New Jersey

14
Jul
2021

Review: Charlie’s Crepes – Merchantville NJ

We discovered Charlie at the Collingswood Farmer’s Market where he serves up his crepes from a cart. After tasting them, we knew we needed to go try his shop. Since we started visiting him after the pandemic began, we’ve only done curbside takeout so far, but I definitely foresee us sitting in the cozy little outdoor seating area surrounded by his wife, Lisa’s flower gardens enjoying a meal in the near future. Why do we drive 30 minutes to get crepes when there are closer places we could go? Because they’re delicious, of course! He has a great variety of crepes (both savory and sweet) and constantly changing specials. My personal favorite is the smoked salmon. It’s made with brie cheese, pickled red onion and capers. We’ve tried quite a few others also and have yet to find one we didn’t like.
We’ll be back many more times to see what new creations Charlie comes up with. I’m sure they’ll all feature fresh and tasty ingredients.
Posted by Michael in Reviews
14
Jul
2021

Review: Thai Terrace – Washington Twp NJ

I will gladly admit that I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Thai food. I almost always order Pad Thai. That might seem boring, but I like the dish and it’s a good way to compare restaurants. Thai Terrace is one of the best I’ve had. The only complaint I have is that sometimes the spiciness is a little inconsistent. However, I’m willing to chalk that up to varying depending upon who’s cooking on a given day. They have four levels of spiciness. I usually go with #2, medium. It’s usually within my range of spice tolerance.

We also order typically a lot of appetizers. They have some really good ones. The pork dumplings are delicious. The chicken satay is incredibly tender. They also have one called Thai Shrimp Green Wrap that’s really unique and tasty. It consists of shrimp, peanuts, coconut, sweet chili sauce, lime, scallions, ginger and red onions in a lettuce wrap. It seems like a lot of ingredients but they all combine incredibly well.

We occasionally try new local Thai restaurants as we discover them, but we always seem to wind up back at Thai Terrace. The atmosphere in the restaurant is quiet and peaceful; the owners and their staff are really friendly and the food never disappoints.

Posted by Michael in Reviews
21
Mar
2021

South Jersey Christmas Lights Photos

I’ve finally gotten around to posting the few photos I have from this last Christmas. In a normal non-COVID year, we would spend Christmas week visiting with friends and family, cooking big meals at my house, meeting them at restaurants, going to Christmas shows, traveling to their houses, etc. Of course, thanks to the pandemic, none of that was in the cards. So, we did something we haven’t done in a long time. We researched some of the most wildly decorated homes in the area and drove around to look at them. From a small home in Hi-Nella to a compound in Hammonton, we found a high tech digital light display, an entire street that goes way overboard with lawn decor, and more. It was a fun way to spend a few socially distant evenings. There’s even a video! Take a look at the photos and video here.

Posted by Michael in Photography, Site Updates
20
Mar
2021

Review: The Avocado Mexican Grill – Runnemede NJ

I’m always on the lookout for good Mexican food and will happily drive a long distance to get the good stuff. When I noticed that a new Mexican place had opened close to home, I had to check it out right away. With the COVID pandemic limiting us to only getting takeout, close is a good thing. Their menu includes all of the standards, so we ordered a bunch of stuff to make our own sampler. Yeah, we’d have a lot leftover, but if it’s good, who cares!
When I say the standards, I mean tamales, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and few other items. Sure, they have a lot more than this on the menu, but if they can make these items well, they can probably win me over. Well, they certainly won me over and I have a new go-to place for Mexican food! ALL of the dishes that we ordered were some of the best I’ve had anywhere. I can’t wait to go back and pick up some of their steak dishes.
I look forward to the day when it’s safe to start eating out at restaurants again because Avocado Mexican Grill will be on my list of places to go. However, their great food and close proximity to home means I’ll be ordering curbside pickup many more times between now and then! Plus, despite only interacting with the staff on the phone and at the car window, they were incredibly friendly and helpful.
Posted by Michael in Reviews
26
Jan
2020

Review: Monarch Diner – Glassboro NJ

Monarch Diner is the latest restaurant opened by the former owners of Lamp Post Diner in Gloucester Township. Lamp Post was one of my long time favorite diners but it has gone down hill since it was sold. So, I’m thrilled to see the old owners back again with Monarch. The menu is even very much the same. It’s a bright and clean diner with friendly staff that serves up a ton of standard diner fare with some unique dishes thrown in for good measure. My personal favorite, a carryover from the glory days of Lamp Post, is the “mile-high meatloaf.” It consists of slices of meatloaf layered with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, onion straws and barbecue sauce. It’s so nice to again be able to get this dish made as it should be!


Of course, as any diner should, they do their baking on premises and serve breakfast all day. The only downside is that they’re not open 24 hours. Lamp Post isn’t either though, so this is not a surprise.


I anticipate that this diner will do great in my old college stomping ground of Glassboro and I’m glad it’s still not far too from home for me since I’ve already been back few times.

Posted by Michael in Reviews
26
Jan
2020

Review: Cinder Bar – Monroe Twp NJ

I’ve been to the original East Greenwich Township location of Cinder Bar numerous times but I’m thrilled to see that they now have a second location because I assume this means they are doing well and, selfishly, it’s closer to home for me. This new location has the same great menu as the original. My favorites are their small plates because they have quite a unique variety and I’m always a sucker for good appetizers/small plates. We typically just order a large selection of them and share. The hardest part is deciding which ones to get because you can only eat so much in one sitting yet they all sound so good. If I had to pick just one, I’d probably suggest the short rib poutine. 


I tend to go to both locations at lunchtime, so we get soft drinks, but the fact that they have 200 whiskeys plus four house made cellos certainly is impressive and a good motivation to go for dinner sometime.


