I wanted to get together with Amy to catch up and learn from her about online strategies for Managed Markets. I have known Amy for many years since she was doing Media Strategies for our Pharma brands and Internet Media was just starting. Amy has moved on to Managed Markets which is becoming very important to many brands. So where do we eat in New Brunswick? I suggested we go to Catherine Lombardi’s for some classic American Italian Food. The well decorated dining room also allows enough privacy for a business meeting a great food to nourish us. So Amy agreed to meet me there.
After we caught up on what we both have been doing recently I suggest we get my Favourite Appetizer, the Prosciutto di San Daniele with Parmigiano-Reggiano. I like this appetizer because of the quality of the ingredients and the contrast between taste and texture. The Prosciutto is custom cut for each order at the bar allowing you watch as they cut. The meat is moist and slightly sweet. The Parmigiano-Reggiano is freshly cut into bit-sized cubes providing a contrast by being slightly salty and slightly el-dente. The added feature to the dish are the Balsamic Cherries that contast with both the meat and cheese. The size of the portion is large enough for two to share and even take a snack back to the office for a late afternoon bite. (Thanks Amy)
Amy went for the Pappardelle with Bolognese as her main course. I wasn’t familiar with the pasta Pappadelle so Alex, who did a great job serving us so well with her partner Scott, explained that it was kinda like ”Fettuccini that had been run over by a steam roller”. Alex and Scott are exactly who you want to see serving you at any meal, attentive, informative and professional. Great job guys. I hope to see you again. Amy shared with me that the pasta was perfectly cooked and meat sauce was very satisfying.
I went for the Daily Ravioli Special for my main course. Since Fall had just started the Squash and Cheese Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Cream Sauce sounded perfect for a sunny Fall day in New Brunswick. The store made ravioli were perfect with a great blend of squash and cheese, perfectly cooked with a drop of Pumpkin Oil on each. The Brocolli Rabe was a perfect side with the pasta as it brought some bitter and garlic taste to the party matching well with sweet squash and cheese. It was a delicious dish, well balance and perfect for the season. Well done.
It took a great deal of persuasion, but I managed to convince Amy to have some dessert. After review all the delicious choices she selected my favourite dessert at Catherine Lombardi’s, the Zabaglione with Fruit. Most of the times I have had this Classic Italian Custard, it has come with Strawberries but today it came with Blueberries. The light custard was sweet with the tart berries making a nice contrast .
I had to try something different from Amy so that I could share with the readers the experience. What I do for my readers. LOL. I went for the Canolli. Come to find out they bake their own shells and then fill them on demand. The filling, Alex warned was not as sweet as other canolli but the blend of Sweetened Mascarpone and Ricotta Cheese with some Orange Zest would be less sweet than I was used to but it would be very good. The two canolli arrived on a giant plate with a dusting of Pistachio Nuts, Chocolate pieces and Powdered Sugar. Alex was right, it was a great change from the super sweet pastries you can get everywhere and a great end to a great lunch.
Thanks Amy for playing along with my hobby, taking photos and helping me understand the state of the art of online marketing in the Managed Market space. I hope we get to do this again.
Read other reviews about Catherine Lombardi’s here, here and here.
Catherine Lombardi’s – 3 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1903 (732) 296-9463
Donna was craving Kentucky Fried Chicken as we finished shopping in Willow Grove so we started looking for a store but no stores were to be found. As we got closer to Doylestown, Donna remembered that beside Thompson Toyota she saw a sign advertising Fried Chicken. That sign took us to Gross’ Gourmet Foods and to great Fried Chicken.
