Food Hopping

Perhaps the greatest job in the world is that of Anthony Bourdain's Samantha Brown's or Andrew Zimmern's. Imagine, all they have to do is eat, eat and eat. Well, it's actually a feature of food, place and culture. So we get to see them as they explore every nook and cranny, every corner of the globe. They have both local tours as well as international tours. Which is great because they get to feature what's to be enjoyed even at home. I bet they have already visited Central New Jersey restaurants. That's the hippest place to be when in New Jersey, when it comes to dining and night life. All the top chefs in the restaurants have their own signature dishes that patrons love, as they hop from one establishment to another. Each spot also have different events that guests can look forward to, on a nightly basis. Apart from that, there are also other establishments in the are that cater to art and entertainment, history and event provide things-to-do for kids. Of course, people can shop and dine at the same place too. What could get any cooler than that?

If you are looking for things to do in New Jersey, you do not need to have Anthony Bourdain, Samantha Brown or Andrew Zimmern as your guides. All you have to do is go online and search. You'll find out that you can take your kids to iPlay America, or altogether experience the 30th Annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning with them. The family can take a stroll through the Rutgers Gardens for an Open House Festival and Wine Tasting, or go back in time at East Jersey Olde Towne Village. Apart from that, there are more to do and enjoy in New Jersey--- but never forget to taste and enjoy food at the Central New Jersey restaurants.

@ Ruby Tuesdays

Because we can't cook due to lack of electricity, we had to eat out. The other night, we went out and ate at Ruby Tuesdays.

These were our orders.

a petite sirloin with steamed broccoli and french fries for me.

a half rack pork ribs with onion rings and french fries for dave

Dreams of Putting Up a Small Restaurant

Lately, I have been thinking of putting up a small business. I still have no idea if the business I am thinking of putting up will be here or back home in the Philippines. I did finish a computer degree back home but I am more into cooking. In fact, I have been hooked to watching cooking shows and cooking competitions. So if ever I push through with setting up a small restaurant, a kitchenette or a diner, I would need all the help I could get.

First stop would be the place and location of that small restaurant. It is very important to have the right location, one that is accessible and where there are only few competitions. Second, is the equipment needed for the kitchen. Since I have to scout for kitchen equipment, I have to make price comparison on kitchen equipment . I have to make sure too that all these will fit my budget. The equipment probably does not include the utensils like pots, pans, plates and other stuff. Then there’s the manpower needed to help me run the small restaurant. For that, I would need cooks, washers, waiters, servers, etcetera. Then for the restaurant itself, tables, chairs, menu cards, napkins, plates, spoons, forks, and a whole lot more will be needed too. I think I have to do my homework on price comparison on restaurant equipment .

I guess this idea of mine is no simple thing. I will have to visit websites like PriceMyKitchen to get more ideas, tips and advice on running a restaurant. I am hoping that someday, I will really be able to make this materialize. I know it will never be easy but I guess with hard work, determination and perseverance, I can reach my goals.

Exploring

One of the things I love to do when I go out of town is take a leisurely walk in the business areas around. I love a casual walk because I take my time to observe everything around me. I walk past restaurants and see how interesting the diners are. I especially love seeing groups of families dining together and laughing most of the time. It brings such warmth to my heart.

I also just walk by hotels in the area and just take a peek inside and see what goes on in the lobby. I usually see a rush of people trying to check themselves in or people in the business center doing work. This makes me miss the days when I used to work myself. But I have no regrets since now my full-time work is to take care of my beautiful baby and husband.

Eventually I end up in coffee shops and what a perfect way to end my casual day. The smell of coffee and a relaxing sofa amidst a crowd of people from different ages and cultures doing different things is a great way to end my stroll. People-watching is just so interested and most times, it makes you realize what you have and how lucky you are to be just you.

Dining and Bonding

Once a week we dine out. It’s kind of our eating bonding time. We don't necessarily go to expensive places at all times. We just want to go out and have a meal outside the house. Yesterday, we dined at Cajun Steamer Bar and Grill. They serve famous southern foods like fried frog legs, alligator tails and of course popular seafood like shrimps, fish, crawfish and crabs.

I personally loved the alligator tails. I know it’s kind of weird thinking you are actually eating alligator but they served it in such a way that you wouldn’t even notice it was something unusual. Dave had the seafood platter. It had fried fish, shrimp, crab cakes, frog legs, fried oyster and fried clams. It was actually a big serving and a bit expensive too. I ordered grilled fish.

Based on its name, foods at this restaurant are mostly served Cajun style, everything had a bit of spice in it and most of them are fried. Fried foods are always not good for dieters but every once in a while anyone can indulge into something good and yummy. Well, there are effective diet pills that comes handy when food is bad for the diet.