Wednesday, June 3, 2009

California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen is an American family style restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. When you walk inside you will notice painted pizza boxes usually painted with ingredients such as scallions, tomatoes, and olives in special glass cases with spotlights beaming down on them. You will also notice the big yellow-tiled pizza hearth in the kitchen. The seating is a combination of booths and tables. Both booths and chairs have comfortable cushions. On the tables you will find salt and pepper shakers, a small stack of little plates for appetizers, and two forks and a knife wrapped in a paper napkin. There are windows in the front, but the blinds are usually down and the view is only across the street. While you eat you might hear talking, soft music, and sometimes even kitchen noises. You can also order take-out on the phone and have it delivered to you in your car.

The food at California Pizza Kitchen is to die for. Starting off with drinks you can go from a fizzy Diet Pepsi to a refreshing glass of ice-cold lemonade. For appetizers, their soft fresh white bread with cold smooth butter is amazing. So is their warm artichoke dip with crispy large chips.

For main courses you can go from a casual chewy fusilli pasta with tangy warm tomato sauce topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, to a fancy mouthwatering Portobello mushroom ravioli served with your choice of amazing marinara sauce or creamy fettuccini. My brother usually gets the Hawaiian pizza with delectable pineapple chunks and crispy Canadian bacon. My mom usually gets the half size Chinese Chicken Salad packed with juicy chicken and cold crisp lettuce. For dessert, I enjoy getting the M&M Sundae with a scoop of soft vanilla ice cream served with warm gooey hot fudge with little tasty M&Ms and topped with fluffy light pillowy whipped cream. When you leave, you will be so sad you will want to come back soon for more.

The service at California Pizza Kitchen is amazing. When you first walk in there is a host or hostess dressed in black showing customers to their tables. Usually there is no wait at all so getting to a table is quick. Servers, wearing a white long sleeved polo shirt with a nametag and a pair of black pants, will greet you with a friendly smile and tell you their name. They will also bring over adult and kid menus. They’ll ask you what you would like to drink and then give you some time to look at the menu. They are always on top of what the specials are and will suggest a meal if you are having trouble picking one and you usually only have to wait 10-15 minutes for your food to arrive.

If you like authentic food, friendly service, and a great place for family, the California Pizza Kitchen is the place to go.

Cast Iron Kitchen-Maynard, Massachusetts

The Cast Iron Kitchen is an upscale home cooking style restaurant in Maynard. In the restaurant there is one big room with a bar to the left and straight-ahead are the booths and tables. On the brick walls are lights and framed pictures and candles. The tables have pretty comfy chairs and the booths are sweet. On the tables are flowers, the wine list, silverware, and the dessert menu.

When you walk into the Cast Iron Kitchen, your jaw will drop when you see the food. Start off your meal with an ice-cold glass of water or a bubbly Sprite. This will certainly quench your thirst. The best appetizer in my opinion is the artichoke hearts. They are deep-fried to perfection and are served with a creamy Ranch like dressing. For an entrée you have to try the Steak Fritz. When your teeth meet the meat, you will think it is a piece of heaven from above. The steak is served with a special chunky sauce that tastes great. When you think dessert, you will automatically think of the Brownie Sundae. The thick chocolaty, soft, sticky brownie is so yummy it will melt in your mouth. A scoop of French-vanilla ice cream sits on top of the brownie, which is topped off with a thick, rich, and gooey chocolate fudge sauce. After that filling meal, you will always want to come back for more!

The service at the Cast Iron Kitchen is good. The servers know the menu and give you great suggestions on what to pick. The servers always serve the food with a smile and get the food orders right. They are fast and efficient and the food they serve is hot and delicious.

The Cast Iron Kitchen is a great place to be if you want mouth-watering steak. This is the reason why I recommend the Cast Iron Kitchen.

Chang An- Concord, Massachusetts

Chang An is a Chinese restaurant in Concord, Massachusetts. When you walk in through the double doors, the first thing you see is a marble statue of a Terracotta Warrior and a big check in/pick up desk waiting for you. Off to the left are a bar and a small dining room. The bar, which serves appetizers and drinks, has high leather stools and a shiny wooden countertop. Tables sit about six feet behind the stools for parties and celebrations.

