Find Nutritious Meals For a Healthy Lifestyle at Muscle Maker Grill

This place isn’t much to look at, as the décor is about as utilitarian as your local gymnasium. But you don't come here for ambience—Muscle Maker Grill is a specialty restaurant designed to fuel your body with the most cutting-edge meals to help you reach your personal fitness best. Fast food can be a serious detriment to a healthy lifestyle, so Muscle Maker Grill was founded in 1995 to give New Jersey residents a health-conscious alternative. The menu is designed to provide filling, nutritionally complete meals without hidden fats or carbs. Every item on the menu includes a full nutritional rundown and the staff will help you tailor your order to your personal dietary needs. Some favorites from regular eaters include the fresh fruit smoothies, which can be supplemented with a wide variety of additional ingredients, as well as the robust sandwiches. Don’t think you’re sacrificing flavor for health, though – this stuff is still very tasty.

Muscle Maker Grill
561 US Highway 1
Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 985-3555
www.musclemakergrill.com

For Old World Italian Charm, Visit Ristorante Venezia in Woodbridge, NJ

Old world charm and heaping portions are the strengths of Ristorante Venezia, a restaurant, which has remained family owned and operated for over ten years in today’s ultra competitive world of fine dining. A small dining room offers a warm backdrop to Venezia’s traditional Italian dishes, served with big appetites in mind. Guests arrive hungry; and always leave satisfied. The menu is quite extensive when compared to other restaurants operating in Central New Jersey providing a wide enough selection for family style dining. Whether it’s dinner for two or a large party, guests will be able to enjoy a generous meal composed of homemade pastas and well-prepared meats, modestly priced bottle of wine, and the relaxing atmosphere of old world dining without the pretense.

Ristorante Venezia
112 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
(732) 855-8995
www.ristorantevenezia.com

Whispers: An Elegant Locale for a Truly Special Meal

Located inside Spring Lake, New Jersey's timeless Hewitt-Wellington Hotel, Whispers displays quiet elegance and innovative taste. The New York Times has called Spring Lake, “a town where time seems to stand still” and it also provides the perfect backdrop for this magnificent Victorian era building. Whispers, as charming and upscale as the town that surrounds it, is truly at the epicenter of destination dining. Executive Chef Scott Giordano prepares several signature dishes for Whisper’s menu including an appetizer of sautéed shrimp over a black bean cake, grilled pita bread and honey red curry sauce, and Giordano’s stellar broiled Chilean sea bass served with baby bok choy, rock shrimp mashed potatoes, and citrus butter sauce. There also a range of meat dishes available, like the Macadamia Nut Crusted Rack of Lamb with Spinach, Moroccan Cous Cous, and a Cumin-Caraway Sauce. There is a long list of sweet endings to your meal—like Crème Brulee, Chocolate Ganache Cake, and the Ultimate Cookie Cake—a worthwhile indulgence with a warm cookie dough outside filled with a chocolate chip filling, and topped with Oreo cookies and cream ice cream. Make sure to make a reservation and bring a bottle of wine to compliment your meal; Whispers is a BYOB.  

Whispers Restaurant
200 Monmouth Avenue
Spring Lake, NJ 07762
(732) 974-9755
www.whispersrestaurant.com

Donna Toscana Artisan Chocolates & Lounge: A Chocolate Lover’s Dream

Inspired by artisan chocolate makers in Florence, Italy, Donna Toscana offers some of the most unique confectionary creations found in New Jersey. The restaurant’s lounge provides an elegant and upscale setting for enjoying finely crafted beverages and chocolates that use local and organic ingredients whenever and as often as possible. All of this is the masterwork of chocolatier Diane Pinder, whose chocolates have appeared on the NBC Today Show, the Style Network and in an array of newspapers and magazines.  All chocolate is crafted on premises at Donna Toscana and guests can choose from truffles, chocolate fondue, cheesecake, and crepes. Decadent drinks are also available to sip and savor, including one called the “Bicerin,” Donna Toscana’s take on a traditional layered beverage from Turin, made from dark drinking chocolate, espresso and whipped cream. Reservations are strongly recommended for this one-of-a-kind dessert experience.

Donna Toscana Artisan Chocolates & Lounge
19 Eastman Street
Cranford, NJ 07016
(908) 272-4380
www.shopdonna.com/donnatoscana.htm

Bien Hoa: The Best Pho in Town

Vietnamese food is one of the most popular options in Asian cuisine, with the simple, flavorful food winning new converts on a daily basis. Locals testify that the best place in central New Jersey for a bowl of pho—a beef soup made with a rich, aromatic broth and lots of skinny rice noodles, as well as Vietnam's most popular street food—is at Edison’s Bien Hoa. Massive bowls of flavorful broth play host to perfectly-cut meat that cooks at the table, and a wide variety of condiments let you spice the soup to your liking.The rest of the menu is also very strong, with the barbecued pork—another Vietnamese favorite—cooked perfectly tender in a delicious marinade. New management has recently taken over and done some much-needed updates to the restaurant’s décor, so you'll have a nicer ambience to go with your authentic and delicious meal.

