Category Archives: review

Aztlan Mexican Grill – Outstanding Mexican with a Twist

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by in dinner, Ethnic, food, Hidden gem, restaurants, review, Uncategorized

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I love good Mexican food.  It’s something of a guilty pleasure – fried chips, cheese, mounds of meat, spicy sauces. Though after taking Mexican cooking classes with Shelley Wiseman at The Farm Cooking School, I’ve become very hard to please!

Aztlan raises the bar, serving up a huge variety of Mexican and Tex-mex dishes, both familiar and new. Chef/owner Edgar Castro, who was the chef at the popular Tortugas before buying the restaurant, has crafted a new menu. The dishes, heavily influenced by his youth in Mexico City, artfully melds dishes and flavors from all over Mexico as well as retaining many of the familiar Ameri-Mex that we’ve all come to know.

In fact, Aztlan has done something so special that they received a “very good” from the New York Times food reviewer. The Times is known for their tough reviews, so this is high praise! Based on our dining experiences at Aztlan, they’ve earned their accolades.

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Brian’s Reinvented

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by in BYOB, dinner, fine dining, Poorly Kept Secret, restaurants, review

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It’s not often that a restaurateur chooses to reinvent an already successful restaurant. But that’s exactly what Brian Held, chef-owner of Brian’s in Lambertville and NoLa in Stockton has done. The new (May 2016) Brian’s has melded the best of both restaurants into his eponymous restaurant in Lambertville creating a wonderful new and unique fine dining experience.

We applaud Brian’s thoughtful evolution. While Stockton is a charming town for NoLa, we feel like Lambertville is the right location for his flagship offering. With convenient parking and its central location, Brian’s is an easy destination for more diners. I know we’ll be coming more often!

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Brian’s – Why did we wait so long to go back?

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in BYOB, dinner, fine dining, Hidden gem, restaurants, review

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Have you ever felt like you’ve missed out on years of joy after “discovering” something that others have known about forever? Tonight, Evy and I kicked ourselves, because we’ve missed out on so many amazing meals at Brian’s in Lambertville, NJ.

That name probably sounds familiar because last week I wrote glowingly about Chef Brian Held’s new place, NoLa, in Stockton, NJ. After having such a great meal there, and spending some time with Brian himself, Evy and I decided we had to head over to Brian’s eponymous restaurant in Lambertville.

Before going, we checked out some other reviews of the place. In particular, this review in the New York Times caught my eye. When the first line of a review talks about setting out for Lambertville, in the rain, for a fondly remembered dish, you have to take notice. In this case, the dish was sweetbreads Milanese, something I normally would not eat. But tonight, I made an exception… Continue reading →

NoLa by Brian – Second Time’s a Charm!

02 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in BYOB, dinner, dog friendly, fine dining, Hidden gem, restaurants, review

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Evy and I recently had the pleasure of dining at the new NoLa by Brian, located at the corner of Bridge Street in Stockton, NJ. Many fondly remember this as the former home of Meil’s, one of the most popular weekend breakfast places in the region. And owner and executive chef, Brian Held, is successfully honoring this location by making it a dinner destination that has foodies all abuzz!

Before proceeding, I have to clarify the name: NoLa. Many of us thought that NoLa was the abbreviation for New Orleans, Louisiana. It is not. NoLa means: “North of Lambertville.” Simple.

There were a couple factors that drew me to NoLa. First, I had been meaning to get back to Brian’s restaurant in Lambertville for a long time. For the last couple of years, friends had been asking me “have you been to Brian’s recently? It’s fabulous!” So many people that I simply had to try it out. And then NoLa appeared, Brian’s second location. We gave them a few weeks to iron the kinks out (that every new restaurant has), then started to make plans.

But what really motivated us was when we learned that two of the chefs from our favorite (and now defunct) restaurant, The Pass, had joined NoLa. Given the world-class French fusion cuisine that The Pass served, we were excited to try NoLa. And we’re overjoyed that we did – the chefs at NoLa hit it out of the park!

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Siam Thai in Lambertville – a Hidden Gem Waiting to be Tried

12 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in dinner, Hidden gem, lunch, restaurants, review

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Chicken coconut soup to die for

When you think about Thai food, chances are good that Pad Thai (or Pud Thai or Phat Thai…) comes to mind. Or perhaps curry chicken. Tasty dishes, sure, but if that’s the extent of your Thai experience, you’re really missing out!

