The Squirt: Wonderful Food, Friendly Atmosphere and Reasonable Prices
Must Eats: Zuppa di Cipolle; Costa di Manzo Brasata; Tagliata al Tagliere; Costoletta di Maiale
Prices: Reasonable

We were most fortunate to dine at Bocca di Bacco located in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan, NY.  It is a totally awesome Italian Wine Bar with a great atmosphere, great staff and totally wonderful food. The icing on the cake is that this little gem of a restaurant has reasonable prices - in NYC!!! How can you beat that!

The appearance of Bocca di Bacco is very unpretentious, with simple rustic furnishings. The staff is friendly and very attentive, including our server for the evening, Mark. He really was awesome with a great personality, warmth and attention to our needs. The restaurant has an excellent wine list with a bevvy of wines from all over the globe. We chose an excellent Damiano Ciolli 2006 Silene Olevano Romano Cesanese. It was a delicious Italian white wine that was light yet full of body and flavor.

When we saw the menu, we were overwhelmed by all of the tantalizing items to choose from. For appetizers, we ordered two orders of the Polpette Al Pomodoro, which were  classic meatballs in chunky tomato sauce. They were soft and bursting with flavor. Ren and I ordered the Zuppa di Cipolle (Classic Onion Soup). The onion soup goes right on our list of Must Eats.  Their onion soup is vegetable based and has a light creamy texture to it. The cheese, the onions, the broth all come together into a delicate work of art for the tongue. This soup is definitely unique!!!

As if the appetizers weren't terrific enough, all of our dinner entrees were supreme. Ria ordered the Costa di Manzo Brasata (Slowly Braised Short Ribs), served with mashed potatoes instead of stewed cabbage. Ria was delighted when she sunk her teeth into these short ribs. The texture was perfect and the taste was phenomenal. The mashed potatoes were creamy and fluffy.  We were so fortunate to be able to lend Ria a hand in eating her meal. Oh man, they were wonderful.

Ren and I ordered two entrees and shared them. The first was the Tagliata al Tagliere (Grilled Angus Sirloin Steak), served with mashed potatoes with a barolo wine reduction. The steak was out of this world and perfectly prepared medium rare. The quality of the meat was outstanding and the flavor was delicious. The mashed potatoes were just like the ones we make at home- wonderful!

Our second entree was the Costoletta di Maiale (16 oz. Pork Chop) served with caramelized vegetables and potatoes. Unbelievable!  The pork chop was huge, juicy and to-die-for. The vegetables were tender and succulent.  It truly was hard to decide which entree out of the three of them was our favorite.  I think it will need to be a tradition to order all three and share them!

We really can't say enough about the perfect experience we had at Bocca di Bacco.  From the moment we stepped in, we felt pampered and in good hands.  The food is wonderful; the prices are excellent.  If you want wonderful food with great value, this is the place for you.  We are all looking forward to dining at Bocca di Bacco again very soon.

Make a reservation today for Bocca di Bacco, Hell's Kitchen, NY, NY, using Open Table.

Check out Bocca di Bacco's website for more information:

http://www.boccadibacconyc.com

Be sure when you visit Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen, NY, NY that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

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The Squirt: Classy and Sophisticated Seafood with Superb Presentation
Must Eats: Wild Pacific Shrimp
Prices: Expensive

Ren and I were in the mood for good seafood so we decided to give Water Grill, located in downtown, Los Angeles a try. We were really glad we did.  Water Grill is very classy and sophisticated. The decor and ambiance are truly top notch, adding a relaxed soothing feel. 

The Host and staff are professional and courteous and pay close attention to the needs of their patrons. The menu of Water Grill ranges from an extensive raw bar selection to shellfish, sashimi and fresh fish selections.

Our server for the evening was John.  He was very pleasant, accommodating and had a great sense of humor. We had fun each dishing out some humor.

The preparation of every item on Water Grill's menu is exquisite with attention to detail and presentation.  For appetizers, Ren and I ordered two and shared them.  Our first was 1/2 pound of Wild Jumbo Pacific Shrimp. When they say "Jumbo" they mean jumbo!.  The presentation was awesome.  The shrimp come arranged nicely on a bed of fresh crushed ice and lightly seasoned.  The taste of their shrimp is phenomenal and the texture is perfect. The cocktail sauce is freshly made and delicious as well. Our second appetizer was the Australian Hamachi Sashimi. It consisted of Yuzu, red radish, Asian pear and shiso. Again, the presentation was terrific and the taste was supreme.

For dinner, we ordered the Line Caught Morro Bay Swordfish. It was seared and served with Sicilian puttanesca, pepperoncini orzo and grilled zucchini. We really liked the presentation of the swordfish.  There were two medallions of swordfish that resembled two boneless pork chops. The taste and texture of the swordfish was superb.  It was cooked to perfection and the orzo was also delicious. The orzo seemed like it was quickly pan fried in olive oil because of its slight toastiness. We really enjoyed it.  The puttanesca sauce added a great little zip the the fish.  

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Water Grill.  The atmosphere, service and food are wonderful. Be prepared to have a costly meal, however, because the menu selections are pricey and the portions can leave you a wee bit hungry afterward. ;-)

Make a reservation today for Water Grill, Los Angeles, using Open Table.

Check out Water Grill's website for more information:

http://www.watergrill.com/

Be sure when you visit Water Grill in Los Angeles, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Please leave your comments below using Disqus Comments!

The Squirt: Amazing Comfort Food, Warm Atmosphere, Great Prices
Must Eats: Wagyu Kobe Burger, Engine Co. Meatloaf, Braised Lamb Shank
Prices: Moderate

We had a simply memorable meal at Engine Co. No 28, located in Los Angeles, California. The restaurant resides in a restored 1912 Firehouse which adds to its charm.

When we arrived, we were immediately greeted by the super friendly staff.  They led us, with a smile, to the table of our choice.  Right from the beginning, we knew we would be taken care of.  That is a strong feeling you get right from the start at Engine Co No 28. 

Our server for the evening was Jose.  He was the ultimate server.  Right from the beginning, he was friendly, attentive and considerate of our needs. He was also very warm and down to earth, which are characteristics that are very inherent in this restaurant.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is terrific.  The ceiling is really high, and the decor is warm and inviting. Their menu is full of comfort food....and Man oh Man, it definitely gives you comfort. ;-) 

Appetizer lovers will have a field day with the long list of tempting appetizers, soups and chili. Continuing beyond that, there is a lengthy selection of salads, sandwiches, pastas and dinner entrees.  It really takes a while to work through the menu and the vivid descriptions of each item. The prices are surprisingly reasonable. 

Ren and I were totally in the mood for some comfort, so instead of ordering a traditional appetizer, we decided to split one of their entrees as our appetizer. Our choice was the Wagyu Kobe Burger with smoked gouda that was featured on the Specials Menu. We ordered it cooked medium rare and it was right on the money. They were nice to cut it in half for us to share as an appetizer. It was served on a soft delicious bun that melted in our mouths along with the simply delicious Kobe beef.  It was sheer amazing!  The taste, the texture and the flavor- all fabulous!  The smoked Gouda added a wonderful addition to the meat without detracting from it.  The burger was served with a garlic mayonnaise. Oh wow!  I was so tempted to just take my spoon and eat it all up. Lol.

We told Jose that we were going to share everything, so he took charge and presented all of our items to us as individual "courses".  They were indeed three totally wonderful decadent courses!  

Our next course was the Engine Co. Meatloaf.  OMG! The meatloaf was just as amazing as our burger. It was served with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach with garlic.  Oh Man!  When we say this meatloaf was amazing, we mean it!  The piece was big and thick and bursting with flavor. This was true comfort food to the max.  The meatloaf was zesty, with fresh ground beef, a hint of ground pork, savory spices and roasted peppers all meshed together into a tasty masterpiece.  The mashed potatoes were indeed delicious- light and fluffy. The spinach was both delicate and robust at the same time.

Now, on to course number 3 - the Braised Lamb Shank. Wow!  We were served two hungry man sized lamb shanks, both nicely arranged on top of pappardelle noodles. Our eyes were very pleasantly surprised when this arrived. We couldn't wait to sink our teeth into these shanks. The meat was outstanding.  It was tender, full of flavor and fell right off the bone.  All we had to do is look at it and it succumbed to our carnal thoughts.  It was totally delicious!

Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Engine Co. No 28.  Jose and all of the other staff were awesome.  Their service was top shelf and the atmosphere added to their warmth.  The food was outrageously delicious.  It is definitely a place to go to for heart warming goodness and value.  We highly recommend Engine Co. No 28.  This restaurant has quickly joined several other of our top favorite restaurants in Los Angeles.

Make a reservation today for Engine Co. No. 28 using Open Table.

Check out Engine Co. No. 28's website for more information:
http://www.engineco.com/

Be sure when you visit Engine Co. No. 28 in Los Angeles, CA or any of their locations across the US, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

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The Squirt: Small, stylish and relaxed with excellent drinks and exceptional entrees
Must Eats:  Risotto Croquettes, Double Cut Pork Chop, Char Grilled Strip Steak
Prices: Moderate to Expensive Food Entrees; Expensive Drinks

The other night, we went to One 53, located in Rocky Hill, NJ. We'd gone by this place many times before and finally had the opportunity to experience it.  It has always looked really inviting from the outside and one can see that it is popular.  We're so glad we gave it a try. It is a small building with great large windows that allow you to see the stylish interior and the patrons enjoying their experiences there.  There is a small parking lot located in the rear of the building, and you don't have to walk far to enter the restaurant from the parking lot. 

After walking up the steps and entering the restaurant, you immediately see large drapes which you draw open and step right into the full bar area of the restaurant and the host stand. The bar area is lively and very popular among the locals.  After turning around the corner, you see the rest of the restaurant, which is stylish and tasteful with nice furnishings. After being seated, we spent a few minutes absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying the relaxed feel of One 53.

The wine list is excellent and they offer a full drink menu to one's hearts content. Our server for the evening was Leah.  She was polished, professional and courteous. To start off our experience we chose two Grey Goose martinis with a twist of lime.  Though they were pricey, our martinis were top notch.  (A pic of them even made it to our home page!) They were served in large crystal clear martini glasses with true "twists" of lime. Mmmm good and definitely top shelf in our book. Oooh La La...

For the table we were served a couple types of delicious bread to snack on before appetizers and also a totally wonderful olive oil with white bean puree for dipping.  Lucky for us, we had spoons so I could finish every drop, including seconds. Lol. 

To start off our feast, we ordered three appetizers. Ria ordered Macaroni and Cheese which came topped with bread crumbs and served in a ramekin. She loved it. Ren and I ordered two appetizers: Escargot en Croute and Risotto Croquettes.  The escargot were served encased in a delicate pastry and drizzled in a very tasty lemony butter.  They were delicious! The Risotto Croquettes were made with arborio rice and stuffed with sausage and cheese. They were awesome!

For dinner, Ria ordered the Double Cut Pork Chop served with mashed potatoes with celery root and a small mixed salad tossed in a light vinaigrette. The pork was perfectly prepared and very sizeable. Delicious!  The mashed potatoes were excellent as well and the salad was the perfect addition to her meal.  Ren and I both ordered the Char Grilled Strip Steak, one with French fries and one with the mashed potatoes.  Both were served with a small mixed salad as well.  The steak was topped with a spicey pepper butter which added the perfect kick to the flavor. The steak was wonderful and tasty.  The french fries were totally yummy. Oui Oui!

We all ordered desserts that evening. Yes, Ren and I actually cave in to dessert!  Ria ordered Vanilla Ice Cream topped with cooked apples and cinnamon which she really enjoyed.  Ren and I ordered a dessert to share - Blood Orange Sorbet topped with fresh whipped cream. OMG, we really enjoyed our sorbet and finished it in no time flat.

Needless to say, we all thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at One 53. It really is a great place, the atmosphere and ambiance are excellent and the food is outstanding. We did spend a good amount of money that evening, but it was definitely worth it. Leah was terrific and we also had a great time talking with one of the other employees, Augusto.  They both helped to make our experience one to remember.  We will definitely go there again.

Make a reservation today for One 53 using Open Table

Check out One 53's website for more information:
http://www.one53nj.com/

Be sure when you visit One 53 in Rocky Hill, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

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The Squirt: Excellent BYOB for Delicious Grilled Steaks, Chops and Seafood
Must Eats: Rock Shrimp Arrabiata; Chilean Sea Bass; Double-cut Swordfish Steak
Prices: Moderate

The other day, we went to Fresco Steak and Seafood Grill located in Milltown, NJ. We've had really great experiences there in the past, and decided to do a review on them.  Our experience there the other night was really wonderful. 

Fresco has three dining rooms. All three of them are nice, however, the newest dining room is the nicest; having a warmer wall color and dimmer lighting.  It makes that room more intimate and enhances the mood.  We were told that they will be remodeling the first two dining rooms to be similar to the newest and more intimate one. We look forward to seeing the renovations.

Our server for the evening was Eman. She was excellent.  She was warm, friendly and had a smile the entire evening.  She really went out of her way to accommodate us and never rushed us.  Being that Fresco is a BYOB restaurant, we brought an excellent Sangiovese Red wine to accompany our meal.

Fresco has an excellent menu full of delicious selections ranging from soups, appetizers and salads to meat and seafood selections. They also have an extensive list of specials which round out the menu selection.  For the fish lovers out there, Fresco does a great job in preparing their fish entrees. My all time favorite fish dish at Fresco is their double cut Swordfish steak, which they happened to be out of that evening. Big Sad Face!  Eman broke the sad news very gently though. 

For an appetizer, Ria ordered Split Pea Soup which she thoroughly enjoyed, We also ordered a wonderful appetizer special; Rock Shrimp Arrabiata in a totally amazing lemon butter sauce that was truly amazing.  Eman recommended that we try it and she was right on target. We were also served delicious bread which had a delicious crust and a soft interior.  We actually couldn't stop eating it. Eman then brought over a batch of fresh olive oil with herbs and fresh diced garlic.  We were doomed at that point.  Truly amazing!

For dinner, Ria ordered the Grilled Baby Lamb Chops prepared medium well.  The portion of lamb was sizeable and perfectly seasoned.  Ria ordered them with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach with garlic.  The lamb was so delicious and tender.  Wow!  

Being that Fresco was out of the Swordfish, Ren and I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass prepared in the same way as the Swordfish is usually prepared. It was grilled ever so delicately and served with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach with a lot of garlic.  Mmmm. The fish still came with the usual roasted potatoes but Eman brought the mashed potatoes on the side. The Sea Bass was totally delicious and flaky. Definitely a must eat..along with the Swordfish.

For dessert, Ria had the fresh fruit with a heaping dollop of fresh whipped cream. The berries were fresh and the whipped cream was delicious.

To sum up our evening, we all had a wonderful time at Fresco. Sunday evening was the perfect evening to eat there. It was relaxing and the restaurant was not overly crowded. Eman really helped to make the experience fun and enjoyable. Every time we have eaten at Fresco, the food has been scrumptious.  We highly recommend Fresco and look forward to eating there again.

Our next review will be on LouCás which is owned by the same owners in Edison, New Jersey. Stay tuned.

Check out Fresco Steak & Seafood Grill's website for more information:

http://www.restaurantfresco.com/

Be sure when you visit Fresco Steak & Seafood Grill in Milltown, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

The Squirt: Great Spanish/Portuguese restaurant with a friendly relaxed atmosphere.
Must Eats: Chorizos (Spanish Style) for appetizer; Baby Back Ribs for dinner
Prices: Moderate

We all had a terrific dinner at Atlantic Manor Restaurant located in Ogdensburg, NJ. The restaurant is a blend of Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian Rodizio style menu selections.  My mother, Ria, actually grew up in Ogdensburg, right down the street from the restaurant and even went to the School across the street!  All of these years of visiting relatives and friends in Ogdensburg, we never found any real notable restaurants in Ogdensburg, and more often, no restaurants at all.  It was truly a surprise when our friend, Barbara K., recommended that we try a new restaurant that had opened recently and looked nice from the window in Ogdensburg.  Her son lives not too far from there. Thank you, Barbara for the tip.