Bien Hoa
2090 State Route 27
Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 287-9500
www.bienhoaedison.com

Enjoy a Night of Delicious Food and Entertainment at Arirang Hibachi Grill

The Japanese cooking method known as hibachi has been one of the most popular culinary exports from that country, and for good reason. The theatrical quality of the chefs preparing your meal tableside is exciting and produces delicious food. Arirang has been New Jersey’s prime destination for Japanese grilling for many years now, and regulars rave that the service and food is exceptional. The hibachi chefs are top of the line, preparing meats and vegetables right before your eyes and happily accommodating special orders. Every diner gets free soup and salad included with their meal, but the portion sizes are so generous you won’t really need them! If you feel like sushi, Arirang is very capable in that department as well, with plenty of options for both nigiri and rolls. Regulars recommend the coconut eel roll and the Arirang super roll. The place can get pretty crowded on evenings and weekends, so call ahead to put your name on the list before you go.

Arirang Hibachi Grill
986 US Highway 9
Parlin, NJ 08859
(732) 525-3551 ‎
www.partyonthegrill.com

Luca’s Ristorante: Italian Classics Made Modern

Chef Andrea Di Meglio has been wowing eaters at Luca’s in Somerset since 1994. Paying tribute to the cuisine of the small island of Ischlia where he was born, the meals here have a serious wow factor, with incredible presentation going hand in hand with masterful kitchen work. Start your meal with the spectacular figs wrapped in prosciutto – the saltiness of the thinly-sliced ham meshes perfectly with the rich, flavorful fruit. Moving on to entrees, the handmade pasta is stellar, with fresh, pillowy gnocchi and amazing Diamante Cretaio (diamond shaped pasta with wild mushrooms, fava beans, fresh basil, and parmigiano reggiano in a cherry tomato sauce) leading the pack. The seafood is also highly recommended, with the broiled scallops one of the best things on the menu. The veal osso buco is a favorite as well. Unlike most Italian places, Luca’s does not have a liquor license, so you’ll need to bring your own wine to enjoy with dinner. Service is stellar, but the décor is a little bit corny and dated.

Luca’s Ristorante
2019 State Route 27
Somerset, NJ 08873
(732) 297-7676
www.lucasristorante.com

Catherine Lombardi: A New Brunswick Gem For Italian

If you’re dining out in the Garden State, you’d better believe that you’ll find some good Italian food. New Brunswick locals have been swearing by Catherine Lombardi since the restaurant opened. Offering high-quality southern Italian food in a gorgeous location, Catherine Lombardi has been winning raves from picky eaters for dishes like the succulent chicken scarpariello, which is cooked to absolute perfection. The stuffed pork chop is ridiculously delicious, as is the incredible lasagna. In general, you can’t go wrong with the pasta dishes, as the noodles are made fresh and the sauces are spectacular. One of the real draws of this place is the bar, which rocks an old-school cocktail vibe that has regulars raving—you name it, the bartenders can make it completely fresh. The only complaint that diners level against Catherine Lombardi is that the prices are a bit high, but for a place like this it’s reasonable.

Catherine Lombardi
3 Livingston Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 296-9463
www.catherinelombardi.com

Restaurant Serenade: Where Food and Wine Make Sweet Harmony

Whether dining at the bar or in one of the two main dining rooms, a visit to Restaurant Serenade is a cozy yet refined experience enhanced by superior service and innovative, modern French cuisine. The simple, yet elegantly prepared menu is meticulously paired with the establishment’s extensive and well-composed wine list, featuring carefully chosen varietals from all over the world. Chef James Laird has won critical acclaim for his menu and wine pairings, and was even honored with the Robert Mondavi Winery Culinary Award of Excellence in 2000. Open for both lunch and dinner, Serenade’s menu illustrates expertise in contemporary French cuisine using only the finest seasonal and regional ingredients—from fried Maine oysters and endive salad with creamy Roquefort cheese to a tender roast rack of lamb and perfectly seared king salmon. Serenade also offers a a five-course tasting menu, a sampling of the chef’s creations with or without paired wines.

Make sure to sample the extraordinary wine list at a lower price point on Wine Down Wednesdays, when bottles are discounted 50% for guests dining a la carte.

Restaurant Serenade
6 Roosevelt Avenue
Chatham, NJ 07928
(973) 701-0303
www.restaurantserenade.com

Due Mari: A Seamless Blend of Seafood and Wine

Due Mari, the sister restaurant of Bernardsville’s Due Terre offers excellent Italian fare for a special occasion or a casual night out with friends. Exuding a soothing ambiance and set in a stylish atmosphere, the restaurant’s menu emphasizes seafood dishes with creative touches from several regions in Italy. Due Mari presents an extensive antipasti menu with choices like crispy calamari, tuna carpaccio, and 18-month aged prosciutto de parma with fresh mozzarella to share with the entire table. Entrée creations from executive chef Bill Dorrler include lovingly prepared Scottish Salmon served with White Bean Ragu, and Chatham cod with sides of Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cremini Mushrooms, Cipollini Onions, and a creamy Butternut Squash Puree. Meat eaters will not be disappointed—excellent dishes like Braised-Beef Short Rib over celery root puree, pickled red onions and mache, and a Grilled Bone-in Prime Pork Chop "Pizzaiola Style" are also star selections. A separate bar menu offers 12” brick oven Neapolitan style pizzas as well as a wide selection of appetizers, oven baked hero sandwiches, and pasta at very competitive prices. In addition, all lunch menu items may be ordered to take out at a 15% discount.

Due Mari
78 Albany St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 296-1600
www.duemarinj.coma

Next Page »