BBQ Could Be Better

As my boyfriend and I lazed about on Black Friday, avoiding all stores, places near stores, and roads that lead to stores, we started whining about how we wanted some nice leftover-turkey sandwiches. So on the day after Thanksgiving, we headed out to Boston Market like fools.

We got about a block when my boyfriend saw the big BBQ sign and veered into the parking lot. It was empty with the exception of the cars of two employees and a Large-Marge style truck.

The atmosphere was quaint. The interior was decorated with old metal RC-cola signs. The tables were covered with red and white checked table cloths and came with a roll of paper towels – because napkins are never enough when you’re eating ribs. We smirked at the menu that said they stayed open until 9 p.m. or until they ran out of meat and were drawn in by their declaration of BBQ:

Since it was the day after Thanksgiving, there were only two employees working at the time and only one customer. Because of this, Bourbon BBQ housed more flies than people – which definitely turned my stomach before I even saw the food.

They were out of chicken so I was forced to abandon my original order, a buffalo chicken wrap (what did you expect?), and go for the hickory pork BBQ sandwich. I had my choice of white bread, wheat bread or a roll and was given a soda and choice of side dish as a part of the combo meal. My boyfriend got a full rack of St. Louis ribs and tips that included six ribs and his choice of two sides and a soda.

My pulled pork sandwich on-a-roll was really served on a bun - a bun that turned soggy about 30 seconds after hitting my plate. It was nearly impossible to lift to my mouth since the mushy bottom fell to pieces as soon as I tried to lift it, but it was no less delicious eaten with a knife and fork. The meat was flavorful and juicy. It definitely didn’t need the onion and pickle slices added to it from the pile that had been thrown on the side of my tray. The onion rings (which were a dollar extra) where battered, not breaded (my favorite) and although greasy and heavy, made a nice addition to my fat-kid lunch

My boyfriend’s ribs were not saucy but seasoned. He chose the baked beans and potato salad as sides. The potato salad was bland and the potatoes were hard and undercooked. The beans had as much pulled pork in them as I did on my sandwich. It was tasty and filling – and could probably serve as a meal in itself.

For a counter-service restaurant, $30 seemed a bit much for two to eat – but we did get a lot. Neither one of us finished our meals.

If you’re in the area, Bourbon BBQ is worth a try – but it’s definitely not worth going out of the way for adequate food, counter-service and RC brand colas.

Bourbon BBQ
529 Goffle Road
Wyckoff NJ 07481
(201) 444-4744

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“Just before Thanksgiving last year, police in the quiet northern Jersey community of Ramsey in Bergen County responded to a call about a roving pack of troublemakers who had snarled up traffic during the morning rush hour. An NJ Transit station security camera captured a grainy image of the hoodlums gathered at the edge of the train platform, looking like they were waiting for the next train.”

Well, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without some random, odd news story, right? Well, this one I just had to share since that quote above is describing turkeys. Yup, as you’re gobbling down your bird (or vegetarian variation), you can interrupt your feuding familia with news about how the wild turkey is happily roaming our Garden State yet again.

Click here to read the story.

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I just found a website I’d like to share with you. Healthy Dining Finder, from a company based in California, analyzes restaurant menus and tells you what’s healthy there. Sounds like a great idea. The only downside at the moment is that the great majority of places reviewed (at least in our area) are fast food (there’s healthy stuff at BK?) or other chains (like Chili’s and Chevy’s). And even some of those (Red Lobster) haven’t been reviewed yet. So, maybe in a few months or a year it’ll be really worth checking it out.

In the meantime, if you’re visiting, say, San Diego, California, you could use it to check out restaurants there. More than just fast food and chains seem to have been reviewed already.

So, if you want more local favorites to list with them, you have to tell them about the site. Unfortunately Healthy Dining Finder asks restaurant-goers to print out an informational sheet and tell the restaurants themselves to go sign up. It’d be better if we could tell HDF to contact the restaurant, but they probably don’t have a staff member for each state.

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Is this once-upscale Spanish restaurant still worth its prices?

My husband and I have a favorite Spanish place in the city that is known for its lobster, but also reigns supreme in service and paella. So, while our standards were high, we were ready to like Cibeles if only because of its convenience to where we live (especially since I’ve been on crutches).

Walking in, the first thing I noticed was that its decor is a bit past its prime. Not that every restaurant needs to be “updated,” but not everything ages well. If your menu prices can be considered pricey ($97 for one appetizer , small pitcher of sangria, and two entrees), especially for the neighborhood, then you should look it. Cibeles looked to me like a small, generic banquet hall. However, the space is clean and I did still feel like we were having a somewhat special night out. But then I noticed people walking in in jeans and hoodies, and one couple was talking on their cell phones quite loudly. That took the ambience down a few more notches.

Our table ordered the lobster tails in green sauce and surf and turf. As an appetizer, we had the mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat. And, without hesitation, we opted for a pitcher of sangria made with champagne, which is a favorite of ours.

We both enjoyed the mushrooms; they were moist and flavorful in their oniony broth. My salad automatically came covered in a peppery-tomato dressing which was really bold, and I enjoyed that. But make sure to tell them you want the dressing on the side if you’re that kind of person. My husband’s caldo gallego - a traditional soup made with beans and chorizo - was similar to what we’ve had before. It was creamy from the beans and had a peppery meat taste thanks to the chorizo.