They have a section of the restaurant that can be opened to the outdoors in warm weather months. When we were there on a slightly snowy January day, the windows/roof panels were obviously closed and we sat near the cozy fireplace as we ate off a table built of reclaimed lumber from the historic Philadelphia Broad Street Station. Good food, a cozy atmosphere and some local history… you can’t ask for much more than that!

Posted by Michael in Reviews
26
Jan
2020

Review: Gia Nina’s Pizza – Woodbury NJ

Gia Nina’s is one of many pizza place/Italian restaurants in South Jersey. What sets them apart is the fact that the Italian restaurant side of the house far from the typical pizza place restaurant. As a matter of fact, I’ve never tried their pizza, stromboli or sandwiches. I have, however, sat in their warmly decorated dining room and enjoyed delicious meals with family and friends on many occasions. They have all the standards… lasagna, stuffed shells, ravioli, etc. All that I’ve tried have been fantastic, especially the lasagna. They also have a nice selection of steaks and seafood.


Speaking of seafood, I need to mention the “crab spiders.” This appetizer, with its rather unique name, is one of the highlights of their menu. It’s a combination of crab meat and angel hair pasta fried up and served with sweet lemon curd. I know, it sounds like a strange combination and it is, but it works! It was recommended by the friend I was with the first time I went to Gia Nina’s and I’ve ordered it every time since. Once the crab spiders are gone, be sure to grab your spoon and eat the leftover lemon curd. It’s so good!


One day, maybe I’ll try their pizza, but in the meantime, it’ll remain my go-to Italian spot when I have out of town company or just need a place to take family or friends. The only complaint I have is that they’re closed on Sundays, but everyone needs a day to rest. I’d just rather they did it on Mondays.

Posted by Michael in Reviews
15
Sep
2019

Review: La Cita – Cherry Hill, NJ

I’ve driven past La Cita more times than I can count but have never looked into eating there. After finally deciding to check it out, I’m just sorry that I didn’t go years ago. It’s a very small place, so I highly recommend making a reservation. We did and when we walked in, they had a table ready and waiting for us. It’s nice to see a restaurant that honors it’s reservations and doesn’t just treat them like call-ahead seating requests.

After you sit down, they bring you some tortilla chips with beans on them and 2 thin salsas, one hotter than the other. This was my one disappointment since I don’t like beans. I would have preferred chips with the beans on the side. However, for free, I can’t complain too much.
We ordered a tamale and empanadas for an appetizer. The tamale had nice size chunks of pork in it. The empanadas aren’t on the menu, but were a special the night we were there. They were cheese filled with the lightest empanada dough I’ve ever had. I hope they’re on the specials menu again the next time I’m there!
For dinner, we shared 2 dishes. First was the “Fiesta Mexicana,” a combo of grilled skirt steak, a chile relleno, and floutas. Every bit of it was delicious. The steak, in particular, tasted like it had been grilled over an open fire. Second was a platter of enchiladas. We got them with the rojas sauce and tried one beef, one chicken and one cheese. They were all quite good, but the cheese is still my favorite as it usually is at any Mexican restaurant.
On their website, they advertise that they want you to feel like family. The friendliness of the staff and the authentic Mexican food that tastes home cooked manages to live up to this goal. This will definitely be our go-to local Mexican place from now on!

Posted by Michael in Reviews
19
Feb
2018

Review: Mr. Sushi – Cherry Hill NJ

When you think of an all-you-can-eat restaurant, you don’t always expect high quality food. However, Mr. Sushi serves exactly that. This isn’t a buffet. It’s a sit down restaurant that serves not only fresh, made to order sushi, but also a full menu of other Japanese food. When you are seated, you’re presented with 2 slips of paper. One is the sushi menu. It includes a nice assortment of sushi rolls, nigiri sushi, sushi burritos and bowls (I haven’t tried the latter yet.) and even 17 kinds of sashimi. We’re not talking premade sushi with no actual fish in it like you find at many Chinese or Japanese buffets. This is the real thing. The second menu is for other dishes including salads, appetizers, tempura, teriyaki, hibachi, noddles, rice and desserts. You simply mark off on the menu how many you want of each item and give it to the server. When the server brings your food, he/she gives you 2 new menu slips and the process starts all over again. Besides letting you eat as much as you want, it also gives you the chance to try new things and find out what you like or don’t like since you can get as little one piece of each menu item. They only ask that you don’t waste excessive amounts of food. It’s unfortunate they have to say this, but you know there are people who will take advantage of them no matter what.

All of the food was delicious. The 2 or 3 chefs at the sushi bar prepare everything to order and do a really good job of it too. All of the staff is friendly and attentive. If you want an all you can eat experience without having to throw an elbow or two in order get to food that’s been sitting on a buffet all evening, then I highly recommend this place.

Posted by Michael in Reviews
03
Sep
2017

Hot Air Balloon Festival Photos

Hot Air BalloonsWhile looking for someplace to go for a day trip, we stumbled upon a balloon festival in North Jersey. Since hot air balloons always make for great photos, I couldn’t pass it up. We bought tickets and headed to Readington Airport. Unfortunately, the day was pretty overcast and there were scattered showers throughout the day. Some of the traditional balloons were able to launch but all of the larger shaped balloons either inflated and stayed tethered or just didn’t inflate at all. As it turned out, the unexpected part that made the price of admission worth it was all of the companies that were there handing out samples of their products. It was a bizarrely eclectic mix of stuff. From Advil to Minute Rice to flavored milk and on and on, we had to make the long muddy walk to the car twice just to offload all of the stuff we’d been given! It was a fun day and we managed to stay mostly dry while watching the balloons that were brave enough to take off despite the questionable weather.

Check out the photos here.

Posted by Michael in Photography, Site Updates