Pâtisserie Florentine: A Little Piece of Paris

Englewood, NJ is filled with lots of storefront boutiques and restaurants. Tucked away on 10 South Dean Street, this quaint bakery/bistro will make you feel like you're somewhere in the middle of France.

The interior of Pâtisserie Florentine is decorated with a blend of rustic and contemporary styles. Paintings line the white, exposed brick walls and a book sits on the ledge as you walk in, welcoming guests to scribble a message if they wish.  

Upon walking in we chose our own table and a waitress quickly came to take our order. I ordered a cappuccino to drink and the croque tuna sandwich. My mom ordered the soup du jour, which was butternut squash. For dessert we shared a napoleon pastry. 

Cappuccino - $3.95

My cappuccino was good but nothing special - just your run of the mill cappuccino in my opinion. They do have a lot of other specialty coffee drinks as well though.

Croque Tuna Sandwich w/ side salad - $7.95

Butternut Squash soup - $5.25

The food was very flavorful and fresh tasting. The dressing on the side salad that came with my tuna was a little too bitter for me, but that is just a matter of taste. The brioche that the tuna was served on was delicious and felt like it had just been baked. My mom really enjoyed her soup and the squash seeds that it was garnished with. The soup was served with a side of olive bread as well. 

Napolean - $4.50

Finally, my sweet tooth was satisfied with this yummy Napolean. The custard filling was creamy and sweet and the flaky pastry also tasted delicious. I was thrown off by there not being icing on top, as there usually is with the Italian version of this pastry, but I think it was sweet enough without it. 

Chef preparing baked goods at the rear of restaurant

As you can see, they have a ton of other bakery items and breakfast/lunch dishes on the menu too. Click here to see the full menu on their website! 

Between the food and the atmosphere of this place I think I have found my new favorite eat-in bakery in this area. I definitely recommend it if you like fresh baked goods or if you are a lover of French culture!

Take Note:

• The hours of operation are 7:00am - 5:30pm Tuesday through Saturday & 7:30am - 5:30pm Sunday. They are closed on Monday.
• There is street parking with meters and a parking garage located on the same street. Parking in the garage or on the street is free every evening after 6pm & all day Sunday.
• They have free Wifi if you want to bring your laptop and hang out. 

They are on Yelp too and currently have a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating! Check them out to find out more and see what other foodies have to say!

I Dream of Gelotti's Homemade Ice Cream

It's no secret to those who know me that I am an ice cream lover. Every year I can't wait for the weather to warm up to enjoy a cone in the park. That's why I'm always on the look out for new ice cream places to try - and when I find a place that makes their own ice cream, I have to blog about it!

Gelotti, located at 2 Union Ave in Paterson, is a favorite already for many people in the Wayne and surrounding areas. On Yelp it has 4.5 out of 5 stars and many rave that it is the best ice cream place around. However, for those of you who may be unaware of this little gem - you've got to give it a try.

No matter what your ice cream preferences are, they have it all at Gelotti. They have a great selection of gelato, Italian ice, yogurt and sorbet along with their traditional soft and hard ice cream flavors. They even have an array of ice cream cakes too.

I can tell you about how great there ice cream is all day, but why don't I show you instead? Keep reading to take a virtual visit inside this ice cream paradise with me.

*Warning: These pictures may cause you to drool!

Some hard ice cream flavors

Small Cookie Monster cup $3.50

Sm. Red Velvet cup $3.50

Sm. Black Raspberry & Vanilla Chocolate Chip cup - $3.50

Hopefully you can tell from these pictures how awesome the portions are. They give you a whole lot of ice cream for the price. They also let you sample as many flavors as you like and you can mix scoops of different flavors too.

Mine is the blue one, named Cookie Monster after the infamous Sesame Street character. It is basically vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate chip cookie dough chunks and oreo pieces. It's my personal favorite flavor. However, they have lots of other awesome ones like Cake Batter and Almond Joy, to name a few.

The service is quick and great and the ice cream has never disappointed. If you are in the area this summer, give it a try!

Take Note:

• The hours of operation are 11:00am - 10:30pm daily. 
• Unfortunately there is no indoor or outdoor seating.
• They have a private lot with plenty of parking right next to the store. 
• There is a second location in Caldwell, NJ. 

You can follow Gelotti Ice Cream on Twitter (@gelotti) or like them on Facebook to get updates on new flavors and specials. 

Ground Connection: Not Your Average Coffee Shop

Since I live in the area, I visit The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack quite often. It has a nice Barnes & Noble and plenty of space (and free WiFi) to get work done as a college student. However, one thing it has been lacking for a while now is a decent coffee place. They have an Au Bon Pain, but personally I find their coffee to be pricey for what you get. They also have a "Starbucks" in Barnes & Noble that apparently isn't a real Starbucks but is just as expensive. As you can probably tell, I have been frustrated with this issue for some time.

So when I heard they were building a new coffee kiosk in the middle of the mall called Ground Connection I was excited and anxious to see if it would ease my caffeine woes. After a few weeks of torturous waiting, I recently was able to try it out for myself. The verdict? Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out!

