Taverna

So, I freakin' love this place. If anyone asks for my favorite restaurant on Main Street in Newark, this is it. The only reason I don't go there often is that it's fairly nice, and so I'd feel weird going alone. To be honest, it's also pretty pricy (but I feel it is worth it). Anyway, I went last night after my dissertation defense (no big deal), and ordered the RICOTTA CAVATELLI which is some little dense noodle tubes with a cream sauce, some pulled pork, some little ricotta chunks, and onions. Kind of a weird mix but it was tasty as always (8/10) and also filling (gave me two meals!). To be fair, I also got the antipasto appetizer, which came with broccoli rabe, prosciutto, and mozzarella, plus some tiny bread toasts. It was tasty as always (8/10) but I mean,  it's meat and cheese. And then they always bring you bread and some tomato oil to dip, which is great as well. What a great place. I wish I had room/social bravery to get dessert!!

calamarata: these are thick noodle tubes with a cream tomato sauce, spinach, and chicken. it's OK (duh) but I don't actually love the sauce. I will try to remember to get something else next time, because it's a little bland. the plus side is that the portion is very large! 6/10

margarita pizza: I split this with my boyf, and he didn't like this! When I saw this, I didn't think I would either - it's mostly sauce, and not much cheese and hardly any basil. However, the thin crust is really good, and the sauce is remarkably unsweet - almost like tomato soup, but if you can push that down, the crust/sauce/cheese is all really nice. Not too exciting but solid good quality cheesey bread. The plating could use some work though, I admit. 7/10

coffee: standard coffee. They bring separate cream and sugar. It's nice. 6/10

Free Range Chicken "Saltimbocca": This is baller -- I think I've had veal saltimbocca before, but chicken is less controversial and they all taste like meat to me! It's a filling and delicious garliccy wet meat with pig and cheese on top. You gotta love it. I also was able to take some home, so it's definitely enough food but it doesn't look like a huge portion like some of the pastas do. I love Taverna! 8/10

mushroom pizza: I split this with a first date, and I don't know if they liked it! (me OR the pizza). I thought it was just OK. Definitely edible, but mostly oily cheese, which is fair enough but not really the pizza vibe I covet. Shoulda just pounded some meats, lol. 6/10

chicken pizza: This certainly looked pretty, but it turns out I still don't love goat cheese, which was very noticable. all the other components were good and it was still solid though. the leftovers at home drunk were even better! :D 7/10

Overall
Cost: 4/10
Taste: 8/10

Sinclair's Cafe

A hidden gem in Newark, except perhaps not that hidden because it's always packed whenever I wake up early enough to go. Anyway, there aren't many places to get breakfast during the week, so this is a much-needed spot. They have eggs, pancakes, french toast, etc, along with a few lunch sandwich options too. The coffee is good, the service is friendly, and overall I like it. They also rotate out their pancake/french toast flavors every week, which is fun. I got an omelette where you can pick your own cheese, meat, and 3 veg, and it was good. The meat and veg are just chopped into squares and stuck in there after cooking the egg, it seems like, which is kind of weird and chunky, but whatever, it tasted good. A weird option they have is to mix all the stuff together, but it costs an extra dollar, so I refuse. Anyway the omelette comes with wheat toast that looks nutty but isn't (and there's jam on the table, it's a party) and some home fries that have a unique curry-ish spice. I like them but it took some getting used to, and I think a lot of my friends don't like it.

Overall
Cost: 5/10 (about 8-10$ per meal)
Taste: 7/10

7 Monkeys Plantain Chips - Sweet Sea Salt

This packaging is adorable, but also, I think these are really good! They're fairly thin for a plantain chip, although still crispy, and the sweet/salty combo is perfect here. They're salted and the sweetness just comes from the fact that it's plantains, which is nice. Unfortunately, these aren't super healthy, and this single-serve (supposedly) bag is 429 calories, 13g satfat. So I can see why it tastes good. But if you're looking for a mild indulgence, this is a fun, unique, and portable one! Plus it's from Ecuador, which is like, totally multicultural.



Overall
Cost: 7/10 (about 1.50)
Taste: 8/10

Q says: They're OK.

Dum-Dums Holiday Pops

I bought these for my students to enjoy, but only a few of them even wanted one. Ha ha, more for me! Anyway, these are free of all the top-8 allergens, which makes them a good school snack. They also are super nut free, which is chill. And you know I'm a sucker for dumb seasonal limited edition flavors, so I was excited to give these a try. I think ultimately I prefer regular dum dums, but these were still decent.


Merry Cherry: I feel like I've had this flavor before as a dum dum? Anyway, it's definitely a "cherry" flavor, not super sweet, and giving me vague medicinal vibes. Not my favorite cherry candy in the world, that's for sure. 5/10

Sugar Plum: What is a sugar plum? Just a sweeter plum? I guess that's this...it has a bit of a burnt/caramel flavor, kind of like a raspberry tootsie pop. Not super sweet. I kind of like it. Definitely unique/interesting. 7/10

Hot Chocolate: At first I thought it was weird to have a chocolate lollipop flavor, but this tastes a lot like the chocolate tootsie pop, which is fine. Not my favorite, but fine. Like the others, this is a pretty good likeness -- it really tastes like hot chocolate powder, down to those little grainy marshmallows. I already don't love hot chocolate but if you do I bet you'll like this. 6/10

Sugar Cookie: I guess this tasted like a sugar cookie, but the execution wasn't there for me -- something was a little off, too artificial perhaps? 4/10

Gingerbread: Yikes. Normally I love ginger/gingerbread, but I guess I wasn't expecting it in a dum-dum. This has an authentic, strong ginger flavor, like a sweet ginger tea. But I don't like it as a lollipop. Don't know why. I guess I just want a cookie instead! 4/10

Apple Cider: Tastes just like apple cider. Unlike gingerbread, this isomorphism works for me, because my lollipop saliva is basically liquid. So...yeah. 8/10

Green Apple Crunch: Not really sure what the crunch is supposed to mean, but this is a strong, clear, sweet green apple flavor. Maybe caramel apple is the idea? Not sure. I do like it though. 8/10

Polar Punch: Feels like a mix of bubble gum and a less tart blue raspberry. Like a blue icee! It's OK. 5/10

Mystery: This had a cute santa on the wrapper, which I love. was also bright blue, so I'm guessing mainly polar punch for this one! Which is OK. This was a little sweeter than the polar punch proper, which I think I preferred. 6/10


Overall
Cost: 8/10 (Only 2.50 at Walgreens!)
Taste: 6/10

Lay's Fried Green Tomato Chips

Yikes! I like trying the fun new flavors Lay's periodically comes out with, especially because they usually have the small bags of them available at Subway, where I guess I spend a lot of time. But this year's offerings didn't wow me. First up we have these fried green tomato chips, which sounded good, but instead had a strong flavor of...plant? Tomato stem? I'm not sure, but I don't like it, and it didn't really taste like tomato. I did get that Lay's cat litter vibe, too. On the plus side, the ruffles are fun! And, inexplicably, my boyfriend likes these.



Overall
Cost: 6/10
Taste: 3/10

Goya Mild Salsa - Pico De Gallo

I don't usually love jarred salsas, but this one is fairly unique as jarred salsas go. It's quite watery and also pretty spicy for something with the 'mild' moniker. Otherwise, this is a standard tomato/pepper/onion mix. It's more salsa than pico, in that there's plenty of salty dark tomato paste, but I think that's probably what most people are looking for. Plus the jar looks pretty stylish! It also stays good for weeks in the fridge, so this is a very convenient snack to have around for chips/tacos/etc.

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (about 2.30)
Taste: 5/10

Kernel Season's White Cheddar Seasoning

Popcorn do-it-yourself seasoning is a really cute idea, so I was happy to get these. However, the execution was a little bit disappointing. I wasn't sure how much to put on (they don't give you any instruction!) and I put on at first not enough to taste it, and then I think I put on too much (a good 10 seconds of shaking is too much). The flavor was at first not especially good -- very artificial and not very cheesy. I was hoping for something like a snack cracker topping, but this was more like store brand parmesan cheese maybe. Anyway, after I got to eating a little bit more I got accustomed to the flavor and started to enjoy it, so that was all right. I liked to dip the popcorn in the leftover seasoning, of which there was a lot, because of my earlier confusion. Like I said, I think this is a fun and unique idea, so I'd be happy to try other flavors in the future!

Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 5/10

Q says: It wasn't good.

Grown in Idaho - Crispy Hash Brown Dices

I'm not sure if I was just hungry, or if I jazzed these up particularly well, but I found these potato wedges a lot tastier than the steak fries from the same brand! Plus, they're super fast to cook -- just 4 minutes in a frying pan with a little oil. I also added green pepper, cheese, and egg, but I feel like these are super versatile and could go with a lot of things. The taste is  basically just pure potato, and unlike the fries these are all basically the same size/shape (little cubes). Mine weren't super crispy, but that's fine with me (maybe because I used less oil than prescribed). Plus they are super filling. I know I should try another variety next, but part of me just wants to get these again!