Siam Thai in Lambertville has been Evy’s and my benchmark for Thai food since we first tasted their rich, authentic flavors more than a decade ago. As Thai food lovers, wherever we travel, we seek out the best Thai restaurants, and few, if any, have measured up to our very own Siam in Lambertville.

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Hamilton’s Grill Room – A Gem Hidden Down a Little Alley in Lambertville

15 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in dinner, Hidden gem, restaurants, review

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Ask locals to name their favorite place to go for the best grilled meat and fish and the name you’ll hear most often is Hamilton’s.

Hamilton’s is truly a Hidden Gem. In fact, if you don’t have clear directions, you might never find it because it’s hidden at the end of driveway between buildings, on a back street in Lambertville. But keep looking, because it’s worth the trip. Find the Neon Sign for Finkles Hardware then look across the street and you’ll see the tiny sign for Hamilton’s attached to the red brick wall of the right building along the alley. To say their marketing is understated is an exaggeration!

Take the time to find this little alley and walk down to the end where you’ll be rewarded by a great meal prepared by a staff that clearly loves food as much as the owners, Jim and Melissa Hamilton.

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Stimulate Your Tastebuds with this Hidden Gem

08 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in BYOB, dinner, fine dining, Hidden gem, restaurants, review

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Tastebuds Restaurant in New Hope is a true hidden gem that even locals need to be reminded of periodically. It’s tucked away at the intersection of West Ferry street and Stockton Avenue, just one block from Bridge Street. You’ve probably driven by without noticing, so here’s what you’ll see as you come up Ferry Street.

Tastebuds, on the corner of W Ferry St. and Stockton Ave.

Tastebuds, on the corner of W Ferry St. and Stockton Ave.

Tastebuds is low key on the outside, but once you’ve dined there, you’ll wonder how you’ve missed it all these years because the food is perfectly prepared and truly delicious.

Owner John Barbacane has a simple philosophy, as stated on Tastebuds’ menu:

“Our goal is to serve the highest quality food. We are devoted to finding the finest ingredients. The menu focuses on seasonal produce, humanely raised meats, and wild seafood. We support sustainable agriculture and local farmers. Because we select only the freshest ingredients, our menu changes with the season”

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Hidden right in the heart of Lambertville – Dish at Lambertville House

01 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in dinner, dog friendly, food, Hidden gem, Monday, Poorly Kept Secret, restaurants, review

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Lambertville House Hotel has long been a favorite place to stay. Ultra-conveniently located right on Bridge Street in Lambertville, the Inn has received numerous accolades including the prestigious AAA Four-diamond award. Their streetside-patio is a great place to grab a drink and dine on a summer night. Inside, you’ll find their classic bar, replete with comfy seating and decor that takes you bake to a time when things seemed more relaxed.

Evy struts by Lambertville House during the Parade. Are we having fun yet?

Evy struts by Lambertville House during the Parade. Are we having fun yet?

While Lambertville House is well known, the source of their food hasn’t received the attention it deserves. Their collaboration with Dish Catering and owner Michele Pulaski was true genius. Pulaski has been bringing outstanding catering to our area with her company, Dish Catering, since 2002. Everybody who has had the good fortune of dining with Dish knows that Pulaski delivers delicious food of outstanding quality.

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Tasting the Good Life at Zoubi

19 Friday Jun 2015

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Menu1
We had the good fortune of participating in the first of Zoubi’s new offerings, planned to be held monthly – the Chef’s Tasting Menu with Drink Pairings. All told, an extravagant meal experience consisting of, I think, 12 different food items.

(In case you don’t read the entire post, keep an eye on Zoubi’s Facebook page to learn when the next Tasting will be.)

We learned afterwards while talking with Elizabeth Bordner (Liz), the General Manager of Zoubi, she and Chef Justin McClain worked together to create the dinner. She chose the drinks for each course while McClain crafted courses to complement the drink. As it turned out, every food item we were served mated perfectly with the paired drink.

The night started with an explanation of what lay ahead with a little history of the vineyards and vintners. As we progressed through the meal, they described each drink, it’s characteristics and why it was chosen.

On to the food!

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Pudge Cakes – A Polished and Delicious Gem

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Desserts, Hidden gem, review

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When you walk north on Main Street in New Hope past the funky little stores and restaurants, you’ll come upon a little bakery …. In a town that is known for art, Elisa Fusco of Pudge Cakes carries on this great tradition. But instead of working with oil on canvas, the artist, Fusco, uses a palette of buttercreams and ganache on her canvases made of flour, sugar and butter. Words simply cannot do justice to her work, so let’s take a look at a few of her delicious baked goods.

A Still Life

A Still Life

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