Over the past year or so, I’ve tried many varieties of hard seltzer since I learned about it being a lower-carb alternative to mixed drinks that still give me a good flavor. Most of the time.

The latest brand I decided to try is under the Bud Light umbrella. I decided to try all 11 of the flavors available across 3 types of hard seltzer and rank them from the one I liked the least to the one I liked the most.

Grapefruit

Bud Light put out a Remix Edition of their Variety Pack and the first flavor I tried was the grapefruit. I’m not a grapefruit eater by nature so this viewpoint may be a little bit biased, but I think the grapefruit is the least appealing flavor of Bud Light’s hard seltzer. And it also is probably the least appetizing grapefruit hard seltzer I’ve ever tasted because 

Lemon Lime Seltzer

This was the first of these drinks that I tried. When I first took a sip of the lemon lime Bud Light hard seltzer, it took a minute to realize the flavor profile. Upon a second, third and fourth sip, it really came off as a sugar-free lemon lime sports drink. It was very unusual since I hadn’t had a Gatorade or Powerade in a long time, certainly not a lower-sugar version.

Blood Orange Platinum

Although it’s technically a citrus, it’s so special that it gets its own flavor unlike its comrade ahead of it on my list. But the flavor isn’t too special since blood orange has its own distinct taste and it’s not that great. But at least it’s 8% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Citrus Platinum

The circus Platinum seltzer gives a similar vibe to the lemon lime, except I can definitely tell it’s an alcoholic beverage. That’s because the Platinum seltzer line offer 8% alcohol by volume ABV, whereas the regular offers just 5.0 ABV. It’s also made with agave, so that sounds a little exotic.

Watermelon Mojito

The watermelon mojito flavor is part of Bud Light’s Out Of Office limited-edition case along with some other cocktail-inspired drinks. I hate the artificial watermelon flavor that you generally get because you can’t replicate it and it definitely shines through in this beverage. What saves it is the fact that it’s refreshing like a mojito.

Black Cherry

The black cherry Bud Light was more of an authentic-tasting hard seltzer that I’m used to. Its flavor is very similar to other black cherry-flavored drinks of the same ilk from brands the White Claw and Truly.

Strawberry

I’ve never seen a straight-up strawberry hard seltzer and Bud Light made it taste pretty good. It’s got a nice smooth flavor that definitely tastes like strawberry. It is a bit sweeter, which is something I personally enjoy.

Original Lemonade

I personally have a bias towards lemonade, with pink lemonade being my cheat beverage when I’m on a road trip or at the movies getting a fountain drink. Out of the 4 Bud Light lemonade seltzer flavors, this one is the least appealing only because of how good the others are.

Wild Berry Platinum

This flavor was definitely the best of the Bud Light Platinum hard seltzer line and that’s because it gave a nice combination of a harder kick in the pants with a very nice wild berry taste. It’s a shame it’s only available lumped in with citrus & blood orange.

Classic Lime Margarita

Crook and Marker makes the standard bearer of canned margaritas in my opinion. And the classic lime margarita that Bud Light produces falls short of that mark, though it’s very good. It comes across maybe a little bit too strong for my liking, but is very authentic of drinking an actual margarita.

Cranberry

Originally a part of the Bud Light Ugly Sweater pack that I didn’t get to try because I started this after that pack was no longer available, cranberry makes a comeback for the Variety Pack Remix Edition. And I’m glad it did because it gives a very authentic full cranberry flavor with a nice ratio of alcohol and fizz.

Mango

Mango is a common flavor of hard seltzer and Bud Light does it justice. I can’t say I like it any more or less than brands like White Claw and Truly. But it’s definitely the best one that Bud Light puts out.

Mango Mai Tai

This is similar to the mango Bud Light seltzer right above, except the mango mai tai has more of a cocktail feel. It’s a very distinctive version of the mango flavor and probably my favorite mango hard seltzer I’ve ever had.

Strawberry Lemonade

I’ve had a couple of strawberry lemonade hard seltzers and the Bud Light version didn’t really taste any different, except that it was a bit sweeter than the others. And it’s a bit too sweet compared to the other 2 below, possibly because of the 5% ABV.

Black Cherry Lemonade

I think the Bud Light black cherry lemonade seltzer is a great balance of flavor, similar to the Truly version. Surprisingly, the black cherry just edged out the strawberry even though it’s the opposite for Truly.

