Max's Fine Dining (Italian)

On Sunday, June 12, we took the mothers to Max's Fine Dining in Cinnaminson as a late Mother's Day dinner. There were eight of us and we had a lovely time.

Jay shared with her mother an appetizer of pan seared foie gras duck with pinenuts and apples. It was very good. As an entre, she had pan seared trout with lemon and capers, which was crunchy on the outside and tender and meaty inside. Creme brulee ended the meal. The topping wasn't as warm as Jay likes, but the custard was excellent.

Ken had the Max's Mare & Terre (Langoustine & Beef Tournedos) which was absolutely wonderful. The beef was grilled and tender and the langoustines were just right.

Two of the mothers had the lump crab cakes, which were huge. One of the mothers had the Braised Lamb Osso Buco with Root Vegetables, which was excellently prepared.

We brought a wine from the Beaujolais region, one Alamos Viognier from South America and a Kali Hart Chardonnay from California.

• Dress - smart casual.
• Service - excellent.
• Decor - There are four different seating areas which can be very exclusive. Paintings gave it a nostalgic feel.
• Portions - good.
• Price - a little expensive, but worth it.
• Reservations - highly recommended.

Casanova Grill (Italian)

Yesterday we visited Casanova Grill after discovering that The Hardshell Cafe on Route 73 closed for business. There were six of us. Since we weren't prepared, we had to stop to pick up wine on the way, so we didn't write down what we had.

They first brought out a nice antipasto sampler which included the most delicious olives we've tasted. Bread is brought warm with a dish of olive oil and spices. More olive oil is available at the table.

For appetizers we had the fried calamari which was delicately fried and served with a tangy marinara sauce, grilled calamari which was perfectly grilled and served with a lemon herb sauce, and mussels in white sauce.

Soup or salad comes with the meal. A couple of us chose the tomato basil soup, which was very tasty.

For entrees, Ken had Involtone di Manzo, which was "prime sirloin steak rolled and stuffed with spinach, prosciutto and mozzarella, baked and sliced, then sauteed with mushrooms and fresh rosemary in a Chianti wine sauce." It was delicious. Jay had the scallops special which came with five large grilled scallops on top of a yummy leek sauce.

If you like veal, try the Carciofi & Asparagi (sauteed with baby artichokes and asparagus in a wine and demi-glace sauce). The veal was very tender and the sauce complemented the veal.

We were offered Limoncello and Strawberrycello made by the chef as an ending to our meal. Both were delicious. The strawberry was especially good since it tasted like fresh strawberries.

For dessert, Jay had the Limoncello Tartufo (lemon sorbet covered with lemon rind with a liquid limoncello liquor center), which was a nice light ending to a perfect meal.

• Dress - casual.
• Service - excellent. Servers were very attentive and knowledgeable.
• Decor - Italian bistro. You can see your food being prepared.
• Portions - hefty.
• Price - see the website. Six people were able to eat for $160.
• Reservations - suggested.

Siri's (French/Asian (Thai) Cuisine)

We visited this restaurant today and were impressed. We found this restaurant (and many that we visit) from McNulty's list. Siri's is located at 2115-2119 Rt. 70 West in Cherry Hill. They do have a website, which we were unaware of when we decided to go.

We had the chicken satay as an appetizer. It was dressed in a yummy peanut sauce. A sweet cucumber salad was also included - it was very good.

Ken had the crab cakes (2) which came with rice and sugar snap peas. He was impressed.

Jay had the soft shell crab special, which was over angel hair pasta with a spicy lemongrass sauce. She was extremely happy because TWO crabs came with the meal!

We then had a macadamia nut tart which had coconut in it. It was very light and a perfect end to a great meal.

We brought an excellent dry French Rose with us. We'll post the name of the Rose later...

• Dress - they say "casual," but we feel "dressy casual" is more like it...
• Service - excellent. The hostess and servers (especially Peter) were very knowledgeable and attentive.
• Decor - French/Asian. Colorful. Unique wine glasses.
• Portions - Looks were deceiving as we both were full at the end of the meal.
• Price - appetizers were in the $6-7 range; entrees ranged from the low $20s.
• Reservations - strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings.

B.Y.O.B.s in Jersey

We decided to create this blog to not only help us remember which restaurants we visited and to post our ratings, but also to help others who may be interested. We hope this is helpful.