Ginger Asian Cuisine

Had to visit Ginger Asian Cuisine, 7 Wilkins Station Road (Main Street), Medford, NJ 08055 (609-953-7888). Ken wanted to go on Friday, but Jay was tired, so we visited on Sunday, July 14, 2019. Delicious as always! Everyone is so welcoming and glad to see us when we come back.

Always love the fried noodles...

We shared appetizers this time:

Ken loves the ribs. They are tender and perfectly seasoned.

If you want the Vietnamese Beef with Grape Leaves, you should order as soon as you arrive. It's worth the wait. Delicious!

Thai Beef Nachos. An appetizer! Wow! Very flavorful.

We love the fried dumplings.

Cantaloupe to end the meal...

Wine enjoyed:

Allora

Our monthly lunch with Karin and George took us back to Allora, one of our favorites, for a wonderfully relaxing 3-hour lunch, on Saturday, July 13, 2019. Christian is an amazing server, who understands that we like to eat slowly and take our time. We truly appreciate everything that he did for us today.

The bread was so good, that we had 3 baskets!

We shared many plates:

Suppli and Fried Calamari. Our favorites! Fried to perfection.

Ken can't leave an Italian restaurant without trying the Long Hots! Perfectly cooked with prosciutto, cheese, and onions. We sopped up the sauce with more bread!

We shared the Shrimp and Crab Linguine special. The shrimp and crab were well seasoned, not just directly out of a container. Perfection!

We also enjoyed Eggplant meatballs. Jay and Ken don't like eggplant, but these were cooked well and quite tasty. The sauce was addictive!

Apple cake with whipped cream and ice cream for dessert. Although full, we finished every bite!

Wines enjoyed:

Love this place! One of our favorites!

Mia Mia Raw Bar and Ristorante

Walking around North Wildwood with friends Mary and Jill, on Friday, July 5, 2019, Jay thought Mia Mia Raw Bar and Ristorante, 3001 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260 (609-408-6524), looked interesting. We weren't dressed beachy or anything (I thought we looked presentable), but we were asked if we had reservations (we didn't) and the hostess asked if there was room for us. There was, and we were brought to a table in a room (looked like a party room) in the back of the restaurant. Since it was a BYOB, and we didn't bring wine with us, Mary told her husband, Terry, to meet us and bring some wine. He did, and the food was amazing.

Appetizers enjoyed:

Jay had the oysters (of course!) - 3 from Prince Edward Island and 3 from the West. She preferred the PEIs as they were similar to Cape May Salts:

Jill enjoyed Mia's Peppers, with mozzarella, kalamata olives, capers, basil, with balsamic. Delicious, including the crispy toast!

Mary was quite happy with the 6 Jonah Crab Claws, which came with a trio of dipping sauces.

By then, Terry showed up and had 6 PEI oysters as well. He was happy.

A fresh salad arrived, and was perfectly dressed:

Entrees:

Jay needed help finishing the Cioppino (shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, crab meat) in a white sauce. So much food and cooked to perfection! The picture doesn't do it justice!

Jill was happy with the veal marsala.

Mary and Terry shared the Rack of Lamb (nonfrenched) and were quite satisfied. It came with garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach.

Shared desserts:

Raspberry panna cotta, with a chocolate cookie bottom. Light and flavorful. Just right to end the meal.

Blueberry cobbler. Yummy!

I would go back with my hubby, Ken, and dine for a special occasion. We'll be more prepared next time.

Wines enjoyed:

Sanook Thai Cuisine

Father's Day dinner brought Jay and Ken to Sanook Thai Cuisine, 18 Tanner Street, Haddonfield, NJ 08033 (856-857-1169), on Sunday, June 16, 2019.

Appetizers shared:

Fried Dumplings - crunchy outside, flavorful minced pork inside. Very good!

Sanook Wings - wings with Thai Chili sauce. Crispy outside, tender inside.

Pastry Puffs - minced potato, onion and, chicken, served with cucumber vinaigrette. Jay wished they were crispier, but Ken was happy with them.

Entrees:

Jay devoured the Crispy Garlic Shrimp Special. Just the right amount of garlic. Not overpowering. Delicious!

Ken enjoyed the Choo-Chee Scallops, in a red curry reduction. Spicy enough to make his head sweat, but worth it!

Wines enjoyed:

We will return. There were more dishes we wanted to try!

Hearthside

We finally got to try Hearthside, 801 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ ;08108 (856-240-1164), on Friday, June 14, 2019, after securing reservations 2 months ago! Hearthside is a BYOB, which describes itself as serving "contemporary American fare from a wood-fired oven & grill, plus pastas." We were not disappointed.

Patrick, our server, was very knowledgeable and personable. Everyone helps each other out, which makes for a pleasant experience.

Small plates that we shared:

Gulf Prawns, with garlic, chili, lemon, and parsley.

Pork Belly, with beet sauce, frisee and micro greens.

Medium plate shared:

Risotto, with mushrooms, preserved lemon, smoked mozzarella. Indescribably delicious! Wow!

Large plates shared:

Day Boat Scallops with English pea puree, matbukha, chips. Cooked to perfection!

Black Sea Bass, with herb gazpacho, yogurt, and poblano puree. Excellent!

Dessert:

Ken enjoyed the Blondie a la Mode with dulcey chocolate and bourbon caramel.

Jay loved the chocolate almond gelato.

Wines enjoyed:

Nice decor. Very welcoming environment.

Vientiane Cafe (Philly again)

On Saturday, June 8, West Philly Porchfest brought us back to Philly. We were excited to see and hear the bands in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, there weren't as many out as last year, but it was still nice to enjoy the music on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, with friends Karin and George.

In between, we visited Vientiane Cafe, 5738 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143 (215-726-1095), for some of our favorite appetizers.

Fresh Spring Rolls - Soft rice paper with herbs and vermicelli, served with tangy tamarind and sweet chili sauce topped with crushed peanuts. We ordered them with shrimp.

Crispy Spring Rolls - Filled with silver noodles, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, deep-fried until golden. Served with house sauce. The duck is outstanding.

Sticky Tamarind Chicken Wings - Tossed in sweet and tangy sauce along with chili, lemongrass and kaffir leaves. So good!

Vegetarian Naam Salad (GF) - Marinated rice with coconut flakes tossed with scallions, cilantro, lime leaves, and chill; topped with crush peanuts served with lettuce to wrap.

Homemade Laotian Sausages (sai-gawk) (GF) - Stuffed with chopped pork, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves; served with steam vegetables along with spicy roasted chili garlic sauce (jeow muk phet) and sticky rice.

We also swung by Vietnam Cafe for more favorites: Crispy spring rolls and pork summer rolls, which enjoyed on the porch. What a beautiful day!


Wines enjoyed: