TC's Stone House Eatery - Wrightstown, NJ

TC's hands down has to be one of the busiest restaurants in the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst area, and today was no different.  You walk in, and the line to order is all the way to the front door (the counter to order is in the back right of the restaurant).  But even so, they get you through the line quick, and in the mean time you are scrambling to fnd a table.

Today, we have 5 of us for lunch, and while waiting in line, we saw a table open up, so we immediately threw our hats on

It took about 10 minutes for us to get through the line, and I ordered the tilapia sandwich with fries, and sat down.  Meanwhile, the orders were coming out of th kitchen like clockwork, as a young girl was calling out order numbers.

Mine came out a few minutes after some of my colleague (they ordered grilled chicken wraps which obviously don't take as long), and again, it was a nice portion of thin tilapia filet, perfectly seasoned, with a perfect char.  This is just a damn good sandwich, and one of the few restaurants in this area that knows how to blacken something correctly.

I definitely don't come here often enough, but that is because I am usually pressed for time.  Now that I know I can call in my order and make my way to the front of the line (no waiting for you takeout if you call it in ahead), I will definitely be taking advantage of this resource!  It's great to still see TC's thriving!  I was there for their grand opening several years ago when they first opened next door!

Check it out for yourself, and if you lovea good fish sandwich, try one of the many they have on the menu, from tilapia, to catfish, to tuna, to flounder, etc.  All 4 of the blackened versions are awesome!  Cheers!  -F. Scott

Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar - San Antonio, TX

Well, here I am out of town on business in San Antonio once again, and after a little lunch at a local fast food Italian chain, one of my fellow Air Force members, "Budda," was in the mood for some good vino tonight.  That being said, I busted out my iPad when I got back to my hotel, and looked to see where we could go tonight to enjoy a nice bottle, and grab a bite to eat.

In doing my research, the place that came up over and over again was Zinc.  In looking at their wine list, they definitely had some nice wines, and the ambiance looked nice.  That said, we also invited two of our other folks with us, and headed downtown to Zinc!

Once we got down there, it took me a minute to find it.  I knew it was near the USO and the parking garage near the USO but I couldn't remember where.  We then rounded the corner though, and there it was in it's glory.  Zinc is actually situated on a pretty quiet street, and I think that most of the traffic it sees is traffic coming out of the parking garage.


Upon walking in we were greeted by the bartender.  To the right is a gorgeous, dark wood bar that seems to be fully stocked with all the high end hard liquor you could ask for.  Behind the wall of the bar was the dining room where we were seated. On the other side of this dining room is another dining room as well.

We sat and our server came over and took drink orders.  Meanwhile, I looked at the winelist, and we ordered a few different bottles of wine!  "Budda" is indeed "The Rainmaker," and told me to pick out a couple wines under $120.  That said, I picked out a pinot noir, as well as an Italian wine, and I will talk about those in another post.  Their wine list however can be seen HERE.

Their "Bistro Menu" however was very intriguing, and there were quite a few things that I was interested in.  One thing that caught my eye was the "Boudro's Tableside Guacamole" that Zelda and I had at Boudro's, which makes me think that these two restaurants are somehow tied together.  Regardless, it was great when we were a Boudro's!

Out came out wine, and upon first sip, I asked to have the pinot noir decanted.  Moments later our server came ak with a decanter and a funnel, and decanted the wine for us.  This was a nice touch, and I wish that more restaurants in New Jersey offered this service.

For entrees tonight, we all opted for something different.  You all know me and my love for a good burger, so I opted for the Zinc Burger - with smokey cheddar, parmesan tuiles, spicy tomato aioli, bibb lettuce, and home fries.  At $9, it was an absolute bargain, with juicy flavors, and great ingredients.  The tomato aioli was a great addition, and overall the flavors rocked.  This was by far the best burger I've had in San Antonio!  It looked so good as a matter of fact that Duane ended up ordering one, even though he had already eaten dinner!

Budda had the Grilled Ham, Cheese, and Tomato - served on brioche with vegetable chips and our soup of the day or salad for $9.  He ended up opting for a Tai noodle soup of some sort that he said was delicious.  Blanche had a salad of soe sort, but in all honesty, I forget what it was.
All in all, we had a great night at Zinc,with great food, outstanding wine, and great service.  I would definitely go back there my next visit to town.  Cheers!
Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar
207 N. Presa St.
San Antonio, TX 78205-2635
Bar:     (210) 224-2900
Office: (210) 224-1313
http://zincwine.com/zinc/

Trenton Kebab House - Trenton, NJ

Well, I had to take a spin into Lambertville to hit Pure Energy Cycling and Java House, and on my way home I was contemplating what I really wanted to eat for dinner since Zelda was stuck in meetings tonight. I contemplated Marhaba in Lambertville, as well as Rick's, and the bar at Anton's at the Swan. Nothing really sounded all that great to me, and I didn't want to snub Zelda by having a great meal when she was probably stuck eating nasty warm sandwiches in her meeting, so I started heading towards home.

Cruising down Route 29 towards Route 1, I thought about stopping at "It's Nutt's" just to see if maybe they had a decent burger, but that didn't sound all that good either. If I wanted a burger, Rossi's could technically be on the way home, so I could have stopped there. But then I remembered the Trenton Kebab House, and that was my destination.
Pulled up, walked in, and saw 3 other tables in the joint tonight. This is obviously more of a lunch destination with Trenton, as well as NJ State employees, but I am thankful that they are open for dinner too until 8PM so I actually have a chance to get over here.

Ordered my usual gyro with no lettuce, sauce on the side, and fries. Grabbed a Welch's grape juice out of their cooler, paid, and sat. I saw the gentleman on the line drip the fries into the fryer, and saw his who I am assuming his father sharpening the knife used to shave the gyro meat off the spit.

