Lorelei B.'s Profile

I am thoroughly in love with this place. The idea of having a food truck at a train station is pure genius. The food is, simply put, amazing. On my first visit, I ordered several days' worth of food. - mozzarella & porcini ravioli, lamb ossobuco, and escarole & bean soup. All of this, plus 4 slices of fresh bread came in at $28 and change. Extremely reasonable for food of this quality. Every forkful (or spoonful) was absolutely delicious. I stopped by later in the week to try a dessert - the lemon mousse, which was equally fabulous. I love that the chef uses natural and organic ingredients. The dishes are just the sort of thing I would try making myself if I had the time. The GotChef Food Truck is perfect for singles, couples, families - pretty much everybody who appreciates good food. Highly recommended.

I do not even feel that I should waste my time reviewing this disaster of a restaurant, but here goes: Short and sweet. The service at this restaurant is the worst service I have experienced in quite some time. Completely inattentive, slower than molasses, and truly truly awful. It took 2 hours and 20 minutes to have a simple lunch and dessert for 6. The waitress virtually disappeared while we ate, leaving empty plates on our table for a good half hour. The bill was casually tossed on our table without even being asked if we wanted anything else (we did). Three people's dessert orders had to be changed because they were out of several items. My Caprese salad was AWFUL. It vaguely resembled the menu's description, but lacked tomatoes and basil. What kind of Caprese salad does not have tomatoes and basil? Tomatoes and basil are what make a Caprese salad a Caprese salad. Not to mention, it cost $8 to add "grilled jumbo shrimp" to the salad. Unfortunately, these 4 shrimp were far from jumbo - more like medium. And $8 for 4 shrimp? Sorry, but I don't think so. I will never ever ever set foot in this place again. There was pretty much nothing they did right.

This is a difficult review to write, as I have a love-hate relationship with this place. Let's get right into it. What I love: The menu, the food, and the truffles. The menu is very extensive, with everything from crepes to salads to burgers to French toast. There is something for everyone - from the adventurous foodie to the traditional burger and fries diner. I have tried several types of crepes, the ropongo salad, and the Nicoise salad - all of which were delicious. Now on to the main reason for coming to Chocopologie: the truffles! Not your run-of-the mill flavors, these (slightly pricey) truffles are amazing! Though I can't recall the exact flavor combinations, they are composed of herbs like thyme and basil, flower essences like rose and violet, and a variety of fruits and liqueurs. My absolute favorite truffle is the Hannah, which is dark chocolate with a caramel center and a sprinkling of sea salt on top. Absoutely wonderful.

Now for the not-so-great thing about Chocopologie: the service. To be blunt, it sucks. Table service is slow and the waitstaff is inattentive and pretty rude. Each time I've been there (and I've been there maybe 6 or 7 times), the servers stop by your table only to take your order and to deliver your food. Water refills? Nope. "How is everything?" Not a chance! And don't go here if you are on any kind of schedule. How it takes an hour and 15 minutes to make 2 burgers, a salad, and a sandwich is beyond me.  And as for your bill - good luck getting it without having to beg and plead. Counter service (for buying truffles, cakes, and cookies) is truly awful. The rudeness and slowness I have encountered when purchasing truffles is unreal. For example, the last time I was there, there were 2 people standing behind the counter. Both of whom were doing nothing. They looked at me and I looked at them. Finally, after a minute of this awkwardness, I said " Excuse Me. I'd like to buy some truffles." One of the people begrudgingly helped me, but began texting while I was making my selections. This kind of treatment made me feel as though I was a nuisance. At any business, especially one as "nice" as this, employees should be warm and welcoming. The people here seem to be the opposite of that. It is almost like they went to a special training on how to be apathetic and rude. I keep returning to Chocopolgie, hoping that the service has improved. I am beginning to reach the end of my rope, but those darn truffles keep me coming back.

Lady Nails & Spa is just what I have been looking for. Many salons in the area fall into one of two categories. They are either nice, relaxing, and overpriced, or they are noisy, dirty, and inexpensive. I went into Lady Nails & Spa (conveniently located in a nice strip mall on the Post Road) for a manicure & pedicure. I was greeted immediately upon entering, and the manicurist (Linda) took my coat and led me to the pedicure chair. The chair was typical for nail salons, with the massage and footbath, etc. Linda was very pleasant and did a wonderful job with my pedicure. I chose the least expensive type of pedicure offered, and was pleasantly surprised with all that was included. In addition to the usual trim, buff, and polish, my legs and feet were treated to scrub, lotion, oil, cream, a lengthy massage, and hot towels. My French manicure was next, and was lovely as well. Other "little" things that made this place stand out from others: The staff made sure to carry my purse, shoes, and socks as I moved from station to station. As I sat with my nails under the drier, I got a very relaxing back, shoulder, neck, and head massage (included with any service). The spa is uncluttered, clean, and tastefully decorated. The sanitation of tools, etc. (from everything I could see) was excellent. I will definitely be back for a mani/pedi in the future, and would love to try the other services offered. Highly recommended.

Before finding the JCP Salon, I was in a constant salon-seeking dilemma. I want the skill, experience, and creativity offered at more pricey salons, but I don't want the "pricey" part. JCP was recommended to me by an out-of-state friend who is also a stylist. I called her in a panic after a home-haircoloring crisis, and she sent me to the nearest JCP Salon. The lovely people there fixed the disaster that was on my head, and five years later, I'm still a happy client. I have been to several stylists, and would recommend Susie, Ceil, and Alaina. Susie is my current stylist, and I think she is fantastic! She is friendly, fun, is a perfectionist when it comes to making her clients happy. As for the JCP Salon itself - I like it because it's convenient (in a mall), reasonably-priced, and staffed by professional and courteous people.

