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Plaza Azteca – 5 Quick Tips

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It’s no secret that my ethnic food cuisine of choice is Mexican/Spanish style food. I openly talk about my love of pizza, but if I had to choose just one food to eat the rest of my life, I’m 99% sure it would be tacos. Sometimes Andrew jokes that it’s only my favorite cuisine because growing up in a small town in West Virginia, it was the ONLY ethnic cuisine choice.  When we would go to the local Mexican restaurant growing up (technically, even today), my mom would order a kid’s menu pizza and fries because the food was “too spicy”. Luckily, I had more sense than that.

I was excited when we moved into our house that there were not one, but two quick service style Mexican inspired eateries within 5 minutes of our house. To much my excitement, a few years after moving in, Plaza Azteca, a TexMex inspired chain-style restaurant announced they were opening a location 5 minutes away.

It actually took us awhile after they opened to visit, but after our first visit, we’d knew they would be a favorite of ours for years to come.

5 Tips for Dining at Plaza Azteca

  1. Call your local location and ask for the specials
    • They aren’t readily announced, but our local location has Free Kids Meals on Tuesdays, drink specials, and more.
  2. Order the Guacamole
    • Guacamole is made table side and such a fun experience. So fresh, and you get to tailor the ingredients to your style.
  3.  Less is more
    • Unlimited chips and salsa will leave you full before you food even comes. We have found that ordering small meals or even splitting some of the options with the kids instead of ordering kids meals is best for our family.
  4.  Go for lunch
    • Ordering at lunch save you money but you still get a ton of food.  Andrew and I went for a date lunch once and still had enough leftover for a small dinner later
  5.  Try something you normally wouldn’t think to get
    • Andrew got a shrimp quesadilla once, I had chicken topped with a chorizo mix. The menu is large and the food is flavorful.  We vowed to never get the same thing twice until we’ve eaten through the menu (Hint: It will be forever before we do that).

The girls love it, we love it. Plaza Azteca has become one of our favorite restaurant here and we can’t wait to go there again.

In addition to their Sicklerville, NJ location, they have locations in VA, PA, NC, and more.

5 Dishes to Try at Bahama Breeze

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We don’t eat out often. Never really have and since having kids, it’s been even less frequently.  Partly to save money, partly because kids act crazy as soon as you sit down at a table. However, before we had kids we absolutely loved Bahama Breeze.  With Andrew’s Caribbean culture, it’s a nice way for him to get a taste of home when we can’t make it over to his parents for dinner (I haven’t mastered the flavor profile yet – though it’s on my to do list).

Recently, we headed over to a nearby mall and once there I told Andrew that we should have an early dinner at Bahama Breeze. This is the face I got. I’m so happy that he loves somewhere so much.

The girls absolutely love the food at Bahama Breeze too. I know the flavor is in their bones, but I also love that we can expand their palates of different foods at such a young age at one of our favorite places.

Today, I wanted to share with you a complete meal from start to finish of some of our all time and recent favorites. I’ll share with you a few extras too.

Appetizers – Beef Empanadas. These are a new favorite.  They are perfectly fried pastries filled with beef and potatoes. Everyone loved them. The jumbo lump crab stack is another fav of ours.

Soup – Seafood chowder.  Hands down one of the best soups I’ve ever had.  What’s even better is that this soup broke the ice for Andrew trying soups.  He swore he hated soup until he tried this.  Now, he won’t try other soups still, but when we are at Bahama Breeze, he will keep asking for bites of mine.

Entrees – The girls always continuously ask for bites of ours as soon as we order our dishes. Andrew always gets the same thing – Calypso Shrimp Linguine. Creamy, spicy, perfectly sautéed entree that embodies Caribbean style.

Trinidad Chicken Curry Bowl. This was a new one for me, but instantly a favorite. Chicken, chickpeas, and tomatoes in a curry and coconut milk sauce. It’s served with pineapple chutney and naan and it’s just amazing.

The fish tacos and the jerk chicken sandwich are equally delicious. I have a goal to work out way through the menu one day.