Strawberry Daiquiri

I must say that the strawberry daiquiri Bud Light hard seltzer floored me when I tried it. It tasted as if they were about to bottle up the taste & feel of this frozen cocktail and present it as if I was having a drink on the beach or on a hot summer day. Kudos.

Peach Lemonade

The most unique and best variety of Bud Light hard seltzer is the peach lemonade. It’s a refreshing blend of alcohol, lemonade and peach flavor that I always save for last when drinking these 4 lemonade seltzers together.

In my research for this blog post, I found a Bud Light Ugly Sweater seltzer pack with Ginger Snap, Peppermint Pattie & Apple Pie varieties that I did not try since I only started drinking this brand after this limited-edition offering was no longer in stock.

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Chipotle has been a restaurant I’ve eaten at for a long while now, though I stopped for a period of time 5 years ago after outbreaks of E. coli, salmonella and the norovirus in their food.

I detailed it a bit in an old blog post, which definitely did not age well. I remember tweeting it out and getting a snarky response from the Chipotle account.

I usually get a salad with chicken and other accompaniments, but was curious when I saw that Chipotle introduced their cilantro-lime cauliflower rice since I love creative ways of getting your vegetables & reducing the amount of carbs I eat. And seeing a keto bowl on the menu truly excited me.

Upon first looking at the Chipotle keto bowl, it looked just like a regular bowl except the ingredients were specifically picked out to help support ketosis. They are comprised of:

• The aforementioned cilantro-lime cauliflower rice
• Chicken
• Tomatillo-red chili salsa (the hot stuff)
• Cheese
• Guacamole

I was excited to try the Chipotle cilantro-lime cauliflower rice keto bowl and the reality was mixed with a combination of goodness and disappointment. Here’s why.

As you can tell, this keto bowl looks different than the picture, as it would since the food gets modeled to look its best & showcase all of the ingredients.

The most noticeable difference is the seemingly lack of cauliflower rice. I had to do some digging to actually find it in order to get it in my bite. It definitely did not feel like a full bowl because of the lack of rice.

As a result, I did not feeling completely filled after eating it. I’m a 6’4, 260-lbs male who usually feels more full after eating a salad (granted it also has lettuce & beans not found in this bowl). Perhaps with some appetite control (which I’m working on in my life), I’ll feel more full after I lose some weight (which I’m also working on).

With that being said, the flavor of Chipotle’s cauliflower rice keto bowl was quite good. In fact, it was probably the best thing I’ve ever had at the restaurant and I’ve eaten it twice since the dish was unveiled in early January 2021.

Another noticeable flaw (probably the most noticeable flaw) is the price. Chipotle’s keto bowl costs $12.95 plus tax since they include an extra $2.50 charge for the guacamole and an extra $2 charge for the cauliflower rice.

Final Judgment: $13 and change for something that’s not exactly filling but tastes good is only worth it once in a while, but I’ll probably wind up ordering it again. It’s sad that healthier ingredients have to be so expensive because the alternative is so much easier & cheaper to make.

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Right around this time, I first met my now significant other and we went on our first date. As you can tell from the title of my blog post, I won’t be talking about that.

I’ll be talking about my second date with her that took place at the Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant that used to be in business in Woodbridge NJ. That location has since closed down and become an Xfinity store and a Popeye’s restaurant.

Just because a business has closed doesn’t mean it didn’t leave an impact on people. I remember suggesting my now significant other at this particular Bertucci’s since there was another location I’d normally go to and it was a nice place in between our houses.

I remember us drinking cocktails and talking for about 2 hours on this particular night. We shared appetizers and the bread, which I remember the small round rolls and loving to dip them in the olive oil/herb/red pepper combination.

She looked so beautiful that night and I knew it wasn’t just a fluke the first time around. And as I can tell from being with her for 5 years now, she’s just beautiful in general and she always radiates whenever she enters a room or I enter the room she’s in.

I had such nervous energy on our first date and I feel like that dissipated by the time our second date happened a couple of weeks later. We spoke to each other more, got to know one another and I genuinely felt more like myself.

At the end of it, I’m not one to kiss and tell. But it was sad to figuratively kiss the Bertucci’s in Woodbridge goodbye as they closed their doors. Now the nearest one is over the border in Pennsylvania since the one down in North Brunswick NJ permanently closed also, as I found out by searching in Google.

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In my most recent blog post, I spoke about taking a trip to the Willow Grove Park Mall. I was hungry and did not want to eat in the food court at the mall itself, but would rather find a restaurant nearby to dine in at.

Zoe’s Kitchen caught my eye as I was driving around since it had outdoor seating, people were actually dining there and I’ve never heard of the restaurant. After eating there, I found out that it’s a chain that serves Mediterranean food that includes the typical fare along with dishes unique to the culture. And apparently Anthony Sullivan the OxiClean Man is the General Manager of the Willow Grove PA location.

After looking at the vast menu at Zoe’s Kitchen, I decided to get shish kabobs since I normally don’t see those as an option when dining out. I got a combination of a spicy chicken kabob with bell peppers, onion & tomatoes and a salmon kabob with zucchini.

And I got some roasted veggies, classic hummus with cucumbers and baked falafel with tzatziki sauce on the side to round out the meal. And the sauce I got to complement these shish kabobs was a Israeli skhug, which is comprised of olive oil, chili peppers, garlic & a variety of spices.

I didn’t think it would be enough upon first glance, but it turned out to be just the right amount of food. I can tell the food was of good quality and I truly enjoyed the meal, especially the ambiance.

I decided to sit outside since it was a nice day and I was walking around the Willow Grove Park Mall for a couple of hours. And Zoe’s Kitchen had a limeade that I drank a lot of since it was refreshing, though it was a lot more sugar than I usually drink.

The only issue I had with the restaurant was the pricing, as my shish kabobs and sides came out to almost $16. I can buy $16 worth of ingredients and have my significant other season them, built the kabobs & throw them on the grill.

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My significant other’s mother came into town for a couple of weeks. I enjoyed spending time with her & getting to know her, as well as opening up more about myself.

She wanted to treat us to dinner and we chose to go to the Seasons 52 located right by the Menlo Park Mall (which I believe is still closed due to COVID) in Edison NJ. I was always curious about this restaurant since I was always intrigued by their business cards, which offer multiple unique color schemes based on foods.

What I didn’t realize that they redesigned their business cards with the new look above and the old look being below. Both designs are nice, though I like the new one a bit better since it gives each card a more distinct appearance whereas the old one just replaced the food in each of the photos.

What We Got Off the Seasons 52 COVID Menu

But I want to also review the food that we ate at Seasons 52, which came off of a limited menu to COVID. All of the restaurants we’ve eaten at have had a more compact menu because of these challenging times, but still good choices.

For my cocktail, I got the Cucumber Basil Smash (Prairie Organic cucumber vodka, white cranberry, cucumber, basil & lime) & it was probably tied with a mojito for the most refreshing drink I’ve ever had. The ladies both got the same drink, the Pomegranate Margarita (Chavo Malo Tequila, Patrón Citrónge & pomegranate) I believe that was also very well prepared.

For my entree, I got salmon for the first time since COVID started. The cedar plank-roasted salmon to be specific and that appealed to me because it actually came out on the cedar plank. The presentation and flavor of the fish was lovely, as were the green beans & Yukon mashed potatoes along with a dill-mustard sauce that brought it all together.

And I’m not normally a mustard person, so I’m glad I tried it since I usually judge a book by its name especially mayo and cream cheese. But I’ll digress back to the meal the ladies got, which were wood-grilled shrimp and grits with chorizo, bacon & tomatoes. Those were tasty as well, though my significant other replaced the grits with risotto.

Whether it’s their COVID menu or back to normal business, I’ll definitely swing by the Seasons 52 in Edison NJ again.

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It looks like going out to eat is something we’re comfortable with based on our birthday lunch at the Bahama Breeze last week. Which is why I offered to take my significant other out on our first date since COVID-19 hit.

We decided to go to the Bonefish Grill location in Iselin NJ right down the road from Bahama Breeze. We’ve gone there a few times before and have enjoyed it.

And this time was no different, except we were sitting outside in the hot weather at a small table under a canopy. I was already feeling the heat when we got our waters, along with the slew of cocktails we ordered including:

• The Mule with Reyka vodka, fresh lime, house-made ginger syrup, ginger beer, crushed ice, fresh mint & candied ginger that wasn’t anything special compared to any other Moscow Mule
• Bonefish pomegranate martini that’s house infused with Fris vodka, pomegranate & fresh mango that tasted quite appetizing though it was a bit sweet
• Crushed pineapple martini with Malibu rum, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, fresh pineapple & vanilla bean simple syrup that made the cocktail the best one on the menu

All of the alcoholic beverages were very refreshing while eating in the hot summer weather with very little semblance of a breeze.

