The "From My Seat" hospitality blog returns - for at least one post per month. Pete & Elda's (96 Woodland Avenue\Route 35, Neptune City, 732-774-6010, www.peteandeldas.com) is a mainstay "down the shore," and the Monday, January 9 trip was the Sears family's first visit to the landmark eatery. Coincidentally, however, about eight years ago I was assigned a feature article about the restaurant, but the write up was canceled when the publication I was writing for shut down. Anyway, thank you to the very congenial Nihal Brancatella, who was a superb server during a very busy dinner rush. Having heard many times about the quality of the pizzas at Pete & Elda's, I encouraged the two female Searses in that direction. The photo below is of the small, well done plain pie ($11.75). It was super. But then there's this: a small, well done calamari pizza with scampi sauce ($14.75). Nihal highly recommended this pie, and we (thankfully) listened to her recommendation. It must be noted (and seen here, obviously) that the calamari was very substantial in size and amount. I was grateful the pie sat right in front of me, the whiff of the seafood and scampi sauce steadily drifting upward into my nostrils. Pete & Elda's, which offers a full menu including entrees and sandwiches, is easily accessible from anywhere on the northern part of the Jersey shore. The trip is well worth it, in any season.
Steve
0 Comments
Sometimes work schedules hinder plans to celebrate special days, and in the Sears household, this has often applied. For a majority of my career as a computer operator, I worked weekends, which forced me, my wife Lucille, and our daughter Stefanie to enjoy both Mother's and Father's Days on a Monday. Due to my daughter's work schedule, this year was no different. We did give Lucille some gifts and got takeout food for May 8th, but on May 9th, it was time to honor Lucille's request to find an eatery "overlooking the water." And we did, visiting for the first time Brielle, New Jersey's The Pig & Parrot Sandbar (201 Union Lane, 732-528-7750, www.thepigandparrot.com). Conveniently located off of Route 35, dining was available both indoors and out, and available as well was a view of the Manasquan River and the nature that calls it home. (*Note" There is also a Pig & Parrot location at 77 Hudson Street in Hoboken). Lisa Berko was our Mother's Day celebration server, and she was - in menu knowledge, patience, and friendliness - up to the task. She was an excellent server. First on our list to devour was a garlic shrimp appetizer, sauteed with garlic, tomato, and basil in a white wine sauce, served with garlic bread (below, $16.00). Starting our meal with this and the view had us mumbling, "Okay, entrees, we're waiting for you - eagerly!" Lucille and Stefanie both selected from the "Rice Bowls" portion of the menu, Lucille opting for the Bang Bang shrimp and Stefanie the steak ($18.00 and $19.00 respectively). As is the Sears family norm, we shared our delicious food. As for my side of the table, I chose the (seared) Sandbar tuna, served over spinach, lump crab meat, roasted peppers, and asparagus, topped with a balsamic glaze and served with a side of mashed potatoes ($26.00). I promised myself to eat slow, and let the entree last longer. Needless to say, that promise didn't work, but I did savor it - a key point.
The Pig & Parrot Sandbar was a wonderful experience, one that we're looking forward to again...and again. Steve I have a saying when it comes to eateries: "Gems are found in strip malls." The location of Bayville, New Jersey's Buon Appetito (745 Route 9, 732-269-4005, www,buonappetitobayville.com) might not be a true strip mall, but I'll allow it to apply here. Owner and head chef, Alfredo Leonor, worked for the prior ownership for over five years, and when the time came to pass the torch, he was ready to buy the business and make it his own. Wife Agueda Ibarra is side-by-side with him at Buon Appetito, they a perfect complement to each other in hospitality. Our visit was, in a way, a second birthday celebration for my wife, Lucille. We were heading back home from Cape May, exited the GSP to fill our car with gas and satisfy our tummies with food. We chose the right spot. Consider the kind appetizer that our hosts offered to us, called Bolli Knots (3 for $2.50, 6 for $5.50). If not opting for traditional Italian eatery apps like fried calamari, mozzarella sticks, or, yes, even garlic knots, these are a wonderful alternative. My choice for food before resuming our lengthy journey was a 7" homemade tuna sub with American cheese and mayo ($7.95), which - no matter the eatery - is what I often order. The sandwich was perfect. Lucille and Stefanie respectively ordered The Godfather (bottom left), which is made with crispy chicken smothered in creamy vodka sauce and fresh mozzarella, and the Calabrese, prepared with grilled chicken, broccoli rabe, and fresh mozzarella with a sundried tomato spread (bottom right). Both are $9.95, and are "sandwiched" between fresh, made-in-house Buon Appetito focaccia bread slices, and are served with fries. A comment here about friendliness, which is what Alfredo, Agueda, and their staff are all about. Food quality is indeed important at any restaurant, but so is service. At Buon Appetito, there is a handshake between both the before-mentioned, and it makes a visit all the more worthwhile and memorable.