The restaurant has a really cozy feel to it. Being that it was a frigid 7 degrees outside, we desperately needed to have a "cozy" experience. We arrived there late in the evening, at around 9:30 pm, and we were starving.  When you walk into the restaurant, you walk right into the bar area.  There are two large dining room areas beyond that.  Darry was our host / server and immediately welcomed us and made us feel right at home.  She could see the hunger in our eyes and our need to unwind. We had just attended a wake service for one of Ria's cousins in Franklin, NJ, so we needed an uplifting experience.

Darry is a really down to earth, soothing and very accommodating server. We also met the restaurant owner, Carlos, and had a fun time chatting with the both of them about our trip to Portugal several months ago.  Carlos grew up in Portugal and still lives part time over there.

Now for the really good part...the food! Atlantic Manor really has a great menu, full of very reasonably priced food selections. It was very pleasant to see such great foods and at great prices. We ordered a really great Portuguese Vino Verde (white) wine to accompany our meal.  It was a great white wine also at a great price.

On the table, we were served a basket of soft delicious bread, flavorful olive oil and totally awesome olives. The olives put us right back in Portugal. Ahhh memories!  They actually import their olives right from Portugal. For appetizers, we ordered the Shrimp Cocktail which was tender and excellent! We also also ordered the sliced Chorizos, Spanish Style.  They were sliced, sauteed Spanish / Portuguese sausages.  I grew up eating chorizos and they will always be one of my all-time favorite foods.  They were so delicious and gave us that comfort food feeling.  Wow! 

All dinner entrees come with a bowl of the soup of the day, which was a White Bean and Escarole soup.  It was really delicious and something we really needed to warm up. I actually finished mine and even moved on and helped Ren finish his.  Lol.

For dinner, Ria ordered the full rack of Baby Back Ribs. Well, when her entree came we were really impressed by the presentation. They actually arranged the perfectly cooked ribs in the shape of a crown, almost like a crown roast. Placed in the center was a heaping pile of freshly fried French fries. Not only did Ria really enjoy her meal, we all did! There were enough ribs for Ren and me to help Mom eat them.  Yummy!

Ren and I both ordered the Chilean Sea Bass for our dinner. We were extremely pleased with our selection.  We were served a very generous portion of sea bass accompanied by Spanish Safron Rice and vegetables.  The fish was prepared just right.  It was flavorful, light and flaky with an excellent texture.  The rice was tasty and went very well with the fish.  We were pleasantly surprised by the excellent value of the Sea Bass entree.  It was a large portion of a traditionally pricey fish, but at a reasonable price. 

Our experience at Atlantic Manor was really what we needed.  It was relaxing, the service and staff were terrific and the food was excellent.  We definitely will go there again when we are in that area. We also promised Carlos, that we would bring our coffee table photo book of our pictures from Portugal to show him.  He loves to see pictures and talk about his home country.  Thank you, Darry and Carlos for a great evening.

Check out Atlantic Manor's website for more information:

http://www.atlanticmanorrestaurant.com/

Be sure when you visit Atlantic Manor in Ogdensburg, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our wonderful amazing Fans!

Thank you so much for all of your support of TwoSquirts.com

Be on the lookout for a review of The Capital Grille in NYC coming VERY soon!

We are truly thankful for each and every one of you!

Best Wishes,

Roy & Ren

The Squirt: Delicious rustic Italian food in a family style atmosphere
Must Eat: Sweet Sausage with Broccoli Rabe and Large White Beans
Prices: Moderate

The Squirt: Three floors of elegant, yet casual, Italian Mediterranean dining.
Must Eat: Rustic Baked Lasagna
Prices: Moderate to Expensive

Tre Piani is located in the Princeton Forrestal Village in Princeton, New Jersey. It serves excellent Italian-Mediterranean cuisine. The atmosphere is causal elegant and has an open feeling dining room on the main level with high ceilings and other dining rooms on the 2nd and third levels. They are also excellent for parties for larger groups. I can verify for that, having attended a suprise birthday party at Tre Piani a few years ago. They have a great menu selection ranging from appetizers, salads, light entrees and pastas, all the way to excellent regular dinner entrees. They do have many fish selections, for fish lovers, as well as meat dishes.

Our server for the evening was Ashley, who was very pleasant, efficient and easy going.  She was also didn't rush us to make up our minds on what we wanted to order.

Ren and I ordered an excellent Rizzi Barbera d'alba from Italy. It was a delicious red wine with a full rich flavor and an excellent finish. We were given some yummy Italian bread and olive oil for dipping.  We have to say that the olive oil was one of the best we've ever had.  It had a unique wonderful flavor to it.  We are going to search high and low for this olive oil so we can have it at home.  The bottle was even pretty and picture worthy.

For appetizers, we ordered an order of their famous Fried Local Calamari, which was tossed in an Italian sweet and sour sauce.  It really was great and had a really tasty flavor. We also ordered a Pizzette with four cheeses, pepperoni, spinach and ricotta cheese.  It was a very thing crusted pizza with a really wonderful flavor to the crust. It tasted a little smokey in flavor and was truly unique.  Yummy. Many times, we order a smaller entree for an appetizer so we can try a bit of everything.  It expands your dining capabilities.

For dinner, Ria ordered the Rustic Baked Lasagna, baked in a terra cotta pot with , four cheeses. bolognese sauce and béchamel sauce.  It was really delicious!  The béchamel adds a very rich flavor to the lasagna. 

Ren and I were both in the mood for fish that evening.  We ordered the Swordfish skewers with safron risotto. The taste of the swordfish was phenomenal. It was so tender and had an essence of the smokiness that pizza crust had.  The risotto was really flavorful and moist and went very well with the fish.  There was a delicate white sauce drizzled on the plate that we were able to dip the fish in.  Very delicious! Molto squisito! 

For dessert, Ria ordered the fresh fruit with home made whipped cream, which she gobbled up in no time.  ;-)

Needless to say, we enjoyed our meal at Tre Piani. The lively fresh atmosphere, terrific service from Ashley and delicious food all added to our excellent time that evening.  We look forward to dining at Tre Piani again.

Make a reservation today for Tre Piani using Open table

Check out Tre Piani's website for more information:
http://www.trepiani.com/

Be sure when you visit Tre Piani in Princeton, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

The Squirt:  Great BYOB restaurant for excellent authentic Greek food.
Must Eat: Arni Souvlas; Beefteki
Prices: Moderate

Ren and I went for Greek food at Pithari Taverna with our good friends, Steffy and Dina.  Ren had never had Greek food before and this was the perfect time to have him try it. Pithari is a really excellent authentic BYOB Greek restaurant located in Highland Park, NJ. It has a really excellent atmosphere which makes you feel like you've stepped right into Greece. We picked a Friday night, which is a busy night at Pithari and kind of loud but it was a really great experience anyway.  The tables are close together so it was great that we had good table neighbors, Ron and Brian.  They were a lot of fun and it was enjoyable sitting next to them.

We were starving, as usual, and started with appetizers.  Before they came, we were brought a nice assemblage of Greek Olives which were delicious.  We were also brought some fresh pita to snack on as we waitied for our appetizers. We ordered three appetizers: Hummus, Kalamari Tiganito (Fried Calamari) and Tigania Hirino tou Merakli. The hummus was really good and zesty.  The fried calamari was delicious and tender and came with a great red dipping sauce.  The Tigania Hirino Tou was our favorite.  It was roast pork, pan fried in olive oil and red wine.  It was outstanding and so very tender.

We ordered four different entrees.  One was the Red Snapper Filetto, which was filet of red snapper char-broiled in red wine and cinnamon.  It was a really great portion, the sauce was bursting with flavor and the fish was perfectly prepared.  The snapper was served with sauteed dandelion greens which were really tasty.

The next entree was the Lamb Souvlaki Platter.  It was served with tzatziki, lettuce, tomoatoes, onions and dandelion greens and fresh pita.  It was very good.

The third entree was Arni Souvlas, which was skewered lamb chunks, served with lemon potatoes. The meat was tender and moist and full of flavor. Absolutely delicious!  The potatoes were really tasty with a very light lemony twist to them.  We would defiinitely order this entree again next time.