Eating Off the Bonefish Grill Coronavirus Menu

In terms of the food, the menu was limited as it is with any other restaurant nowadays. But of course they still start you off with some bread with an olive oil mixture for dipping and it was not too doughy, which is always a good thing.

We also got the restaurant’s famous Bang Bang Shrimp that is my significant other’s favorite appetizer from there, which she usually gets along with an apple pie martini when the season is right. It tasted good as always, but it came out with our meals since the server forgot about it.

For my entree, I ordered Rhea’s Ahi Tuna that was cooked very little (almost raw) with sauteed spinach, jumbo lump crabmeat & a lime tomato garlic sauce. When I first saw the plate, I thought it wasn’t enough… but I’ll tell you, it along with the double side of broccoli I got was quite filling and tasty.

My significant other ordered a 6-oz filet mignon with broccoli and garlic whipped mashed potatoes. The meat was good, as filet mignon is my favorite type of steak, but the potatoes were not very garlicky. And I’m a big garlic fan.

The meal was quite enjoyable, but I may wait until it’s cooler outside to eat out again.

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The coronavirus outbreak has banned eating out at restaurants from mid-March to late June. But NJ state law has mandated that outdoor dining is allowed, which came just in time for my birthday.

We were supposed to be on a cruise that stopped at the Bahamas until COVID-19 hit, so we had to settle for the Bahama Breeze location in the tropical getaway of Woodbridge NJ. I’ve never eaten at this chain, even though I have this business card from 2013.

It was myself, my significant other and the kids walking into a restaurant situation that’s different with tables set 6 feet apart and you being able to take off your mask at the table. But you had to use it while getting up & going to the bathroom, which I went inside once and the woman at the front desk recoiled in social distancing fear though I was far enough away.

The Meal Featuring the Bahama Breeze COVID-19 Menu

We ate outside under the patio, so there was a nice breeze. A Bahama Breeze if you will. The kids had their usual kids meal stuff, so no big details there though the chicken tenders were good, the fries were well seasoned and the lemonade was a thicker consistency than normal.

Speaking of drinks, I ordered a Mojito Cubano and my significant other ortdered the Mystic Magarita, which has Sauza Silver tequila, St. Elder Liqueur, lime & pineapple juices and a shot of prickly pear-infused passion fruit rum that makes the drink change colors. Both were quite refreshing on a hot day.

In terms of food, we ordered a couple of appetizers, with the beef empanadas with pineapple chutney on the side containing not too much potato inside. There were also coconut shrimp with a citrus mustard sauce that tasted good (in spite of not being a mustard person) and not with too much coconut.

For the entree, I ordered the Skirt Steak Currassco that was a 10-oz piece of meat with chimichurri on top and yellow rice, black beans & plantains on the side that all tasted good. My significant other got Jamacian jerk wings with the sauce on the side instead of the whole wings, which I thought was genius and nice to see whole wings with the tips.

While we were all eating this meal, we were entertained watching the 2019 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest where we saw a guy named Joey Chestnut (sounds like a mobster) devour 71 hot dogs while in a heaping sweat. A similar sweat we were feeling after eating our meal for a couple of hours.

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Yes, it’s another pizza blog post. Though it’s more of a garlic knot blog post as you can tell by the title and today’s place is called Menlo Pizza & Subs located on Route 1 in Edison NJ.

I decided to go here since my significant other was cleansing the house with sage and I wanted to give her the proper space to do that. I’ve always passed by this place, which is by the local mall but have never gone since it’s in an awkward location.

By which I mean it’s the highway, the small section of businesses containing Menlo Pizza & Subs, a small road behind the pizzeria and then the mall parking lot right behind that. So it’s very easy to avoid the restaurant, but I made an effort not to.

I sat in right near closing time and decided to get 2 slices of pizza: a pepperoni and a buffalo chicken. Both were very good, but I enjoyed the buffalo chicken more since it was just the right level of heat.

I also made some chitchat with the guy behind the counter since he was closing early due to the coronavirus starting to impact things, specifically schools closing & businesses looking to reduce hours. He eventually offered me garlic knots for free.