Overall
Cost: 6/10 (about 3.50)
Taste: 7/10

Simply 7 Kale Chips - Sea Salt

 Well, well, well. I've had quinoa chips from this brand and they were fine, like a regular tortilla chip. But these truly are unique. I like kale, and I like chips well enough, but I can't say I liked these. Honestly, they tasted really briny. Like a funky aquarium flavor profile, which is not what I'm looking for in a chip. They had quite a lingering aftertaste, too. The flavor was more kelp than kale, even though they are made with kale powder. The texture was a standard crunchy chip, but the taste was deceptive! They are also super dark green in appearance, which is a trip. They seem quite healthy, but it's not worth it. Eat kale instead.



Overall
Cost: 5/10
Taste: 4/10

Eat 'n Park

There is no Eat 'n Park near my house, so I have only been to one a couple of times, usually on a road trip to Ohio. They have the smiley cookie of legend, but they also have a really complete menu. Sometimes they have a nice soup/salad bar (which is fairly standard), but they also have plenty of sandwiches, burgers, seafood, pasta, and other diner-y options (although I wouldn't really call this place a diner, more like a Friendly's or Hoss's vibe). I ordered a penne pasta with sausage and chicken and peppers, and for 10 dollars it comes with garlic bread (4 toasts!) and one side (and there are so many options for the side: applesauce, cole slaw, brocco, etc). I got brocco to fulfill my veggie quota. The pasta was filling, pretty good even though the sausages were weirdly opaque. The chicken was really nice and the sauce was good. I also like their coffee and the service was very friendly! Plus they were chill about allergies and put an "allergy alert" on the receipt. Good stuff. I'm always happy to stop here.

Overall
Cost: 7/10
Taste: 8/10

Tai Pei Orange Chicken

Another Tai Pei disappointment in a cute package! OK, disappointment may be a bit harsh, but I still haven't found what I'm looking for, you know? Honestly, this was a lot like the new General Tso chicken. Contains chicken, rice, veg, and sauce. Again, unfortunately the sauce soaks way more into the rice than in the chicken! I want the chicken and veg to have way more sauce, and the rice to have way less, but I can't control this! Anyway, the sauce itself is good, a little spicy, and the veg are fine too (although I prefer the carrots in Tso's to the waterchestnuts here, since the waterchestnuts are just crispy things with no flavor. It's a good amount of food, about 500cals, and it feels filling. Alas, it is not chinese-craving-fulfilling, though. If it's on sale I might rebuy.

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (about 3$)
Taste: 6/10

Annie's White Cheddar Bunnies

All hail thee, king of cheese-based cracker snacks!! I'm not a huge cheez-it/goldfish/etc fan, but these are so good. Inexplicably addictive. They don't have a lot of cheese powder, but what little there is, I love. These are way better than a Cheez-it, and they are nice and puffy with a slight burnt taste and a thin shell. Kind of like Cheddar Penguins (which are also amazing), but more accessible. Plus, these are a cute bunny shape. The only struggle is portion control!





Overall
Cost: 6/10 (about 3$)
Taste: 8/10

Tai Pei General Tso's Spicy Chicken

I had previously reviewed the Tai Pei General Tso meal, but this new-container version is quite different, I think. (Sadly, I'm not sure that it's better). One great change is that there are no longer peapods, so I have no allergy issues here at all! However, this meal, though decent, is far from delicious. It could use more sauce, which is rare for a frozen meal, but there was hardly any sauce here, and the sauce was more in the rice than on the chicken, despite my best efforts. The veggies were nice and crunchy; the carrots felt like real Chinese food carrots and not terrible frozen meal carrots, which was probably the highlight. The chicken and broccoli were tasty too. The rice was clumpy and salty, perhaps a bit too saucy/salty for my taste. I would probably buy this again, but it isn't the Chinese food I'm looking for (sniff sniff).

