this is our corner of the bar!

I just love La Hacienda, especially now that they have Taco Tu

esdays!!! They are only $1 when you sit at the bar and purchase an alcoholic beverage. May I suggest the Strawberry Banana Margarita...delicious. You don't get a choice; they only serve hard-shelled beef tacos but who cares...they are so good especially when you add the home-made salsa. Oh, by the way, my favorite meal there is the Chicken Enchiladas with the green sauce (a must have)...spicy!

It has a great Mexican atmosphere and appropriate authentic music playing all day and night. They have dance classes on Wednesday nights and live music/bands on Friday and Saturday nights.

La Hacienda has the best staff. They are always so friendly and always service with a smile. Here is a picture:

That's Jodi, Christian and myself. See how fun they are? They make you feel like you're part of the La Hacienda family and always welcome....everyone says "hello".

SEE YOU ON TUESDAY!!!

http://www.lahaciendanj.com/index.php/home.html

Viet Bistro

Hello Friends,

I decided to write again on my blog! This time I wanted to write about various places I've been and comment on them. I'd like to start with a restaurant I went to for lunch called Viet Bistro in the Cumberland Mall. A friend suggested this place to me because I love Vietnamese food. I drove an hour to get there and my friend came along.

If you want a fresh, out of the ordinary meal, this is the place to go. It was unlike any Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to. We were greeted by a very nice guy who actually smiled while welcoming us. One thing I requested not to have in my soup was any kind of white onion or "green onion" (scallions). They make it very easy to order from the menu. Kind of like taking the class Vietnamese 101 on how to order and eat it.

I enjoy the noodle soup or "PHO". So being that it has been so cold outside, nice hot soup sounded like it would hit the spot. This is an example of what it looks like to order from their menu:

Noodle Soup - $5.99

Step 1: Choose one (1) of our fresh noodle options -

Rice Noodle (White); Spanish Noodle (Green); Soba Noodle (Yellow); or Vermicelli.

Step 2: Choose one of our fresh broth soup bases - Beef; Chicken; Spicy; or Veggie.

Step 3: Choose one of our meat selections or a meat alternative -
Grilled or Steamed Chicken; Beef Flank; Beef Brisket; Pork Chop; Beef Ball; Wonton; or Fish Ball.
Vegetarian options: Tofu or Steamed Vegetables.

Step 4: Personalize your soup with any of our garden-fresh ingredients - Bean sprouts; Cilantro; Scallion; Onions; Basil; or Lime.

- Signature Vietnamese Noodle Soup: Beef Noodle "Pho"
- Signature Vietnamese Spring Roll Vermicelli (Bun Cha Gio)
- Signature Vietnamese Grilled Pork or Chicken Lemongrass (Com Thit Nuong)

I ordered a rice noodle with beef broth and beef flank but when it came out it had onions so my friend complained and I got a new batch. It also came with the spicy broth but that was okay for me because I was going to add in the HOT myself. As you can see, it comes with and I added to my soup: Bean Sprouts, Cilantro, Basil and Mint leaves and I squeezed a lime over the top. It was so delicious.

A little Vietnamese lady came around and asked if everything was okay. She looked at me and knew it was my first time there. She was so nice to explain what the soup broth was made of that I was eating---A spicy lemongrass. She happened to be the owner my friend said and obviously pays attention to her patrons which was a breath of fresh air.

Every Vietnamese restaurant that I have been to makes slight variations to their meals and this was no exception. If it is your first venture to try this cuisine, I highly recommend this establishment (definitely above average) because there was no language barrier (as I have had in the past) and its easy to order from menu. BON APPETITE!!!

For more information you could visit www.vietbistronj.com