The main dining room will make you speechless. For seating, you have the choice between comfortable green leather booths or wooden chairs. Windows surround the dining room, adding plenty of light. The view is a garden, but behind that is a busy street with cars zooming up and down. While you eat you can hear glasses clinking, dumplings sizzling (if you are right next to the kitchen) and the sounds of people enjoying their meals.

The food at Chang An is indescribable. If it is hot out, you can start off your meal with a crystal clear ice-cold glass of water, or a fizzing bubbly root beer. For appetizers, you can order steamed dumplings with vegetables and soft doughy bread cooked to perfection on the outside. If you want your appetizer cold, you can order the noodles with the amazing thick peanut sauce.

The entrees are superb. You can order the Four Treasures Vegetables with scorching peapods, golden water chestnuts, and baby corn in a drizzle of brown sauce. Also available is the incredible tofu, served again, with brown sauce. At last, for desert, you can get a free Fortune Cookie, or if you would like to pay for desert, you can order the perfectly scooped ginger or chocolate ice cream. When you leave you will feel full, but you should promise yourself that you’ll come back again soon

As soon as you walk in the front doors, a friendly host or hostess greets you and leads you to your table. When you sit down, you are handed a menu. If you want to try something new, you can ask the server who will be wearing black pants, a black vest, and a white shirt, what it tastes like. Your server will bring your food in 10-15 minutes and they always get your order right.

If you like tasty food and superb service, Chang An is the place for you for lunch or dinner.

Chez Henri-Warren, Vermont

Chez Henri is a French restaurant in Warren, Vermont. Inside the restaurant is a theme of how to make Vermont Maple Syrup with painted murals of old-fashioned people carrying big barrels of sugar maple sap.

At Chez Henri there is a regular dining room and a nice dining room. Even though you don’t have to dress up, a lot of people do. The tables have a tablecloth on every table and the seats are padded and comfortable. There are candles, flowers, menu books, place setting, and sugar on every table. There are no windows except for one in the front of the restaurant with the view of the ski mountain where you can see Snow Cats grooming the mountain. The mellow music soothes the mind. Don’t miss the fireplace in the middle of the regular restaurant and the mirror right next to it.

The food at Chez Henri is to die for. If it’s a hot summer day you can get a nice fizzy Coke or a sparkling Pellegrino. For some appetizers you can get a juicy stuffed mushroom or a long, slender breadstick right out of the oven. For some salads you can get fresh crispy Romaine salad with Roquefort dressing or you can get a Caesar Salad with Caesar dressing.

The entrees are amazing. Try the lemony Escargot, cheesy Cheese Fondue, and delicious Beef Fondue. The server brings a pot with oil in it and lights the flame. Take your fondue fork and cook your own tender beef. For the Cheese Fondue, there are thick cubes of heavily baked bread to dip in cheese. For dessert you can get Chocolate Fondue or exploding lava cakes with brownies on the top.

As soon as you walk in the door a host or hostess greets you and leads you to your table where you are handed a menu. The servers wear snow-white shirts and jet-black pants and always remembers what each person ordered. Even though they make you wait ten minutes for your order, the food is very rewarding.

If you like French food, Chez Henri is the place to go where everything is just perfect. From the escargot to the delicious lava cake, nothing can be better than Chez Henri.

Crossroads Cafe-Acton, Massachusetts

Crossroads Café is a family restaurant in Acton, Massachusetts. Inside it is decorated with Red Sox pictures and antique photos from the 1900’s.

The seating inside is a combination of booths and dark wooden tables. The booths have good leather cushions and the tables have black wooden straight back chairs for your back. The condiments on each table are ketchup and sugar. In addition to the main dining room is a bar with tall stools where you can enjoy a drink. Crossroads is a great place to eat.

The food at Crossroads is amazing. If it’s a blazing hot day you can cool down with a bubbly Coke or cold refreshing milk. For an appetizer you have a choice of freshly baked bread, hot homemade soups, a chilled shrimp cocktail, and crunchy salad with extra croutons and fresh cucumbers.

The entrees at Crossroads are fantastic. I usually get the grilled foot long hot dog with crispy French fries. My Dad gets a juicy cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. My mom gets a Cob Salad with salty bacon and egg. My sister gets a grilled chicken sandwich with green beans and mashed potato. For dessert you can get a giant three-layered chocolate cake or an ice cream sundae. Another dessert they have is rice pudding.

