Diet Time!!!

It has been a lot of fun dining out....but there has been a downside...having just gotten off the scale I did gain a few pounds....I am not willing to say exactly how many...but enough to realize it is time to go on a little diet....always hate it when my pants start to feel a little snug....so it is kind of bitter sweet that this is my last entry. Best wishes to everyone.

Karen's Cozy Kitchen

This is by far the best eatery in town...because pictured here is my wife, Karen, making
an Amish Friendship Bread at our home.....but sorry, dinner is by invitation only. Next to dining out, she loves to entertain and cook. It is nothing for her to whip up a meal for two or twenty...and other than broccoli (which I do not like) everything is always outstanding....dare I say otherwise????? I guess it is partly in the "genes" because her parents owned their own deli in Chester, Pa....called Leon's. Her mom was a great baker....best known for her chocolate brownies. Can you believe that while I was in High School, I delivered food for her dad....yep, they had delivery back then too!!!
Karen's Cozy Kitchen gets an "A+++++".

Adelphia

Located directly across from the Deptford Mall, you will find the Adelphia Restaurant.
While a bit ostentatious in its decor, you will enjoy all their holiday decorations. It is a very festive and busy place...especially as they have lots of rooms for banquets and parties....something always seems to be going on. If you plan on going, while not required, it is helpful to make a reservation. For dinner this evening, I ordered one of their specials...for $17.95 I had a four course meal...starting with tomato soup, which was very good, a salad, a bit on the sparse side, a regular cut of prime rib, very tasty, served with a baked potato and asparagus. And for dessert, a modest serving of rice pudding...which was OK...nothing to write home about. But I did see some other desserts pass by....like a huge serving of chocolate cake, cheese cake, and carrot cake....they looked absolutely delicious....but of course they were ala cart desserts that did not come with the dinner special. There is an AMC movie theater right next door....so maybe next time I'll have dinner at home, then see a movie, and then go to Adelphia's just for dessert. Adelphia's gets a "B".

Rt. 130 Diner

The name says its location...in Delran at 5001 Route 130. For lunch today I had the crispy chicken salad special for $6.95 which included a cup of soup as well as jello or pudding for dessert. I started with their creamy broccoli cheese soup. While it was tasty, its consistency was more like paste, rather than being creamy...so that detracted from fully enjoying it. The chicken salad was very good and very plentiful. I ended up taking half of it home and finished it off for my dinner. For dessert I had rice pudding....no whipped cream...and I must say the pudding was very tasty...I really shouldn't of eaten the dessert and taken it home, but rice pudding is a favorite of mine.
Service was excellent and the decor was up-to-date. I give this diner a solid B.

The Pop Shop

If you are looking for a fun place to dine, especially if you have young kids, head to the Pop Shop on Haddon Avenue in the center of Collingswood. This is a 50's style ice cream parlor. Children can eat there free on Saturday mornings if they are in their PJ's and accompanied by a paying adult. I have been there several times and love their chocolate chip pancakes, which I did order. I can never finish what they serve, so this time I ordered the kid size for $3.59, and still could not finish it. Check out the size of the portion. While the pancakes were tasty, I was just a tad disappointed as this time they did not have as many chocolate chips as in the past. My dining partner ordered a black and white shake and gave it an A. It would have been an A+ if they would have served it in the metal mixing container...so you get the little extra at the bottom....that always makes it more fun!! He also ordered a BLT sandwich (for $6.59) and he said it was delicious. It was a triple decker, with loads of crispy bacon...and the bread was thick...not your typical grocery store style bread. And if you are a fan of grilled cheese sandwiches, then definitely this is the place to go....they have approx 30 varieties to select from. I once had the "Park." It was a grilled cheese sandwich on a Philadelphia soft pretzel...very yummy!!!! I give the Pop Shop an "A".

Wegman's

Yes, you are right, Wegman's is a supermarket....which is so huge that you could almost spend the entire day there...and not miss a meal because they also have something similar to a food court....it is like being a kid in a candy store with so much to choose from. You can order pizza by the slice....you can go to the coffee bar...dessert bar...salad bar...soup bar...Chinese food bar...and much much more. My selection was from the Chinese food bar....while it looks like a buffet it is not all you can eat....they charge you $7.49/pound. After they ring you up, you walk to the upper level (or take the elevator) for seating that overlooks the supermarket...it is quite an interesting place. I do give them an "A" for selection, but the quality was just so-so!
Items were not very hot, and trying to cut the bar-b-que pork with a plastic knife was a challenge. So overall, Wegman's gets a "C." Just a footnote...someone once brought us an "ultimate chocolate cake" from Wegman's for dessert....it was "to die for!!!"

Main Street Pub

Our visit to the Main Street Pub (at the Plaza at Kresson and Evesham Roads in Voorhees) got off to a bit of a rocky start when they seated us in a booth that had just been cleaned and the seats were still wet. Then they moved us to another table and the seat cushion was ripped and the table was rocky....which was very annoying. I attempted to slip a folded napkin under the leg to settle the table.
Anyway, once that got taken care of, I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. It cost $4.50 and it was 50 cents more for tomato and $1.00 more for bacon. I went for it all on whole wheat toast...the sandwich was good. It also came with curly fries....they were OK. We could have also used a bit more light...the darkened atmosphere I think is fine for night dining, but for lunch, I prefer it to be brighter and cheerier. My dining partner had chicken strips, which he said were good. We also had a $5.00 discount coupon so the total bill for two came to $9.96. The Main Street Pub gets a B-.

Kaminski's

Kaminski's Bar and Grill is located on Brace Road in Cherry Hill....they fashion themselves as a sports bar. You will notice that the outside has gotten a face lift as it was purchased by Adelphi's (of Deptford) not to long ago. I was really in the mood for a bowl of clam chowder, but that was not one of their offerings this evening. I did settle for the house salad and i ordered the coconut shrimp appetizer as my entree. The appetizer was $9.95 and came with seven large shrimps...which was more than enough for me. My wife ordered the caribbean salad which was $10.95. It was huge and she took half of it home. Overall, Kaminski's gets a "B".

Westampton Diner

From the outside this diner is not much to look at and kind of the same on the inside as well....I was even reluctant to stop here. They are located on route 541 in Westampton as you are going toward Mt. Holly. For lunch I ordered the chicken salad platter for $6.50 and was very pleased...they served a large scoop of chicken salad and it came with more fruit than I could finish. For ambiance they get a "D" but for the platter, they get a "B." I guess you just never should judge a book by its cover.

Wedgewood Farms

Wedgewood Farms is a family restaurant located on route 541 (Burlington-Mt. Holly Road)
in Burlington Township. For lunch I had the salad and sandwich combo for $4.99. Instead of salad, you could also select the soup. The salad was OK, and the sandwich was fair...the bacon in my BLT was very chewy....I like my bacon crisp and crunchy. There is no ambiance...the restaurant is a bit outdated in its decor and the bathrooms need a complete makeover. I was about to give them a "C" until I saw a small spider crawling across my table...that sent them plunging to a "D+".

Mastoris

Usually when we travel to Hoboken or NYC, we try to stop at Mastoris Diner on the way home, if it is dinner time...they are located in Bordentown just off of exit 7 on the turnpike at the intersection of route 130 and 206. This is the "mother" of all diners. Generally there is a crowd waiting, but because it is a huge place, the wait goes quickly. They also make you wait in their bakery section, so you get even hungrier. I think what they are widely know for, besides their huge portions, is the cheese/cinnamon bread that they serve, instead of the customary dinner rolls. Be careful, you will be tempted to fill up on these, and have no room for your meal. I suggest trying not to eat the bread at all, take it home, pop a slice into the microwave for 10-15 seconds, and then indulge yourself. For a diner, Mastoris gets an "A+".

Oniel's

It was my son's 31st birthday, so we traveled to Hoboken to take him and his friend to brunch. Pictured here is the birthday boy (Justin) and his special friend (Jennifer...who flew in from Maine). My son selected a charming, small and quiet tavern styled restaurant....located at 343 Park Avenue. Perfect for me because I hate crowded and noisy places. All the selections were under $10. I had French Toast, my wife had the Cajun Chicken Sandwich, Justin had Eggs Benedict, and Jennifer had the Foccacia Club.
Everyone was very pleased with their meal. What I thought was the best, though, was their coffee. I am a Dunkin Donut fan when it comes to coffee...but this restaurant, while overall it gets a "B," its coffee was "A+". A cup of coffee though was $3.00...but the refills were free.

Potbelly Sandwich Works

Located on Route 38 (outside of the Moorestown Mall) Potbelly's provides oven roasted sandwiches made to order. It is much like an upgraded Quizno's, if you are familiar with that chain. At the Potbelly, you can get a nice sandwich for $4.50 with your choice of Italian or Wheat rolls. With a soft drink and tax, my total bill for a roast beef sandwich was $6.62. They do offer soup which is $2.99 for a cup...they usually have two or three selections. I would have gone for soup if they had a special/combo, but they did not. The sandwich menu offers about 12 selections plus 4 salad selections as well. It is cafeteria style...no one comes to your table to take your order. What was unique about our visit today was that they had a musician playing a guitar singing some country songs. The featured performer was Gregg Parker....perhaps you may have heard of him??? Potbelly's gets a "B".

TGI Friday's

Familiar to many is TGI Friday's. We were greeted enthusiastically by the hostess who pointed out all the "new and exciting" additions to their menu....indeed there were many things to choose from....I did have a hard time making my mind up. What caught my eye today was their endless lunch special. For $6.99 you get a soft drink, bread sticks, soup, and salad....what was special was that you get free refills of everything....that is why they call it the endless lunch!!!! The soup I chose was broccoli cheddar cheese....which was perfect for dipping the bread sticks into. The soup was delicious and I was tempted to have a second bowl, but I think the bread filled me up. The salad was nice, but there was nothing really "special" about it, except you could have as much of it as you wanted. The bread sticks were served first, and then it seemed like a long time until the rest of the meal came out. Overall, I give Friday's a "B".

Pietro's

For coal oven pizza, I recommend Pietro's. I think they may have started as a pizzeria, but they are a full service restaurant serving appetizers, salads, soups, and pasta entrees....and this location (next to Olga's diner at the Marlton circle) also serves alcoholic beverages. My wife and I ordered a dinner salad to share....it was large enough to be a dinner by itself...and then we shared a large mushroom pizza. Both the salad and pizza were excellent...the pizza was not the typical delivery style that you get from some of those "other places"...all the ingredients were fresh...and had real sliced mushrooms....the leftover pizza we took home...I am having that for lunch today....can't wait. The salad, pizza, and one soft drink came to a total of $30.93....the pizza alone was $19.00. Yeh, that was a little expensive for a pizza, but it was worth it; but I did get free refills on the soda!!! Pietro's gets an "A".

P.J. Whelihan's Pub and Restaurant

PJ's, as many call it, is more like a sports bar....with 17 large big screen TV's around the walls...which were also appointed with sport pictures and memorabilia. You know that they particularly want to attract the male sports enthusiast as all the wait staff were young nice looking females....or is that just an odd observation???? Any way, for lunch I had their "Classic BLT" for $6.49, which came with french fies. The sandwich was very good loaded with crisp bacon....however, what I did not like was being seated near the kitchen....every time the kitchen door was opened, you got a whiff of the dishwasher or something...which really was a distraction. Overall, PJ's gets a "B-"....it would have been a solid "B" if it were not for the seating location. But if you are looking for a place to hangout to watch a game, have a beer, and munch on some buffalo wings, then certainly keep PJ's in mind...just don't sit near the kitchen.

Blue2o

Looking for a sophisticated and elegant dining experience...then head to blue2o located at the corner of route 70 and Haddonfield Road, at the old race track circle. This is a seafood grill and bar. The decor of this restaurant is appointed with colorful glass art...and the seating is spacious, quiet, and well lit. Even the bathrooms are uniquely designed....see the photo of the wash bowls. They have an express lunch for $8 that includes a 1/2 sandwich and cup of soup or salad....or $10 for all three items. That is not outrageous for a place of this caliber. For starters, they serve a basket of warm rolls which were a cross between a biscuit and a dinner bun...they were uniquely flavored and with butter, they were outstanding. My entree for lunch was a crab cake sandwich that came with fries for $10...it was excellent. With ice tea and coffee, the total check for two came to almost $30....and I was lucky to have a $5.00 off coupon for lunch over $20. I have another coupon for $10 off any dinner over $40....but I might not be headed back very soon only because with bar service, you can easily spend $100 for dinner for two....but I will give this place an "A+" and definitely put it on my list when I want to celebrate a special occasion.

Chairman's Club

My last adventure to the casino's was canceled a couple of weeks ago because of bad weather....I had hoped to go to the Borgata with my son....however, this past Friday evening was perfect for another adventure...especially as I was being treated to dinner by a friend....and he drove too. Of course, being a guest, we traveled to the casino of his choice...which was Trump Plaza. You'll have to excuse the stock photos because I didn't want to drag my regular camera with me, so I could be hands free at the slots...and I did not have my cell phone with me either. My friend is a "regular visitor" at the Trump Plaza and has privileges to the " members only" Chairman's Club. They serve buffet style and you get all the drinks you want.
My favorite drink is Pina Coladas, and I easily put away three....the first two were rich and creamy, but the third was full of ice...but when they are "free," who complains, right???? On the buffet, I started with a bowl of seafood chowder, then had flank steak with a side of string beans and carrots....which was very tasty. They also served steak fries, but they were not as good as they looked. The best part of the meal was the dessert...which was bread pudding with vanilla sauce. My dining partner said the rice pudding was also excellent...and I really wanted to have some, but I just did not have any more room....and by that time after three Pina Coladas, I was really ready for a nap!!! I give the Chairman's Club a B+....unfortunately, it is by invitation only....and the truth of the matter is that while my friend used his membership and comp points to get in, you could have bought that meal many times over with what it cost in gambling to get those points.....but it was FUN and as they say, "you can't take it with you".
Just another observation...I thought the casino would be crowded on a Friday evening....but it was not...even a couple of their high end restaurants were closed....I guess that is a sign of the recession and the competition from out-of- state casinos.

White House

Today we were off to the White House...no, not in Washington, DC, but closer to home in the Lenola section of Moorestown at the corner of Lenola Road and Camden Avenue. This is a family restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner...and is always busy at lunch time. It is by no means fancy with red vinyl covered seats in the booths and has seating at a counter too. There are always a selection of about a half dozen specials listed for approx $7.25 and includes soup or salad. I ordered a fried egg sandwich with bacon on whole wheat toast for $3.99...it was tasty. Most of the customers are locals who come regularly to enjoy their lunch and chat a bit. Outside parking is a bit tight. The White House gets a "B".