tamer side, their salads looked delicious and I can say for a fact that this place makes a great sandwich. It's pretty sure to please any group of people, so try it out and let me know your thoughts!

City Streets Cafe

http://www.citystreetscafe.com/

510 Rt. 130 South

East Windsor, NJ 08520

Phone: 609-426-9400

Bayou Cafe, Freehold

Matt and I recently went to New Orleans on vacation, and haven't stopped raving about Cajun food since. The spices, the flavors, the heart and soul... we really fell in love with the cuisine. When my uncle S told us that he had recently visited a joint called the Bayou Cafe in Freehold we couldn't get there fast enough. We rallied up my Mom and Dad and made our way to what we hoped would be an authentic Cajun supper.

Uh.... No.

Located on Main Street in downtown Freehold (such a hip area!) it fit in with the other amazing local eateries as far as looks go. The furniture and décor were modern and fun. The hostess was friendly and happily allowed us to switch tables (we were originally seated right in front of the band... I will expand on that later). It was clean and had a lot of character. That's about where our good time ceased.

The place is loud. Like 'Huh!?? What was that?! I can't hear you!!!' loud. Like we had to read each others lips and use hand gestures loud. We actually ordered our meals by pointing at the menu since our waitress couldn't hear us. Live music is nice but not at the expense of your customers. Since there is no bar (Yay for BYOB.... knew there had to be a bright side, yes?) the band starts playing at 6:00 PM instead of the standard 10. It's distracting and takes up a good eighth of the restaurant but whatever. The noise was the least of my problems (insert ominous 'dun-dun-dunnnnnn' here).

The food was bad. It was either overly salty or severely under seasoned. It was not well presented and it was actually quite boring... completely UNLIKE the food in New Orleans. But I digress. Allow me to walk you through it (Hey! if I had to sit through this meal you do, too!)

We started with an appetizer of 'cajun chicken fingers'. It came with a side of what I thought was a horseradish sauce (may have been a mustard sauce... either way it was underwhelming). They were fine. Not bad, a little salty, but not bad. There was no heat... zero. Alas, we ate them and hoped that our entrees would be a little jazzier, as when we think 'cajun' we think big flavor and a nice kick of spice.

While waiting for our entrees to come out we had our salad course. I had opted for a nice, safe Caesar salad. Matt got a gumbo (which was the best thing to come out of the kitchen all night) while Mom and Dad went for the house salad. As I mentioned Matt's gumbo was delicious. A little spicy with lots of veggies and rice and beans it was a hit at the table. The house salad, though, was odd. The chef fancied himself creative when he composed these bad boys, as they had standard salad fare (lettuce, tomato, carrot) and balls of cantaloupe. Now I like fruit in salad, I really do, but only when it serves a purpose. Dad put it best when he said 'if the house dressing was at all acidic the cantaloupe would be a welcome addition, as it would even out the flavors. This is not the case. The dressing is sweet, and therefore does not need the additional help of the fruit... all it does is confuse the mouth." Well said, guy.

Out came the entrees. I had ordered one of the specials, which was described as blackened catfish topped with shrimp, Tasso ham, and Andouille sausage. What came out was a messy plate covered in glop. I will say that the catfish itself was cooked well, but everything that was piled atop it was mediocre at best. It was crazy salty and I could not for the life of me figure out which lumps of food were Tasso and which lumps were sausage. The lumps that were shrimp were actually quite tasty and properly cooked, but the sauce they were drenched in lessened the experience for me. The sides of rice and veg were unimpressive. I was very 'meh' about the whole dish.

Mom got the blackened catfish straight off the menu. It was exactly like mine, except she escaped the glop. She was dissapointed by how salty the seasoning was, and, once again, the lack of heat. The fish was cooked well, but it lacked that pizazz that we were all so desperately craving. Same rice, same veg, same meh attitudes towards it.

(See? Looks like a 'before' picture of mine!)

Matt got the Creole chicken, which was an almost stew like dish in a tomato based sauce atop a pile of rice. It had potential, but again it fell flat. It had NO flavor... seriously, none. He added salt, pepper, hot sauce, and was even dying to ask the waitress to bring out some garlic... he didn't (that Matt.... so tactful) but wanted to. The chicken was a touch over cooked, too, but after a sauce that almost bored us to tears who cares. I don't know how it COULD have been so bland... it had peppers... it had onions... it had tomato... how do you mess that up?! It wasn't BAD, it just wasn't good.

Finally, Dad's dish. This was the least offensive of the entrees. He ordered the Jambalaya and it wasn't bad. The dish contained chicken, Adouille sausage, and shrimp in a tomato based sauce mixed over rice. Again, a bit lacking in the flavor department (even though it says 'spicy' right in the description!), but everything was cooked well. Andouille sausage carries so much flavor on its own that it was able to save the dish from Blandsville (well that and the tablespoon of hot sauce Dad threw on). By far the King of all the dinners (which isn't saying TOO much).

Here is what I took away from the experience. One, Cajun food should be a little spicy. Not angry 'OMG my mouths-a-burnin' ' spicy, but there needs to be a zip. Two, it is possible for one place to serve food that was WAY too heavily seasoned and insufficiently seasoned at the very same time. Three, don't trust Uncle S when he suggests a restaurant. To be fair I heard from other family members (Cousin J and her husband R for instance) that the food was decent (we didn't have any overlap in our ordering, so maybe they found the winners). Maybe we caught the place on an off night. It's possible. I just know that we were all so underwhelmed that we have no intention of going back (except maybe for the gumbo.... that was damned good). The biggest lesson learned? If Matt and I want to cure our hankering for some serious Creole we're going to have to get ourselves back to New Orleans. Who's down for a road trip?!?!

Bayou Cafe

http://www.bayoucafe.net/

32 W Main St.

Freehold, NJ 07728

(732) 845-1800