The service at Crossroads is fantastic. As soon as you walk in the door, a host or hostess greets you and leads you to your table. If you are having trouble picking out a meal, they will help you. Then you only need to wait 10-15 minutes to get your food. The servers at Crossroads are very generous. If you spill your drink, they always give you another one.

If you like family restaurants, Crossroads is the place to be.

Helen's- Concord, Massachusetts

Helen’s is a family style restaurant in Concord, Massachusetts. When you walk inside, the first thing you notice is the lemon yellow walls with pictures of Concord on them and a combination of booths and tables. The booth seats are very soft and the chairs have cushions. On the tables are menus, salt, pepper, and ketchup. There are two windows in the front of Helens. If you look out you can see the active town of Concord.

Helen’s has amazing food. To start off your meal you can choose a variety of drinks from refreshing lemonade to bubbling Sprite. Your appetizers can be salty chips with spicy salsa or bread right out of the oven. The bread is so soft that when you bite into it, you feel like you are in heaven.

For the main course you can get many different choices. Try the cheesy Mac and Cheese with rich melted cheese on it. You can also get whole wheat pasta with butter or marinara sauce on top.

For dessert you can get two scoops of any flavored ice cream with your choice of toppings. I always get chocolate ice cream with chocolate jimmies on top. When you walk out of Helen’s you might feel stuffed, but you can always promise yourself that you will come back for more.
The service at Helen’s is fantastic. As soon as you walk in the door a host/hostess is there to bring you to your table and give you a menu. The servers are friendly and give you as much time to order as you need. If you are not sure what to order the servers will tell you the cook’s specials from memory. As soon as the servers get your order they walk as fast as they can to the kitchen. After 10-15 minutes, they come back with your food right out of the oven. As you can see, Helen’s service is great.

If you like delicious food, great service, and good seating, then Helen’s is the place to be.

Ninety-Nine-Concord, Massachusetts

The Ninety-Nine is a traditional American restaurant in Concord, Massachusetts. The inside of the restaurant has a sports theme. When you walk in the door, there’s an entrance way and three sections to the restaurant. If you go to the left, there’s a bar with big flat screen TV with close captioning. Straight ahead there’s a small dining room, and to the right, there’s a bigger dining room. In the dining room there’s pictures of sports from Concord-Carlisle High School. There’s also framed posters with reasons why you should eat at the Ninety-Nine. In the dining room there are also TVs on the walls showing sports or news.

The seating inside is booths and tables. The seats are comfortable because they have cushions. On the booths there are cushions behind you. On the tables are flowers, menu books, sugar, and ketchup. There are windows in the big dining room that overlook the street.

The food at the Ninety Nine is amazing. If it’s a really hot you can get refreshing iced lemonade or a fizzy soda or maybe some sweet and sugary orange juice. For appetizers you should get a heaping bowl of popped popcorn. The salads are really good I usually get a Caesar Salad topped with crunchy croutons and tomatoes. The entrees are delicious. My family usually orders spicy ribs with fluffy mash potatoes. There are thick and juicy hamburgers.

As soon as you walk in a host or hostess greets you at the door and brings you to your table. If you don’t know what to get someone comes over and helps you. The servers are really good because they always get your order right and you only need to wait 10-15 minutes for your food.

If you like good food, then come to the Ninety-Nine.

Ninety-Nine-Concord, Massachusetts

The Ninety-Nine is a family restaurant in Concord, Massachusetts. Inside it’s decorated with posters giving 99 reasons to go there, and a sports theme with pictures of Concord-Carlisle sport’s teams. When you walk inside the Ninety-Nine the hostess station is straight ahead. The main dining room is to the right and the secondary dining room is basically a long hallway with booths on either side. Just a bit to the left is the bar. In the bar there’s a long table with many seats and televisions.

The seating inside is roomy booths with cushions. On each table there is a place setting with ketchup and steak sauce. While you eat you can hear people talking. Unfortunately the only view out the windows is of the street.

The food at the Ninety-Nine is delicious. When you come by, drop in for ice-cold water in a sparkling crystal clear glass, or have tangy strawberry lemonade that can’t be beat. For appetizers, spicy hot chicken wings hit the spot! If salad is what you want, then check out the house salad full of iceberg lettuce, onions, and mushrooms.

