CJ Walsh Catering & Party Planning is a company owned and operated by Maureen Walsh. I met with Maureen after her daughter had purchased an Infiniti from our dealership.  Her daughter was so pleased with her experience here at the dealership that she called up her mother and asked if they could bring down food for everyone at the dealership on Saturday. We were pleased to have a free lunch, who wouldn’t be? We weren’t necessarily sure of what to expect, but Maureen won us over. She walked in with a smile from ear to ear and said “Hello, are you ready for some chicken fajitas?” Anybody who walks into a room and offers me exceptional chicken fajitas knows the way to my heart! The room was permeating with the savory smell of chicken, peppers, cheese, onions, and specialty seasoning. The catering service does everything on scene accept the preparation of the meats (that is made, and then transported in a heated pot.) The fajita was tightly wrapped and ready for consumption. I indulged in the flavorful experience and was very impressed with such a simple chicken fajita! The peppers provided that extra kick that I very much enjoy.

Along side of the fajitas was a large bowl of fresh house salad and dressings to choose from. Needless to say, I was stuffed on just one generous fajita and a side of salad. Overall, I was skeptical, as many are about a catering service, but CJ Walsh Catering & Party Planning is the real deal. So much so, that we now are employing their services for every Saturday lunch. I owe thanks to George Albrecht Jr. for providing his employees with not only a free lunch on Saturdays, but a quality filling lunch on Saturdays! They came in here purchasing an Infiniti and never expected an account out of the deal, but it just so happens that we also had a love for the product they were selling.I did wait a week to write this review because I was interested to see if this performance could be followed up with another enjoyable experience. The next Saturday the owner Maureen came into the dealership with this week’s lunch menu. On the menu for the day was a variety of wraps. We could conquer our hunger with roast beef wraps, chicken caesar wraps, or turkey wraps. Again, an enormous bowl of salad accompanied the food and two trays of cupcakes. A job well done all around and at this point, I highly recommend CJ Walsh Catering & Party Planning for any business lunch or private function.

Visit their website at: http://www.cjwalshcatering.com For complete catering menus and details!

Yard House - Dedham, MA

Let us add another restaurant to my list of places to visit! The Yard House is a premium casual eatery known for its extensive menu, classic rock music, and world’s largest selection of draft beer. Each Yard House location features a center island bar and an endless fleet of tap handles ranging from classic lagers to more obscure ales. The friendly and attentive staff, atmosphere, music, award winning selection of beers on tap (over 100 types of beer on tap) and exquisite American Fusion Cuisine are what tie this fine establishment together. I had eaten at this restaurant originally when I was on vacation in Florida, but when I heard they were expanding to Massachusetts in Dedham, MA; I knew I just had to make a reservation. Located down the street in the newly constructed Legacy Place Mall, it is just minutes away from my humble abode.  

The glass-enclosed keg room is essentially the pulse of the operation housing as much as 5,000 gallons of beer at a time. Three to five miles of individual beer lines stretch overhead from the keg room to the island bar maintaining a constant temperature of 34-36 degrees keeping the beer consistently fresh and perfectly chilled for every pint. The bar will let customers sip the various beers and if you are not sure on the flavor to go with your meal, then get a 6 beer sampler. I am by no means a person who drinks beer frequently, but with the right meal, a delightful beer can satisfy the pallet.

Yard House has earned a reputation for its extensive menu of American fusion cuisine featuring over 130 items including appetizers, salads, pastas, sandwiches, grilled burgers, individual-size pizzas, seafood, steaks and ribs. The Kids Klub menu includes fresh-to-order favorites including a selection of healthy items for the Yard House pint-size guest. The lively environment is created by colorful abstract artwork, classic rock music and dozens of flat screens showcasing the day’s news and sporting events. Yard House is the perfect place to unwind and take a break – meet old friends for happy hour, or make new ones, celebrate a special occasion, or gather your family for dinner. 

