There is a family-owned Italian bakery in Brick, New Jersey called Conforti’s Bakery. They always have a ton of cars in their parking lot, so I decided to check them out.
They make fresh a full line of Italian breads, pastries, desserts, and cakes.
Because of the Covid restrictions that were in place, I was not able to actually go into the shop. That was a disappointment because I did not get to smell all those baked goods in the air. That is the fun part of walking into a bakery.
They did have a walk-up window that allowed you to order. It was a pretty efficient process.
They boxed up the sweet treats and then you are off on your way.
I ordered one of their cream puffs. It was larger than most cream puffs I have seen. They put a decent amount of powdered sugar on top to add extra sweetness.
The pastry dough was light and airy. This allowed for the vanilla cream filling to fill every nook and cranny. There definitely was a lot of filling. It was so smooth and creamy. I loved how the pastry added texture to the smooth filling. Because this cream puff was so large, I had to eat it with a fork. This helped me prevent a huge mess.
This stop for some dessert was great. I look forward to going back and trying something else. I am also looking forward to when everything gets back to normal and I can go inside the bakery.
Nothing has made me happier than getting to travel again. The planes starting to get a little fuller, the roads a little more crowded, and the restaurants are opening (even if it is in just a limited capacity). I was happy to be back in New Jersey and getting to visit Boardwalk Hot Dogs, that has been around since 1982.
Now they have more than just hot dogs on their menu, but I was there specifically to try their Italian Hot Dog. I was not aware of what this style hot dog was, so I was anxious to try it.
They took a footlong hot dog and grilled it up on the flat top. Then they placed it inside a roll that looked almost like a pita pocket, but it was freshly made bread. Then inside the pocket they stuffed it with homemade home fries, which were nice big chunks of potatoes that were fried up till crispy on the outside. They then topped it off with sautéed peppers and onions. They were cooked till caramelized, and sweet which complemented the salty taste of the hot dog. This was the most filling hot dog I have ever had. It is perfect for sharing. And because its inside a pocket, it is not that messy to eat.
I could not leave without trying a classic Chili Cheese Dog. The footlong hot dog was placed on a traditional hot dog bun. They smothered the hot dog with chili (which was meat only, no beans). Then liquid cheese was spread on top on the chili. The smoky taste from the hot dog paired well with the savory taste of the chili. It was extremely messy to eat this hot dog.
I was happy to get to travel and visit a new restaurant. Check out their website at www.boardwalkhotdogsnj.com
After enjoying a wonderful steak dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse. I had two options for dessert. I could either eat there at my table in the restaurant or I could head upstairs to the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. Naturally I went upstairs for a unique experience. Luckily, we had a reservation, otherwise we would not have been able to get in.
We were seated in a semi-private space. It was intimate enough for small groups without making you feel like you are closed in.
Their menu was filled with dessert and dessert like cocktails. I orders one of each. The actual dessert was shared with the table.
The specialty drink I ordered was called Dreamsicle. The drink was vanilla ice cream that was blended with orange juice, orange liqueur, and a splash of Valencia orange vodka.
This drink was rich and creamy. The orange flavor was extremely impactful and paired with the ice cream perfectly. It truly reminded me of a creamsicle/dreamsicle that I would get from the ice cream man in the summer.
For dessert, as if the cocktails weren’t enough, I ordered the King Midas. This was a nut infused carrot cake. The moist, spicy cake was topped with a Macadamia Nut ice cream and a slice of thin chocolate. The ice cream was sweet, and the nuts gave it a unique flavor that paired well with the nutty carrot cake. As the ice cream melted, it got soaked into the cake, which made it even more moist.
I am so glad that I went to the Dessert Room for dessert. It was the best way to end my evening.
If you want to learn more about the Dessert Room check out the website for Bern’s Steakhouse: www.bernssteakhouse.com
For over 50 years Bern’s has been serving the Tampa area. What started as a small sandwich shop turned into a famous steakhouse. With their enormous wine cellar and a special dessert room, they have appeared many times on the Food Network and Travel Channel. I could not wait to check them out for dinner.
To start off the meal I ordered a bottle of Syltbar Prosecco. It is from Veneto, Italy. I love Prosecco and I never had this brand before. It was not very sweet, but it also was not overly dry. It was smooth to taste.
They brought out an assortment of breads. There was some fresh wheat bread that was soft. They also had these little crispy toasts. They had a garlic, buttery taste.