For the entrée, try crispy chicken nuggets and killer cheese stick dippers, or a steak sandwich with the perfect touch of mushrooms and onions. For dessert, try the Towering Midnight Fudge Cake, which has fluffy white whipped cream, rich hot fudge, a tasty layer of joyful vanilla ice cream, and an amazing fudge brownie so good, you might even want seconds! You may want more when it’s time to go, but remember, there’s always tomorrow!

When you walk in the door, a smiling host/hostess greets you and tells you how long the wait will be. Usually the wait is 15 minutes, but can reach up to 40. The servers are so friendly they are friends with some customers! The servers have all the information you need in their heads. The servers never mix orders, but the wait time is anything but impressive.

If you want a good atmosphere and amazing food, the Ninety-Nine is the place to be.

Ninety-Nine-Concord, Massachusetts

The Ninety-Nine Restaurant is a place where you can bring your family for a night of casual dining while watching your favorite sports team on the big screen. As you walk into the restaurant a hostess greets you at the door and seats you promptly at a booth. Above the comfy seating there are hanging lanterns that help you to read the menu. Resting on the hard wooden tables are napkins, place settings, and condiment containers full of ketchup, salt, pepper, and sugar. Looking around the busy restaurant you will spot on the walls hanging signs made of wood planks with the words written with the 99 reasons why you should visit the restaurant. These signs are painted in fire engine red and light cream colors. At the far side of the room there are two huge picture windows, which look out onto West Concord. On the other side of the restaurant there is a long bar with high wooden stools. On either side of the walls are TV’s that play the daily news and sports. Always to be heard in the restaurant is the chatting of people and the background sound of music and the televisions.

The food at the Ninety-Nine is great. First the server starts you off with a beverage of your choice, which could include Coke, Sprite, root beer, water, milk, and strawberry lemonade. As your drinks arrive the server sets down a fresh bowl of popcorn. Looking at your menu the spicy buffalo wings and hot potato skins call out to you. After munching on appetizers, move onto the main course. You can have a burger, quesadilla, chicken fingers, or anything you are in the mood for with a side of French fries, applesauce, green peas, and Cole slaw. After finishing dinner, it’s dessert time. Brownie Fudge Sundaes are calling for you. Resting on top of this tremendous sundae is warm chocolate sauce, ice cream, and a warm brownie.

As you walk in the door a friendly host greets you at the door. If there is not a wait a hostess calmly takes you to a table or gives you a pager. Servers are very friendly. They tell you their name and ask if you want popcorn. As the time passes they show up again and tell the specials of the day which they have memorized. Swiftly your order arrives after a 10-15 minute wait and it is always the right food.

If you love good food, come to the Ninety-Nine for a night out with great food.

Not Your Average Joe's-Acton, Massachusetts

Not Your Average Joe’s is an American style family restaurant in Acton, Massachusetts. When you walk through the door, the first thing you notice is the bar with tall stools where you can enjoy a drink, and the kitchen where the chef is making pizza in a big wooden hearth. Lights hang throughout the dinning room and the painted splotches on the wall are shaped like puzzle pieces. Booths, chairs and tables are arranged nicely in the room. The booths are comfortable because of the squishy cushions. As you eat, you can hear music and the sounds of all the people talking. Not your average Joe’s is a great place to go.

The food at Not Your Average Joe’s is phenomenal. On a nice warm day try some ice cold refreshing water, or your choice of delicious freshly squeezed lemonade. Next are the spectacular, right out of the oven rolls. If you prefer a salad, don’t miss the to die for Caesar Salad with crunchy croutons or the scrumptious House Salad.

The main courses are amazing. Try the thick and juicy hamburger slathered with ketchup. Kids love the yummy macaroni and cheese with extra cheddar. Another great choice is the delicious chicken breast with an excellent potato mash on the side. For dessert, you get a free Hoodsie if you have a kid’s meal. Some of the other mouth-watering desserts include a rich heavenly chocolate cake, thick scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with a fluffy whipped cream, and the scrumptious amazing peanut butter chocolate mini cake. As you leave, you’ll always make a promise to yourself to come back.