You can’t forget the drinks!  We love a virgin Pina Colada as a fun and sweet treat.

The entire spread always looks amazing and we’re never disappointed. We absolutely love eating at Bahama Breeze.

And don’t worry – if you have littles that are less exploratory than ours, they have traditional kids meals like chicken tenders and fries.

Bahama Breeze is one of our favorite places and we just can’t get enough of it when we get out.

Bonefish Grill Fire + Ice Menu

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bonefish grill fire + ice menu

*Disclosure: We received a giftcard to try the new menu to facilitate this post.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% our own.

Bonefish Grill is my favorite restaurant, so when we were recently invited to try their brand new Fire + Ice Pre-Fixe Menu I was ecstatic.  We’ve never had a bad experience, so I knew that we were sure to love the new menu just as much. The great thing about the new Pre-Fixe menu is that it sets you up with three delicious courses – salad, meal, and a dessert – taking the guess work out of deciding for you. The best part is that the menu starts at just $19.90 for all three courses.

Even though it’s not on the new menu, we had to start with the Bang Bang Shrimp.  It’s so amazing and one of the best things about Bonefish Grill.

bonefish grill bang bang shrimp

It’s hilarious to watch Skibbles growing up and trying new things.  While this isn’t her first time trying the Bang Bang Shrimp, she must have either been starving, or it finally hit her how amazing it really is, because she literally ate 3/4 of the appetizer by herself.  We loved watching her try to learn to use the chopsticks too. She ended up putting one of them down and just poking the shrimp with one end, but hey – it’s a start to her culinary adventures.

bonefish grill chopsticks

Andrew also started with the Signature Red Sangria that we tried during the last menu update.  It’s a must for him every time we go there now.  Unfortunately for me, I didn’t get to try any or any of the new Fire + Ice drink menu since I’m currently pregnant. I really think the Wild Orchid Hawaiian Martini sounded fabulous.  It was Cruzan Guava rum, pineapple juice, coconut water, with flavors of pear and coconut and garnished with a real floating orchid.  Yum!

For dinner, I went with the Oscar Turbot Pre-fixe dinner.  It’s a turbot fish (a sister fish of the halibut according to our waitress) that is sautéed piccata style, then topped with jumbo lump crab meat and asparagus and served with mushroom ravioli and spring vegetables.  I decided to sub my spring vegetables (spring peas and roasted peppers) for broccoli instead. My fish was cooked to perfect and was light and airy and went perfectly with the crab on top.

Andrew’s went with the new Grilled Arctic Char. This new one doesn’t include the 3 courses, but you are welcome to add the additional courses if you wish.  The Char is a relative of salmon, and Andrew said it tasted even better than salmon with a clean, buttery taste.  It’s seasoned and grilled and served alongside pappardelle pasta and fresh spring vegetables.

bonefish grill new fire + ice menu

Finally, my pre-fixe menu concluded with the dessert which are brand new DIY doughnuts.  They are a croissant-like doughnut hole tossed in a cinnamon sugar and served alongside fresh whipped cream, sea salt caramel, and chocolate sauce for dipping. If you know me, you know I have a slight obsession with doughnuts, and it takes a lot to impress my doughnut palette.  These doughnut holes were SPOT ON.  They are light and flaky and the dipping sauces were divinely perfect with them.  I would easily ordered an entire plate of these to go.

bonefish grill doughnuts

Once again we fell in love with the new additions to Bonefish’s menu and love the ability to have three courses set up for us. Some of the other new additions to the Fire + Ice Pre-Fixe menu are:

  • Cold Water Lobster Tail — Steamed and seasoned, served with warm drawn butter, crispy smashed Yukon Gold potatoes and spring sugar Snap peas.
  • Dynamite Opah — Nicknamed “moonfish,” Opah is a great fish for the grill with a firm steak-like texture. It’s topped with lump Crab meat, sautéed spinach, and finished with a creamy aioli.
  • Shrimp + Scallop Firepot — Jumbo shrimps and scallops finished firepot style, served with rustic cut vegetables and Yukon gold potatoes. Finished with spring sugar snap peas.
  • Grilled Lamb Chops — Seasoned and lightly caramelized, served with crispy Yukon gold potatoes.
Make sure to check out the Bonefish Website so you can view locations and check out the new menu for yourself.  Then book a table so it’s ready for you when you get there.  Follow along on social media at #IcredibleIs so you can see what everyone else is trying too!
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Bonefish Grill #HelloNewMenu Launch

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*Disclosure: We received a giftcard to try the new menu to facilitate this post.  Thoughts and opinions are 100% our own. 