I said I’ll take some and then he offered me all of them since they were just going to get thrown in the garbage. So I took them: a whole pizza box worth of garlic knots. As a character I once made up on a double date I would say, “YEEEEEEEAH, GARLIC KNOTS!”

I’ll tell you: Menlo Pizza & Subs makes a hell of a garlic knot. They’re the right combination of airy, doughy and crunchy. And most of all, garlicky. And I’m a garlic fiend.

I had a bunch the first night I got them and ate them gradually over the next week. I dunked them in marinara sauce as well since I always dip my garlic knots or garlic bread in it to give more flavor.

I’ll definitely be going back there for both pizza and garlic knots. Perhaps near closing time.

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I enjoy doing unique experiences with my friends & loved ones. And this was the case on the first weekend of March when me and my significant other saw another couple friend of ours for a night out on their hometown of Somerville, New Jersey.

We knew we wanted to visit the Igloo Village that was up in town, which intrigued me. But we couldn’t choose which restaurant to go to, but we decided on a Cuban place called De Martino (yes, it’s 2 words even though I want to write it as one).

De Martino Restaurant

We decided to go to De Martino first since we were hungry and there was parking was closer to the restaurant than the Igloo Village. It’s a BYOB place, so I went over to a liquor store across the way and got a bottle of our favorite sweet red.

We had a couple of appetizers including tostones con guacamole that were a real treat and empanadas de papa y queso with potato mash, Gouda cheese, Parmesan cheese & sofrito that were really dry. Luckily, I used some of the guacamole to give it some life, which guacamole can do to basically anything.

For the main course, I had what’s pictured: oxtail with mashed yucca. Let me tell you: that dish was fantastically made, especially the yucca that gave a nice smooth contrast to the boastful flavors of the oxtail.

My significant other had the chori yucca that’s seared Spanish chorizo, minced & tossed in sofrito over crispy yucca frites. This was delicious as well and added to more that blended with the mashed yucca on my plate.

Igloo Village

It was appropriate that we walked over to the Igloo Village off of Main Street in Somerville NJ since it was a cold night. We eventually got to the igloos and had to wait only a brief time for 1 of the 6 to open up.

We spent the better part of an hour inside this igloo that came with a heater, a couple of chairs and a game of Jenga. We enjoyed our time talking and drinking. They had the option to get food & hot beverage service, but we decided against it.

Afterwards, we got back to their place to get warm and sing karaoke. I sang some obscure 80s songs, my significant other sang her usual and the couple had a mix of Top 40 songs from the 90s & 2000s.

I always enjoy nice simple nights like these.

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I typically don’t go for sandwiches since I’m not huge on bread unless it’s pizza, but was intrigued to see a new sub place opening up right around the way from my house next to my favorite Chinese place and Colonia BBQ.

It took a while for it to get going, but Jon Smith Subs finally opened up a few months back in Colonia NJ. And I was intrigued to try it since I’ve never heard of them, but later found out that they are a chain that started in Florida in 1988.

They’re mostly in Florida, but have 20 locations throughout the country with more opening soon. They even have 1 location each in London, Australia and Portugal… I know, random.

But here’s my review of Jon Smith Subs in short: the food I’ve had there is good and I’ve tried a few of their sandwiches. One was called the glazed teriyaki chicken that featured grilled onion, mushroom, a teriyaki honey glaze, sesame seeds & provolone.

Their specialty is called a “bomb” that puts grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, bacon, tomato & provolone with a meat of your choice. In my case, I chose the kielbasa since I’m Polish and enjoy a good kielbasa. My significant other loved it and is her sandwich of choice there.

The problem here isn’t the food, but the price. A full-size hero (12″ or so) is priced at about $13, which is obscene. That’s not just Jon Smith Subs, that’s a lot of the sandwich places in the Colonia NJ area.

And guys, cutting the sandwich into quarters by default is a nice little trick to make us think the sandwich is bigger. I know it’s not, so stop playing those games. I don’t know what the sandwich economy is or how much money it takes to make a profit off of each order, but it’s a lot of money to ask for when I can buy a whole pound of coldcuts for $10.

And that’s also factoring in the minimum wage increase. It’s $11 per hour and will be up to $15, increasing by a dollar per hour per year until the $15 mark is reached. That means sandwiches will start costing even more!

Ironic thing is: I’m not a big sandwich guy since I try to minimize bread (outside of pizza of course).

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