Dinner at NYAJ’s

My family and I went to Not Your Average Joe’s today for dinner. We’ve been to this restaurant chain many times for all occasions. The restaurant is comfortable and laid back, with good quality food. A little on the expensive side, but well worth it.

As we entered, the host greeted us at the door and we requested to sit by a window (for me to photograph our food). He told us that was no problem and led us to a booth by the large window moments after. We sat down and got our selves comfortable.

We opened up our menus and started to skim the menu for what we wanted to order. I had already know what I was going to order because I had previously looked at the online menu before we left the house. Shortly after, our waiter came to our table, introduced himself, and gave us a spiral basket full of bread and a dish of dipping sauce. He had asked us what we would like for drinks, and we all ordered water with lemon.

After he walked away, we all went for the bread and dipped it into the delicious dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is composed of a blend of oil, cheese, and red pepper flakes. So delicious!! I kept going for the middle sectioned bread pieces, dipping and soaking it up in the cheesy spicy delicious oil!

The waiter came back with our waters and asked if we were ready to order. The answer was yes! I ordered first, and ordered the ‘Cranberry-teriyaki chicken with butternut squash cannelloni - Pan-seared chicken breast with a cranberry-teriyaki glaze, house-made butternut squash cannelloni and sautéed spinach’.

I wanted to try something different, and this was very different to me. When the dish arrived, I took out my camera and starting shooting! After I got my shots, I dug in! I went for the butternut squash cannelloni first. When I put a piece of it in my mouth, my taste buds were singing! The butternut squash was very creamy and melt in my mouth delicious! It tasted like it had ricotta cheese in it. It complemented and blended very well with each other. Then I had cut a piece of the cranberry-teriyaki chicken and ate it. The chicken was juicy and tender, and the teriyaki glaze sauce added a nice sweet zing taste to it. The sautéed spinach went well with the cannelloni.

My mom had ordered the ‘Sirloin Tips - Grilled and served with sautéed green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.’

She ordered the sirloin tips medium rare. They were perfectly cooked. Juicy,tender sirloin tips they were! The mashed potatoes were tasty, but a little too garlicky, and on the salty side. The beans were nicely crisp and tender.

My sister had ordered the ‘Buffalo-caribbean Chicken Tenders - Hand-breaded and tossed with addictive mango-buffalo barbeque sauce, served with pineapple-jalapeno salsa and blue cheese dip.’ She had ordered an appetizer because she wasn’t that hungry.

She said the buffalo-caribbean chicken tenders were very very spicy. But the blue cheese dip counteracted the spiciness and cooled her palate down. Actually, she finished her entire cup of lemon water after she ate the first chicken tender! Spicy is right! She didn’t like the jalapeno salsa at all. She loves pineapple, but not like this. She said it didn’t taste good and just disliked it all in all.

For dessert, we all shared the ‘Peanutbutter Thing - peanut butter and chocolate chunks folded into vanilla ice cream and rolled in oreo cookie crumbs, topped with fresh whipped cream and drizzled with hot chocolate and caramel sauces tableside.’

Sooooooo delicious! My favorite dessert ever at an restaurant! Everything complements each other soooo well! The description just makes you start to drool! I always dip a spoonful of the ice cream in the chocolate sauce. I’m not a fan of caramel. Each spoonful is full of ice cream, oreos, and chunks of chocolate chips! The whip cream on the side adds sweetness to the already sweet peanut butter thing. This definitely hit the spot! A well worth it dessert!

After all the times we’ve ate at Not Your Average Joe’s, this was the first time we were seated as soon as we walked in, our entrees came out in a short time after we ordered (usually we have to wait at least 20-30 minutes for our food to come out), and that our dessert wasn’t hard as a rock frozen (it was nicely thawed out this time around).

We enjoy eating at Not Your Average Joe’s, and will definitely be back to eat later.

View my photos at my FLICKR.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/happycrumb

(Source: happycrumb)