The menu highlights appetizers such as Lobster Crab & Artichoke Dip, Spinach Cheese Dip (Cheesy and delicious,) Blue Crab Cakes, Coconut Shrimp, Hawaiian Poke Stack (delicious doesn’t serve this fresh marinated raw Ahi stacked with crispy wontons, carrots, bean sprouts, avocado, and wasabi soy sauce,) and the list continues. The Seafood selection features a must try Crab Crusted Swordfish, featured over wasabi, mashed potatoes, snow peas, carrots, and lemon grass beurre blanc. If you’re a seafood enthusiast, I can personally assure you that you do not want to deprive your taste buds of this delectable dish. For the meat lover: Enjoy the New York Steak and fries. Another note for the meat lovers, if you’re a burger enthusiast, The Yard House provides nothing less than Grade A Natural Angus Beef – these burgers will make your mouth water. The burgers feature an Avocado & Swiss, Classic Cheese, BBQ Bacon & Cheddar, Hawaiian, Pepper Jack, BÉARNAISE (Yes it is in caps because it is my favorite of the bunch,) Turkey Burger, Surf & Turf, and the Pepper Crusted Gorgonzola. All of their food is flavorful, some with different twists, but provide the perfect combination for a quality, filling, and flavorful meal.

The atmosphere is topped off with a warm feeling: lighting, design, detail, and music, provide for a magical ambiance. Zagat and Yelp all give this restaurant group excellent user ratings and the restaurants have strongly made their presence known to Boston. I’m glad to see a quality restaurant group expand across the Unites States without sacrificing quality! With locations in Arizona, Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, Texas, and more coming soon, this group is here to stay. Two thumbs up, way up!

Rating: 4.1/5

Location:
950 Providence Hwy
Space 200 (Legacy Place)
Dedham, MA 02026

781-326-4644

http://www.yardhouse.com/MA/dedham/

Price:Appetizers, $5.85 to $12.95; EntrÉe, $8.95 to $16.95; Seafood, $14.95 to $25.95; Pizza, $10.95 to $12.75; Steaks & Ribs, $21.95 to $30.85;  Sandwiches $10.45 to $16.95, Burgers $10.45 to $11.85; Soups $3.95/$5.25 Cup & $6.50/$8.95 Bowl; Sides $3 to $4; dessert, $3.45 to $8.95. Extensive Wine and Beer List.

Details:

Rating is based on food, service and ambiance, with price taken into account in relation to quality.

Linguini and meatballs A Must

On my anniversary with my girlfriend of three years and now fiancé, I wanted to take her to an authentic Italian restaurant, local to Norwood. So, after numerous inquiries with customers, friends, and of course good old Google reviews played a role in my decision, I made my reservation at Joe and Maria’s. Joe and Maria’s is a small intimate corner spot located oddly enough next to The Chateau (A great family Italian restaurant for the price) and is built into the Hampton Inn located at the base of the hotel. The restaurant seats roughly forty people in the dining area and ten at the bar. We walked in and were seated by none other than one of the owners, Maria. The restaurant was started by husband Joe and wife Maria in 1991. Since the start of the family’s restaurant, they have been serving up quality Italian food. Paul Mancuso, the chef and youngest son of Joe and Maria, has created a menu that will expose your palette to the delicacies of northern and southern Italy.

Once seated, we were introduced to the wine list, as fresh bread and an herb/garlic oil was placed on the table. With an extensive wine list, we were very ecstatic, as wine is a fundamental must, when it comes to enjoying the true Italian experience… While we searched for a wine, we ordered some appetizers. My Fiancé ordered the Mediterranean Steamed Mussels, which was steamed with a white wine, tomato, kalamata, olives, garlic, and a very subtle hint of red pepper. I decided on the Arancini, which from past experiences, if not prepared properly, can be a massive tease. So, needles to say, I took a gamble. Appetizers were delivered and my fried risotto cake stuffed with ground beef, English peas, and buffalo mozzarella, garnished with our classic house marinara, smelled heavenly! I will admit that I was a bit envious of the Mediterranean Steamed Mussels my fiancé had ordered because it looked and smelt absolutely irresistible. Luckily, unlike a first date, we have been together for 3 years, and are engaged, so this leads to rights of sharing! We had ordered our dinner, but given the taste of these appetizers still being fresh on my mind, I did what I typically do, and went on a small tangent.

