Amelia's - Jersey City, New Jersey

AMELIA'S BISTRO

187 WARREN STREET

JERSEY CITY , NEW JERSEY 07302

201-332-2200

HOURS MON-FRI (11AM TO 11.30PM)

SAT, SUN (10AM TO 11.30PM)

SERVICE - Very kind attentive waiters. They are uniformed and polite. Greeted right away as soon as you enter the door. Seating doesn't seem to be an issue because you are given the opportunity to pick and choose where you want to sit. You get to pick indoors or outdoors.

FOOD - (CRAB CAKE SLIDERS)  - This is a crab cake patty enclosed in a warm thick oven-fresh bun. Within each bite from this slider exists a slight crunch from the outer layer of the crab cake and a smooth finish with the taste of seasoned crab. Delicious. Also next to these sliders you will find crispy fries. The fries aren't greasy or too salty. This is a perfect side to a crab cake slider.

(Chicken Chipotle Club)- This is a chicken chipotle sandwich topped with bacon , Swiss cheese, and avocado. Perfect combination. Again you will find that fresh oven baked bread in this sandwich too. Chicken was tender and full of flavor. The avocado brought out a soft feel in your mouth in each bite. Instead of fries, this dish offered a side salad. Even though if I did love the sandwich I think that the offer for a dressing would of been a bit suitable. At least offer, you might have some customers that would want it. 

ATMOSPHERE -Very quiet and peaceful. The waiters calm voices and friendly tones allow to feel stress- free when ordering for you and your partner. The place makes you feel like you have all the time in the world and to get to know who you are with and no feeling of rush. As you walk into the bistro the smooth jazz music will hover the entire place. Some of it can also still be heard from the seats outside. If you are on a romantic brunch or dinner date, this is a great mood setter.

RECOMMENDATION - Perfect place for a Sunday brunch. It will be impressive to your date with the service quality and foods. Location is close by to the Essex Street light rail station and other local transportation and piers.

La Sierra Coffee - Bayonne, New Jersey

La Sierra Coffee

473 Broadway Avenue

Bayonne, NJ 07002

(201) 858-8141

La Sierra Coffee is a cafe that I have been watching for about a few weeks. I never really went inside to try anything for the simple fact that I'm always on the go. Finally, on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning, while in the area, a big sign on the window caught my eyes. It read "Back to school special". Now normally, when a customer passes by the window you would think that you PROBABLY have to show some sort of identification indicating you are a student. Trust me, I have been to cafes where you are asked to show id's for being a student!! I decided to step in and see what this "Back to School Special" was. Here is my review.

Service - You are greeted almost immediately by the staff with a friendly hello. Staff very knowledgeable about the menu and are also willing to give suggestions for the undecided customers. They have uniformed aprons. Fast service, food served hot on the spot, and a clean environment.

Food - (Back to School Special aka. Egg, Bacon, and Cheese on a Croissant w/ Coffee) This was the infamous "Back to School Special" I was longing to try. The Croissant was humongous. Most places I have gone to in the past have given me a croissant half the size. As I took a bite from the croissant, The cheese expanded about 4 inches off my mouth. So good. Bacon was crispy and contained the perfect amount of saltiness to the eggs. In reference to the coffee, you are asked how you would like it prepared. I was frightened to tell the staff how I wanted it because most times in cafes I have experienced either too much milk and less sugar, and the other way around. But as I sat down with my gigantic croissant with the lovely melting cheese, my coffee was done just right. This was such a surprise to me.

Atmosphere - The moment you step into the coffee shop, you will hear Spanish music. This reminded me of my Saturday mornings with my father as he made breakfast for me and my two sisters. What an enjoyable memory! To your immediate left, a large window appears which will allow you to enjoy sitting down and chatting with friends as you look out. By the register, extra baked goods are on a display window where cookies, cakes, and croissants are some of the items you will find. What I found was very amusing at the shop was the tables. They each are mapped with countries from central and south America.

Recommendation - Yes! Of Course!! This is a great coffee shop to impress any date or friend. Definitely try the "Back to school" special.  No waiting in line. Great coffee. Also, it is located near the light rail station on 22nd street, about two blocks up from the station and shopping strip of Bayonne, NJ.