As soon as you walk into Not Your Average Joe’s, a host or hostess greets you with a friendly smile. Usually there isn’t a line, but if there is, they hand you a pager and you wait in a small waiting area. Soon you will be at your table. The servers are pleasant and have a great knowledge of the menu. They always remember the specials and recite them without looking back at their notebooks. The wait for your meal only takes about 10-15 minutes. The service is always great at Not Your Average Joe’s.

If you’re in Acton and are looking for a great place with great service and excellent food, then Not Your Average Joe’s is the place for you.

O'Hara's-Salisbury, Connecticut

O’ Hara’s is an American grill type of restaurant in Salisbury, Connecticut on Twin Lakes with a fisherman theme. Painted wooden fish, wooden paddles, fishing rods, and wooden pots with fish designs on them hang from the wall. The seating is wooden tables with tablecloths covered with glass. You can also eat outside and on wooden tables with benches. The seats have very colorful designs and are comfortable with cushions. On the tables are ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and napkin holders. While you eat, you can enjoy the view of the beautiful clear Twin Lakes out the window and can hear motorboats on the lake. Off the main dining room is a room where they sell real boats!

The food at O’ Hara’s is superb. For a drink you can slurp up ice-cold water, almost any amazing soft drink, a flavorful glass of orange juice, or a refreshing Snapple tea. Try their yummy Caesar Salads or their tremendous garden salads.

Come here for a great breakfast such as a stack of thin pancakes or crunchy waffles. Tender bacon, sausage, hash browns, and eggs are served with any breakfast meal. The best bagel you’ve ever had can be served to you.

Lunch is a wonderful time to come to O’ Hara’s. Try their crispy cheeseburgers or hamburgers, delightful BLT sandwiches, and any juicy deli sandwich. Amazing golden brown French fries are served with any lunch meal. For dessert try a mouth-watering chocolate cookie or an ice cold Popsicle. When you are done you’ll want to come back for more.

When you walk into O’ Hara’s, head up to the counter where there are menus for breakfast and lunch. Next, find a table. After you order, the nice friendly servers smile at you to let you know they will make your meal very quickly. If you have a question about your meal, they answer it right away. The wait is about 10-15 minutes, but they always get your order right, even if it is complicated.

I recommend O’Haras if you want a great breakfast and a great lunch. O’Hara’s is a wonderful place to be.

Olive Garden-Leominster, Massachusetts

The Olive Garden has a location in many different places in the United States, but a very popular one is in Leominster, Massachusetts. It is a fancy Italian restaurant welcome to anyone willing to try the large selection of delicious food. Light yellow textured walls set a background for neatly painted pictures of Italy’s hillsides and villas. Tiled floors lay throughout the restaurant and colorful stained glass chandeliers light up the rooms. Rusty red brick fireplaces and archways seem to finish off the rooms giving them a warm and inviting feel.

Inside the dining room, comfortable deep cushioned booths are in a single line against the walls and if they are not to your liking there is an even balance with wooden tables and chairs. Menu books, multi colored sugar packets, and salt and pepper shakers are placed on each table along with small plates and knives and forks packaged in a clean white napkin. Small windows with short curtains are spread out among the different areas but the view is only of a parking lot and passing cars showing how busy the town is. As you enjoy your meal some sounds you might hear are things like lots of loud talking and laughing, soft music, and an occasional bang from the kitchen or clang of silverware. Another room happens to be a waiting area. Suitable chairs and couches take care of the seating but to complete the look, there is a small table with a decorative centerpiece. Just to the left of the waiting area is a bar. Tall stools surround a large square-like table where the bar tender makes the refreshing drinks and enjoyable food.

The food at the Olive Garden is indescribably delicious. Their iced, refreshing raspberry lemonade has a choice of sizes: kiddy or large. Fresh brewed iced tea is served in a crystal clear glass with a wedge of lemon placed on the side of the cup. Next on the menu are steaming hot tea, sparkling water, bubbly Coca-Cola Classic, Diet or non-Diet Coke, and fizzy Sprite all come with free refills. If you’re feeling hungry before your main dish, check out the appetizers. Long slender breadsticks with hints of butter and garlic flavors with your choice of freshly prepared alfredo and/or marinara dipping sauces are fantastic. Bruschetta is toasted bread, finely diced tomatoes, minced fresh garlic and basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a few dashes of salt, grated Parmesan cheese, and dried flakes of parsley. Another appetizer is zucchini pieces vertically sliced dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in oil to give them a crispy crunchy coat of breadcrumbs.