Thank you, Buon Appetito! Steve The Sears family loves off-seasons down the shore, and perhaps there is no better September to May spot than Cape May, New Jersey. Myself, daughter Stefanie, and my wife, Lucille, headed to the "Nation's Oldest Seashore Resort" the third week in November 2021 to celebrate my wife's birthday. The key question: where to dine out and celebrate? We chose North Cape May's Roman's Pizza House (3718 Bayshore Road, 609-600-3312, www.romanspizzahouse.com). Located in the Town Bank section, the eatery is just a few minutes drive from the Delaware Bay, and just 10 minutes from historic Cape May City. Our server was Emily, who along with her husband, Zorro, are the gracious owners of Roman's Pizza House. The service was extremely cordial, the food excellent. Consider my selection, a Philly cheesesteak with melted American cheese and French fries ($8.99). This was so good, I was considering ordering a second one. Lucille for her birthday dinner chose an eggplant parmigiana entree with fettuccine pasta with a side salad (see below, $15.99). This was prepared with Roman's own special pasta sauce. Stefanie's choice was a Town Bank chicken sandwich of grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach, and provolone cheese, topped with spicy chipotle sauce ($8.99). The perfect end to the evening was the special delivery to our table of a slice of New York style cheesecake, courtesy of Emily and Zorro, for Lucille's birthday. Great food and nice people perhaps equal many return visits, and Roman's Pizza House may soon see our family again (hint: my birthday is later this month, and another Cape May trip is being planned).
Steve In New Jersey, where it seems diners are around every bend or can be spotted every highway mile, it's always nice to find an unfamiliar one that really hits the spot. Ramsey's Majestic Diner (1045 Route 17 South, 201-962-8750, www.eatmajestic.com) is such a pace. It's not one of the biggest diners we've visited, but it may be one of the best. Lili was our server on the rainy Friday we visited, and she was extremely friendly - and so were the Majestic Diner prices. Consider my below-pictured Taylor ham, scrambled egg, and cheese sandwich on roll ($5.00). This sandwich was loaded and fantastic. My wife opted for a platter of two eggs turned over lightly with home fries and ham and wheat toast ($7.25). A great breakfast. And yes, we shared. The Majestic Diner is a pretty comfortable dining experience, and is right off of Route 17 South with plenty of on-site parking. Partner that with great food and service, and visiting may become a regular habit.
Steve Sometimes birthday celebrations at specific eateries are best not planned, but instead last minute choices. Therefore, my daughter Stefanie's location was chosen as we drove Routes 3 and 46 West, eventually landing us at Rockaway Mall and Buffalo Wings Wings (343 Mount Hope Avenue, 973-361-9464). The Sears family is not a fan of sports bars, and the TVs were "alive" this night, as Monday Night Football and the NBA basketball playoffs were on. We did, however, avoid the bar area and sat on the dining room side of the establishment, therefore somewhat lessening exposure to the broadcasts. It should be noted that when you're in good company (my wife and daughter, in this case), you can focus on discussion instead of the elements. Also, our server Anthony was very cordial throughout our visit, patiently answering our questions about the menu and joining in our conversations occasionally. The Rockaway location is located just minutes from Routes 46 and 80. My food selection for the evening was an All American Double Burger with French fries ($12.99). The "double burger" thing swayed me,. And, yes, as usual, I opted to have it minus lettuce and tomato. Maybe someday I'll leave the healthier stuff in play (nifty sports bar word usage, yes?) when I order any type of burger. Regardless, this was very tasty and, unfortunately, due to photo size, I'm devoid of a visual for this post. Below you'll see my wife Lucille's Buffalo Mac & Cheese ($11.99). An appetizer, she selected this as her entree. The Cheddar-Jack cheese made this a different type of this popular offering, and that's what made it good. Finally, the birthday girl chose a wrap, and Buffalo Wild Wings has a few good available menu choices. The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wrap ($11.49) also comes with Cheddar-Jack cheese, and house-made tortilla chips. Buffalo Wild Wings was a very nice option, and Anthony was a very nice server.
Would we visit again? Absolutely! Steve Thank you Wily, Jimmy, and Christian . The above trio were present when the Sears three visited Bella Napoli Pizzeria & Ristorante Italiano (1816 Route 35 North, Sayreville, New Jersey, 732-532-6068\9) during a recent Monday evening when we visited the northern shore area. According to Wily, Bella Napoli has been open for about 8 months, and it is certain to be (if it isn't already) a welcome addition to the Middlesex County dining scene. Well decorated and with seating for about 15, friendliness abounds here, as does great pizza. On Monday and Tuesday, a large plain pie is $9.95 (plus tax), and we enjoyed ours indoors (there is also outdoor seating). Wily made a great pizza, and Christian was an excellent counter person. Also, Jimmy would occasionally exit the busy kitchen and, along with the former-mentioned, check in and make sure all was okay. Indeed it was. They certainly made us feel at home, and the rest of the menu lists Italian meals and sandwiches which are no doubt a favorite of many. It should be noted, too, the Bella Napoli is easily accessible from the Garden State Parkway.
