Hon Sushi, Lawrenceville

Sushi makes me happy. It's colorful, refreshing, delicious, and pretty darn good for you. Authentic Japenese and Korean dishes also make me happy... they are full of flavor and ingredients that I seldom use at home... enter Hon Sushi in Lawrenceville. It's crowded into a strip mall with a bunch of chain joints, so it's kind of easy to miss. The decor at this place is gorgeous.... really elegant and modern with semi private tables for larger parties or smaller, dark wood tables set up for twosomes. They have only been open for about 8 months, but it is quickly becoming a favorite of ours (and we've already brought tons of people there!)

Ever since my first visit I have been starting my meal with their sunomono, a mixed seafood salad served with cucumber in a ponzu sauce. They happen to make this dish amazingly well.... their dressing is the right amount of tangy and citrusy without overpowering the fish. Octopus, giant red clam, crab, and shrimp were present on this particular visit, but the ingredients are always changing slightly, to whatever is fresh and plentiful at the time. I have had squid and salmon make appearances in this dish as well. Crunch from cucumber plus tart from the dressing plus sweet delicious seafood = one hell of an appetizer.

Matt orders the Ishi Yaki Bibimbop, which is a veggie, rice, and meat all assembled together kind of dish. While he has ordered it before at different places, this is by far the most impressive, most delicious and most beautiful version I have ever seen (or tasted). Look at that picture! It's a (burning) hot stone bowl filled up with a whole cooked egg, mushrooms, sprouts, carrots, pork, rice, cucumbers, herbs and spices topped with a delicious spicy sauce and mixed table side. PLUS it comes with about 5 small plates of assorted accoutrements.... on this occasion I recognized kimchi, sesame tofu and some sort of marinated green beans, plus two bonus dishes that I was not familiar with but were also absurdly tasty (not to mention perfectly paired with the Bibimbop). This is the kind of dish that makes me almost forget what I am there for.... ALMOST. And then I remember the rolls.

There is one roll that people fall in love with the moment they try it. To date, JS is the biggest fan (he has admitted to wasting entire days thinking about the next time he will be able to get to Hon Sushi for this roll), but no one has ever been dissapointed. This is the volcano roll. I know, the place that you go to probably has something by the same name, but I assure you they are NOT the same. Not even close. This is a california roll topped with jumbo lump crab meat and avocado then drizzled with spicy sauce and layered with octopus. It is then wrapped in foil and lit on fire for 2-4 minutes (at your table). It warms through the entire roll (which is surprisingly nice) but it gives a very unique and smokey feel too the octopus and makes the crab simply dance in your mouth. The avocado gets soft and creamy, the spicy sauce thins out a bit... it's amazing. Really special. I reccomend this to anyone... hell, even Matt tried a bite! The scent of gently cooked meat takes over the table... literally makes the mouth water.

All of the rolls at Hon Suhsi are impressive. Colorful and tastefully arranged, I have had several of the specialty house rolls. If I had to complain about anything, I would say it seems that spicy sauce makes an appearance in the majority of their offerings, which is silly. The fish is very fresh and can stand on its own (or paired with other fish or veggies that will compliment it). Sauce drowns flavor. Other than that, though, this place is all aces for me.

All in all, if you are craving some serious sushi or would like to try a traditional Korean or Japanese dish, you should check out Hon Sushi. It's a pleasurable experience from the decor to the service, and of course, the food is wonderful

Hon Sushi

3349 Brunswick Pike
Lawrenceville- 08648

609 269 5795

The Pop Shop, Collingswood

Is there anything more comforting and smile inducing than a grilled cheese sandwich? I submit that there is not. Which is why when I first heard about The Pop Shop (which SPECIALIZES IN GRILLED CHEEEEEEESE!) from my friend SB, and THEN heard about it on tv a week later(Bobby Flay threw down with them on cheesey, bready goodness) and then heard about it from J and M shortly after THAT I knew I had to get there.... sooner rather than later! The place is pretty cute, done up 50's diner style. The best part of The Pop Shop, though (Besides the menu of course) is the location. Collingswood is adorable... a fantastic down town area with restaurants and shops and little boutiques... SO adorable. Now that I have seen the area I have vowed to go back and eat at every cute little place we saw. But I digress...