The salad course is phenomenal. Their famous House Garden Salad has unlimited refills and is tossed with their signature Italian dressing. Grilled chicken Cease Salad contains a creamy dressing over grilled chicken and romaine lettuce topped off with imported croutons and Parmesan cheese.

Entrees are next. Spaghetti with meat sauce is thin spaghetti pasta covered in a meat sauce seasoned with garlic and various types of herbs. Tender breaded chicken breasts, fried and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, completes the chicken parmesan, a delicious dish. Another entrée is Minestrone Soup. Fresh vegetables with beans and pasta are drowned in a light tomato broth and are one of their vegetarian classics. Cheese Ravioli is another popular main course. This cheesy delight is ravioli pasta stuffed with soft cheese and is served with a mild sauce and stringy melted Italian cheese.

Without having to travel all the way to Italy you can take a tour of the extravagant flavors at the Olive Garden. Pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, black olives, artichokes, and tomatoes are all toppings for their amazing thin crust pizza. Pork Filettino is grilled pork tenderloin marinated in rosemary and extra virgin olive oil and is served with bell peppers and Tuscan potatoes. Penne pasta covered in shrimp, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms with a bold sauce is called Shrimp Primavera.

Now the top four desserts. Black Tie Mousse Cake has rich layers of chocolate cake, chocolate cheesecake and creamy custard mousse. Another one, Berry Crostada, is a breakable pastry filled with assorted berries. Lemon Cream Cake is a delicate light white cake and lemon cream is added with a crumb topping. Several layers of dark chocolate cake with sweet butter cream icing is delicious and known as Chocolate Lasagna.

When you arrive at the Olive Garden you are asked how many people in your party and then if no tables or booths are available you are handed a small black pager that flashes red lights and beeps when a seating area is cleared, set, and ready for your group. A friendly server wearing a metal nametag and crisp white collared shirt with a tie and a short jet-black apron with the name of the restaurant on it secure around their waist leads you to a table or booth. They know the specials by heart, and if you ask what a certain type of dish is, they always know how to explain it. The servers have always gotten my order right and depending on the day, there is usually no wait. The Olive Garden has great service and you will always come back.

If you’re looking for Italian food, great service, and an inviting atmosphere, the Olive Garden is the place to be.

Rainforest Cafe-Burlington, Massachusetts

The Rainforest Café is a rainforest themed family style restaurant in the Burlington Mall. In front of the restaurant there is a gift shop and an alligator lying in water that people can throw pennies into. Inside the dining room it is decorated with animals that act like they are real, realistic looking trees, and a patch of sky with shooting stars. Separating the dining room from the gift shop are enormous fish tanks with colorful fish.

It is very dark in the dining room and because it’s in the mall, there aren’t any windows. The seating is booths or tables and chairs. The booths have cushions, which make them really comfy. On each table is a rainforest tablecloth and a menu. While you eat you can hear the animals making noises and a thunder and lighting storm every now and then.

The food at the Rainforest Café is outstanding. Are you in the mood for a slushy? Try their freshly blended Pacific Rainbow Icy placed in a cold container, or a sparkling Sprite in a frozen glass. The salads are amazing. You can get a fresh Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce with crunchy croutons on top with your choice of dressing.

For an entrée, the Tree Top Chicken Tenders are delicious with their crispy coating on the outside. They’re served with a side of freshly baked fries. You can also get a bubbling cheese and tomato pizza. Are you in the mood for ice cream? Well, there is only one thing to get: The Lava Cake. It has brownies on the outside with vanilla ice cream and a flow of chocolate sauce on a mountain of snow white whipped cream. The food makes you stuffed but when you walk out, you will remember to come back.

The service at the Rainforest Café is great. When you walk in a host or a hostess will greet you and take you to a table and give you a menu. The servers are really nice and friendly. They come to your table and introduce themselves and ask if you are ready to order yet. If there is a special the servers will know it and they know all the salad dressings from memory. The servers never mix up your order and the food comes in 10 to 15 minutes.

