Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Tortuga's Cocina: Delish!

Tortuga's Cocina
11 1/2 Church St.
Lambertville, NJ 08530
609-397-7272
http://www.tortugascocina.com/
*Not open on Mondays. Call or check website for specific hours.

NHY Rating: 8 of 10
Food: Southwest/Mexican
Serves: Lunch & Dinner
Price: Reasonable
Ambiance: Traditional

Comments: I heard of this place through a friend so I looked it upon restaurant.com. I was so thrilled they had a coupon listed on there so I took up on the opportunity to check it out.

All I can say is yum, yum and more yum. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this place. Everything from the chips and salsa, to the chipolte shrimp dish and fajitas. Everything we ordered came out hot, fresh and yummy. I also enjoyed myself a couple of margaritas! The bar is attached to the restaurant, although listed under a different name.

I would definitely recommend checking this place out. I do feel this is a kid friendly place, although there weren't any there when we dined...it had a good atmosphere where I think children would be welcome.

They also had a small outdoor area to dine. It is not anything fancy...but if it is a nice day it is an added bonus. The only thing I would caution about this place is that it can be a bit tricky to find. I almost walked right by it. Look for the little turtle on the sign.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Sandbar has some good eats

The Sandbar (Old 90 Main)
90 South Main St.
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-3030
http://www.sandbarnewhope.com/

NHY Rating: 9 of 10
Food: American/Cuban
Serves: Lunch & Dinner
Price: Reasonable
Ambiance: Relaxing, cool

Comments: Love, love, love the replacement bar/restaurant for the old 90 Main. This place has really wow'd me as far as the food and service. So far, we have been there about 3 times...and I am addicted. I am addicted to their Cuban nachos appetizer and their Fried Green Tomato Salad. I have also tried the Summer Salad which has fresh watermelon, grilled pineapple and mint. Super refreshing salad.

For dinner I have had the Cuban Pork Shoulder and the Chipolte Pasta. Both outstanding dishes! I literally intend on trying everything on their menu because I just love the selection of food they offer...really, everything sounds scrumptious.

This place is hands down a great one to visit for a bite. They also have outdoor seating if you are a people watcher. Some of the tables are a little too close to the sidewalk though...my only beef with sitting there is that someone walking by can literally just reach over and grab one of my nachos real quick!! Ha ha!

So if you are looking for a place with fast, good service, reasonable prices and absolutely excellent food, go to the Sandbar...and please, let me come with you too : )

Friday, January 29, 2010

No. 9 in Lambertville Worth a Visit

No. 9 Restaurant
9 Klines Court
Lambertville, NJ 08530-2113
(609) 397-6380

NHY Rating: 8 of 10
Food: American
Serves: Dinner (limited hours, call ahead; reservations recommended because small restaurant) BYOB
Price: On the expensive side
Ambiance: Simple, small...not a lot of decor. Not a kid-friendly place.

Comments: We were apparently there on a slow Friday night, but we made reservations anyway. Walking in we realized that is indeed a good thing to do because it is a small restaurant, probably only seats 30 people or so comfortably. We were waited on by perhaps the owner. He was very friendly and explained the specials as well as their regular meals that seem to be favorites.

Our meal, including salad and entrees for both was very good. I almost licked my plate. My husband has the fra dioblo pasta and that was also very tasty. I would definitively visit this restaurant again.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Lilly's on the Canal: Delightful Dinner Place

Lilly's on the canal
2 Canal St
Lambertville, NJ 08530-1704
(609) 397-6242
http://www.lillysgourmet.com/

NHY Rating: 8 of 10
Food: American
Serves: lunch and dinner (only serves bottled wine, no beer or by the glass drinks)
Price: Very reasonable
Ambiance: Nice and airy. Their indoors was very unique with an upstairs and downstairs. The kitchen is open in the middle. They have a beautiful wall fountain inside. They also have a nice outdoor patio.

Comments: The food was delightful and the service was great. We ordered an appetizer which was quite filling, calamari and onion rings. They were done to perfection. For dinner, I had the Filet Mignon which was done over mashed potatoes with bacon and horseradish sauce and was quite delicious. We also had the Ahi Tuna topped with shrimp and vegetables, also scrumptious.

What we would have loved to try but didn't have an inch left of available stomach was the desserts. When you first walk in you are literally greeted with an eyeful of their decedent dessert options. They had a chocolate cake that looked like it was to die for...

Overall, it's a great spot. They did seem like an acceptable place for older kids but not toddlers. Their food prices are a bit high but comparable to other restaurants in the area.

Note: They have a little parking lot so you may get lucky and not have to pay for a meter. Also, they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Sweet Lorraines: It's Good. It really is!

Sweet Lorraine's
Route 202 and Street Road
Lahaska, PA 18931
(215) 794-4040
http://www.sweetlorraines.com/

NHY Rating: 8 of 10
Food: American
Serves: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Price: Reasonable
Ambiance: Nice contemporary atmosphere, clean, spacious. Bar area is nice a large and separate from the dining areas. They also have new outdoor patio seating.

Comments:
Sweet Lorraines certainly did not disappoint. I took the whole family and felt that it was indeed a good overall family restaurant. It's not the cheapest place on the block but the quality is fitting of the prices. I tried a nice beverage, an alcoholic specialty smoothie and it was quite refreshing. We tried a couple appetizers, the Mess O Fries and Coconut Shrimp; both very scrumptious. We then moved on to Chicken Gorgonzala Pasta...topped with some spiced walnuts...Mmmm is all I have to say. The husband was more into getting a burger so he asked about ordering off of the bar menu since the regular dinner menu did not have sandwiches and they politely obliged. His burger was pretty much standard however. No bells and whistles there. The kids meals were very good. My son tried the Pita Pizza and my daughter the Mac and Cheese. Both where very happy with their choices.

The service was so-so. Our waiter was very polite and friendly, but it seemed that they were still trying to coordinate who does what and the food did take slightly longer than I would preferred. He was gracious enough though to keep us updated on the progress. They also offered the kids some plastic bendy stick things to play with which was very helpful.

I say go check them out. I think they have a very high potential to please a lot of customers!

The Raven has reopened

After several months of being closed, the Raven has finally reopened. It was a busy first weekend over there. The parking lot was certainly full.

Plus it looks like they are getting a web site up and running. It is not yet ready but they do have a placeholder screen. My understanding is that it is new folks running The Raven but they are just leasing it from the owners of The Nevermore.

385 W Bridge St
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-2081
http://www.theravennewhope.com/

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Nancy's Village Cafe: New Little Lunch Shop in Lahaska

A new little sandwich and soup shop opened up in Peddler's Village. It's called Nancy's Village Cafe and it is yummy. It is situated behind Earl's Prime. It has replaced the Cross Culture restaurant (Indian-American restaurant) that was there previously. It is small place but neatly decorated with a mom and pop feel. I was recommended to go there from another shop owner and it definitely didn't disappoint.

They are only open though for breakfast and lunch 7AM - 3PM and have a nice array of sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, chili, quiches and of course homemade tasty desserts. It is definitely kid friendly and very low key. The prices are also very reasonable and the portions just right. This place is more about quality, not quantity. Don't worry though, it will fill you up.

The only thing was that it was kind of small so I guess on a busy day it could get a bit uncomfortable. I stopped there for lunch and it wasn't that busy. I think they just opened so maybe it is still a secret they are there. I guess I am now breaking open the secret because here's the info:

Nancy's Village Cafe
P.O. Box 634
Lahaska, PA 18931
Phone: (215) 794-8201

Special Hours: 7 am to 3 pm daily