If in the area, recommended is a visit to this tiny but wonderful eatery. Steve Finally open for indoor dining - wonderful! The third Ah Pizz New Jersey location is in Wayne (334 Route 46, 973-812-9200, www.ahpizz.com) and is top notch in food and service. We visited on a recent Friday and all was extremely cordial and professional from entry to departure. Thank you to Corinne, a new server for the Ah Pizz family, who was very knowledgeable of the menu. And prior to providing the details of this visit, please know that the Sears family has as of this writing made three follow up visits (two takeout and one dine in) and each time has loved the food and ever-present friendliness in the Ah Pizz team. Take a look at my selection, a 12" Neopolitan Salsiccia pizza of crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, and crumbled wood-fired Italian sausage ($16.00). Superb! Lucille chose an old favorite, an eggplant parmigiana sandwich with light sauce (right, $8.00), and Stefanie chose the Lauren-Marie sandwich of oven-roasted turkey breast, fontina cheese, pancetta, and avocado spread (left, $9.00) Not an avocado fan, I declined my daughter's offer to share, but did allow her a generous slice of my pizza. Of course, Lucille and I gladly passed pizza slice and eggplant sandwich cross table. After all, we've been sharing food since 1984. Corinne and the rest of the Ah Pizz of Wayne team, thank you! We will (as you of course know) return again.
Steve A return to the "From My Seat" blog with a post about a popular local eatery. Thank you, Mike, our great server, and Chili's Bar & Grill (1165 Route 46 East, Little Falls, 973-785-0005, www.chilis.com) for a great dining experience. I had previously met Mike one evening when picking up a to-go order for our family, and his friendliness during this second meeting mirrored the first. Chili's offers a super "3 for $10" option, where you can order a non-alcoholic beverage, appetizer, and an entree. This option was introduced to me two years ago, and the Sears family since then has many times taken advantage of it. Of course, when the service quality matches that of the food, the experience is all the more better. Lucille and I both started with Baked Potato Soup, which was the right combination of everything in a bowl. My wife had hers minus the scallions, and that's another good point to mention: Chili's makes sure your order is how you want and request it. Yes, this should be standard at all eateries, but still it's important to mention. As for entrees, Lucille had the Cajun Chicken Pasta with light sauce, and I opted for the Just Bacon Burger with fries but without he bacon. Both were delicious (as always), and that deliciousness is pictured below. Both options were (and are) extremely cost and "size of meal" satisfying, and my wife and I continued the practice of sharing our food, something we've been doing since we started dining out together in 1984.
When you visit Chili's Bar & Grill in Little Falls, the service is excellent; we've not yet encountered less, so whoever tends to your table and group will define courtesy in action. Thank you, Chili's Bar & Grill, and thank you, Mike. It was wonderful to see you again. Steve In New Jersey, you can always find a pizzeria - somewhere. It is for many the go-to type of restaurant when you need a quick meal or even a nice dining out experience. Thank you, Brittany and Attilio Ristorante - Pizzeria (145 Monmouth Road\Route 36, Suite #7, West Long Branch, 732-542-7377\732-542-1242. www.attiliopizzarestaurant.com) for providing both. After a long day of enjoying nature at nearby Sandy Hook National Recreation Area, we trekked for a while before finding you folks. I believe every wonderful dining experience starts with how you are greeted, and Brittany greeted us enthusiastically. We opted to sit in the back dining area of Attilio's, which also has a few booths in front opposite the pizza kitchen. While it was difficult to pick something from the menu, the Sears 3 did opt for sandwiches, and I started with a cheese steak with a side of French fries ($9.75). The latter I shared with Lucille and Stefanie, and both "needed" to sink their teeth into my selection. Can you blame them? Take a peek below. Lucille selected a cold sub of ham, cheese, salami and capicola minus onions, but topped with lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar (left below, $6.75), and Stef an Italian Delight wrap of prosciutto and salami with fresh mozzarella cheese, wrapped with roasted peppers and arugula, lightly drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette (left, $9.75).
Brittany and Attilio Ristorante - Pizzeria, thank you. And don't be surprised if you see the Sears family enter your front doors again soon!
Steve |
AuthorAppetizers, hospitality, small plates - the best in dining! Archives
January 2023
Categories |