Dinner was featuring a classic dish for me with the Linguini with Meatballs in a homemade red sauce, and for the lady in my life, the Alla Chicken Parmigiana. As you maybe thinking, they took the safe route, but trust me that is not the case. We just had a need for some classic simple Italian dishes. After consuming our appetizers, we were pretty stuffed with a very satisfied stomach. Dinner arrived and the portions were very generous, as it should be in any respectable Italian restaurant. The first bite into the perfect sized meatball sent my taste buds for a loop! The perfect mixture of seasons, ground beef, and ground sausage, placed into one ball of goodness, left me wanting more! In result, I embarked on a quest to tackle this large plate of linguini and meatballs. Of course, I did not finish, as I am not the champion eater I once was. The same was true for my fiancés dish, very generous portion, delicious home made sauce, perfectly cooked linguini, but the only complaint here was the chicken. We were expecting the chicken to be thicker and home breaded, but it seamed to be alright, just your average chicken. Aside from that minor mishap, service was pretty good (a little slow because it is a family restaurant with 2 servers and one busser,) but that is to be anticipated. Deserts looked great, but we were absolutely stuffed, and still had left over food, to make for a hearty lunch the next day. I will be back and do recommend you try this hidden gem of Norwood.

Rating: 4.0/5

Location:

434 Providence Highway
Norwood, MA 02062

(781) 769-5730

http://www.joeandmarias.com/

Price: Appetizers, $6 to $15; EntrÉe, $17 to $23; Pizza, $8 to $13; Sandwiches, $8 to $10;  Pasta $14 to $23, Burgers $7 to $10; Soups $3 Cup & $5 Bowl; Sides $3 to $4; dessert, $6.95 to $12.95. Extensive Wine and Beer List.

Details: Open 7 days a week from 3 – 10 PM.

Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality.

Aquitaine Dedham

I have been to quite a few outstanding restaurants, but on the top of my list sits a local establishment called, Aquitaine. The  friendly and attentive staff, atmosphere, and exquisite French American Gourmet Food are what ties it all together. I had previously frequented the Aquitaine restaurants in Chestnut Hill and Boston, but when I caught wind of a new Aquitaine opening in Dedham, MA, I was compelled to check it out. Located down the street in the newly constructed Legacy Place Mall, it is just minutes away from my humble abode.  As aforementioned I have had the pleasure of attending all the other restaurants, and I will now attempt to do the impossible: sum up years of pallet pleasing, hunger quenching, delicious and unforgettable visits…

For those of you who haven’t been to Aquitaine, you may have visited one of the groups other restaurants. In addition to the three self titled Aquitaine’s, the group owns and proudly operates the following restaurants: Gaslight, Union Bar and Grill, Metropolis Café, and Greenlight. All of these establishments are worthy of a visit, but to avoid a book here, I will stop digressing and venture back into the self titled Aquitaine restaurants.

The foundation of the Aquitaine restaurants is based upon the principal of a French American Gourmet style menu. The menu highlights appetizers such as Mussels en Cassoulette, Soup Du Jour, Onion Soupe Gratinée with Gruyère Crouton & Aged Sherry Wine (delicious doesn’t serve this soup justice!,) Tuna Tartare Chinoise (personal favorite that posses a subtle kick with a full flavor,) and the list continues. The Raw Bar features a must try ½ Dozen Island Creek Oysters with Classic Mignonette, Horseradish and Cocktail Sauce. If you’re a seafood enthusiast, I can personally assure you that you do not want to deprive your taste buds of the Seared Rare Tuna Assiette. For the meat lover: Enjoy the Steak Frites with Natural Jus, Perigord Truffle Vinaigrette & Watercress Shallot Salade. Another note for the meat lovers, and laugh at me if you will, the Aquitaine Burger is one of the best burgers I have sunk my teeth into, and for the price tag it very well should be. The burger is equipped with Applewood Bacon, Cheddar, Truffle Mayo, Brioche, and Pommes Frites. Enjoying a Sunday brunch is a must. Depending on the day each of these irresistible restaurants features a Plat Du Jour and when you find the one you love, it will provide you with a day you will be sure to schedule your reservations for. All of their food is flavorful, some with different twists, but provide the perfect combination for a French American Gourmet dinner.

The atmosphere is topped off with a warm feeling: lighting, design, detail, and music, provide for a magical ambiance. Ok, maybe I am biased to a degree because of my long standing loyalty to the restaurants, but I can sincerely say if you don’t mind spending a little bit of money for a quality meal, Aquitaine Group will be sure to impress. Zagat and Yelp all give this restaurant group excellent user ratings and the restaurants have strongly made their presence known to Boston. Two thumbs up, way up!