Lastly, but equally as wonderful, was the Beefteki, a Greek hamburger steak.  They describe it as the "most delicious on earth". We haven't tried every Greek hamburger on this earth, but this one was absolutely amazing.  It was soft, bursting with flavor and remarkable.  This was served with Greek fried potatoes. These potatoes are so full of flavor and addictive.  Amazing!

Our friends ordered the traditional Greek dessert, Baklava. They really enjoyed it.

Our first experience at Pithari was wonderful.  The food was truly delicious, our server was excellent and our conversation and experience with our friends was really one to always remember.  It was a really enjoyable time and we will definitely go to Pithari again. It is really a great asset of Highland Park ans we have been craving to go back ever since.

http://www.thepithari.com/

Be sure when you visit Pithari Taverna in Highland Park, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Hi Everyone! 

As promised, here are some of our photos from our recent trip to Beverly Hills!  We really had a wonderful time, and wanted to share a little bit of that with you, our loyal TwoSquirts fans!

Enjoy!

Roy & Ren

The Squirt:  A Garlic lovers dream place to eat for excellent food and eclectic atmosphere
Must Eat: Bagna Calda; Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib
Prices: Moderate

The Stinking Rose is a totally awesome Garlic Restaurant located in Beverly Hills, California.  It's a truly unique experience for garlic lovers. There is another location in San Francisco that's really awesome also. Be sure to visit both locations, if you are fortunate to visit both Beverly Hills and San Francisco.

The atmosphere is very eclectic and you will find yourself spending a good amount of time, just looking around at all of the amusing decor. It's really a lot of fun! There are various dining rooms and sections within the restaurant.  In the center of the restaurant, there are semi-private booths with velvet drapes. In other areas, there are other interesting themes, such as a chianti cafe, where the ceiling is lined with empty chianti bottles. In the back area, there is a table that has a back drop of wine corks stringed up and hanging on the walls.  This restaurant breeds fun. Our server for the evening was Julio.  He was an excellent server- very efficient and professional.

Ren and I ordered a bottle of #326 Borgetta Chardonnay from Sonoma, a reasonably priced wine, which served us well.  After a week of some very pricey meals and too much shopping, it was just right. Their menu has many items for the garlic lover, ranging from garlic soup, to garlic pizza, to garlic rubbed entrees.  They even feature garlic martinis, garlic wine and garlic desserts.

For the table, we ordered the Bagna Calda, which is garlic soaked in a hot tub.  Basically, it's a load of roasted garlic cloves, soaking in a bath of olive oil and butter with a hint of anchovie. The taste of the garlic is wonderful and all you have to do is scoop some up and smear it on the delcious garlic rolls that are brought to your table.  You can also smear it on whatever else your heart desires. We also ordered the Fried Calamari which was excellent as well.

For dinner, Ria ordered the Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib, which was so tender that all you had to do is look at it and it fell apart.  It was outstanding and pure meat and very lean.  We all got to try it, and it was wonderful.  It was served with garlic mashed potatoes, which were scrumptious, and delicious sauteed spinach.

Ren and I ordered two entrees to share, the Forty Clove Garlic Chicken and the Garlic Encrusted Baby Back Ribs.  Oh man!  Both were served with garlic mashed potatoes.  The chicken was served on the bone, tender and delicious. The ribs were excellent and bursting with garlic.  Excellent!

Unfortunately, we had no room for dessert that evening. We were stuffed. On the way out, we took a tour of all of the various rooms of the restaurant.  It was like going through a museum, dedicated to garlic.  They also have walls and walls of the celebrities who have visited The Stinking Rose over the years as well as souveniers that can be purchased.  We had a terrific meal and a great experience at The Stinking Rose.  It really is a flavorful restaurant, to say the least.

Make a reservation today for The Stinking Rose using Open Table

★ Also, be sure to check out the latest PickleBubble to find out who we saw at The Stinking Rose!

Be sure when you visit The Stinking Rose in Beverly Hills, CA, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Morels is located at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. We had a really great outdoor dining experience with our friend, Retta, from Parks and Recreations. It was another sunny day in LA and we felt like dining al fresco. Morels features two dining experiences; one is the bistro which is downstairs on ground level, with the outdoor dining section.  The elegant steak house section of the restaurant is located upstairs. 

Morels has a great wine selection.  In addition, they feature a great artisan cheese selection. It's a really terrific experience, sitting in the open sunny patio area while dining on fine cuisine.  Our server for this experience was Jillian.  She was friendly, efficient and professional.  She also had a pleasant sense of humor and went a long with some joking moments.

For appetizers, three of us ordered the Onion Soup. It was actually one of the best crocks of onion soup we've ever had.  The bowl was really deep and the soup was wonderful. We also chose several of the cheeses from their artisanal cheese menu which were awesome. Lastly, we chose the olive sampler with several varieties of olives.  Delicious!

All four of us chose the  Veal Osso Bucco for dinner. It was fabulous. The meat was extremely tender and it was served with roasted carrots and celery and mashed potatoes.  It was really delicious.  

The whole experience at The Grove was one to remember.  It was definitely a people watching paradise.  Between the paparazzi snapping video shots of celebrities and people walking by with their pet chihuahuas wearing doggie sunglasses, it was fun.  We were able to enjoy being together while eating a delicious dinner in the fresh open air.  Thank you, Jillian, for enjoying this experience with us.

Make a reservation today for Morels French Steakhouse using Open Table

We went to Spago in Beverly Hills, California for Ren's special birthday dinner. Spago is famous for its food, atmosphere and for being a top celebrity hot spot in Beverly Hills. It is the flagship restaurant of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group. Ren and I had been to Spago in Las Vegas, in August, and had a terrific experience, so we wanted to come here for Ren's birthday on this trip.

We all arrived at Spago and received a warm welcome from the valet service attendants.  Spago is very stylish on the outside and is very impressive when you walk in as well. It is very classy and visually stimulating.  The decor is high style and smart in detail.  Spago has an open air dining area within the center of the restaurant with attractive white lights wrapped around the trees.  On cool nights, like this one, they ignite their propane heaters for the outside diners, to keep them comfortable.  We chose the interior dining room for our experience. Our room was loaded with attractive artwork and unique design treatments.

This was a busy night at Spago, and it was only a Wednesday.  Our server was Christian, who was very gracious, friendly and had a great personality. We had a great time chatting with her about our trip and she really helped to make us feel relaxed and taken care of, considering how busy it was that night.

Spago has a huge wine list in a one inch thick binder from which to choose your wine.  The prices range from about $45 to over $5500 or more per bottle.  That shows you how extensive the selection is. We chose a Chateau Senejac 2003 Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc.  It was outstanding.

Now for the appetizers. Ria had the Mixed Green Salad with oil and balsamic vinegar on the side.  Ren and I ordered the Spago Caesar Salad. Their caesar dressing was delicious and it even came with a couple of tasty anchovies draped on top of the salad. Yummy!

For dinner, Ria ordered the Grilled Prime New York Steak, cooked medium.  The sauce on the steak was amazing and the meat was wonderful.  The quality of the beef at Wolfgang Puck's restaurants is always supreme. Ria's steak came with buttered haricot vert which were tender and flavorful.

Ren and I ordered the Prime "Cote de Boeuf" grilled over charcoal, for two. The chef brought out the whole piece of meat for us to inspect (and salivate over) and then took it to the kitchen to cut up for us and came out with it served on our two plates. The meat, as always, was outstanding and was topped with Armagnae-Green Peppercorn Sauce.  The taste was phenomenal.  Our meals came with sauteed swiss chard, which was delicious.

We all ordered the Pomme Aligot, which were mashed potatoes magically whipped with several different cheeses.  The chef came to our table and presented them to us.  It was fun to watch him do a quick swirl in the pan, and then raise up his hand about 3 feet off the table and let them cascade onto our plate in nice round delicate swirls.  These potatoes were wonderful! All of our entrees were truly rich and exciting to our tastebuds.

For dessert, Ria ordered the Fresh Fruit Cup served with fresh whipped cream which she thoroughly enjoyed. Being that it was Ren's birthday, Ren and I ordered dessert this time, but we shared it.  We ordered the Zebra Torte, which consisted of cocoa nibs cream, deep chocolate cake, and bittersweet chocolate sorbet. Christian was nice to bring over our dessert with a nice long slender candle in it for us to sing Happy Birthday to Ren. This desset was light, yet decadent.  Delicious!