For the main course: The lobster tails were fresh and sweet but I didn’t really care for the green sauce they came in. It was goopy and distracted too much from the flavor of the lobster. I would have preferred to have the tails steamed and served as-is. That’s what I get for being curious, I guess. The surf and turf, on the other hand, was more appreciated, although the meat was quite dry for my taste. My husband’s broiled lobster was much better (it didn’t come with sauce). The rice, string beans, and potatoes made solid, enjoyable side dishes.

Despite the mediocre experience, due perhaps mostly to personal preference, it was clear that the food was fresh and prepared with care. And the sangria was the best we’d ever had. I’d come back just for that and their appetizers. We were too full to try their desserts, including flan and rice pudding, which I’m craving as I write this.

So, given the quality of the food, I guess they’re still worth the price for a really special night out. But, personally, if my husband/boyfriend/potential boyfriend really wanted to impress me, this wouldn’t be the place. The ambience just doesn’t match the menu.

La Cibeles
123 Ridge Road
Lyndhurst
(201) 438-9491

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One of The Best Mexican Restaurants In Jersey

One chilly night last week, Ali, her man and I went to Señorita’s. It was the first night we’d been out together in a long time, and I was really looking forward to it.

The first thing we noticed is that this two-story restaurant really stands out on its street; it is well-decorated and upscale-looking. However, we did not look out of place in jeans. The beautiful lighting, ornate furniture, great salsa music (not too loud) and bright, festive colors, really created an inviting space. This seemed like a great place for a date or a night out with friends. We hoped the food was at least half as good as the decor.

A waitress came by within moments to take our drink order and brought a basket of chips and salsa. The chips were thick, salty and seemingly homemade; they weren’t just a free throw-away, they were great. The salsa was a tad watery but fresh and delicious. A good sign of things to come.

I was really tempted to try their chipotle wings or ceviche as appetizers, but the plates on everyone else’s tables told us the portions would be hefty. So I ordered a chicken chimichanga (because it came with guacamole). The others had a chicken burrito and quesadillas.

The chicken in my chimichanga tasted as though it had been marinating for hours in red salsa; it was juicy and flavorful. The fried dough it was wrapped in wasn’t too crispy, so it wasn’t dried out. It enveloped the chicken really well. Ooo.. I can’t wait to go back. The guacamole was not the best I’ve ever had, but it was good, and I was too full to even try the rice and beans that came with the dish.

We were all super pleased with our meals and felt encouraged to come back again — we noticed musicians going up to the second floor and hoped that meant they have live music some nights (we weren’t able to confirm this). We definitely have to return at least to try their margaritas. They also have several Mexican beers, with Dos Equis on tap. In bottles they have Corona, Negro Modelo, Sol, Bohemia, Tecate, and Pacifico. They also offer several tequilas.

Don’t go to Chevy’s, Chili’s, or some other so-called Tex-Mex Mexican chain the next time you’re hankering for some mole or enchiladas. Go to Señorita’s — definitely one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area. Even though I haven’t been to every Mexican place in our state, I feel comfortable declaring it great in comparison to some of the places I really enjoyed in Mexico, as well as some of the family-owned places in New York and Brooklyn. Authentic and enjoyable.

Oh, and despite the upscale appearance, the bill for three people was just $40 plus tip!

Señorita’s Mexican Grill
285 Glenwood Ave
Bloomfield
(973) 743-0099
http://www.senoritasmexicangrill.com/

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You may remember her best as Pat on Saturday Night Live, the sexually-ambiguous, annoyingly-voiced character, but Julia Sweeney has many other (and I must say better) talents. She had a wonderful one-woman show called God Said, Ha! about how she had developed cancer shortly after her brother died of cancer. It is one of the most poignant, moving, and truly funny pieces of art about cancer out there (the other moving, though not funny pieces is Wit, a play and movie). Although it began as a play, it was later turned into a film by Quentin Tarantino.

And now Julia is bringing her “Letting Go of God” one-woman show to New Jersey! And it appears to be for just one day! So buy your ticket now!!

LETTING GO OF GOD, NOVEMBER 9, SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.
The website is: www.sopacnow.org/167/julia-sweeney

See a 15-minute excerpt here!

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Well, folks, it’s been a while since my signature has dared to grace these pages but that may soon change. I can’t make promises, though, so I will tell you why. As Ali mentioned earlier, we’ve been going through some changes. I left my previous employer and am training to be a teacher in NYC (subject: English as a Second Language). That has meant 12-hour days. Oh, and I have been on crutches for 5 weeks and expect to continue in my cast for a possible 6 more months! Take my advice: if you see a movie being filmed on a street you happen to walk down, don’t bother to even try to get away (as I did). Stay perfectly still until they finish and go away - even if that means standing in one spot for weeks. Their seemingly safe wires that are strewn over the sidewalk are anything but. Ah, but I digress. So, I haven’t been Going Out Jersey very much lately. Not even for my thirtieth birthday! Big Jersey Pout.

But, don’t worry dear Jerseyites, we’ll be back in no time!

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