Matt and I met J and M for a delightful dinner grilled sammiches, fries, and shakes. The Pop Shop has over 20 different kinds of grilled cheeses... all with different bread, cheese, protein, and veggie combos. I opted for the Linden, which is described as chopped Angus beef, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and American cheese on a Philadelphia style pretzel. It was basically a cheesteak, on a soft twisty doughy salted pretzel, and it was amazing. Oh, the other awesome thing about this place? They have a whole menu of different kinds of fries! I KNOW. What CAN'T this place do? I went with classic fries, but only because it was my first time there. Next visit, all bets are off. I topped the whole thing off with a black and white milkshake (so thick, so creamy, perfect amount of sweetness to battle my salty dinner). How they didn't have to roll me out of the place is beyond me.

Matt ordered the Stokes, which is basically known as 'A Happy Waitress' anywhere else (aka bacon, tomato, and cheese). Served on perfectly golden, crunchy, thick country bread this was the perfect, classic sandwich. Yum. He ordered his with a side of the Louisiana fries, which are basically the regular ones just coated in a spicy cajun seasoning. Not too strong on the spices, but still gave 'em a nice kick. He also ordered a tomato soup for us to share. SO adorable, its served with goldfish crackers. The soup itself was amazing... thick and creamy, smooth and tomato-y and perfect for (you guessed it) sandwich dunking.

J and M had been there before (luckies) and knew almost immediately what they wanted. It seems that J always goes for the grilled cheese called East Zane. It's creamy, delicious melty brie cheese topped with perfectly grilled asparagus and pesto on a fresh baguette. Can you blame her for always getting it? HELLO it sounds delicious. M was torn between his love of grilled cheese and the desire to try something new and different.... new and different won out. He went with the Cuban, a sandwich homage to the mixes served in Cuba and Florida. Piled high with roast pork, ham, swiss cheese and pickles, this was really good. Nice and salty, a smidge smokey, a nice mustardy bite, all good. M also introduced us to the most intruiging dish of the whole evening.... the spicy french fries. Holy cow. Perfectly crispy fries tossed along with deep fried, super thin slices of jalapeno and onion. AMAZING. Paired with cold zesty ketchup? Forget it. Flavor explosion. I think back on these fries fondly.... and with my chin covered in drool.

Seriously, there is nothing else for me to tell you except GO THERE. Hell, Food Network gave it props as being the best grilled cheese and pitted the Super-Ginger himself against their team of sandwich making experts. Get there. Stroll around the adorable downtown area afterwards to burn off the billion calories you just ingested, then go back for a shake. I'm not joking. Go.... now. I'll wait here for you to report back.

The Pop Shop

http://www.thepopshopusa.com/

729 Haddon Ave

Collingswood- 08108

La Cipollina, Freehold

Well, it was bound to happen.... the combining of families. Matt and I met up with my folks and his parents for dinner in downtown Freehold (which is pretty central for all of us). It's so flippin cute in that area... so many adorable restaurants and stores and just a nice, small town, down home feeling. We chose La Cipollina because A) it's been around forever, and B) they seemed to have a menu where we knew everyone would like something. Weird fact about La Cipollina... while you can order a la carte their menu is set up to only really offer a prixe fix option... you can do 3 courses for $35, 4 courses for $45, all the way up to 7 courses. (BTW for the prices of the prixe fix it's almost silly to order a la carte.... so none of us did)

La Cipollina seems strangely formal when you walk in... the staff wear tuxedos (so odd), and the lighting is dim, but it really isn't a fancy shmancy place (for example the table next to us? Both sweatshirts and an infant were present, so how formal could it be?) Anyway, all six of us opted for the 3 course choice, and while you are free to choose any combo of starter, salad, entree, and dessert we all decided to do starter, salad, entree. I'll relay the memorable things here for you.

For my starter I went with the smoked salmon with wasabi and creme fraiche. While I was expecting a slice or two of fish what came out was way different. It was a smoked salmon SALAD (probably should have been noted on the menu, but whatevs) held together with creme fraiche in lieu of mayo. It was delicious, and I was glad to have it, but still, quite the surprise. I enjoyed this both on it's own and schmeared on the crusty table bread.

Matt started with the gnocchi in parmesan, sage and brown butter. I thought this was fantastic... nutty, toasty, and warm it was the perfect food for a chilly night. He thought it was a bit bland, but I disagree. I found the gnocchi perfectly cooked, soft and not at all gummy, and I found the downright earthiness of the ingredients to be perfectly balanced.