We started off with an appetizer of Tuna Tartare. This was the softest tuna that was diced into small pieces. It was then tossed with an array of spices, soy sauce, wasabi dashi (a wasabi dressing). It was topped off with tobiko (flying fish roe). They served crispy wontons on the side. The flavors of the sauces married perfectly with the flavor of the tuna. Because the tuna was so soft, the wonton crisps added a nice texture.
Out next was the French Onion Soup. There was a thick layer of cheese that was on top of the bowl. The edges were crispy and stuck to the rim of the bowl. As I took my spoon to open up the cheese, the hot steam from the soup poured out. I could smell garlic and the caramelized onions. The soup was loaded with them.
The broth was not too salty, just enough. The spelt toast that was in the soup soaked up a lot of the flavor from the broth. That softness of the bread went so well with the firmness of the melted cheese.
The house salad cam out next. This was a simple, classic salad. There were several dressings to choose from. I went for the White Balsamic Italian. The dressing had a nice tanginess to it that made the salad more exciting.
For my dinner I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon. It was cooked to the perfect medium. Then it was topped with a garlic butter. The meat was so tender I could cut it with a butter knife. The garlic butter added a little extra herb flavor to the meat. There was a perfect char on the outside of the steak.
There were onion rings on the plate. These were more like onion straws that were fried up crispy. It was a nice textural element.
The vegetable for the evening was fresh green beans and carrots. They were cooked in butter to add a creamy saltiness.
And what side goes best with a steak? A baked potato of course. I got mine loaded with sweet butter, crumbled bacon, and chives. I splashed a little salt and pepper on top and I was ready to dig in. The bacon mixed with the butter made the potato moist and crunchy. It was a nice pairing with the juicy steak.
This was one of the best steaks that I have had in a long time. It was nice to visit a restaurant that has withstood the test of time. They are a must try when you visit Tampa.
It has been a while since I have written about any restaurants. This terrible pandemic has limited so many things for everyone. Traveling and getting to experience new foods has been what I missed most. As places started opening back up, I have been excited to get out there. There are so many great restaurants to try and they need our help now more than ever.
So, I am doing my part and I want to kick it off by writing about a brunch I enjoyed at The Rutledge, in Franklin, Tennessee.
To help get me back into the swing of things, I ordered a mimosa. This was a classic orange juice mimosa at a great price. The juice was fresh and had a nice sweetness to it.
They have a great number of dishes to choose from. However, there was no doubt in my mind what I was going to order – Nashville Hot Chicken. They had a few options when it came to hot chicken. I went for the Hot Chicken Biscuits. I thought this would be a great brunch option.
They did offer hot chicken sandwiches. A friend at the table ordered that. I thought I would share a picture of that dish.
Back to my hot chicken biscuits. The chicken pieces were smaller but fit perfectly on the biscuits. The biscuits were freshly made, and they were light and fluffy. The chicken itself was spicy when I first took a bite, then it slowly mellows out. The chicken was drizzled with honey. This added a nice, sweet element to the spiciness. The honey was also wonderful on the biscuit.
Because the biscuit was so fluffy it did fall apart as I was picking it up. Plus having the honey made it slightly sticky. But even through all of that, I really enjoyed the flavor and eating this dish.
Since this was a brunch dish, it came with a side of breakfast potatoes. They had a nice crispiness. There was a little seasoning on them as well. They gave a generous portion too.
One of the side dishes at the table that I wanted to try was the Roasted Brussel Sprouts. These came out with a nice char on them, which made them crispy. There was also a great glaze on them that added a sweetness to the slight bitter taste of the actual Brussel sprout.
I also wanted to share with you another dish that was ordered during the visit, the French toast with bacon. For a traditional breakfast dish this was beautifully presented on the plate. And I was told the French toast was sweet and moist. The powdered sugar was a nice touch that added a little extra sweetness.
It was so nice to be able to get out there and travel again. I was so happy to help a local restaurant. I know they need it. If you are in the Nashville area, head a little south to Franklin and check out The Rutledge. Cheers!
A special occasion calls for a good steak dinner. That is exactly what I got at Texas Cattle Company in downtown Lakeland, Florida. I got a table by the window so that I had a nice view for dinner.
A steak dinner needs to start off with a good bottle of wine. The Amici Cabernet Sauvignon was mild in flavor, without a dry aftertaste. It paired perfectly with steak.
We got one of their starters, the Blue Chips. These were homemade potato chips with a blue cheese cream sauce drizzled all over. Then it was topped off with extra blue cheese crumbles. All that blue cheese gave the crispy chips a sharp taste. They were delicious and it only helped enhance the flavor of the wine.
Every meal comes with a salad and homemade cheese garlic bread. The bread was amazing. The cheese was baked on till it was crispy. The bread itself was sweet and the cheese added a salty element. The garlic added a nice tanginess.