I have had my eyebrows done here for years. Joanne is the best in the area, and the others who fill in from time to time are wonderful as well. The price is around what you'd pay anywhere else. For eyebrows, I give this place 5 stars.

Now, for nails, this place gets 1 star. I swore I'd never get my nails done here because their adherence to sanitation regulations seems questionable. That said, I stupidly stopped in for a manicure yesterday, because I was desperate, and it was convenient to my other errands. After a VERY hurried and haphazard manicure, I am still not convinced that they properly sanitize their instruments. In addition to this, the nail polish was applied right after the manicurist slathered my hands with lotion. (Everybody knows polish should be applied to clean, oil-free nails.) The paint job was such a mess and so goopily applied that I removed it already this morning. Bad, bad, bad! I also didn't appreciate how the manicurist tried to talk me into a pedicure and an eyebrow wax while I was trying to relax and enjoy my crappy manicure.

You know how most women have an obsession with shoes? Well I feel the same way about eyeglasses. (Yes, I like shoes too - of course!) Thank heavens for JC Penney Optical. They have the BEST prices ever! You can't beat the deals at this place. Most of my glasses (complete with lenses) were $99. Some were even 2 for $99. They've got a good selection of frames that is constantly being updated. Gary (he's the guy there that my husband and I have always dealt with) is wonderful. Service is friendly and professional. Since it's conveniently located in the mall, it's easy to find time to get any adjustments or other services you may need. The only reason this gets 4 instead of 5 stars, is that one time I went there and there was nobody there to help. After I knocked (forever) on the optician's door - a guy (whom I'd never seen there before) came out looking wwaaaaayyyyy stoned. He was bumbling around and looking at me in a very creepy way. He was so out of it that he couldn't even locate my glasses (which were filed alphabetically behind the counter as I was forced to discover myself.) Never saw him again, but the whole thing gave me the heebie-jeebies. At any rate - this place (now that creepy-man isn't there) is the best!

Sometimes, when I'm tired of my usual haunts, I'll stop by Tacos Mexico during my lunch break. Prices are reasonable, and the food is flavorful and authentic. The dishes I've ordered are not always consistent in terms of ingredients, but they have always been tasty. I usually order one or a combination of the following: chicken tacos, tamales, chicken burrito, enchiladas verdes, or ceviche. Most meals come with two salsas - red and green. The green can be spicy - so take it easy if you like things on the milder side! If you order a meal (rather than ordering a la carte) the portions are quite large. If you're doing the a la carte thing, I usually order a couple items. This restaurant is very busy during the lunch hour, so if you're planning on picking something up to take out, it's best to call your order in ahead of time. If you forgot to do the call-ahead thing, check out their mexican candies and snacks. They've got roasted chicken lollipops! Yes, I tried 'em, and no, they don't taste like chicken.

After hearing from many people how great Baja's is, I decided to try it for lunch today. I was seated immediately and given a basket of freshly-made tortilla chips, but no salsa. I observed other patrons loading up their plates with what looked like salsa from a buffet table. I asked a server about it and was invited to help myself from the "salsa bar" which had several kinds of salsas, sauces, and condiments. Chips & salsa were great, but I felt the server should have told me about the salsa bar when the chips were served. After happily munching on my snacks, I ordered the fish burrito, which was marked at $7.99. I was asked if I wanted the "especial" or the regular. When I told the server I didn't know what the difference was, she said one is sauteed and the other is deep-fried. I went with the sauteed. The burrito was HUGE - stuffed with rice, fresh-cooked fish, avocado, and sour cream. Lettuce and tomato were served on the side. I ate half, had the rest boxed up, and asked for the bill. This is where a happy diner becomes a ticked-off diner. My bill came to $15 and change! Upon questioning the server, she informed my that I had ordered the "especial" burrito, which was $14.99. Maybe I should have asked about the price, but when I asked what the difference between the regular and the "especial" was, the only difference that was pointed out to me was the method of cooking - NOTHING about the almost double price difference. Grrrrr! Needless to say, I was not happy about this, and will probably not be returning, even though the food was quite good. If they get some better servers who actually explain things properly to customers, they'd be a LOT better off.

If I could give 10 stars, I would! I LOVE this place! I wouldn't mind living there! Their products make cooking healthy, interesting meals so easy. I work full-time and have an hour-and-a-half commute. By the time I get home (even though I love to cook), I don't want to spend all night in the kitchen. On the flip side, I don't want to live on boring packaged meals or takeout either. TJ's offers just the help I need!

Some of my favorites:
Crunchy Salted Peanut Butter
Prig Khing Thai Green Beans (contains shrimp, so not vegetarian)
Veggie Lasagna
Roasted Veggie Enchiladas
Gnocchi alla Sorrentino
Fruit Bar Ends & Pieces w/ Added Fiber
Fat-free Greek Yogurt
Flax Plus Raisin Bran Cereal
Chicken Stix (Lemongrass Flavor)
Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Strawberry Kefir
Cuban Black Beans
Laughing Cow Cheese
Bagged Salad
Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
Crumbled Salem Blue Cheese
Ciabatta Rolls w/ Pumpkin Seeds
Shelled Edamame
Thai-style Gyoza
Shu Mai
Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
Gerolsteiner Mineral Water
Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Valhrona 71% Dark Chocolate
Mintz's Blintzes
Marinated Ahi Tuna
Nitrate-free Bacon