We really had a great experience at Spago.  We had wonderful food and service within a great atmosphere.  Christian was a great server, and great to talk to. Spago is an excellent restaurant to treat yourself to, if you are in Beverly Hills. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that it is very pricey.

Make a reservation today for Spago using Open Table

Paseo Cantina is located in Pasadena, California. We were walking around for the afternoon in Pasadena and happened to come by this place.  For days, we had been craving good authentic Mexican food and that is exactly what we were in for. It was lunch time on Sunday when we spotted them at the top of the escalator in the Paseo Colorado Mall. There happened to be a big private Sunday Brunch party with Mariachi Singers and Dancers going on. That is what drew us in. All of the festivity reminded us of all the latin weddings we'd enjoyed so much over the years.  Latins really do like to have fun! Anyway, we couldn't  resist walking in and seeing if we could join the party. The restaurant is very big, and it has some really awesome artwork with scenes from various areas of Mexico. They also had some really interesting Mexican artifacts on display. We enjoyed looking at them all. 

We were able to order from the regular menu, which is what we preferred to do, rather than doing the brunch. Our server was Hector, a really warm and down to earth person, who was efficient and very accomodating.  He really helped to make us feel right at home, among all of the other partiers. He was really maginifico! We enjoyed chatting with Hector about our trip and we all shared some personal stories!  For our wine selection, we ordered a delicious Estancia Cardonnay which was an excellent pairing with our entrees. 

We ordered the freshly made Guacamole for an appetizer. It was prepared right at our table with the freshest ingredients.  The Guacamole maker was so gracious, he let us video tape him making the guacamole for us.  The Guacamole was wonderful and the chips were amazing and prepared in the restaurant.  We also were supplied with both green and red salsas for dipping, which were also both enjoyable.

Ren and I ordered the Chiles Rellenos with rice and beans.  They were prepared to perfection. The taste was fabuloso!  They were filled with white mexican cheese and topped with an excellent delicate red sauce.  The chiles were served with Mexican rice and beans.  Ria (Mom) ordered the Cheese Enchiladas with the addition of chopped raw onion and sour cream.  They were also served with Mexican rice and Beans.  The enchiladas were fantastic and we all devoured everything. If we could have, we would have licked our plates clean. Lol. 

The show was truly a spectacle to watch. They were true Mariachis who played their various instruments with true gusto.  There were singers and Flamenco dancers as well.  What a sight to behold to watch them as we dined on truly authentic Mexican food.  This was the type of Mexican food that I grew up eating and it was such a pleasure to just sit and watch a show while dining on such wonderful food.  

The main dancer, Consuelo, came and chatted with us and even took a picture with Mom for us. She was really so nice and really enjoyed meeting us as well. We felt like we were actually in Mexico at Paseo Cantena. The food was fabulous, the servers, the dancers and Mariachis were really fantastic. We laughed and really had some great conversation. We left there feeling really good inside; from both the delicious food and the wonderful time with Hector, the entertainers and the other patrons and staff.  We would go back to Paseo Cantina in an instant. 

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LUA is a Latin inspired restaurant located in Hoboken, New Jersey.  Situated along the Hudson River, LUA has a breathtaking view of the New York City skyline and offers valet parking for its patrons for a fee. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very chic and stylish with a metropolitan feel to it. During the warmer months, there is outdoor seating, as there was last night.  Those dining outside can enjoy their meals and libations as they enjoy the view.

Upon entering the restaurant, you are treated to a great view of the 360 degree bar area with its adjacent VIP lounge.  We were escorted to the stylish multi-leveled dining room and were greeted by our server for the evening, Jayne (pronounced Jay-Nee). We were very fortunate to have Jayne as our server.  She was very sophisticated and chic with a warm, fun-loving and smart personality. Her service was professional and very accomodating.  Even with all of our special requests, she never flinched an eye, and was always willing to fulfill our requests. We really enjoyed having her for our server.

We were all famished by the time we got to LUA so we were ready for an adventure in eating. LUA has an impressive wine list and a full listing of all of the current trendy cocktails. We chose an excellent Campo Viejo Reserva Rioja from Spain.  It was delicious.

For appetizers, we ordered Guacamole. It was served with awesome tortilla chips made in the restaurant and several fried plantain chips inserted into it.  The Guacamole was fresh and tasty and the tortilla chips were light and so very addictive.  We were crazy about the plantain chips. They were awesome! They were thin, with just the right amount of crispiness.  Amazing! We also ordered Steamed Edimame dusted with a bit of salt which were delciously prepared as well.

Jayne was helpful to us in deciding what to order for dinner. Based on her advice, we ordered two entrees from the Big Plates section of the menu, and one from the very extensive Appetizers section. Ria ordered the Grilled Skirt Steak, served with sauteed spinach and grilled vegetables.  She thoroughly enjoyed her Skirt Steak which was so tender and flavorful with all the right spices.  The vegetables were tasty and nicely done. Ren and I, as usual, had some of Ria's meal and were very impressed at the flavor and tenderness of the skirt steak. It was fantastico!!!

Ren and I ordered the Cuban Style Pork Shank to share, with Miso Mashed Potatoes as the side. The serving of pork was enormous - exactly the type of portion we like.  It was bursting with flavor due to its concoction of spices and flavors.  The meat was tender and wonderful and the mashed potatoes were excellent. We've noticed Miso being used in marinating and preparing foods lately.  We are really glad about that!

We also ordered the Five Spiced Pork Ribs from the Appetizer menu.  They were tender and bursting with flavor as well as the other two entrees we savored.  The  five spices were Star Anise, Fennel, Cinnamon, Dried Ginger and Cloves.  Wow! They were served a bean salad with its own delicious blend of herbs and spices. Yummy!

Our experience at LUA was outstanding. The atmosphere was fun and energetic. We had outstanding food, great conversation and wonderful service by Jayne with her vibrant personality. All of these elements made a memorable experience for all of us.  We even were able to snap some excellent photos of the NY skyline at night time after dinner. We will definitely be dining at LUA in the near future. Que Rico!

Make a reservation today for LUA using Open Table

Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe is located right in Rockefeller Center. It is a terrific place to go to if you are into wine.  We both are huge fans of wine, so this is the perfect place for us. They have a retail store right next door where one can make a purchase from their selection of 2,000 wines by the bottle. In the Wine Bar, one can choose from 50 different wines by the glass or many more by the bottle.

During the warm weather, one can sit outside on the patio and gaze upon the sightseers of Rockefeller Center.  This day was perfect being that the weather was 80 and perfectly sunny with gentle breezes. It was so relaxing to sit outside and sip wine. We chose a Discovery Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.  It was the perfect summer wine with a citrus essence to it. 

Our server for the event was, Angela.  She was relaxed and easy going and just let us sit and relax and enjoy the experience. She made our time there a great one. Ren and I have made it a tradition to stop there for some wine whenever possible when we visit NYC for the day. During the cold months, it's fun to sit inside at the bar, for the entire wine bar experience.

Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe is a really great place to visit.  They also host wine tastings at various times of the year. It truly is a place to visit if you are a wine lover.

Make a reservation today for Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe using Open Table

Check out Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe's website for more information:
http://www.morrellwinebar.com/

Be sure when you visit Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe in New York, NY, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

The other night, we went to Salt Creek Grille in Princeton. We have been there a few times before and have always enjoyed the total experience and food there. This time, we wanted to do a review. Salt Creek Grille is located in the Princeton Forrestal Village and has really great parking and easy access from US Rt 1. The building has a very tasteful rustic look and in the colder months they light their great outdoor fireplace.  This gives it a really great ambiance and as if you are entering a mountain cottage. Salt Creek Grille has two locations in New Jersey and three in California. They also feature specials on various days of the week, whether it is a buy-one-entree-get-one-free or discounts on wine. Of course, these specials are always subject to change.  We will enjoy them while they last.

The restaurant has a really great atmosphere with high ceilings and a casual yet classy feel to it. The bar area is very impressive, and it is the first area you see when you pass the host stand.  Our server for the evening was, Luke.  He was bright, efficient and really easy going.  He really made our evening a relaxed one. That was the type of evening we had hoped for and that is what we got.