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (around 3$)
Taste: 6/10

Grown In Idaho - Super Crispy Steak Cut Fries

These fries have been blowing up my social media because I got them for free. I've never been much of a frozen-fry girl (or even a fry girl, really), but these are super easy to make, fairly cheap, and quite filling. So I'm moderately into it. I will say that these were oddly sweeter than I was expecting, definitely sweeter than any fries I've had in a restaurant, and I wasn't really feeling that funnel cake vibe. But you put a little seasoning (garlic/salt/pepper) on these and a little ketchup (or a lot) and you're in business. There's enough in the bag for two meals of just fries. They are also fairly crispy, as advertised, although the bigger ones were a bit soft. I do like that there is a fun variety of shapes and sizes in the bag, though, and I'm excited to try other types from this line, maybe the skinnier ones. Stay tuned!

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (about 3.50)
Taste: 6/10

Roots Natural Kitchen

This place is fairly new to Newark, and it has just one other location (so far?) at the University of Virginia. They serve "bowls", which are basically rice or greens with different veggies, proteins, or add-ons like cheese or pita chips on top, plus a variety of dressings (or just a squeeze of lime or some oil or vinegar). They have a variety of premade options with quirky names, as many places do, but you can also create your own bowl, too. That's what I do, since they do have almonds, chickpeas, and a variety of beans, plus a pesto dressing. No serious peanut or other nut ingredients, though. Anyway, I like to get kale or spinach with brown rice and avocado, brocco, sweet potato, corn, and a squeeze of lime. Sometimes I add chicken as well. This is a really filling meal and it also is pretty healthy, so I appreciate that it's around! This place is also hoppin', so I'm guessing it'll stick around.

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (ranges from 6.75 for just veggie to 8.00+ for chicken)
Taste: 7/10


Q says: Jefe! [Editor's note: El Jefe is a popular premade option!]

Big Z Pizza

Here's a local pizza place that I'm pretty sure is not a chain, but perhaps with good reason. It's fairly new (maybe 3 years old now), but I'm not sure if the particular grungy vibe of this place can be chalked up to growing pains. It's a real small hole in the wall, not super tidy, but everything is quite cheap! They also have online deals and student deals that are worth a look. The pizza is solidly mediocre, but for the price, everything is OK. If you're not up to going out or you want a quick pizza pick-up (or perhaps delivery), this is a decent choice.

Italian Stromboli: This was decent; it's big but it only comes with the tiniest cup of marinara (although I'm sure you could ask for more). The inside is strips of deli ham, onions, peppers, and mozzarella. The crust is a little too crispy/big for me, but I think I need to accept that most strombolis around here are this way. Anyhow, this was fine. 6/10

Turkey Club Sandwich: Don't get this! It had the usual club fixings, but with a lot of warm mayonnaise and bad tasting turkey. To be clear, this is a cold sandwich. Probably the worst club sandwich I've experienced! 3/10

Overall
Cost: 7/10
Taste: 5/10

SunRype Fruit To Go Bars

These are cute little snacks, not very substantial but they taste good.  Rather than fruit leather, these are in the form of about 5-6 narrow tubes of fruitsnack stuck together, which is a little different, but the texture is ultimately the dense, chewy fruit leather type you'd expect. Overall enjoyable.

Apple Strawberry Watermelon - Definitely getting the apple flavor as a base with a strong note of watermelon, too, which is nice. The watermelon flavor is really good. Not getting a lot of strawberry, though!

Apple Wildberry - What is 'wildberry'? I mainly got notes of strawberry and grape in this one, which is funny since I didn't notice any strawberry in the one named after strawberry! But equally tasty, dense and sticky.

Apple Strawberry - This one I accidentally ate a week after expiry, but I didn't notice any ill effects. It was a little too sticky for my licking, but I do still like the little tubes shape. This tasted mostly just like apple and a little strawberry, as you'd hope, so no complaints there. 

 

Apple Mango - All the flavors sure do have apple! But  this one also sure had mango -- its taste really comes through (but not ONLY mango). It's fine, but not my favorite flavor of these. Still cute though. 6/10

Overall
Cost: 8/10 (50 cents each)
Taste: 6/10

Smartfood delight - White Cheddar popcorn

I must say, this is a nice snack to have around. I bought a big pack of single-serve bags so that I would have something to take to the office, and this served me well. They're light and just cheesy enough to be satisfying. I wish there weren't so many broken pieces at the bottom, but that might be my fault. I also like the other flavors and will probably buy more of this in the future! It may be my favorite cheese popcorn yet. Also, when I googled this I saw that it used to come in a black bag which I used to get in vending machines all the time! I think I like the new version better, even if it's exactly the same recipe. Haha. Good flavor though, not too artificial or overpowering.

Overall

Cost: 7/10

Taste: 6/10