Every once in a while I have a dining experience that leaves me at a loss for words. On this rare occasion, I try my best to just put my head down and churn out a review to the best of my abilities. A recent visit to the newly opened Zhang’s Grille in Holmdel (formerly…
Tag: Noodles
Where Are All the Filipino Restaurants?
Crispy, crunchy, salty, sweet, savory, deep-fried. Those are just a few words I would use to describe Filipino food, and they are all sensations that Americans love in what they eat. If you live in New Jersey, chances are you have at least two or three Chinese places within ten minutes of your house and…
Restaurant Review: Ichiban 18 (East Brunswick, NJ)
We stopped at Ichiban for some late night drinks and snacks with friends a couple of weeks ago. It was the first time I had been in the place since it was Shogun years earlier. It looked exactly the same. The sushi bar and tables in the front, a circular bar, and hibachi grills in…
Travel Guide PA: Saigon Cafe (Lancaster)
My first experience with Vietnamese food was a success, and in the least likely of all places. Amidst the rolling hills of Amish farmland lies the cute, little Saigon Cafe. It reminded me of a Chinese place back home, Shanghai Bun, which is an authentic, no-frills eatery. There is not much decor to speak of,…
Restaurant Review: Penang (Edison, NJ)
It started with a cup of hot lemon tea. It was sweet, and served with a lime wedge. I was not expecting the sweetness, but it lent itself in a pleasing way. Asian cooking is all about contrasts. Different flavors, different textures, different feelings in your mouth. This simple tea opened up my palate to…
Restaurant Review: Toki (Red Bank, NJ)
Japanese and sushi places are getting to be a dime a dozen, but I would be inclined to expect more when said restaurant is located in Red Bank. Housed in what used to be the old Broadway Grill, Toki managed to exceed my expectations. Right off the bat, I was struck with the attentive service. I…
Travel Guide CT: Sunberry Cafe (Hartford)
Our first stop in a four-day excursion to Connecticut was a real winner. Just outside our hotel was a charming little brick side street. Literally, in order were the following: a liquor store, Thai restaurant, cigar shop, Korean BBQ, psychic readings, and Irish pub. All the comforts of home. Not able to decide, Will and…
Restaurant Review: Flavours of Manila (East Brunswick, NJ)
I consider myself an experienced eater of Filipino food. Will is half Filipino himself and has eaten this type of cuisine his entire life. So for both of us to look at each other while at Flavours of Manila in East Brunswick and say this may be the best of such food we’ve ever had, that…
Restaurant Review: Crown Palace (Middletown, NJ)
Singapore Mei Fun I have written about several restaurants on this blog which are stuck in time yet still hold on to their charm and enhance the dining experience. Crown Palace does not qualify as one of those places. It is not dirty, or even ugly, but you walk in and the atmosphere just screams…
Restaurant Review: Blood and All Kinds of Good Stuff at Phil-Am (Colonia, NJ)
I have but one question following every meal at Phil-Am in Colonia: do Filipinos have high cholesterol? It’s just a pondering; a thought that crept into my mind after yet another pork-heavy meal at an authentic Filipino restaurant, the first being Fiesta Grill in Jersey City (where I went a few weeks prior to my first…
Restaurant Review: Shanghai Bun (Matawan, NJ)
Shanghai Bun has two menus. There’s the one for wimpy Americans with the typical assortment of lo mein, fried rice, and egg rolls. Then there is the one with the authentic Chinese food, featuring dishes with pork intestine, shredded beef stomach, and jelly fish. There’s actually plenty of “normal” meals on the authentic one as well,…