Salt Creek Grille has a great menu with a great selection of appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, hamburgers and seafood and meat entrees.  They also have an excellent wine list from which we selected a really great Cooper's Creek Sauvignon Blanc from new Zealand. For an appetizer, we chose the Caesar Over Mesquite salad. The romaine lettuce has a really great flavor to it, being that they grill it quickly on the mesquite grill and top it with Asiago cheese and Caesar dressing.

For dinner, we chose three entrees so we could taste a few different items. The first one was a Special for the evening: Blackened Swordfish with a chipotle honey glaze served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. The mashed potatoes were substituted for the rice that would have come with the entree. We do tend to customize our meals and the restaurants are always happy to oblige. The fish was tasty and seasoned just right and cooked nicely.  The mashed potatoes were delicious.

Entree number two was the Grille Chop which was a Double‐Thick Pork Chop, which we ordered with a bacon‐wrapped potato gratin and prosciuto green beans. The taste of the meat was phenomenal.  The texture was tender and juicy.  It had a real essence of the mesquite wood that they use for their grill.  The potato gratin was outrageously decadent yet delicate.

Now for the third entree - the Mesquite Grilled Baby Back Ribs. The restaurant describes them as "Slow-Roasted, Falls of the Bone!" and they are right!  The texture and taste leave you pleasantly fulfilled and craving more.  The ribs normally come with delicious Salt Creek Garlic Fries, but tonight, we ordered them with a baked potato with all the fixings. Yummy!

As a final accompaniment to dinner, we ordered the flourless double fudge brownie with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Delicious!

We really continued our tradition of having great meals at Salt Creek Grille.  The atmosphere, the service and the food was excellent!  Luke, our server, was really terrific and we will definitely ask for him again.  Thank you, Luke!

Update: We visited Salt Creek Grille again today for another great meal and experience.  Luke wasn't there and we had the opportunity to have Theresa as our server for the evening.  She was warm, professional and we really enjoyed speaking with her.  She also made it a special experience at the Salt Creek Grille. Now we have two people we can ask for!  Thank you, Theresa!

Make a reservation today for Salt Creek Grille using Open Table

Check out Salt Creek Grille's website for more information:
http://www.saltcreekgrille.com/

Be sure when you visit Salt Creek Grille in Princeton, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

The other night we all went to Carrabbas Italian Grill.  Carrabas has always been good when we have eaten there.  We've been to several locations and have always had a good experience.  Now that we have our website, twosquirts.com, we will share this one with you. Our server for the evening was Jennifer. She was energetic and full of positive energy.  We asked her if they could concoct something special for Mom and she was very obliging.  She got the approval from the kitchen to put it together for her.  Yay Jennifer! Yay also for Wine Wednesdays where wine is 50% off. Woo hoo! We ordered the Newmans Own Chardonnay.

Well, we were starving for sure.  We had waited all day to eat. We ordered the Zucchini Fritte for our appetizer.  They make them like french fries and serve them with a garlic aioli for dipping. They were light and extremely tasty. 

For dinner, Ren and I ordered a Tilapia Special with artichokes and sundried tomatoes.  We ordered sauteed spinach with extra crispy garlic garlic as our side.  The taste was fantastic. The fish was just right and the spinach was excellent. Now for Mom's concoction.  She had a Brick-Oven, Shrimp Parmesan pizza.  She had felt like both tastes and couldn't decide, so I suggested getting them both.  Her pizza was delicious.  The shrimp was lightly breaded and so tasty along with the pizza. Ren and I tried a piece and were very pleased as well.

We had another great time at Carrabbas.  The prices are always reasonable and the food is very good. Compliments to Jennifer for helping to make the experience a great one.

Check out Carrabba's website for more information:

http://www.carrabbas.com/index.aspx

Be sure when you visit Carrabba's in Green Brook, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

We had a great time at Woo.  We had cocktails and appetizers and really just chilled for a bit.  They have a really good selection of small plate entrees to choose from.  One can have a little taste of several items if one chooses, and we did. Our server for the experience was Jill.  She reminded us of the comedienne, Chelsea Handler, and really had a sunny disposition.  She really gave us great menu suggestions and we had a great time chatting with her.

We ordered two Grey Goose Martinis and four appetizers to share.  The first was Calamari Tempura which was really tasty and lightly crispy. The pieces were long and topped with toasty grilled cerrano peppers. Yum!

The next was our favorite, Bacon Wrapped Shisito Peppers with Curry Cream Cheese.  Wow!  These were truly awesome!  We could have kept popping these little numbers in our mouths all day.  Remember, Shisito Peppers are our latest addiction.

We also ordered a serving a warm steamed Edamame (not Edadaddy! lol) which were lightly salted and so yummy and healthy too boot! Oh and you will never guess what we ordered as our third. Being that we were still hungry, we ordered Roasted Shisito Peppers, They were simply roasted and delicious. What is it about shisito peppers that makes them so good?

Needless to say, we had fun at Woo.  They had great cocktails and food and we would like to have dinner there in the future. Thanks to Jill, for enhancing our experience even more!

Make a reservation today for Woo using Open Table

Check out Woo's website for more information:
http://www.woorestaurant.com/

Be sure when you visit Woo in Las Vegas, NV, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Carnevino is a wonderful steakhouse co-owned by Chef, Mario Batali and Winemaker, Joe Bastianich.  It features high quality meat and an excellent international selection of wine. The atmosphere is warm and very elegant with dark wood and fine furnishings typical of a very upscale restaurant.

We had lunch at Carnevino because we are big fans of “Big Fat Juicy Cheeseburgers”.  We had noticed their menu the day before, as we were walking through the Shoppes, so we made a point of coming back for a tasty lunch.  This ended up being one of our most enjoyable dining experiences in Las Vegas.

First of all, the warmth and friendliness that we encountered at the host stand, carried on throughout the entire experience at Carnevino.  Our server was Cooper. The three of us had chemistry from the start.  It was as though we had known him for years, even though it was only our first meeting. He was friendly, personable, professional and very down to earth. We all chatted about the restaurant, Las Vegas and Cooper’s life adventures.  We also shared with him about TwoSquirts.com.  Being a seasoned web site expert himself, Cooper was able to relate to our fun we have with our website. He shares the same fun with his own. (Check out our Links Page!)

We also met with and chatted with the General Manager of Carnevino, Chris Crocetti.  You can really see his enthusiasm about Carnevino.  Along with Cooper, he helped to make our experience one to remember.

To start everything off we ordered a bottle of 2006 La Mozza I Perazzi Morellino di Scansano. This was a delightful Sangiovese made by the owners, Batali and Bastianich. We really found out how ordering wine at Carnevino is an experience in itself.  After giving Cooper our wine selection, he let us know that the wine master would come and give us the full wine “service”.  He came with a rolling cart with BIG wine glasses and a smile on his face. He then opened and presented the wine for us in fine wine connoisseur fashion.  It was very impressive, indeed. We really enjoyed the show.

So that we could try two different items on the menu, we ordered two entrees to share. One was the Cheeseburger, which was served with pancetta and exquisitely carmelized onions and cheddar cheese; prepared medium rare. Oh wow did our eyes light up when we sunk our teeth into this delicacy. It was totally amazing.  The meat was fresh and full of flavor and the roll was top notch to match. The seasonings were wonderful. The cheeseburger came with delicious homemade potato chips which were totally addictive.

Our second entrée was the Saba-Braised Pork Ribs served over lentils and pancetta. The meat was tender and flavorful. The sauce was tangy and rich.  These ribs were scrumptious.  Both of our entrees went so well with our choice of wine.  They were all paired in heaven.

This was such a relaxing and fun experience at Carnevino. We had supreme service from beginning to end and we met some really great people that we plan on staying in touch with, and hopefully, see again.  Everyone, including the hostess, the table attendants, Cooper and Chris were all terrific. We could not have asked for a better lunch experience than we had.  We will make sure we eat dinner at Carnevino the next time we are in Las Vegas.  We have still been craving to have another one of those “Big Fat Juicy Cheeseburgers” ☺

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Check out Carnevino's website for more information:
http://carnevino.com/

Be sure when you visit Carnevino in Las Vegas, NV, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Tao was a really excellent experience. Even the entrance is cool and it only gets better as you continue to walk further inside. The atmosphere is amazing and one can see why it attracts celebrities. It is a feast for the eyes.  We had a really great server, named Zaban, who actually grew up in New Jersey. He was friendly and fun and made us feel very comfortable and relaxed. We ordered an excellent Sauvignon Blanc wine from their extensive wine list. 