On July 29th, Bonefish Grill announced the launch of their new menu!  They’ve added more than 20 new items that compliment the classic favorites. Added into the new menu are bowls, steaks, deluxe sides, desserts, and more. 

I absolutely love Bonefish Grill. Love! I can’t say it enough -the food, the atmosphere, the service- everything about it is fabulous. No, I’m just just saying that to win brownie points with them.  While still living in West Virginia, Andrew and I made a trip to Florida where we first learned about Bonefish Grill. I fell in love with the food and was disappointed to come home and learn there weren’t any near us at the time.  A few months later, we had decided to move to New Jersey and you can imagine my excitement when I learned that there were not one, but two, Bonefish Grill locations within 30 minutes of our house. The very first weekend that we moved here, we went to eat there, and I was just as in love as the first time back in Florida. 

So what I heard they came out with a new menu, I knew that I had to try it -Hello, New Menu. We were given the opportunity to try it out, so I decided to look on-line before we were going, like I always do, so we don’t have to wait as long and the baby doesn’t get angry. I was amazed at how many new options they had from the appetizers to the salads to the fish to entrées to drinks and desserts, there is something new on all aspects of the menu. I had a really hard time deciding what I should get because I want to try some of everything. It just looks so incredible. 


Starting with drinks, I love that they have added both Vitamin Water and Honest Organic Iced Teas as new menu options. We love Honest Teas, so Andrew went with the Raspberry Iced Tea to start.  He also ordered a virgin Piña Colada.  Andrew repeatedly has told me that Bonefish Grill makes the best Piña Coladas.  I decided to try the new Signature Red (Blackberry) Sangria.  It was incredible.  I recently learned that I love Sangria and this one was of the best I’ve tasted.  Andrew tried it and loved it as well.  He actually asked if they sold it in bottles.  They have a over 15 new beverages on the menu including a gluten free craft beer, sparkling wine, pinot noir, new red, and a new special reserve selections.  New on the rocks and martini selection are also available, including the Ocean Trust Tropic Heat Martini – Absolut vodka house infused with pineapples, freshly muddled mango, lemon juice, and a thin slice of jalapeño.  For every one that is sold $1 is donated to Oceantrust.org. 


My favorite thing in the entire world is the Bang Bang Shrimp. I mean seriously who doesn’t love the awesomeness of Bang Bang Shrimp.  I had a hard time telling myself that I couldn’t just get Bang Bang Shrimp, so I was super excited to learn that one of their new appetizers was Bang Bang Shrimp Flatbread.  It’s a flatbread with mozzarella cheese, crispy shrimp, cilantro, with the famous creamy, spicy sauce. The amazingness that is Bang Bang Shrimp with the crunch from the flatbread make for one amazing appetizer.  Cold Snap Fresh Ceviche, Twisted Edamame Hummus, NY Strip Tataki are the other three new appetizers. 

Bonefish Grill has also added two new salads to their menu – Watermelon Salad and Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad!


This isn’t new, but I can’t talk about Bonefish Grill without mentioning the fresh bread and pesto that you get.  I remember that first trip back in Florida when they brought this out.  Andrew’s face looked horrified, but he tried it and was hooked – we both were.  It’s amazing!


Time for the actual entrées – we decided to go with the Lobster Grilled Cheese for Skibbles. It’s the newest addition to the Hand Held menu and includes cheddar and smoked mozzarella with North Atlantic lobster chunks, served with fresh green (or chips) and lobster bisque.  