At Gross’ Gourmet Foods I bought Fried Chicken Breast, Thigh and Drumstick along with Potato Salad, Coleslaw and Corn Bread to take home. The order came to $26 which at the time seemed high to me. When we got home I fixed Donna the plate to the right for her lunch. As I prepared the plate, I sampled each of the items so I could report to you readers (LOL). The Fried Chicken had a great Crispy Coating and was very Moist and Sweet inside. All three pieces were huge compare to KFC pieces especially the Breast which weighed at least a pound by itself. The Potato Salad was very good as well. The potatoes were done el dente so they had a nice bite to them. Donna and I couldn’t figure out what was giving the salad it’s Tang, I thought mustard and Donna thought it was garlic. I think Donna was right as they colour remained more white than any yellow tint mustard would have gave the salad. The Coleslaw was very creamy with the Cabbage giving the salad some nice Tang and Crunch. The Carrot gave the salad some sweetness and some colour. The Cornbread was Moist and Sweet. The bread was dense and not grainy like many other versions I have tried. It was almost as good as 
Ryan and I got to go to Ooka in Doylestown for Sushi today because Donna went bowling with Jojo and left us to make our own lunch. I have gotten several recommendations from Facebook friends and Chowhounds on how good the sushi is at Ooka so eating there has been on my Foodie to-do list for quite a while. The recommendations were spot-on; the sushi was top notch, the venue was very comfortable and the service impeccable.
Both my meal and Ryan’s meal came with Miso Soup and Garden Fresh Salad with Ginger Dressing. The Miso Soup was one of the best miso soups I have ever had. A hearty broth with delicious pieces of Mushrooms, Tofu and Scallion floating in it. The Garden Fresh Salad was pretty typical of other Japanese restaurants’ salads with the exception of the Ginger Dressing which was Creamy and with a Delicate Ginger Flavour as opposed to the usual version that comes with overwhelming ginger flavours. We also tried some Japanese beer and went for the Sapporo brand. I actually like the match up of beer and sushi so it was working for me. 
Ryan went for the N.Y Steak Teriyaki Bento Box.The Angus beef steak came with and order of rice, two California Rolls, Shrimp & Broccoli Tempura and a Japanese Treat. The steak came medium rare and coated in sweet teriyaki sauce. The rice was perfectly cooked. Both Shrimp and Broccoli Tempura were perfectly cooked and crispy but leaving the shrimp and broccoli fresh and delicious. The California Rolls were classic and even a little larger in diameter than I am used to getting. The dish also came with two Gyoza Pan-fried Pork Dumplings served with a Ginger Sauce. Ryan had not tried Gyoza before and despite being stuff from all the previous food he liked the delicate pork flavour, the slight char from the pan frying and the gentle ginger sauce. He shared one with me so I knew he was pretty full when he starts to share his food.
Tomorrow is Donna’s Birthday but many of the top end restaurants are closed on Mondays so we went out this evening to celebrate her birthday. We took our own advice from the 
Donna started her meal with the Prosciutto with Melons, Peaches and Mozzarella appetizer. The salty and thick prosciutto was a great match for the sweet melon and peaches. The fresh Mozzarella Balls were great texture contrasts for the fruit and the dense meat. The dish was dressed by a Thick Balsamic Reduction that despite being a vinegar was thick and sweet. The main ingredients were enough but a salad of Micro Greens completed the dish.
I went for the French Onion Soup as my appetizer. Donna warned me about eating it because of the long cheese strings the soup often produces but I went it for it anyway. What a great decision it was. The Giant Portion was full of flavour and actually hard to get to get a spoonful of just broth. The rich soup was full of sweet Onion, Cheese and Croutons. It was not overly salty as many onions soups I have had at other places most likely cause they used stock instead of those salty bullion cubes. It was excellent, so excellent that I brought half of it home. It didn’t make it past 30 minutes before Ryan had found it and heated it up for a snack. LOL. It was great soup and no stringy cheese on my clothes. LOL.
Donna and I decided to share a Casear Salad as our second course. We are Caesar Salad snobs because we have made this salad so many times and we think we have the recipe down pat. I have posted about 
Donna went for the Grilled Pork Chops as her main course. The one giant Bone-in Pork Chop came with Roasted Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus. The grilled pork chop was surounded by two generous pieces of Pancetta making a giant pork sandwich. The actual chop was cooked perfectly and was thick, very moist and sweet. The asparagus was well cooked and tasty. The potatoes were a little el-dente and could have roasted a few minutes longer for my taste but Donna like them as they were presented.
Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends and readers. It’s also Donna’s Birthday on Monday so when I was in search of a birthday cake or cupcakes for her I went to Crossroads Bake Shop in Doylestown. Crossroads had done such a great job on the 
The great news was that the slices were Very Moist and flavourful. Donna and I seem to detect almost a Spice Cake flavour rather than a “Honey” flavour that we anticipated based on the name of the cake. The small portion slices require me to take two slices so I could ensure for my readers that the quality of the cake was consistent. (LOL – what I do for my readers) It was good but the distribution of almonds make the bites interesting as sometime you got them and sometimes not. The moist dense cake with the interesting spice and almonds is a great cake and regardless of your holiday worth buying.
I was born in August and my mother opened a restaurant the next May. It had a great location, right on Highway #1 between Saint John (the biggest city in New Brunswick) and Calais, Maine (the 5th busiest border crossing between the US and Canada). She ran the restaurant for 29 years until she was 69 when she retired. The restaurant lay dormant for a few years until Dave Comeau convinced my mother that she should sell it to him. She did and Dave built the Comeau’s Seafood Restaurant into a thriving business specializing in fresh cooked seafood and home-made desserts. Rachael, Dave’s wife, does the baking and oversees the kitchen ensuring that each dish is of the highest quality. Dave and Rachael have changed the restaurant a great deal since I was a kid but the flavor of the food still reminds me of my Mom’s cooking.
Donna and I went to the restaurant at lunch today for the Hot Hamburger that Donna was craving. For some reason, we have never been able to get a Hot Hamburger in the US since we moved down there. The dish is pretty simple, a large Hamburger Patty is placed on a slice of Plain White Bread, covered with Brown Gravy and then another slice of bread and more gravy. Donna’s dish came with Mashed Potatoes, Diced Carrots and Coleslaw. Somehow the combination of gravy, hamburger and white bread are different than a burger and it always brings me back to my Mom’s cooking. The home-made gravy has obviously been simmering for hours if not days as it was brown and rich and just full of flavor. The sweet carrots and creamy mashed potatoes were nice contrast in texture and savory flavors of the meat and gravy. We still wonder why Diners across the US have not picked up this simple dish but if you are Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick area make sure you try the Hot Hamburger.
I went for the Scallops and Haddock Platter as I knew the seafood would be fresh and it was Friday. The dish did not disappoint. With lightly battered fish and scallops, a generous portion of Fries and a side order of Coleslaw it was delicious and more than I could eat in one sitting. The light batter on the fish easily broke away to reveal flakes of Tender Fish that were sweet. A few drops of the tart lemon juice set up a great ying-yang of flavors. Same held true for the scallops but the flakes were replaced with a dense scallop meat that divided easily with the fork. The fries come breaded at Comeau’s so they were different than the other fries I have been eating this week and that was a welcome changed. Perfectly Cooked, as was the fish, the fries were crisp but maintaining a potato taste inside. The home-made Coleslaw was extra tangy today with crispy cabbage and a few carrot pieces mixed into what is becoming my favourite salad. It was a great dish and proved again that Comeau’s Seafood is some of the best around. Check it out if you are driving through my old homeland.
When we moved to Ontario in the early 1990’s (boy does that sound a long time ago when I write it), we always went to Swiss Chalet at Christmas time and when my Mom visited us. Swiss Chalet is a chain of rotisserie chicken restaurants that started in Canada in the 1950’s. They always had great chicken, crispy skin on the outside and moist sweet meat on the inside, great sides and great desserts. 
At Christmas time, Swiss Chalet always offered a special chicken meal that featured the Swiss Toblerone chocolate bar as the dessert. That combo is famous across Canada and when I updated my status to saying I was eating at Swiss Chalet, the first comment I got was about the Holiday Tradition. The boys (and my Mom) liked the Toblerone bars, the Swiss Chalet BBQ Ribs and the Treasure Chest they could get a toy from at the end of the meal so going there was a family affair to remember.