Matt's dad and my mom ordered the mozzarella, prosciutto, red pepper and mushroom combo, served on grilled Italian bread and drizzled with organic honey. Almost everything on the plate was delicious, but the homemade mozzarella was SO salty... it took over the whole dish. I love a good home made cheese, and while the texture was perfectly creamy and the color was a gorgeous glistening white, the salt was just too much. The prosciutto added enough to the dish and the cheese was just overkill. Sad... it would have been the perfect combo of fresh, sweet, bitter and salt if it was just cut back a smidge.

The salads were ok. Nothing special. The caeser was caesery, the beet and goat cheese one that I had could have used a lot more beet and a lot more goat cheese. Not notable.

For dinner Matt had the chicken in a basil white wine sauce. It was topped with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes. Matt says it was good and while I remember enjoying the bite I had to be honest it's a little forgettable to me. I can't really recall now what I thought of it. Oh well.

Dad had possibly the best dish that came out, the pork braciole over polenta. First things first, I LOVE polenta. I fell in love with it in Italy and ever since I have been completely enamored with everything about it... the texture and consistancy, its chameleon like nature of absorbing any flaor, it's feel and color... all of it. This was no exception, the polenta was a pleasure. The pork was tender and soft and stuffed with spicy sausage, onion and eggplant, all smothered in an almost sweet tomato sauce. It was a real treat. Perfectly cooked, intricate but not pretentious, and just really good.

I ordered the veal with artichokes, mushrooms, and pine nuts in a white wine sauce. I liked my dish a lot. Don't let the picture fool you... the sauce was not at all as thick and gloppy as it looks (although why it photographed that way is beyond me). It was pretty light and certainly tasty, with an almost citrusy hint of flavor. The pine nuts added some great crunch, the mushrooms and veal were earthy and warm and the artichokes were bright and delicious. It was a really good meal!

All in all La Cipollina has it's quirks, but was a really good time. It's byob (which I love, of course) has a pretty extensive menu, and offers a lot of food for a reasonable price... 3 courses for $35 bucks is ok by me, any time. The neighborhood is so much fun too.. in the Summer keep an eye out for live music and block parties. Give it a try, I think you'll find the value really impressive and the food a pleasure.

La Cipollina

http://www.lacipollina.com/

16 A West Main St

Freehold- 07728

732 308- 3830

El Sham, Hamilton

Nothing says spring is here like Mediterranean food, at least in my eyes. I don't know why it conjures up images of the outdoors and sunshine, but it just does. We've recently begun seeing the first glimpses of warmth and the changing of the seasons, so my craving for authentic, delicious Middle Eastern food has been amped up. Luckily I live about 15 minutes from El Sham, a relatively new place that Matt and I have been hearing about.

If you order a combo platter you get 2 (omg!) appetizers, a salad, rice and your actual meal. This is NO JOKE, but what it IS is entirely too much delicious food at once. The salad was great, served with a delicious, nutty tahini dressing (that I couldn't stop raving about). Crunchy, earthy, cold and crisp. For my two appetizers I chose the hummus and the baba ghanouj. I was a bit surprised when full size appetizer platters came out to me (I figured since it was part of the combo it'd be an itty bitty scoop of each, but El Sham is not messing around!) The hummus was smooth and creamy, just the right amount of nuttiness contrasting with a bit of tart. The baba ghanouj was a real treat.... you could tell it was home made. A bit chunkier than most places care to serve it I was really able to enjoy the eggplant. Big pieces of herbs gave it a super fresh taste. I added this to my salad, my pita bread, saved some to mix in with my meal... hell, I ate some with my finger. It was really good. Matt's app choices were the yogurt, mint, and cucumber salad (also known in some circles as tzatziki) which was a bit thin, but tasty nontheless and a (full sized!) fattoush salad. It was crazy flavorful.... citrusy and bright with lemony dressing and topped with fried pita chunks for serious crunch and texture.

Somehow (a miracle, I assure you) we had room left for our meals. I ordered the El Sham protein platter, which is a large plate covered in all of my faves; lamb kabob, chicken kabob, and kafta kabob. Each of the meats were cooked perfectly... I don't think I even picked my knife up once. The seasonings on each (but especially the kafta) were so warm and welcoming... they offered a sense of the familiar with a twist of the exotic. I was happy that the meal was served with Syrian rice and the spicy long pepper... I was able to spice up the meat with a big bite of pepper and then cool down with the herby rice.

