I’m a self-taught home-cook sharing my passion for eating, cooking, and all things food.
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This week I’m making a homemade version of my favorite treat — cheese danish! My how-to video shows you how to prepare cheese danish using puff pastry. You can customize the filling to include your favorite preserves. I used apricot and black cherry. Click to get the recipe ingredients and watch my recipe video.
The last warm weekend in January, my boyfriend and I decided to visit Pergamino’s Bakery & Café in Boonton, New Jersey. We stopped in for brunch before exploring the nearby antique and tea shops. We had delicious breakfast sandwiches, cappuccinos, and many tasty pastries. Click to read my full first impression review of Pergamino’s Bakery & Café!
I noticed Zorba Greek Eatery in Wayne after visiting the shopping center the week before. My boyfriend and I decided to visit Zorba Greek Eatery on a weeknight to try their gyros. Click to read my full first impression restaurant review of our dinner.
V-Yan Hot Pot and BBQ is a large restaurant in Parsippany, New Jersey off of Route 46. My boyfriend and I visited V-Yan Hot Pot and BBQ on a Monday evening for all you can eat hot pot and BBQ. We tried delicious proteins, vegetables, and dumplings during our meal and had a fun time BBQ-ing our own food. Click to read my full restaurant review and recommendations for hot pot and BBQ at V-Yan.
I was excited to try Paheli Indian Cuisine in Wayne, New Jersey, within the Preakness Shopping Center. This gem of a restaurant may be easily missed, but it is worth stopping to dine in or take out. Click to read my full first impression restaurant review and see what dishes we ordered for dinner.
On a cool Wednesday evening, we went to Tavern 5 in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. I was so excited to try this restaurant, who shares amazing drink creations and new specials on social media. We enjoyed a full meal outside on their outdoor dining patio, where we had beautifully plated appetizers, large entrees, and a delicious dessert. Click to read more about our dinner at Tavern 5!
Our last dinner in Boston, Massachusetts brought us to The Banks Fish House. I wanted to wrap up our trip with a seafood-based meal, and The Banks Fish House did not disappoint. Click to read more about our dinner and the seafood dishes we ordered — from oysters to lobster rolls, in my final Boston review from our travels.
After spending the morning walking through the Boston Waterfront, we headed South to the South Boston Waterfront near the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. We explored the shops nearby before heading over to Chinatown for lunch, where we ate at Hing Shing Pastry and the Dumpling King. Click to read our full day of adventures and food.
After exploring Boston Common and the North End, we decided to spend our next full day exploring the Boston Waterfront, near the Financial District. A stop for coffee at Thinking Cup on Newbury Street, and our day of outdoor adventures started at the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Click to read my full travel review of our morning in the Boston Waterfront.
After walking over 10 miles around the North End, we decided we would stay locally in Back Bay for dinner. We went back to Newbury Street, which we explored when we went to Krasi for dinner. With no particular place in mind, we decided to walk the sidewalks and stop at any restaurant that caught our eye. Eventually, we ended up at Stephanie’s on Newbury.
We stopped in Al Dente Ristorante in the North End of Boston, MA for lunch. We had a fantastic appetizer and filling pasta dishes. For dessert, we walked down Salem Street to visit Bova’s Bakery, where I ordered a delicious pastry to wrap up our afternoon adventures.
For our first full day in Boston, Massachusetts, we decided to walk through the Boston Common towards the North End. We spent our afternoon visiting the famous monuments and statues in the Boston Common, before visiting the Paul Revere Mall and Old North Church. Click to read my full recap of our travel adventures.
We visited Tatte Bakery & Cafe on Boylston Street in Boston, MA during our first full day of vacation. I loved the black and white interior design and the immaculate pastry and bread cases. We ordered breakfast, coffee, and a pastry to start our day and it was a delicious meal! Click to read my full first impression review of Tatte Bakery & Cafe.
For our first day in Boston, we spent the evening exploring Newbury Street. We stopped by Mochi Dough and Trident Booksellers & Cafe before having dinner at Krasi on Gloucester Street. Krasi is a beautiful Greek restaurant offering thoughtfully prepared dishes. Click to read my full review of Krasi in Boston, MA.
From the local bookstore and gallery, to antique stores and historic sites, click to read more about our afternoon in Concord, Massachusetts. We had a great time exploring Main Street and Walden Street before driving to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Old Manse, and Old North Bridge.
Haute Coffee in Concord, Massachusetts was the first stop for our July vacation. This charming coffee shop on Walden Street is a local favorite offering large coffees, breakfast items, and indoor and outdoor seating.
Top of the Park in Boonton, New Jersey — My first impression restaurant review of this mom-and-pop Italian restaurant and pizzeria that has been in business for over 10 years. This restaurant sits at the top of Main Street and offers fresh, classic Italian dishes, delicious pizza, and tasty desserts. Read the full review on the blog at kmartinelli.com/blog
Spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorite appetizers. My dad is well-known for bringing spinach artichoke dip to parties as a snack. While Costco has a great deal for spinach artichoke dip, I decided to try and make my own oven-baked spinach artichoke dip from scratch.
W’s Grill in Oakland, New Jersey is a great restaurant and bar featuring a menu of entrees and comfort food, mussels, wings, sandwiches, burgers, and more. Read my first impression restaurant review of the space — where I share my thoughts as a first-time diner and my score for the food, service, and space.
From baked feta pasta, bell pepper sandwiches, pasta chips, and salmon rice bowls, 2021 was a busy year of viral food trends. I’m happy to say that as a foodie this year, I was able to accomplish a lot. I added product/ingredient reviews to the blog, took my first trip out of state since the start of the pandemic, and celebrated the new restaurants that have opened. Click to read my top 5 blogs of 2021.