It seems to me as though Ground Connection is trying to establish themselves as the new kids on the block in the extremely competitive coffee business. They are doing so by marketing themselves as a "coffee bar", complete with high stools and coffee/tea available on tap. I find this whole concept to be extremely cool and eye-catching. I mean, who expects to see an actual tap when they go to order coffee somewhere?!

Along with a wide range of beverages - from specialty coffee drinks to milk shakes made with Haagen Dazs ice cream - they also have a selection of fresh salads, sandwiches and bakery items.

I ordered the Tahitian Vanilla Iced Latte and the Penne & Arugula Pasta Salad (pictures below).

16 oz. Tahitian Vanilla Iced Latte - $4.25

The coffee was exactly as I hoped it would be. It had the vanilla flavor without being overly sweet and you could still taste the espresso in there too. The sweet and bitter flavors balanced out perfectly.

Penne & Arugula Salad - $7.75

As for the pasta salad, I was honestly a little disappointed. The pasta was overcooked and hard. I did buy it just after 7:30pm, however, and they make everything fresh on site during the day so it may have tasted that way because it had been sitting out. I would like to try one of their sandwiches or flat breads as well before saying yay or nay to the food though.

Of all the options in this particular mall, I think that Ground Connection is the most unique and if you are looking for something fresh to eat with your coffee then this is your best bet!

Take note:

• The hours of operation are 8:00am - 9:30pm Monday to Friday & Saturday from 8:00am-9:00pm. They are closed on Sundays (along with the rest of the mall) due to Bergen County's Blue Laws. 
• If you go after 7:30pm to buy food they will give you half off since the food is no longer as fresh at that point. 
• Their muffins are delicious - I tried some of my friend's red velvet muffin with chocolate chunks baked right inside. Heaven!
• Mall employees get a 10% discount on any purchase.
• It is located on Level 1 of the mall near Vera Bradley and Ann Taylor. If coming into the mall, use Entrance 6. 

Toast: Brunch Done Right

I first heard about this trendy spot about a year ago and have been meaning to give it a try for a while now. I finally got the chance when my family and I were passing through Montclair this past weekend. 

Located at 700 Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair, Toast is a local restaurant with a rustic feel, decorated to look warm and inviting like someone's home. Knick-knacks adorn the walls and shelves and orange juice at Toast is even served in adorable little mason jars (shown below). 

Small Orange Juice - $3
($5 for large)

If decorations and a cute glass aren't enough to make you want to try this place out, let me tell you about the food. 

I tried the eggs and potatoes with a side order of bacon — because what is brunch without bacon?! The eggs were cooked properly, and the bacon was just the right amount of crispy without being burned. The potatoes were alright, but under-seasoned, in my humble opinion. Overall, however, I found my meal to be very satisfying. 

Eggs w/ potatoes & toast- $6.25

Side order of bacon - $3.25

My mother opted for the nutella-stuffed french toast (yes, this exists), which our waitress informed us is one of the most popular items on the menu. We could certainly see why when we tasted it. If you are any kind of chocolate lover then you've got to try this. The nutella, french toast, and strawberries go perfectly together and will induce a food-gasm of epic proportions. 

"Bella Nutella" - $11.25

French Toast stuffed w/ Nutella & topped with strawberries    

As for the service, we had no complaints. In my opinion, the fact that they have a second floor really helps to decrease wait times since this is a popular restaurant. We went on a Saturday around noon and although the place was packed, they took our name and phone number and told us they would text us when our table was ready. We waited half the time (about 15 minutes) we were told we'd have to wait upon arriving, which is always nice, before receiving a text as promised. The text option really impressed me, as you usually only see this at larger restaurants in the city in my experience. 

Side Note: They also have a little coffee bar in the back where you can wait for your table to be ready if you like. 

We were then seated and our waitress promptly greeted us and took our order. The food took no more than 15-20 minutes to come out after ordering, despite how busy it was. 

While they are known for breakfast/brunch – their motto is "Peace, Love, Pancakes", they also have an extensive lunch menu. Their sweet potato fries ($5 per order) seemed to be a very popular lunch item. They even have some options for people who are vegan and/or gluten-free. The full menu with prices can be found on their website: http://toastmontclair.com. 

Overall, I would definitely go back again and would recommend this place if you have a hankering for a really tasty brunch. 

Take Note: 

•    The hours of operation are 7:30am - 3:00pm daily. 

•    If you are driving here you will have to park on the street and there is metered parking. However, parking in the town's art museum which is right around the corner is free!

•    Fair warning: there is no WiFi or TV so you may actually need to have a conversation with someone. 

•    They do not serve alcohol - so no mimosas, unfortunately. Although they do have a virgin bloody mary on the menu for $5. 

•    Toast also offers catering for private parties or events. 

•    There is another location in Asbury Park, NJ for all you South Jersey folk. 

Check out Toast on Yelp to see more drool-inducing food pictures & make sure to comment and let me know if you decide to give Toast a try too!