Matt went with the lamb shawarma platter.... the thin slices were absolutely delightful. The usual problem with this dish is that the meat is cooked for so long and cut so thin, and if it's not cut properly it gets dry and chewy.... so very much not the case here. The spices used give the dish an almost sweet flavor... I think it's the cardamom (or maybe there's nutmeg in it?) It had the same deal... rice and the pepper... this combo was even better with the shawarma, since the sweetness of the meat really brought out the bite of the pepper. It was topped off with a drizzle of tahini. Delicious.

We thought we were full.... hell, we KNEW we were full... that is until the owner (really nice guy) brought us over one of his homemade desserts. It was called basbusa, I'd never heard of it, never seen it, but what I now know is that it is amazing. It has the consistency of corn bread, but tasted like honey and almonds. When I declared this to him (thinking I figured out the ingredients) he pretty much laughed at me. The trick is all in the prep... basbusa has basically just a few easy ingredients.... semolina, butter, milk and sugar. It was simply to die for.

I strongly reccomend El Sham to anyone in the area. The owner and all of the staff were a pleasure to interact with, the space is small, but clean and tidy, and the food is great. I can't wait to go back and try a few more things... I think I may hear their falafel and grape leaves calling me.

El Sham

http://www.elshamrestaurant.com/

1641 South Olden Dr

Hamilton-

609 931 0513

Bombay Gardens, East Brunswick

Despite popular belief, I didn't just wake up one morning loving Indian food. I was exposed to an Indian restaurant in my home town at a young age, and it is still the best I've ever been to, hands down. While not much to look at appearance wise, I can assure you that you will feel welcomed and cared for the moment you walk in. Bombay Gardens offers a large variety of both North and South Indian fare, with over 160 dishes. This where I got my 'sea legs', and, years later, where I first introduced Matt to the cuisine.

While it's not meant to be an appetizer, I have somehow fallen into the habit of ordering the paper masala dosai as one. Obviously not to eat by myself... that would be downright insane. They dosai is easily the length of the table, and stuffed with potato, onion, peas, herbs and spices. While it typically comes with just two condiments (a brown veggie gravy and an almost sweet coconut chutney) I also always ask for the 'green and red'... the corriander (I think) chutney and the onions. The dosais outside crepe is super thin and extra crispy... think massive potato chip. Now stuff that giant potato chip with some delicious mashed up potato (not creamy, not too chunky... perfect compromise of each), soft onions and sweet peas and you have a dosai. In my eyes it's the perfect food. I honestly cannot think of a time when I have been to Bombay Gardens for dinner and NOT ordered it..... it has to be years now. It's a little spicy (especially with the addition of the sauces), downright crunchy, warm, and tasty.

On this particular visit we ordered the chicken makhni and the lamb rogan josh. The chicken was perfect... the sauce was a thick, gorgeous red and the meat itself fell apart on our forks. There was a very distinct, creamy tomato flavor that held some serious heat (not enough to keep me from eating it, but enough to announce it's presence). I sopped up a ton of this sauce with delicious bread, while Matt chose to stir it into his rice.... it's that good.... even when the chicken is gone you need to find a way to continue eating the amazing gravy thats left in the bowl. Too good. The same went for the lamb rogan josh.... the sauce was the shining star that accompanied the expertly cooked meat. There is nothing worse than over cooked lamb... it gets chewy and stringy and just bad. Luckily, this is not even remotely an issue at Bombay. Their lamb is so soft that you don't need a knife to cut it... just apply the slightest pressure from your fork. The lamb has been marinated in a yogurt sauce, and its juuuicy. The different spices in the sauce (cardamom, cloves, cumin plus several more) give it a distinctly authentic taste. The sauce is so thick it's almost like a stew, but it's in no way heavy, and it still somehow allows the flavor of the meat to shine through. I am addicted to these dishes. More please!

While I have been coming here for years (in fact, in high school, ieatdc's husband J and I had a standing monthly date here) please do not mistake my praise for nostalgia.... it has nothing to do with it. The food is just THAT good. Dad likes to say that it still surprises him how this restaurant can actually get better and better as time goes on, and he's right. The service is amazing and friendly and every dish is superb (from the samosas to the lassi, you need to try it all). We've recently discovered the mutton pepper fry (a mutton dish where the super thick onion based sauce is topped with thinly sliced, super hot peppers).. it's not to be missed. If you love Indian food I assure you that you will thank me when you try Bombay Gardens.

Bombay Gardens

http://www.bombaygardens.com/

1020 Route 18 N

East Brunswick- 08816

732 613 9001