Max Brenner

                                                           Tourist trap. 
This place is overcrowded just about every night of the weekend. The hostesses were frazzled as there were probably about 100 people waiting to be seated. They have a terrible seating system. They attempt to shout out your party's name over the loud crowd of 100 people waiting around the podium. It's pretty much impossible to hear the names they call but if you miss their call you must wait another half hour. In total we waited 3 hours to be seated. Max Brenner has a diverse menu but they are known for their desserts so we went in for them solely.

S'more Sundae 

Peanut Butter Sundae

The sundaes were incredibly sweet. They came in large portions so it would be best to share it with someone else. 

White Chocolate Crepe

The crepe was meh.

Max Brenner

Bianca

Bianca is one of those adorable restaurants. The ones you gush to your friends about and it's cheap and in Soho. Win win. I passed the restaurant on my way to work and knew I needed to try it asap. Bianca doesn't take reservations so if you go there anytime after 7 pm the wait is at least an hour. Fortunately, there is a bar and a cafe right next door to wait. The host came and got us at the cafe after waiting there for about an hour. Bianca's menu is Sicilian and they have a fairly small menu which is great. Bianca's has a very intimate atmosphere and is great for date night. The restaurant is lit only by candle light and seating is very tight. As I mentioned before the prices are very reasonable our bill came to about $60 for the three of us and we had wine.

The Spaghetti 

The spaghetti was truly terrible. The dish lacked any real flavor not to mention that the noodles were under cooked and they were fused together in the center.

Mussels with Garlic

I can't comment on the mussels. I cannot stand the taste of certain shell fishes but I did end up trying one and as expected I didn't enjoy it. The taste was too salty.

Lasagna 

My friend who had the lasagna was in love with her dish. I guess I just choose the wrong entree. I would go back to Bianca's to try another dish and see how their desserts are since we had dessert somewhere else that night.

                                                                     Bianca

Fornos of Spain Restaurant

I have been going to eat at Spain's Restaurant since I was little. I love their food! The location is very convenient, right near Newark Penn Station, and the restaurant has their own  private parking lot. Spain's is fairly upscale in terms of service and atmosphere but it is acceptable to come wearing anything from jeans to a suit. I would come here for lunch or an early dinner when it's not too crowded. The menu mainly consists of sea food and traditional Portuguese dishes.

The Paella

The paella was very good but the rice was dry and could use lemon juice or sauce of some sort. The dish would be perfect with more scallops and lobster as well.

The Lobster

Lobster in Clam Sauce

The lobster was delicious. For $30 you get a pot of 5 or 6 whole lobsters with a creamy clam sauce and a full plate of yellow rice. I died.

Tartufo

The tartufo was not the best I've ever had but still very good. For the price I was satisfied.



                                                          Fornos of Spain

The Cheesecake Factory

I have been to the Cheesecake Factory many times for birthdays and graduations but every time I went I was never impressed by the quality of the meals. I wrote off the cheesecake factory as another Applebees or Fridays. One of those cheap chain restaurants with mediocre food.

Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken 

The Cheesecake Factory I go to is attached to the Willowbrook mall. After a long day of shopping I resorted to the Cheesecake Factory due to it's convenient location. It was a Saturday night so the wait was 45 minutes. Unfortunately there is no seating in the wait area besides the bar which was packed. We stood around looking at the variety of cheesecakes behind the display case. After the long wait, I ordered the Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken. My entire opinion of the Cheesecake factory changed when I took my first bite. This dish is the definition of comfort food. The chicken is covered in a delicious lemon marinade that makes the dish truly savory. The chicken is flavorful and juicy. The carrots are nicely seasoned and cooked to perfection. One bite of the mash potatoes and I died. 

Turkey Burger

I was told that the grilled turkey burger was delicious as well.

Chicken Madeira

  The Chicken Madeira was amazing. The chicken dishes must be their specialty. 

For dessert I ordered the vanilla bean cheesecake. It was frozen in the center and lacked flavor. I have never enjoyed the cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. It's like a Crumbs cupcake situation where the cake looks good but underwhelms in the taste department. 

                                                      Cheesecake Factory

Trader Joe's Sea Salt Brownies

I did not notice "sea salt" in the title before taking a bite so when I tasted the saltiness it definitely took me aback but in a good way.

 I love the combination of the sea salt and the chocolate. I'm usually not a fan of fudgey brownies but these are surprisingly delicious. I hate overly sweet deserts and these are perfect. You don't feel guilty after eating them. Deserts from Trader Joe's are always a good decision!

Sushi Lounge

Sushi Lounge has 3 locations in north Jersey; Totowa, Morristown and Hoboken. I've passed the one in Morristown for years and never thought of stopping in until recently. I went on New Years eve but not before reading tons of mixed reviews about the place.

Optimistic Roll

Nabeyaki Udon Stew

There was some sort of New years celebration in Morristown that night and the streets were packed with people and blaring music. Parking in Morristown is usually non-existent but thankfully there is a parking garage next to the restaurant that had free parking for the holidays. The restaurant is a small space with very dim lighting. The tables are placed right on top of each other so much that you can hear the conversations of everyone around you. For instance, I know that the table next to us was on their first date. The lady is in still in school and wants to be a doctor while the guy refused to go to his sisters graduation. The date went well in my opinion. Though I don't know how they could hear each other over the loud house music.

Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll

Mango Strawberry Cheesecake

The menu has a lot of variety not just sushi. The crab cakes were really delicious and the highlight of the meal. The spicy tuna crunch roll was also excellent and a must have if your going to dine at Sushi Lounge. The Nabeyaki Udon Stew was lacking flavor and the veggies that come as a side are really bland. The optimistic roll had zero flavor. Really, completely bland. For dessert we shared the mango strawberry cheesecake. This dessert was only okay. 

Crab Cakes


 I would come back to Sushi Lounge but not during a major holiday and I'd skip dessert.

                                                             Sushi Lounge