Extremely Busy!

Unfortunately, Steph and I have not gotten together in a while to resume our restaurant critiques :( College stuff has taken over my life and this month was no different (I admit it's me that keeps cancelling, but I have promised Steph next time I will be there!). So I started off the weekend thinking that we could get together for lunch on Sunday, however my mother involved me in the FASFA form and trying to fit a new couch into the basement which ultimately resulted in bringing it back to Costco. My Saturday was also full because I had a swim meet all day and went to NYC at night for dinner. So, needless to say, I had to tell Steph next time :/ However I am extremely excited for our next trip! Steph and I have talked about going to King of Prussia and the Cheesecake Factory as a whole day trip! Pure Bliss I know! Hopefully we will explore that next. So in college news I have finished my applications and have been accepted to three schools! Still waiting for my number one tho, I am praying it comes. My advice to all juniors, WRITE YOUR ESSAYS IN ADVANCE! It will save so much time, frustration, and unnecessary stress. Not mentioning that "senioritis" kicks in. Speaking of which I've got a lot of homework I need to finish. Readers remember! I promise next month to go out with Steph, enjoy food, laughs, and have another great time!

Cafe Pierrot

Between college applications, school work, and sports its been a crazy month! Steph and I finally got together a few weeks ago to spend some time over a good meal. We went to Cafe Pierrot in Sparta (one of my favorite places) for dinner. The atmosphere at CP, as I call it, is always friendly and charming. The cozy dining area gives enough space for intimate conversations, yet enough room to eat. Our waitor Jeff, a friend of mine at CP, seated us and brouhgt out the menus. Like usual, Steph and I ordered our iced teas and began scanning the menus. I had to decide between my two favorites: chicken ceasear salad wrap and the grilled shrimp sandwich. In the mean time I ordered a bowl of seafood bisque and Steph ordered a bowl of chili. I finally decided on the shrimp sandwich when suddenly the soup came out. It was creamy, thick, and warm- the perfect end to a long day. I had a bite of Stph's chili and it was dense and savory, mmmm. Next our courses came out, but I was so full from the soup I barely touched my meal. However, it was quite excellent and I had it wrapped for later. Steph had the chichken ceaser salad wrap ( one of my favs) and she said hers was also delicious. The total bill was around $30. So far the pricest meal yett, but it was worth it. Steph and I caught up while enjoying a great local meal. I reconmend CP for families, dates, or friends getting together. It's excellent food and friendly service (plus the desserts are FABULOUS!) So....if you ever need the scoop on whats good locally dont forget to read THE MENU :)

Millside Cafe

Its finally Friday! What a better way to relax then go out to eat with a friend. Today Steph and I went to the Millside Cafe in Lafayette for a lunch/dinner outing. The cafe itself is located amongst local antique shops near the Chocolate Goat. It is a stone building located right next to a stream. The inside of the cafe has a rustic feel. The floors are worn down hard wood, the chairs and tables are mixed colors of woods, local artists works are available for sale on the walls, and the service is great. Steph and I got a seat near the window overlooking the stream. It was beautiful! We were the only people eating today and it was nice to enjoy the calm atmosphere of the restaurant. Our waitress brought the specials to us (they were handwritten by the way, a great sign that it is a local gem). Steph and I both decided to get turkey BLT wraps and share a bowl of corn chowder, and of course we got our traditional iced teas :) The chowder was amazing, it was warm and was not too thick or overpowering. The wraps were quite good as well. I liked that the bacon was on the bottom layer and added a nice crunch to every bite. Chips, a macaroni salad, and a pickle accompanied the wraps and were just as delightful. The meal was delicious and very filling. Steph and I thought that we would get ice cream after, but after we finished we were too full. After the meal, we walked by the stream and threw pennies in, making a wish of course. Then we explored the Chocolate Goat and walked through the local park. The overall experience was great! The Millside Cafe is truly an undiscovered gem in sussex county. It has a variety of foods available to eat and even has seasonal ice creams and hot apple cider. This was an excellent choice for a healthy and comforting affordable meal. The location is also prime. Its proximity to antique shops allow for some light shopping after eating. The only negative aspect to the cafe is that it closes a bit early, around 5. I suggest calling ahead for their hours so that you don't show up if its closed. Steph, as always, is great company and we had a great time! This is a perfect restaurant to take a boyfriend/girlfriend out to or go with the family. Its atmosphere was truly soothing and peaceful, and the food was delicious. Untill next time, if you want the scoop on local places to eat just remeber to read THE MENU :)

The Pizza Place

On Saturday September 26th, my friend Steph and I began our first journey for The Menu. We have decided that it is important to support local resturants and also to spend time together before the end of senior year. Thus, The Menu was born! It was decided that minimun once a month we will visit a resturant and report the details to readers. We are alternating who picks the restaurants and for the first post I chose the Pizza Place. Located in Sparta, NJ, the Pizza Place is the perfect spot to dine in or grab a slice. Steph and I choose to sit down in their dining area and enjoy the full experience. The walls are ellaboratly decorated with silver suns and the table tops were collages from various foregin labels. As Steph and I took our seats, our waitor promptly gave us menus and we both ordered iced teas. We then scanned the menus and decided to first have a cup of chicken soup and then some pizza. We came up with the idea to have each slice cut in half so that we could taste more than one variety of pizza. I ordered a slice of Mexicana pizza and chicken marsala pizza, while Steph played it safe and went for two slices of pepperoni. As soon as the soup came, Steph and I grabbed our spoons and began to eat. Immedietly the soup warmed me up. It tasted amazing! The chunks of potatoes and shreaded chicken reminded me of my mom's homemade soup. After scraping the bowl, our pizzas arrived. We swapped slices and began with the Mexicana pizza. All the pizzas had thin crust and not a lot of cheese (my favorite). Taking a bite into the pizza, my mouth exploded with heat. It was spicey, but in a good way. It was something I was not expecting, but totally loved. Next we ate the chicken marsala. The sweetness contrasted the spiceyness of the Mexicana and calmed my mouth down a little bit. The marsala was overall enjoyable. Finally, the pepperoni. It was as good as traditional pizza gets, excpet it was a little oily. My favorite pizza was definately the Mexicana. The waitress ( who was very nice and checked on us just enough) gave us the check. A total of $20 was spent on an enjoyable evening. The atmosphere, the service, and the company all intermixed to produce a great nite out. I would recommend the Pizza Place for a casual dining night. Its food and service are great, and its not pricey. So remember, when in doubt, read THE MENU!