The Rainforest Café is the place to go if you want delicious food and are in a rainforest mood.

Serengeti Serena-Tanzania

As soon as you walk in the restaurant in the Serengeti Serena in Tanzania in Africa, you are greeted with warm similes and welcomed with sights and smells of delicious food. The walls are brownish yellow covered with old photos and a woven grass roof. From above it looks like a large circle with a smaller one inside. There are large open air windows and you can see the beautiful sunset along the horizon with animals dotting the endless grassland.
On the wooden tables are tablecloths, place settings, salt and pepper, and decorative candles that dimly light the room. There is a small table for desert in the main room, and a separate room for the buffet.

The food at Serengeti Serena is great. They have papaya juice which is exotic and tasty, or mango juice which is thick, sticky, gooey, and not the best thing on the menu. The orange juice is so fresh you’d think there is a tree in the kitchen and they change the pitcher every two minutes. There is also watermelon juice (it’s very watery). There is so much oatmeal for breakfast, you’re filled up just by looking at it, plus it has a pinch of brown sugar, the way I like it. With mounds of fresh fruit they have orange slices, strawberries, cantaloupes, blueberries, grapes, and pineapple. There are custom made omelets cooked in front of you with many toppings.

As you walk in, your table which is reserved for your stay, is clean set and waiting along with the server who gladly informs you about the appetizers and the specials while filling up your water glass. The waiter is always dressed in brown and has a large smile on his face. He puts down a stack of plates and you’re off to the buffet.

So as you can see, the food at the Serengeti Serena is great, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere can’t be beat.

Siena - Mashapee, Massachusetts

Siena is a great Italian restaurant in Mashpee on Cape Cod. When you enter, you will notice photographs from Siena, Italy on the green walls, and a T.V. at the bar area. The seating is a mixture of both booths and tables with wooden chairs, and a bar with high stools. Yes, the seats are comfortable! What makes them so cozy is an added soft squishy cushion. Each table includes a white tablecloth, candles, salt and peppershakers, a dessert menu, and flowers in a clear skinny vase. Almost every table has a view of the Mashpee Commons Shopping Center. There’s another room upstairs as well. While you eat, it can be quite loud with people talking happily to each other.

The food at Siena is extraordinary! Feeling boiling hot? Go to Siena for a fizzy sweet Coke, tangy Sprite, cold and refreshing root beer, sugary iced tea, or tart pink lemonade. If you’re feeling hungry for an appetizer, try their moist Foccacia bread with spicy herbed olive oil, crispy fried calamari, and baked stuffed crab cakes. When I go to Siena my family’s favorite salads are romaine lettuce with homemade crunchy croutons, and cold Tuscan Vegetable Salad with roasted peppers.

Now here is the big thing! Entrees! These are a couple of things I like to call awesome: mouth – watering sausage pizza topped with mozzarella, or delicious pesto pizza with a great crust and fresh herbs around the edges. Try their grilled salmon with a honey butter glaze, 12 ounce New York strip steak grilled with fresh garlic, butternut squash ravioli in a sage brown butter sauce, or linguine with meatballs. Also their roasted Italian sausage or fresh basil pesto, or traditional chicken parmigiana is great. For sandwiches, try the hot roast beef with sage and cappellini, veggie wrap with fresh carrots, cucumbers, grilled asparagus, and onions, and last but not least, try the fargalle with spicy sausage and spinach.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Well try the chocolate mousse served in an edible chocolate cup with raspberry sauce and freshly picked raspberries, or a nice ice cream Sundae with creamy whipped cream, a yummy cherry and gooey hot fudge!

The service at Siena is phenomenal! When you arrive there’s a front desk and a nice lady wearing a midnight black apron wrapped around the waist and a snow-white shirt on. She asks if you have any kids and if they want a kids menu. If not they just treat you to a regular menu. The servers always have smiles on their faces and are so patient when you ask questions. They know the menu so well they tell you the specials without looking, and if you want a specific kind of dressing for your salad, they can name all the different types. Every time my family and I go they never mix up my orders with my relatives and if something goes wrong, they will definitely fix it, but I’ve never had the experience.

If you like Italian food, try Siena. It’s the best restaurant in the universe. After you go there, I bet you will be begging to go back for a nice delicious dinner.