Donna went for the Harvest Special and I went for the Chicken and Rib Combo. The Harvest Special included a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup, a ¼ Roasted Chicken, Mashed Potato, Roll and Chalet Sauce with Pumpkin pie as dessert. The soup was very good and gone before I could take photos. (Must be good eh?). The ¼ Roasted Chicken was all white meat and cooked to perfection – crispy skin on the outside, moist sweet meat on the inside. The Mashed Potatoes were well cooked and creamy as required by the blogger’s wife. The highlight to the meal or at least my son, Ryan thinks, is the Chalet Sauce. This dipping sauce is lighter than gravy but more flavorful and even a bit tangy. Dipping chunks of the Chicken into it, heck even chunks of the roll, causes one to wonder how they get the strong chicken flavor in there at the same time making it tangy. It’s a wonderful addition to the meal and would be sadly missed if not concluded. The Harvest Special did come with pie that we had packed for the trip home but it disappeared during the night with no reports on the taste. LOL
My Chicken and Rib Combo came with the same ¼ Roasted Chicken Donna had but my dish came with ½ Rack of Roasted Ribs and a generous order of Fries. The Ribs were delicious and fall of the rib tender. I usually like my ribs to stay on the bone but these are the exception. The pork meat was moist and tender covered with a sweet tangy sauce whose recipe the Swiss Chalet people covet (but will sell you jars of it if you want LOL). The sauce doesn’t provide much heat in terms of spice but it matches so very well with the sweetness of the port that I bet hardcore BBQ fans in Kansas City and Memphis would enjoy. I love the ribs at Swiss Chalet and hope you try them.
The Kennedy Inn’s version of the Lobster Roll is served with Fries and Coleslaw. The Lobster Roll itself is served in a New England Hot Dog Bun jammed with Lobster Salad. The meat again is a combination of generous chunks of Tail and Claw Meat, Mayo and Celery. This version was significantly moister than the 2nd entrant and a little moister than the 1st entrant. The meat mixture was also colder than the first two. The early morning time and the meat temperature suggested to me that the mixture was made the night before and stored in the refrigerator. It was still very tasty but I think if the temp had warmed up it was increased the flavor. The Golden Fries was crispy and well done but 10 more seconds of cooking would have put them over the top into the overcooked category. The Coleslaw was crunchy, tangy and an expected side to the roll. Net-Net a good competitor and worthy of a sample if you get to St. Andrews.
Our second contender in the Lobster Roll contest comes from The Gables in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. The Gables has a great outdoor patio right on St. Andrews Bay where you can eat in the sunlight and watch the tides flow in and out. I knew The Gables as the Black Bull when I was growing up and hanging around St. Andrews. They acknowledge their heritage a little bit by keeping the Bull Burger on the menu and it weren’t for the Lobster Roll challenge, that’s what I would have eaten. But back to the Lobster Roll.
The Gables’ version of this classic seafood sandwich came with a few fries, a portion of coleslaw and a slice of lemon. The generous portion of lobster meat came in a Toasted New England Hot Dog Bun. The lobster was a combination of bite-sized chunks of body and claw meat. The meat was lightly tossed with some Celery, Parsley and a little Mayo. The mixture was seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with Paprika. I found the amount of mayo was very light compared to other Lobster Rolls I had tried before. I tried a few drops of Lemon Juice and that made the Roll a lot more interesting with the contrast of sweet lobster meat and tang from the lemon. The meat was moist enough to prevent the sandwich from being dry but a little bit more mayo would have help. It was a good sandwich in a great location.
The blog has been doing well with readers participating on some of the polls/surveys but could use some help with some of the new polls. Take a peek at the results as to the end of August and vote in the different surveys you have not participated in already. Thanks for helping out the blog.