We were starving, so we ordered three appetizers, the first being our new addiction, the YUZU roasted shisito peppers.  They were delicious and flavorful.  They truly reinforced how much we enjoy them.  We also ordered the Dragon Tail Spare Ribs which were truly amazing. Lastly, we also ordered the Satay of Chicken with Peanut Sauce. Every appetizer was rich and flavorful.

For dinner, we ordered two entrees. The first was, Hong Kong XO Shrimp with Long Beans and Jasmine Rice. The taste was light, flavorful and pleasing to ones taste buds. The second entrée was Swordfish served with Asparagus Tempura. The swordfish was perfectly prepared and we could have eaten the asparagus all day.  Both entrees were amazing in taste and presentation. To top everything off, we were served chocolate fortune cookies - our favorite type of fortune cookie.

To sum it up, Tao is a really terrific place for a chic experience and excellent food. We can see why one of our favorite clothing designers, Kenneth Cole, hangs out there when he is in Las Vegas.

Make a reservation today for Tao using Open Table

Check out Tao's website for more information:
http://www.taolasvegas.com/

Be sure when you visit Tao in Las Vegas, NV, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Spago is one of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants, located in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace Casino near the Coliseum Theatre.  The menu features seasonal American cuisine with influences from around the world. The atmosphere is very chic and attracts celebrities, two being Roy and Ren from Two Squirts.com :-).   The wine list is extensive and very international, and they offer many other libations as well.  Our server, Ben was friendly, professional and extremely attentive.  We ordered a delicious French white wine and our glasses were always refreshed by Ben. The service by everyone was excellent and the food was simply amazing.  

For an appetizer, we ordered the Buffalo Lollipops, which were really nicely presented buffalo wings.  They make them in the shape of lollipops by cutting around the bone at the narrow end and pushing the meat towards the larger end, exposing the bone like a lollipop stick. They were really yummy.  We could have eaten many more of them!  For our entrée, we ordered the New York Strip Steak which had a wine reduction sauce drizzled over it. It was served with smashed fingerling potatoes and grilled vegetables. The steak was absolutely delicious and perfectly prepared. The bread that we were served with dinner was the perfect accompaniment.

We would definitely go to Spago again and will make a point of visiting Spago in Beverly Hills in October when we are there.  We really had a wonderful time and look forward to the food again.

Make a reservation today for Spago using Open Table

Check out Spago's website for more information:
http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/9044

Be sure when you visit Spago in Las Vegas, NV, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Ah, one more view of the Venetian Tower! We really had a wonderful trip! Hope you all enjoy our pictures!

Chili's is always one of our favorite reasonably priced hangouts for really good food and a great experience.  The Chili's in North Brunswick is our favorite location, as each location can vary in terms of the experience.  This location has the best food and also the best staff. Overall, however, we have never had a bad experience at any Chili's that we have been too.  It is truly a great restaurant chain.  

The server who is one of our all time favorites is "Mike E.".  He is intelligent, warm, polite and has an excellent memory.  Mike E. is an all around nice guy and his service is top notch. He always remembers our usual special requests and goes out of his way to make our experiences memorable.  We have other favorite servers on Mike's days off like Eli, Michael, Nichole, and Chelsea, but Chelsea and Nichole don't work many days anymore.  For some reason, the Chili's in North Brunswick attracts friendly people to work there.

Our favorite manager there is Jillian. She is very personable, and always catches up with us on how life has been since our last visit.  She has a strong commitment to providing excellent service and food to every customer.

Chili's has many items on their menu for every person's tastes and dietary needs.  They are always willing to make substitutions on request.  It is totally possible to eat healthy or very decadently at Chili's. That's one of the reasons we like it so much.

Chili's has many excellent appetizers, salads, chili, soups, sandwiches and entrees. They also have a wide variety of libations as well. Everything is delicious and reasonably priced. Over the years, we have had their nachos, buffalo wings, quesadillas, salads and their awesome cheeseburgers and baby back ribs. Chili's also has the best french fries and corn on the cob.

Mike E was our server again this evening. We ordered two orders of Wings Over Buffalo, which are the buffalo wings on the bone. One of them we ordered with honey barbeque sauce and ranch dressing for dipping.  The other order was the traditional style with buffalo sauce and blue cheese for dipping. As always, they were delicious!

For dinner, we ordered one full rack of baby back ribs with honey barbeque sauce with a side of their awesome french fries and corn on the cob. We also ordered our customized cheeseburger entree. Basically, we order the Old Timer Burger with just cheese, cooked medium with an extra hamburger patty, without the bun.  We always have that with sauteed peppers and onions (no mushrooms) on the side, cooked well done. We also have the lettuce and tomato on the side, their awesome corn on the cob and a small side of honey mustard sauce for dipping.  Mike E always remembers all these special requests and we never have to tell them all to him anymore. It shows what a great memory he has and what a great server he is.

Needless to say, we had another great experience at Chili's and Mike E. always makes it special. If you are wondering why we refer to him as "Mike E.".  Well, seems to always be several "Mike's" working at this Chili's at any given time, so we need to differentiate between them. We definitely look forward to another great meal at Chili's in North Brunswick.

Check out Chili's website for more information:

Be sure when you visit Chili's in North Brunswick, NJ, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Fuji is a friendly BYOB Japanese restaurant located in the Liberty strip mall on Rt. 522 in Dayton, NJ.  Don't let the outside appearance fool you, because you are sure to have a fun experience inside.  This is a great hometown restaurant with a really warm and family like staff.  They really go out of their way to greet you and remember your name for the next times you come in.  Ren and I always have special requests, and each server will make a point of remembering what they were the next time we have him or her. At Fuji, we always eat hibachi but there is also a sushi bar area as well.

Fuji has many regular customers who dine there from the general vicinity. All of the servers are authentic but have easy to remember names. Nancy is usually the host and her husband, Alan is our favorite hibachi chef. They have two really cute little daughters, Selena and Maggie, who hang out with their parents often. They have amazing memories, excellent manners and remember all of our names as well. 

We've had many regular servers over the years at Fuji, but some of them have gone on to other pastures, either back to their native countries, or to other parts of the country. We just go with the flow and make new regulars. Lately, our regular server is Tina. She remembers our names every time and always asks how everything has been since the last time she saw us. She knows what table and seats we like to sit in and takes us there right away. She really helps to make our experiences there memorable and fun.

We usually order the friend calamari appetizer which is really tasty.  They are shaped like plump french fries and have a dipping sauce that is tasty and spicy. For dinner we usually order the hibachi steak dinner, but we have ordered the shrimp and scallops which also are delicious.  Usually we are so hungry (aren't we always?) that we tend to order the steak. Dinner is always served with a clear broth soup, but we always substitute miso soup instead. A side salad also comes with your meal served with a really awesome ginger dressing.  I usually never like ginger dressing but this one I could get a bowl of and eat like soup. 

The height of the fun starts when Alan, the chef, comes out wheeling his cart of hibachi ingredients. (No mushrooms for us - Ren is allergic!) He actually puts on a performance before your very eyes. Between his jokes, which we chime in with our own, his spinning knives, the onion volcano, and the flinging of the zucchini, it's a fun time. This is a great place to have parties, because everybody seems to get into the fun.

Be prepared to eat a lot of food.  If you can't fit it all they will give you containers to go. Each of the items is served as they are prepared so be ready to eat as they come. Chop chop. You are served dipping sauces, a hibachi shrimp appetizer, lo mein, fried rice, fried vegetables and your meat or seafood selection. We always order the steak rare and Alan always makes it soft and succulent. He remembers that we like garlic sauce, so he always makes that for us.  Feel free to ask any of the chefs for garlic sauce.  They are always happy to oblige. 

Your dinner also comes with your choice of ice cream or orange sherbet for dessert. We like to get a chocolate / red bean ice cream combo and mix them together like soft ice cream.  Yummy! Needless to say we always leave Fuji feeling full, relaxed and good on the inside. This is another place at which we tend to generate a hugfest on the way out.  We have had many good times at Fuji, whether they were birthday parties, family "get togethers", or just dinner out. All of them have been fun. By the way, there are coupons for Fuji in the local coupon mailer and Alan is featured in the photo.

Fuji doesn't have an official website, but when you do go there, be sure to say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

We just got back from dinner at the New Orleans Steak House. This restaurant is located on Rt 15 in Jefferson, NJ in Morris County. It’s a really good restaurant which we have been to once before. The atmosphere has a French Quarter feel to it and the staff is friendly and casual.

Our server for today was Anna. We requested her this time because of her excellent service from the last time we had her. She always greets us with a smile and is always attentive and efficient during the entire experience. We never feel rushed because she lets us take our time ordering until we are ready to order. This makes for a great experience that is relaxed and never rushed.

For appetizers, we ordered the Fried Calamari and the Homemade Fried Mozzarella Wedges.  Both choices were excellent.  The calamari was delicious and had a delicate coating of breadcrumbs. The mozzarella wedges were definitely not like the usual ones that restaurants tend to serve.  They are hearty sized with a rich taste to them. Both are served with red sauce for dipping

Our entrees came with either a cup of lobster bisque soup or a mixed salad.  We chose the salad.  We requested some gorgonzola cheese crumbles which really added to the salads rich taste. The blue cheese dressing had nice chunks of rich blue cheese. I never let any of those chunks get away from my fork as I poke through the dressing to get every single one.

For our entrees we chose the King Cut New York strip steak topped with onion crisps. This was the 16 ounce he-man size.  As you already know, our appetites are large. We ordered the steak medium rare and that is exactly how it came - right on target. It had a nice chargrilled exterior and was moist and juicy on the inside. As our sides, we chose a baked potato and the vegetable of the day.

They have a good selection of desserts if you can actually eat one after all that food. But we did hear people say that they were yummy.

Needless to say, we had a great experience today at the new Orleans Steak house. Anna is definitely top notch and an asset to their team. The manager is also friendly and chatted with us, as well about his home country of France. He noticed us looking at our pictures of Portugal that we had made into a hard cover photo book through Apple.  If we are up in that neck of the woods again, we will definitely go there.

Check out New Orleans Steak House website for more information

http://www.neworleanssteakhouse.net

Be sure when you visit the New Orleans Steak House that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Last night, we went to a Caymus Wine Dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Princeton. We had an awesome time. First of all, Ruth’s Chris is our favorite steak house. It’s a top notch steak house with locations all over the world. We’ve been to other locations including New York, Hawaii, Virginia Beach and Washington DC, to name a few. Some stand out more than others, but they are all excellent.

Last night was no exception.  All of the wine dinner attendees were seated in their own room.  Our main server for the evening was Jackie. We had never met her, but by the end of the evening, we were shooting the breeze, laughing and having a great time. As always, we have an experience to remember. More on Jackie later. 

There were 5 courses, each accompanied by its own unique wine. With the 4th course, we were served 2 wines, so there were 6 different wines all together. We must say that every one of the wines was delicious. The selections included, a Conundrum, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, two Cabernet Sauvignons and a Port during dessert, Our favorites were the Conundrum, and the Caymus Special Selection Cabernet. The Port was delicious, as well, and reminded us of our trip to Portugal last month, being that this one was actually from Portugal.  The representative from Caymus let us know that Portuguese wines will be really “exploding” soon.  They are going to really be “big” here in the United States. We’ll see. All of the Caymus wines we had were definitely top shelf and impressive.  We will definitely be making a purchase very soon.

Now, let’s talk about the food. Course #1 was a shrimp appetizer in New Orleans style sauce.  Oh wow was that good. Luckily we had some toasted garlic toast to snatch every drop of that sauce. Course #2 was a mixed green salad with a creamy lemon basil vinaigrette. Course #3 was pasta stuffed with veal osso bucco and fresh mozzarella. We usually don’t order pasta but we really enjoyed this…a bit too much.  Course #4 was filet mignon au poivre perfectly prepared by the gods of mignon. Last, but not least, was a flourless chocolate sin cake. This was true decadence in every sense of the word. Yes, we ate the whole thing!

Every wine and every dinner course was perfectly paired and prepared. The taste of each was unbelievable. This is typical for Ruth’s Chris. Mind you, Ruth’s Chris is expensive, but it is definitely worth it.  We make a point of eating at a Ruth’s Chris several times a year. 

Jackie, our server for the evening, was bright and full of life. Ren and I had a great time chatting with her, and even found out that she is a best friend of one of our other favorite servers from the past. See, good people hang with good people. Her service was excellent and  she had a great disposition. We will definitely request her in the future. Mike, one of the managers, even came by to chat with us for a bit.  He recognized us from our past visit to Ruth’s Chris. How is that for personal service!

We can’t wait for another wine dinner at Ruth’s Chris.  Who knows, as we progress, TwoSquirts may even be asked to sponsor a wine event. Be sure to put out a good word for us.

On a scale of 1-5, this experience definitely rates 5 Squirts.

Make a reservation today for Ruth's Chris Steakhouse using Open Table

Check out the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse’s website for more information.
http://www.ruthschris.com/ 

Be sure when you visit Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Princeton, that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.

Dusal’s is always one of our neighborhood favorite restaurants. Located in Kendall Park, it is right down the street from home.  This is great, because we believe in supporting our local businesses as well as those around the world. Plus, it’s a BYOB so we can bring whatever fine wine we desire. The food has always been excellent and, especially important in these economic times, is offered at a good price. Life is short, so we always aim for an “experience” in whatever we do. At Dusal’s, it is easy to have that.  We are always greeted with a warm hello and a smile and have had many great conversations with our regular servers and that makes the experiences memorable.

Today was a special event, celebrating Mom’s birthday.  We made sure we had our long time regular server, Gail.  We go back years. She is warm, friendly and professional.  She makes us feel like family. However, we can’t forget our other regular servers,  Barbara and Felicia. Barbara came over as well to see how our trip to Portugal was and chatted with us along with Gail. Each one of our regulars is great and has her own individual style. All of our regulars make our experiences at Dusal’s special and make us feel at home.

Now for the good part - THE FOOD! We started with our latest favorite appetizer. It is a nice assemblage of great tastes. Gail would know the name, but all we say to her is, “you know, our favorite appetizer” and she works her magic.  Basically, it is fried shrimp, topped with smoked mozzarella, and a zesty tomato sauce.  The smoked mozzarella adds a real awesome taste to the dish and to your tongue.

Our next course was the side salad, which is always fresh with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and an olive.  Feel free to ask for extra olives.  They are always happy to oblige.  You can top your salad with the house vinaigrette or a serving or two of Ken’s salad dressing.

Our dinner entree was chicken parmigiana.  Dusal’s chicken parmigiana has a generous portion of chicken, lightly breaded and topped with a smooth red sauce and mozzarella cheese.  We do typically have it topped with a heaping portion of meat sauce instead, but we were balancing out today, in anticipation of a Mom’s birthday weekend full of eating. We do always request to have our cheese made “toasty” to add an additional element of taste.  Something to note, if you do order the meat sauce, be sure to know that you may need a doggy bag.  We have huge appetites so, we rarely walk out with left overs. LOL.  

Because we practice a lower carb lifestyle, we substitute the usual side of pasta that comes with many of Dusal’s entrees with sauteed spinach with extra amounts of garlic and extra crispy too.  YUM! The taste of the crispy garlic is phenomenal.

Without even being asked, our friendly staff came out with a huge shareable italian ice cream dessert, for Mom, that had vanilla and chocolate ice cream encased in a hard chocolate shell.  Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Mom which brought an even larger smile to Mom’s birthday girl face. Even the fellow diners sang along and chit chatted with us.

Experiences are what we remember in life. You carry them with you always.  As always, Dusal’s gave us that experience.  Gail and Barbara, along with the other singing staff made us have an awesome night.  To top it off, it was a huge hug-fest with all of the staff as we walked out.  Talk about “warmth”. We felt like we were with our family.

Check out Dusal’s website for more information.

http://www.dusals.com/home.nxg 

Be sure when you visit Dusal’s that you say that you were referred to them by Roy and Ren from twosquirts.com.