Vincenzo's-Concord, Massachusetts

Vincenzo’s is an Italian restaurant in West Concord, Massachusetts with a Vincent Van Gogh theme. Gracing the yellow and orange walls are puzzle pieces of a Van Gogh painting and hanging from the ceiling are more paintings. Painted on the bar wall is Van Gogh’s famous Starry Night.

The wooden seats inside are painted blue, yellow, and green. On each table is a tablecloth, small votive candles, silverware, salt, and pepper. As you eat you hear the sounds of other families eating, talking, and the occasional train going by. Outside are more tables where you can also eat.

The food at Vincenzo’s is to die for. A hot day? Their tangy refreshing ice cold lemonade is definitely what you need. You should also try their fizzy ice-cold Coke. My family always gets their freshly baked crisp hot rolls and garlic bread with your choice of cheese, but the crispy calamari is another favorite. The Ceaser Salad with crispy croutons and ice-cold fresh lettuce is something you must try. Want to try something different? Get the Spinach Salad with crumbled Gorgonzola and crispy pancetta with toasted walnuts.

My favorite entrée is the Gnocci Bolognese with warm gnocci and a meat sauce that has veal, pork, and beef with slices of Parmesan cheese. My mom likes to get sautéed talapin and red peppers all on top of spinach ravioli. Their lasagna is wonderful with big thick slices of pasta layered with ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, and béchamel sauce. For dessert I like to get the fudge brownie drizzled with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream on top. Also try the creamy rice pudding served in a tall cup. Eating at Vincenzo’s is like taking a peek at heaven.

The service at Vincenzo’s is great. When you walk inside, a hostess greets you and takes you to your table. Soon your server comes and introduces him/herself with a smile from ear to ear. They usually wear white tops and black pants with a nametag. Servers describe the specials perfectly and make wonderful recommendations if you ask. They always get your order right and ask if you want fresh pepper or cheese on your food.

I recommend Vincenzo’s if you’re looking for great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and friendly servers. Vincenzo’s is the perfect place for you.

Yankee Smokehouse-Ossipee, New Hampshire

The Yankee Smokehouse is an open-pit barbeque restaurant in Ossipee, New Hampshire with a pig theme. The interior is covered in whimsical statues of pigs, piggy banks, drawings of pigs, pig t- shirts, black and white photos, pig toys and knick-knacks. No wonder it’s nickname by us is “Piggy’s!” The walls are sponged a mellow shade of pink.

Inside are booths as well as tables and chairs, which have grown a little bit hard over the years. On each table is a stain resistant tablecloth, ketchup, barbeque sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, and napkin dispensers. There is a long window in the back which shows a view of a small patch of woods, which is beautiful in the winter when it’s snowing. Besides the main dining room there is a screened in porch where you can eat on red picnic tables in the warmer seasons.

The food at Yankee Smokehouse is phenomenal. You can cool down with a fizzy cold soda or a tasty flavorful cranberry juice. For an appetizer try the warm mozzarella sticks with awesome bread crumbs and melted cheese or the red-hot spicy crispy chicken wings with fresh celery. If you’re in the mood for some salad try their fresh garden salad with juicy steak tips and fresh from the garden lettuce.

The entrees at Yankee Smokehouse are delicious. Each meal comes with a side of golden buttery toast, homemade potato French fries, baked beans, and steamed corn on the cob. The tender rib sampler slathered in barbeque sauce is tremendous. Try the mouth-watering baby back ribs and your life will never be the same. Don’t forget the creamy coleslaw! For dessert you can get a delicious hot fudge sundae with all the toppings you need. And when you leave, you’ll still be wanting more!

When you walk through the doors of the Yankee Smokehouse, a smiling host or hostess will find you a seat in the usually packed restaurant, ensuring you’ll never wait long. All of the staff are comfortable and talk casually around you, and the servers always wear a small black waitress’s apron. They are always prepared and have extra silverware, straws, and other necessities at the ready. Every waiter has the menu memorized by heart and can easily advise you on an especially great meal if you’re stuck. They almost always get your orders right and you never have to wait long at all. They carefully bring your meal back in just 5-10 minutes. You can definitely count on the Yankee Smokehouse staff any day.

The Yankee Smokehouse is the place to be if you’re hungry for adventure and awesome food.