About 5 minutes later, out came my sandwich, and once again, perfection! I really wish more places in NJ would embrace gyro's, and sell the real deal, not that processed, flat, warmed on a flat top meat that just doesn't have the same flavor. This was again perfection, with nice meat, that was grilled just house it should be on the rotisserie, then shaved off and stuffed in a pita. The think slived red onion was fresh and vibrant, and the thin sliced tomatoes were nice as well. My only complaint is the sauce, and it needs some work, but maybe that is how they do it on the East Coast. Ours in Chicago however was a little different.

But even so, the sauce is good enough, and the Trenton Kebab House still has my vote as the best gyro in New Jersey! Best one that I have had anyway! How about you? Who serves your favorite gyro? Let me know so I can give it a whirl! Cheers! -F. Scott

Adam's Rib - New Hanover, NJ (outside McGuire AIr Force Base)

A new BBQ restaurant opened over the weekend just outside of the gates of McGuire Air Force Base called Adam's Rib (http://www.adamsribnj.com/), and I had to give it a try today.  In NJ, it is hard to find good BBQ, so I was really hopeful that Adam's would be awesome.

We arrived a few minutes after high noon, and there were 3 or 4 other tables in the joint.  As soon as I walked through the door, the strong smoke and BBQ smell hit me, and I was in absolute heaven.  The décor is in true BBQ style, with the red and white checked table clothes, and southwestern décor around the restaurant.  If you are looking for ambiance, this isn't the place.

You order at the counter before taking your seat, and I opted for the brisket sandwich.  It was a tough choice between that and the pulled pork, but I figured I would give the brisket a go first, along with the hand cut fries on the side.  My co-worker Holly opted for the brisket sandwich as well, and her husband Austyn (the birthday boy today) opted for the beef brisket platter sandwich with fries and slaw.

After we ordered, we sat, and it couldn't be much more than 5 minutes before our number was called and we went to the counter to pick up the food.  The first thing I noticed was the size of Austyn's platter.  This was a lot of brisket, and it looked delicious.  The brisket sandwiches didn't have nearly as much meat, but I expected this.

The first bite I had was great.  The brisket was tender and flavorful, served on a nice soft bun.  The flavors from the smoke were very nice, and I added some of their what I assume is their homemade BBQ sauce, but I cannot confirm that it was homemade.  Regardless, it had nice flavors, and added a great element to the sandwich.  The hand cut fries were good, but nothing to write home about.  Austyn's platter had some nice large pieces of meat, with minimal fat, and it just looked delicious.  It was a lot of meat, and he didn't finish it all.

All in all, it is a pure joy to have this place right outside the gate, and nice to see a new restaurant open up.  I think it is just a matter of time before people figure out that Adam's has opened, and it is going to be hard to get into at lunch time because it is going to be packed as the place isn't that large.  Maybe tomorrow I'll try the pulled pork sandwich!  At $5.79 for either the brisket or pulled pork sandwiches, it is a great value!  A nice breath of fresh air in a stale foodie wasteland, and I hope that they have much success as this is a great resource for lunch!  Cheers!  -F. Scott.

Adam's Rib
19 Wrightstown Cookstown Road
New Hanover Township, NJ  08511
Phone:  (609)286-2065
http://www.adamsribnj.com/

Rossi's Bar and Grill -Trenton, NJ

Tonight was just one of those nights that I was too lazy to even think about cooking anything after a long day, so a late dinner was in order. I definitely didn’t feel like fast food, so I took a little drive into lovely Trenton, and hit the ever reliable Rossi’s Tavern. On the way there, I had my heart set on the always delicious burger, but about 5 blocks from Rossi’s, I remember that I have been wanting to try the Roast Pork sandwich, so tonight was going to be the night.


I walked in, and saw the usual suspects sitting at the bar, and as always, Bob was working behind the bar. I immediately sat at my normal bar stool on the corner, ordered a Yuengling, and a roast pork sandwich with provolone cheese. In the meantime, I enjoyed some college basketball on one TV, and horse racing on the other TV. It’s hard to believe that pony season is already upon us, and I am looking forward to some trips to Monmouth Park this year, as well as Saratoga, and hopefully we can even make the “Arlington Million” this year at my home track just outside of Chicago.

Out came my pork sandwich, and like the burgers, it was big! I immediately cut it in half, and the aroma’s from the roast pork were great. You could definitely smell the herbs that the pork is cooked with, and I am guessing it has some rosemary, thyme, and in the mix. The provolone was nicely melted, and the roll was airy and crisp on top, while the bottom was just starting to absorb the juices. This was also accompanied by a cup of au jus on the side, which I didn’t think was necessary, but it did have nice flavors to it. Not being super hungry, I opted for fries on the side, instead of the usual chips I order.

The first bite was awesome and flavorful, and this is exactly what I expected from the first time that I saw this sandwich. The pork was tender, juicy, and exploding with flavors. The provolone was the perfect accompaniment, and the roll was of the perfect texture. The rosemary really comes through nicely with the pork, and the flavors all work so well together. As always, the fries were hot and crisp, and were perfect with a little salt and pepper.

Although this sandwich was perfect, I would really love to see what they could do with this pork in doing a bbq sandwich, which I don’t know if they do or not. The flavors and textures of the pork really reminded me of a pork sandwich that I love at The Texan BBQ in Algonquin, IL, so that is something I would like to inquire in. But at the same point, why ruin something that is already perfect?

All in all, another good night at Rossi’s, and another tasty meal. Maybe I need to get away from their sandwiches, and try some of their steaks, or better yet try the lamb! Time will tell, and the ever delicious Rossi’s saga will continue for many years to come. And as always, kudos to Bob for the great service behind the bar! Another good night, and another happy belly! Cheers! -F. Scott