I’ve had both the greens and the chips before and love both but decided to order the new Herbed Couscous as a side with this meal so we could taste it. It was so full of flavor and Skibbles thought the little pearl balls were hilarious, but she ate them right up.  


The lobster grilled cheese, especially when dipped in the lobster bisque soup, was absolutely incredible -like melt in your mouth. Think about a warm bowl of tomato soup with a regular grilled cheese that you typically make it home and then inflate that times 1000. And there’s no skimping here – look at those chunks of pure lobster meat.  Amazing.


Andrew ordered the Spring Basil Fettuccine, an artichoke pesto, asparagus, peppers, and tomatoes in a white wine cream sauce with Parmesan cheese.  You can add herb-grilled chicken, wood-grilled shrimp, or wood-grilled salmon for an additional cost. Andrew went with the salmon and said it was cooked perfectly.  This dish doesn’t come with any additional sides, but the portion size is ample enough to fill.  Andrew was a huge fan of the artichoke chunks in the pasta, but said the overall taste of the dish was great. 

For myself, I decided to go with the Wood-Grilled Ahi Tuna Steak with the brand-new Lime Tomato Garlic Sauce. It typically is paired with fresh seasonal vegetables and your choice of fresh side. Bonefish Grill is always great about allowing you to substitute any sides if you don’t like something, so instead, I decided to go with the garlic mashed potatoes (because they’re absolutely die for) as well as the brand-new Crab Fried Rice. 

I’m pretty new to fresh fish and had never had ahi tuna steak before. I typically get my beef steak cooked medium, so when our waitress said that ahi tuna is suggested to be cooked rare, I was a little nervous.  I went with it though and I’m happy for the suggestion. I couldn’t believe how amazingly delectable and delightful it tasted in my mouth and paired with the lime tomato garlic sauce it absolutely exploded my taste buds.

The crab fried rice was a hit for all three of us. I seriously could’ve eaten an entire entrée just of the crab fried rice. Instead, however, Andrew asked me for a bite so he could try it and I handed him the dish why I was trying to help Skibbles eat her dinner and I turned around and he had consume the entire side dish. I couldn’t believe that he ate my entire side, however, I can’t blame him because it was absolutely delicious. There is an up charge for the new premium signature sides and they range from $2-$4 more per side.  Other new deluxe sides include Porcini Mushroom Ravioli and Wood Grilled Broccolini. 

Lastly we decided to try the newest dessert, which are Smore’s Flatbread – creamy chocolate, toasted marshmallow and sliced almonds, sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs.  The flatbread itself was toasted a little more than our preferred liking, however, the chocolate with the melted marshmallows and the crunch from the almonds was perfect.  

Photo credit: Bonefish Grill/Photo compilation: Ours
I really can’t recommend the brand-new menu enough. We absolutely love all the new items and will be going back again to try the rest! I’m never disappointed here and the food is always amazing. I’m really excited to go back and try one of the new bowls, especially the Spicy Tuna – premium sushi grade, sesame-seared rare tuna with avocado, sweet chile sauce, jasmine rice, and passion fruit salsa- It’s calling my name! 

Skibbles loves this place too!  She thinks it’s hysterical that she can draw on the table. 🙂  Even though the food was delicious, she kept trying to get out of the high chair and ended up in daddy’s lap!  

Make sure to check out the Bonefish Website so you can view locations and check out the new menu for yourself.  Then book a table so it’s ready for you when you get there.  Follow along on social media at #HelloNewMenu so you can see what everyone else is trying too!

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Comment below and let me know what you think of what we tried and what would be your favorite! 

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Olive Garden Launches New Menu

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Olive Garden recently announced their most significant menu evolution since the restaurant’s opening and we got to check it all out! This new menu was created to appeal to guests’ evolving palettes, while also offering more customized options for both lunch and dinner. What we ended up experiencing was the most mouth-watering experience we’ve ever had at Olive Garden.