The salad was delicious. The lettuce was chopped up which made it much easier to eat. They tossed it in a house dressing. It tasted like an Italian dressing. You can get refills on the salad if you want. Although I could have eaten more salad, I passed on refills because I wanted to save room for my steak.
They were running a special on a 16oz bone in filet. I went for that because I have never had a filet still on the bone. It is supposed to help add additional flavor to the meat.
I got it prepared medium so it would be pink in the middle. The steak was extremely juicy which I noticed as soon as I cut into the meat. I got a little truffle butter on top. It melted overtop of the hot steak and that added additional earthly flavor to the meat. The seasoning on the steak was very satisfying.
I also got grilled shrimp on the side. The shrimp were tender and a great accompaniment to the steak, it is the whole surf and turf idea. The steak was just too big, so I had to take the shrimp home. I figured those would be good for lunch the next day.
The best side dish to go with a steak are potatoes. They offered loaded mashed potatoes. They bring out creamy mashed potatoes and they let you select what toppings to go on top. Naturally, I loaded up with butter, cheese, and bacon. It was the perfect choice.
My meal at Texas Cattle Company was delicious. Every dish was comforting and filled me up. This is a great place to go for a special occasion or just to spend the evening with someone special.
There is a food truck in Nashville called Hoss’ Loaded Burgers. They became so successful that they finally were able to open their first Brick & Mortar location.
All their burgers are stuffed, their take on the “Juicy Lucy” that you will find up in Minneapolis.
You order at the counter when you enter the restaurant. Then they make it all fresh to order and bring it to your table.
I ordered The Hoss. The fresh beef patties were stuffed with cheddar cheese. Then the burger was topped with crispy bacon, a hickory smoke BBQ sauce, cilantro, and onion straws.
The burger bun was soft. It allowed me to get a great grip on the burger. The meat was extremely juicy. When I took a bite the melted cheddar cheese poured out. It made the burger even juicier. The bacon was not super crispy, but it added a salty element. The BBQ sauce was sweet and went well with the seasoning that was on the burger. The onion straws were a subtle touch that added a crunchy texture. It was the perfect size burger.
And what goes best with the cheeseburger? French fries of course. They offer a couple of different variations of fries. I went for the queso and bacon loaded fries. The crispy fries were covered all over with creamy queso. They made sure it was not just a top layer of cheese. The crumbled bacon added a salty and smokey taste. These were messy fries and needed to be eaten with a fork.
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers was a great spot for lunch. I am so glad they have a free-standing restaurant now. Check them out a www.hossburgers.com
This was my first visit to Hilton Head, South Carolina. It is a wonderful beach town that gets extremely crowded on the weekends. But who could blame anyone for wanting to spend the weekend at the beach.
My friends told me I needed to visit Captain Woody’s. It is a local place that has been serving up drinks and seafood for over 30 years.
They were packed when we arrived. Luckily there were seats open in the bar area. And if you have ever read my blog before you know sitting at the bar us actually the best. You will always get better and faster service at the bar.
When we got there to my surprise it was still happy hour. It seemed like everything was on special.
I tried a bottle of the Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. It was like a beer cream soda. The hints of vanilla were wonderful and really hid the taste of the hops.
The other part of happy hour were a few menu specials.
I went for a few to share:
Fried Calamari
Buffalo Shrimp
Fish Tacos
The calamari was lightly fried. It was a combination of body meat and tentacles. The calamari was tender and I could tell it was fresh. I ate most of them plain but I did dip a few in the sweet and spicy dipping sauce for some additional flavor.
The buffalo shrimp were jumbo fried shrimp. They had a great crunch but I was a little disappointment that they were not as spicy as I was expecting.
The bartender highly recommended the fish tacos. She said they are a fan favorite. So I ordered one. The fish could either be grilled or fried. I went for fried.
This one taco was huge. It was so packed with fish and veggies that it was impossible to pick it up. It was loaded with fried Tilapia, tomatoes, onion, cabbage, cheese, and covered in a chipotle cream sauce.
I ended up eating the pieces of fish dipped in the extra cream sauce with a fork. The rest of the filling I ate like a salad. It was pretty good on its own – probably because of the cream sauce acting like a dressing. That left the tortilla shell as the only thing on the plate. It had soaked up all the flavor from the filling, so I ate it all by itself. It was great.
Captain Woody’s was a fun place to hang out. It is a great place for families to go. If you want to eat outside, they have a huge patio. Just be aware of the temperature. I am planning on going back when I visit Hilton Head again.