Rating: 4.6/5

Location:

500 Legacy Place
Dedham, MA 02026
(781) 741-5212

http://www.aquitainededham.com/

Price: Appetizers, $6.95 to $12.95; EntrÉe, $14.95 to $19.95; Fish, $19.95 to $27.95; Meat $15.95 to $27.95, Sides $6.95 to $7.95; dessert, $6.95 to $12.95. Extensive Wine and Beer List.

Details: Dinner Sun-Thu: 4:00pm-10pm, Fri-Sat: 4:00pm-11pm;  Lunch Mon-Sat: 11:30am-4pm; Brunch Sundays only: 10am-4pm. Due to the nature of these restaurants it is wise to make a reservation with the establishment or on Opentable to ensure your wait is minimal and that you have seat on a Thursday – Sunday. Monday – Wednesday reservations are nice, but not always necessary.

Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality.

Jake & Joes

The two of us stare up at the newly built restaurant from the parking lot at Jake & Joes in Norwood, located conveniently right off the Auto Mile. I had first saw this new restaurant when I was taking my daily drive to work. Working on the Auto Mile has its perks, car central, plenty of restaurants, and more. The manager of Jake & Joes entered our dealership and handed out invitations that offered a free appetizer, four free entrées, and free drinks. So, needless to say, I couldn’t turn down a free meal! We arrive at Jake & Joes Wednesday night for their grand opening. The parking lot is packed, so we think, first night of an opening usually leads to some chaos in service.

However, immediately when we entered the restaurant, we were greeted with a warm hello and seated. The walk over to our table featured a walk through historical sports moments highlighting the best in Boston sports with Memorabilia from the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, and the Bruins. To compliment the sports feel they feature 9 TV’s on each side of the bar (1 monster 50 inch TV!) They have plenty of TV’s dispersed throughout the restaurant to ensure you don’t miss a beat in the Boston sports world. With it being a sports bar it surprisingly wasn’t as loud as your typical bar setting, which was a plus for conducting conversation!

Onto the food! My fiancé and I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla to start and for the Main Event we ordered the Chicken Under The Brick (Joe’s Way) and The BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. Our waitress Jessica was very responsive, witty, and friendly. She brought over our drinks in a flash and within 10 mins (expected time) we had our Quesadillas arrive. The appearance was mouth watering…

… they were very full, colorful, and waiting for the first bite. Analyzing the Quesadilla we spotted the tender Pulled Chicken, Diced Tomatoes, Fresh Cilantro, Diced Jalapenos, Onions and Monterey Jack Cheese. All of this was bundled into the warm flour tortilla and was served with sides of Sour Cream, Salsa and Guacamole. The first bites quickly lead to the dish being consumed! Very pleased, granted it’s a Quesadilla, but a fine one at that!

After the Appetizer was demolished, our Entrées followed within 5 minutes of consumption. My Chicken was the reason the food had taken awhile (they do mention in the menu that the chicken takes at least 15 minutes to cook,) but when the dish was placed down in front of me, it appeared to be worth the suspense. The dish featured Mashed Potatoes, Fresh Vegetable of The Day (Mixed Vegetables,) and the Chicken (Very generous Portion.) I cut the Chicken and you could tell how delicious, moist, and tender it was going to taste! The potatoes were very filling with the garlic, butter, and pan gravy (a little dry without the gravy.) The Pulled Pork was ok (very basic) and the size of the sandwich was less than impressive, the onion rings were not very good (tasted more like a Chinese Chicken Tender – Very Greasy.) The deserts were good, but nothing over the top spectacular (Not freshly baked treats, which isn’t a total loss because remember it is a sports bar after all.)

Long story short, I will eat at Jake & Joes again and would eat at this sports bar without question over a chain like the 99 Restaurant. Make sure you sign up for the free MVP awards when you go there and you’ll get a point per dollar spent, discounts on food, and $15 free on your birthday!

Rating: 3.8/5

Location:

475 Providence Highway
Norwood, MA 02062
(781) 349-4880

http://www.jakenjoes.com/

Price: House Bread Sticks $2.99; appetizers, $5.99 to $14.99; main courses, $8.99 to $18.99; dessert, $5.99 to $8.99. Extensive Wine and Beer List.

Details: Open 11:30 am for lunch daily; kitchen closes 11:00 pm except Thursday-Saturday 11:30 pm. Full bar open till 12:00 am.

Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality.