Onda, New York City

I know, I know... this blog is eNJoy, emphasis on the NJ, but come on. It would be wrong of me to ignore our neighbor to the North, especially when it's so close by and full of so much delicious food. That being said, welcome to our first ever 'On The Road' edition of eNJoy. The Sister and her boyfriend HF were in the city for the weekend so Matt and I decided to join them for some NY eats. We left The Sister in charge of picking the restaurant and after 'hours of research' she decided on Onda, a hip Spanish joint in the Seaport. It was a bit hard to find, but upon arrival the place was dimly lit and decorated with lots of funky, colorful glass. All of the light fixtures were made out of wacky old bottles or wine glasses and every table was covered in a different patterned fabric. Way modern... it would have been intimidating if the staff hadn't greeted us so happily upon our entering.

We decided to order a slew of starters to share, so that we could all try a little bit of everything. First out were the two ceviches we ordered. The first was the wild striped bass ceviche, which was ridiculously fresh and bright tasting. There was the cold, clean taste of the bass acompanied by a tangy passionfruit sorbet, some spicy red onion slices and a crazy citrus sauce. This was unlike any ceviche I have ever had. The fish was so mild and the sorbert was so cold and the sauce was so tangy... every bite was loaded with an array of flavors and textures. The other ceviche was called a mixto, and it was completely different. This one had shrimp, clams and crab and had a roasted tomato sauce, a heaping dollop of guacamole, and two large plantain chips (called tostones). The sauce was a little salty and a lot flavorful... it had a bright tomato taste that went really well with the seafood and guac. I hope that none of you are imagining a tomato sauce like on pasta... this was a super thin sauce... almost like a broth... no...even more like a consomme. The shellfish had a little bit of bite and was really delicious. The tostones were super crunchy and had the whole sweet and salty thing happening. These were perfect for scooping up the chunky guacamole (which wasn't exactly fabulous with the fish but was very fabulous on its own).

The next dish was a beet and apple salad, and this was meh. It was absolutely nothing special. There were both yellow and red beets, but they were completely undercooked... in fact I thought they may have been raw. They were too crunchy....I shouldn't feel like I'm working when eating a salad. The dressing was boring... the apples were fine. The only delicious thing on the plate were the candied nuts, and there weren't enough of them to save the dish. We all agreed that it was a throw away dish. Oh well... ya win some ya lose some.

Now, HF comes from Texas, so the guy knows his barbeque. That being said, we had to order the pork ribs, ya know, to see how they stood up. They were covered in a sweet and spicy sauce... it seemed to have a ton of honey and black pepper in it. The meat was incredibly tender and slid off of the bone with very little resistance. There was just the right amount of fat so that the ribs were crazy juicy and flavorful but not greasy or gristly. I liked these a lot. I wanted to scoop all of the excess sauce off of the plate and apply it to something (or everything) else. Or drink it... with a straw. Mmmm sauce. (Oh and for the record HF approved of the ribs. Score one for the North)

In addition to our pork ribs, we couldn't resist the call of the pork belly dish. Out came five cubes of tender pork belly surrounding a ball of fried idiazabal cheese. The pork was delicious, and I was a bit mad because there just simply wasn't enough of it. Whatever it was glazed with provided a sweet and savory taste that went really well with the other components. The cheese was crunchy and herbacious on the outside and creamy and mild on the inside. The tomato was cold and fresh and when you got a bite of everything together it was really spectacular. I wish it was bigger... it took a lot for me not to pull the plate up close and yell 'MINE' at everyone else at the table.

Our last appetizer was a chicken empenada. This was unlike any empanada I have ever had, both in lookand taste. A mushroom cap shaped pastry came out and it took us all a minute before we realized that this was indeed what we ordered. It was eerily shiny and looked like it would be sweet, but what greeted our taste buds was not at all what we expected. The chicken was ground and had an almost Indian food like flavor profile. The texture was strange but not unpleasant. The pineapple salsa on the side was fantastic... sweet and tropical tasting with a touch of heat and a bite of pepper. I doubt I would order this dish again, but I am not unhappy that we got it.

We were more than halfway full at the end of all the apps, so it seems that we had made the right decision when we only ordered two entrees for the table. The first was a roasted chicken (never my first choice but, hey, majority rules) with a pickled onion relish. The chicken was good, as far as roasted chicken goes. Nice crispy skin, tender on the inside.... I just find the taste of roasted chicken meat boring. The Sister, Matt and HF all really liked it though, and since I am no expert, I'll take their opinion at face value. What made this dish delicious to me, though, was the super tangy pickled onion relish. Loaded with jalapenos, cilantro and onion which were all well doused in a vinegary mixture, this was spicy and sour and tart all at once. It provided a crazy flavor contrast to the mild chicken, and when you got the briney relish, the crunhcy skin and the bird meat all in one mouthful it was awesome.

Our final dish made the whole night for me. It was Churrasco, a delicious grilled skirt steak served over pickled tomato and fresh asparagus. The best part of any Churrasco is, of course, the chimichurri sauce, and this was no exception. Chimchurri is an olive oil based sauce composed of parsley, oregano, chili, and lemon zest. It is crazy fresh tasting, all herbs and freshness. Ya take this sauce and put it on perfectly grilled, medium rare meat (confirmed by our resident Texan HF) and you get a savory and outdoorsy flavor that is unlike any other. The piece of meat was gorgeous, too, and really big. Each of us got several thick slices and there was still some left to pick at. Very good, very meaty, very perfect.

I am oh so glad that The Sister chose to spend the better part of an afternoon looking through restaurant reviews before finally settling on Onda. The atmosphere was terrific, the service was really friendly but not over bearing, and the food was delicious, unique and beautiful. Obviously I was surrounded by wonderful company (which canhelp any meal along) but the cuisine really was a pleasure. So next time you decide to head out of our gorgeous garden state for an evening, I suggest you take a ride to Onda and order up a fancy ceviche. You'll be sooooo glad you did.

Onda

http://www.ondanyc.com/

229 Front Street

New York, NY 10038

212 513 0770

Evelyn's, New Brunswick

If you have vegetarian friends, like Matt and I do, you should definitely find your closest Lebanese restaurant. It is so easy to find filling and delicious choices that everyone can agree on. Don't get me wrong... there is plenty of meat to be had (Matt and I took part in some of the carnivorous options on this particular outing), but there is more than enough to please any veggie loving friend you may have.

I discovered Evelyn's back when I was in high school, and have enjoyed going there ever since. It's located in the busiest section of New Brunswick, and since there is a full bar and reasonably priced food, there is always a bevy of hip young folks abound. The inside is a bit small, but there is a beautiful outdoor area (with a whole seperate bar! woo! Two bars mean faster drinks!) Obviously it's a seasonal perk, but still, it doubles the seating space.

Matt and I were meeting SD for a sort of informal night of drinks and eats, so we started off with something to tide us over until he showed. We decided on the meat pie, as we knew we'd be eating mostly veggies as soon as he arrived. It was interesting.... the dough was very thick and puffy, not at all delicate or crusty like I expected (I was expecting something Spanakopita-esque). The meat was good, but I wish it was a liiiiittle more seasoned.... due to the sheer amount of dough the meat was a bit lost, and I think a little extra flavor would have been helpful.

SD arrived and we decided to order several appetizers to start off the meal. We went with the homus, the baba ghanoug, and the fallafel to start. The homus was delicious, with a really great texture and a light, summery taste. Garlic and citrus combined with the earthy tahini and chickpea to make for a very well balanced dip. As for the baba ghanoug I will say this. Evelyn's makes the BEST baba ghanoug I have EVER had. I don't know how they do it, but they get it sooo smooth and creamy, and there is definetley a smokiness to it. The eggplant taste and the tart, citrusy bite from the lemon combine to make a really special spread. It is like no other baba ghanoug I have ever had before.... the texture is unrivaled and the taste is one of a kind. LOVE it. The fallafel was decent. A bit too much crunch for me, but definitely full of flavor and all of the nutiness that comes along with chickpea. It came atop a big tahini dressed salad, which provided some nice color to our table, and a welcome bite and freshness when combined with the fallafel or dips (oh yeah.... we mixed 'em all up... fancy, eh?)

Next up we ordered the artichoke salad, which was composed of mixed greens, olives, tomato, cucumber and, of course, artichoke. The dressing on this was really refreshing... super tart and a little spicy. There was definitely some mustard in the dressing, and it made for a really great tang... with the cool, mouth filling tatse that artichokes have it was a really nice contrast. The salad was big, too. The three of us shared it and still had some left over.

SD said that he was full, but Matt and I needed to get a meat fix, so we ordered a platter of lamb and chicken shish. A super loaded plate came out to the table, covered in the lamb and chicken cubes as well as rice, some more homus and a few tomatoes and onions. The meats were tender and super flavorful. Lebanese food is so bright and fresh tasting, it's like a little taste of summer anytime you have it. This was no different. The grilled meats were so reminiscent of outdoors and sunshine that I couldn't help but smile. Whatever they were marinated and then rubbed in was citrusy and fragrant, with a hint of garlic. Matt declared the rice to be 'perfect'... he thought it was fluffy and well seasoned. His favroite way to enjoy this dish was with the meat, some rice, some homus and a bit of tomato in each bite.

At this point we had been sitting and eating and drinking for about three hours, so we figured 'let's just make a whole night of it'. After a few more drinks I had digested enough of the glorious meal to make room for my favorite of all the Lebanese desserts...baklava. Oh baby... Evelyn's really makes it well. Layers of super thin, crisp and buttery dough sandwiched with chopped nuts and drizzled with sweet, sticky honey. Oh boy. Two fat little pieces came out to us, and were promptly gobbled up. The honey was tacky on the crispy dough, and when the whole thing was in my mouth it made a nutty paste of deliciousness. Perfect end to the meal, and the evening.

Evelyn's is a great place for a quick bite, or a lavish night of eating and drinking. During the day they have sandwiches available (try the gyro, it's delish) if you're on the run, or you can pull up a chair and make it a more formal event. At night there is a bit of a bar scene, but it isn't rowdy and it's always inviting. The food is great, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the price is right. Give it a shot!

Evelyn's

45 Easton Ave

New Brunswick, 08901

732 246 8792

http://www.evelynsrestaurant.com/

Aroma Royal Thai Cuisine, Franklin Park

Thai food... the fun and unique marriage of spicy, sweet, salty and bitter. When it's good, it's realllly good, and when it's not, it's still kind of good. Lucky for me cousin J and Dad had BOTH been telling me about Aroma Royal, and I have now seen the light. This is hands down some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. Somewhat elegant, but completely delicious, it is not to be missed.

Over my last few visits there I have enjoyed several of their dishes (I have tried not to re-order any one thing so that I may provide you with a variety). This is a highlight of my favorites so far (and I will be sure to update as I re-visit... I don't want any of you to miss a bite!) I am also including a 'steer clear' dish or two so that you don't waste your time ordering sub par eats.

The first thing I ever ordered at Aroma Royal was the chili garlic fried rice. Wow. You get to add your choice of protein (shrimp, beef or chicken). I went with chicken, and it provided a nice, calm contrast to the serious flavor in the rest of the dish. It was spicy and garlicky, and so so SO fragrant. There was something that was providing an unexpected (but really delightful) toasty crunch. Upon some inspection it seemed that there were some fried up garlic and onion pieces. A totally welcome addition, these provided some serious textural contrast and warm rich flavor. I thought this was awesome.

Next up on my greatest hits list here was the Tom Yum King soup. A shrimp based broth filled with so much flavor it almost makes you dizzy. Lemongrass gives it that tart bite, earthiness from all of the mushrooms, the shrimp broth and three huge shrimp give it a sweetness, and there is a good amount of heat (so don't ask for it 'spicy' like i did the first time... OY! FIREEEEEE! 'medium' is hot enough and if you have a delicate palate you'll still get a huge wallop of flavor when ordering 'mild'). My Dad truly believes that Tom Yum soup is the cure to whatever ailments you may have. The spice cleans out your sinuses and warms up your guts, wakes up your brain and fills you up. It's the Thai twist on medicinal food... consider it the new Jewish chicken noodle! Super tasty and a really generous portion.

One of my 'don't bother' dishes would have to be the Aroma beef salad. The beef was a bit chewey and the dressing was a bit off. There is lime juice and mint atop this dish and the combo just wasn't working for me...it almost tasted bile-y. I know. Ew. It was also super heavy handed with the onion, which took it to a bitter and angry place. If you're in the mood for salad get the simple Thai salad... its clean, fresh and delicious, with a sweet and salty peanut dressing and strips of crisped up tofu. Skip the beef salad. Seriously.

The emerald Pan Dan leaves are a real treat. The presentation is lovely... they look like little presents wrapped up and piled on a plate. Basically what it is is succulent chicken and spices wrapped up in the Pan Dan leaves and then thrown into the frier. The leaves get crunchy but the chicken on the inside just gets jucier and jucier. When they bring it to the table they will remind you that THE LEAVES ARE NOT FOR EATING! (Yes I tried it despite the warning... not tasty) You unwrap your little package and a perfect little piece of chicken plops down on to your plate, ready to be dipped into the sweet and spicy sauce that comes on the side. The chicken gets crazy tender... falls apart on your fork, and literally explodes juices of happiness into your mouth. Yum. ohhhh yum!

The Lard Nar is my next 'eh' dish, but it may be my fault. They give you the option to order crisped egg noodles or flat rice noodles and I went the crisp route. While the mixture of vegetables and shrimp that the dish came with were lovely, the noodles were really inconsistent. Somewere super crunchy, almost to the point of being inedible, but some were soggy and not at all crisp. I feel that if I had gone the flat noodle route I would have had a better over all experience, but I won't find out as I turned myself off to the whole concept.

Last but oh so certainly not least is the Pad See Ew. This is the best dish that I have had at Aroma Royal, and I cannot live without it now. A very respectable portion of stir fried flat noodles, topped with a protein of your choice (I've now had it with shrimp and beef) and what the menu calls Chines broccoli, but what I call leafy greens (not sure if it's spinach or what). The greens are a little bitter, the sauce is a little sweet, theres garlic and those crunchy onion bits that I mentioned before, and some heat and some salt and its just soooo good. The green onion really makes each bite pop and the noodles are artfully cooked and give you a serious mouthful of happy. If you have to order ONE thing at Aroma Royal Thai Cuisine, this should be the dish. It is the true epitome of Thai cuisine, the delightful merge of all taste sensations and a true culinary experience. Get this. You'll be glad you did.

Once again, this place is really easy to miss (seems like a trend with my reviews, eh?) It's stuck in a strip mall on a major road, but don't let that fool you. The food is awesome, the service is attentive (overly so at times!) and it's actually really nice inside. Lots of artwork and deep colors provide a really great ambiance. Also, there are specials! Every day for lunch all rice or noodle dishes (even the Pad See Ew) are half price! Every Wednesday ladies eat half price. Every Thursday students eat half price. You can't beat these deals with a stick!

Aroma Royal Thai Cuisine

3175-3 Route 27 South

Franklin Park - 08823

732-422-9300