‘Restaurant Review’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Review: Craft 31 Restaurant {Williamsburg, Virginia}

April 23, 2018 · Narrative

A bright and lively restaurant with a mouth-watering menu, let’s visit Craft 31 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

One of the tips that I give most often when it comes to travel is to ask the locals where THEY go, and a restaurant recommendation is no exception. But to be clear, I always say, “I don’t want to know where you send tourists. I want to know where you go to eat out yourself, or where you would take your family when they come to town.”

And so that’s how it was that we found ourselves pulling into the parking lot of Craft 31. A recommendation from a hotel front desk clerk (and, surprisingly, not even from the hotel where we were staying, but that’s a long story for another day), it was exactly what we wanted.

The restaurant is mid-size and was pretty busy considering it was a random Tuesday night in the Spring, but the hostess was able to seat us on their enclosed heated patio. I don’t think “patio” is the word I would use, but that’s how she described it. To me, “patio” is more outdoors, which was my initial concern because it was a bit chilly, but it really is fully enclosed and even has a bar in it.

Our waitress came by right away to take our drink order and, while on vacation, it’s time for Shirley Temples. I remember loving the special occasions I used to get them myself when I was a kid, and love that my kids will one day remember the same.

And now the menu … wow. I really wish the restaurant was closer to us, because I would make it my mission to work my way through the menu, one delicious item at a time. I had it narrowed down to a few choices, and when the waitress came back, I asked her which was the crowd favorite from my selections.

Blackened Blue Cheese Burger it was.

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Review: Nick’s Fish House {Baltimore, Maryland}

November 13, 2013 · Narrative

A waterfront restaurant in downtown Baltimore with a menu full of fresh fish? We are so there. And you should be too.

When the kids and I spent a weekend in Baltimore back in June, I had one thing on my mind when it came to food.

Fish.

Or, more specifically, shellfish.

Which displeased the kids to no end. Because besides the odd occasion when Nick will eat salmon, they pretty much refuse to eat all fish of all kinds.

And I continue to hold out hope that that will change.

Given how my own taste buds have changed over the years, I know it will. I just need to be patient.

We went down to the hotel front desk to ask their dinner recommendations. Not what they recommend to tourists coming to see their city, but where they would eat themselves.

Because that’s the very best way to get a good dinner recommendation.

Ask the locals where they eat.

And that’s how we ended up at Nick’s Fish House. Relatively easy to find in an industrial part of town, just by pulling into the gravel parking lot, the initial impressions pleased us all to no end. For various reasons.

The kids love eating outdoors, as do I, and the weather was too gorgeous not to. And the restaurant had a slew of outdoor seating.

It was loud and lively (a good thing in the summer time).

It had oysters (that one was for me).

And it was called Nick’s. Which means it was a given that we would be leaving with a t-shirt for Nick. Natch.

And from those initial impressions, it only got better.

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Review: Caffrey’s Tavern {Forked River, New Jersey}

January 22, 2013 · Narrative

This morning when we left the house, dutifully bundled in scarves and hats and big winter coats, the temperature was 16 degrees.

When I got to the block where my office is, there were five police cars and three ambulances. And there was a man lying on the ground in the street, being strapped into a neck brace. I think it was a pedestrian hit by a car.

So seeing how his day got started (yikes!), I will not complain about the weather.

Not one bit.

But I will still wish for warmer days ahead.

They’re just not happening this week as we bear down on temperatures in the teens and a bunch of snow forecasted for Friday.

So yay.

How about a restaurant review that the kids and I visited last Spring break?

You know, when it was warmer?

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Review: Mamoun’s Restaurant, Hoboken, NJ

April 11, 2011 · Narrative, Restaurant Review

Reality has a way of quickly biting you in the arse sometimes, doesn’t it? A quiet but swift reminder that it still very much exists. Last week was Spring Break. For Nick. For me. Not so much Madeline, because her life is like a never-ending Spring Break. We all had a great time. I came back replenished, very clear-headed about a lot of things, and ready to conquer the world. Well, small parts of it that are mine anyway. But I also came home to a house with no power.

Power has since been restored, but unfortunately a messy wrath was left behind. So far, no computer, phones, tv, printer, and, unfortunately, the list is growing, including a fridge that I sadly had to empty.

Luckily I had a few posts that I wrote before I left, so I was able to quickly post this at lunch time today, but unfortunately no new pictures until everything is righted in the O’Malley household. Until then, bear with me.

I love Middle Eastern food. Falafel. Tabbouleh. Hummus. All of it. So when a new Middle Eastern restaurant opened up in Hoboken, I couldn’t wait to try it. Although new to Hoboken, Mamoun’s is not new. They have a location in Greenwich Village in New York City, a falafel restaurant that first opened up its doors in 1971, and the oldest falafel restaurant in New York. They also have a second location in NYC (on St. Mark’s) and another one in New Haven, CT. If you’re lucky enough to be near one of their restaurants, do grab a bite. You won’t be sorry.

Our dinner was take-out, and when we got back, we had an assortment of little foil-wrapped mystery packages to sift through.

It took me forever to decide what to order. It all sounded so good. And truth be told, the prices are so inexpensive, you could order half the menu and still not break the bank. I went with their falafel veggie sandwich combo. It has chopped fresh vegetables, falafel and their special sauce. I had no idea what some of the ingredients were, but it was so good, it didn’t matter.

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