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We don’t typically eat out that often.  We try to watch what we eat, especially because of Andrew’s high blood pressure, and my desire to limit the processed foods that we all have, but especially Skibbles. Plus, we never know when she will have a meltdown, and we all know that’s just not enjoyable in the middle of a restaurant.  We were giving it our all though and picked out an adorable dress for Skibbles that her grandparents bought her for Christmas. 

When we got there, we were told a 5-10 minute wait.  Not bad for a Saturday evening at the start of dinner traffic.  We let Skibbles run around and took in the light Italian atmosphere.  Part of me believes that the ovens that cook the breadsticks are hooked up to the air vents, but the warm aroma of carbs instantly took over my senses and I think I began to drool a bit.  Skibbles trying to pull down all the menus from the hostesses’ podium quickly brought me back to reality.

We were seated and we quickly discussed what we wanted to eat.  I had already looked at the menu ahead of arriving (I always do this to speed things up) and Andrew glanced over the menu while we were waiting to be seated. We both discussed how great all of the new menu options sounded and how it was so difficult to just pick one thing.  So we decided to live dangerously and order all that we wanted. After all, this doesn’t happen often.

We started with the appetizers. On the middle plate below was called Lasagna Fritta.  Andrew is pretty obsessed with anything mentioning lasagna so we went for it.  It’s Parmesan-breaded pieces of lasagna that have been friend, then served over warm, alfredo sauce, and then a drizzle of marinara and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  It melted in our mouth with the slightest crunch of amazingness.

With their new menu, Olive Garden added “Small Plates”.  Eight, delicious samplings of some amazing dishes for those guests that like to try a bunch of different things or just don’t have a huge appetite and want something smaller.  Each small plate is between $4-6! We ordered the Chicken Meatballs and Tortellini al Forno.

The Chicken Meatballs are seasoned with herbs and a small hint of red pepper, Italian cheeses, and a zesty marinara.  We both loved these.  They gave a huge flavor burst on your palate with a hint of spice at the end.  It was a bit spicy for Skibbles, though we didn’t think it was bad.

The Tortellini al Forno is cheese and prosciutto-filled tortellini on top of a parmesan cream sauce, and then topped with crumbled bacon pieces.  This was hands down one of the best starter meals I’ve had in a long time. Andrew and I actually split the last one in half because we both wanted it.  Skibbles ate three of them by herself.  Yes, they were that good.  With the slight crunchy of the savory bacon in the warm, creamy sauce sauce, your taste buds will be dancing with this one.

Other small plates are: Polenta Shrimp alla Greca, Parmesan Olive Fritta, Tuscan White Bean Hummus, Crispy Risotto Balls, Grilled Chicken Spiedini, Crispy Parmesan Asparagus, and Roasted Parmesan Asparagus.


You haven’t made a trip to Olive Garden without enjoying the breadsticks and salad.  It’s a great staple and always one of our favorite ways to kick off our meal.  Now that we travel with a toddler I’m even more thankful for it.  She was in love with the breadsticks and the croutons from the salad, yes, a carb baby. But we all know without these, she would have gotten very antsy, very quickly.  The worst part about this whole night was that I was completely enthralled with our new menu choices that I forgot to try any soup!  I love Olive Garden soup! 

Finally, it was dinner time.  Like I mentioned before, we just couldn’t decide what to get for dinner, so we got a variety.  We ordered pasta off the new Cucina Mia Menu for Skibbles, I ordered the Crabbed Topped Chicken, and Andrew ordered the Parmesan Crusted Filet, as well as the Baked Tilapia with Shrimp from the Lighter Fare Menu.

The crab topped chicken is pan seared chicken breasts topped with crab meat on top of a lemon cream sauce.  It’s served with fresh spinach and garlic parmesan mashed potatoes.  I seriously think I have consumed 85% of my dinner before Andrew could finish slicing his filet.  It was amazing.  Often times, I go to restaurants and the chicken if tough, but my dinner this night just melted in my mouth.  It was so soft.  The lemon cream sauce had just the right about of acidity to make the crab shine all over my taste buds! 

Andrew gets filet whenever we go out.  Since it’s not often, it’s like his special little treat. He decided that this should be no different.  He was thrilled to see Olive Garden add a Parmesan Crusted Filet option to their dinner menu.  We asked for it to be cooked medium and it was cooked to perfection. This 6oz beauty is topped with a creamy Parmesan-alfredo crust and served alongside sautéed Italian vegetables and roasted garlic.  He actually ate the entire steak without steak sauce, which is not like him. He said that it was unnecessary because the juiciness from the steak along with the already sauce was the absolutely perfect balance.


The Baked Tilapia with Shrimp is an oven-baked white fish and shrimp that’s on top off a white wine sauce and served alongside garlic broccoli. The new creation is from Olive Garden’s Lighter Italian Fare menu where all dishes have under 575-calories. It was flaky and light, cooked to perfection, and

For Skibbles, we ordered off the new Cucina Mia Menu. I love having the ability to mix, match, and create our own menu.  It’s just $9.99 every day and is more than filling portion size.  There are six pastas to choose from, including a gluten-free option, as well as five made-from-scratch sauces and four meat topping options.  The meat options do add a small additional cost.  We went with the Tri-Colored Vegetable Penne and the Primavera sauce.  Skibbles literally slurped it up.  I tried it and agreed, it was amazing.  The marinara sauce has chunks of zucchini, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, and was cooked perfectly.

We thoroughly enjoyed everything about Olive Garden’s new menu.  We were left very impressed with the overhaul and quality of the food.  They truly have something for everyone, no matter your palate or budget.  All of the food was appropriately priced.  For the three appetizers and four dinner meals that we ordered, came in around $80.  Andrew and I typically spend $45-50 for just 2 meals and one appetizer, so we felt amazed at the pricing. To top it off, we had plenty of leftovers.  
  

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget dessert.  We were just so full from the amazing food in the restaurant, that we asked to take it home.  Andrew being obsessed with all things chocolate, went with the Black Tie Mousse Cake (in the background of the pic above).  However, my mouth watered when I saw the picture for the New Wild Berry Layer Cake.  I was even more impressed when we got home and I opened the box and the dessert literally looked just like the picture in the menu.

It was one of the most amazing desserts, I’ve had in forever. Shredded white chocolate and mixed berries top layers of moist vanilla cake with a luscious Italian cream frosting.  You will wake up wanting more in the more, trust me, I did. This is just for a limited time only, so make sure you go get some!

Photo credit: Olive Garden

Here’s some more highlights about the new menu directly from Olive Garden


New Dinner Menu Highlights
·         “Cucina Mia” Section: Introducing a new menu section that gives guests the ability to create their own entrée from a variety of six pastas and five made-from-scratch sauces—for only $9.99 every day.
·         Small Plates: Expanding the Tastes of Italy section to include eight small plate dishes for guests who want to explore different flavors.
·         Lighter Italian Fare: Enhancing variety within the under-575-calories menu section by introducing additional dishes for calorie-counting guests.
·         Specialty Entrees: Bringing new culinary-forward entrees to the chicken and seafood sections of the menu, enhanced by preparation on a new Piastra flat-top grill for a more evenly cooked, tender and juicy taste.
·         Antipasti and Caprese Salads: Creating new ways for guests to enjoy Olive Garden’s popular signature salad through the addition of antipasti or caprese toppings.
New Lunch Menu Highlights
·         Lunch Experience: Recognizing the busy schedules of lunch guests, Olive Garden is debuting a new lunch menu and enhanced service steps that provide busy guests with a variety of choices for a quick and satisfying meal.
·         Tuscan Trio Combinations: Enhancing the popular soup, salad and breadsticks lunch by offering guests an additional pasta side, Small Plate or new salad topping.



·         Sandwich & Flatbread Combinations: Giving guests more handheld options with sandwich and flatbread combinations served with unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks.

Bon Appétit! 

Need even more Olive Garden in your life?  You can order their (affiliate link*) croutons and salad dressing on Amazon right now! 

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