2 for 1 gift certificates!

Just an FYI, you can now purchase 2 for 1 gift certificates at a lot of local radio station websites. This is legitimate - the restaurants pay for advertising with the station and usually provide the gift certificates for the promotion. So, you can buy a $25 gift certificate and get another $25 gift certificate free. Or, sometimes its $50 and get $50. Depends on the place.

**NOTE: I'm not endorsing any of these restaurants, or the radio stations, nor am I endorsing/responsible for any certificates you may purchase. I do know that these deals are legitimate, but please read all the details on the websites for restrictions (ie terms of use, expiration, etc) before you buy. I'm just trying to inform the general public of good deals!

Here are some stations that offer the 2 for 1s, and some of the restaurants that they're offering them for:

NEW YORK/NORTH JERSEY

WDHA - 105.5FM
http://wdha.greatermediadeals.com/
My Cuban Rose - Kenilworth
Tipperary Pub - Parsippany
The Towne Tavern - Chatham
Ronnie's All American BBQ Co - Morris Plains

CBS Radio
halfoffny.com
Jeffrey's of Westfield - Westfield
Terrazza Italin Ristorante - Nutley
Harold's NY Style Deli - Parsippany
Griffin's - Cresskill
Serendipity 3 - NYC
Dylan Prime - NYC
Goodfellas - NYC


CENTRAL JERSEY

Magic 98.3FM
http://gmnj.greatermediadeals.com/
Christie's Steakhouse - Edison
Jack Cooper's NY Deli - Edison (available 4/6)

The Point 94.3FM
http://mrgmo.incentrev.com/
Brandl - Belmar (available 4/3)
Cluck U - Eatontown
Undici Taverna Rustica - Rumson

The Breeze 107.1FM
http://wwzy.breezediningdeals.com/
Terrace on the Green - Manalapan
Simply Dish - Wall
Basil T's - Toms River (available 4/24)
Porterhouse Grill - Old Bridge (available 5/1)

SOUTH JERSEY/PHILLY

Greater Media Radio
phillyhalfoff.com
Gallagher's Steakhouse - Atlantic City
H.I. Rib & Co - Conshohoken
McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon - Philly
Pinsetter Bar & Bowl - Pennsauken
Rembrandt's Restaurant - Philly


***ANOTHER NOTE: These are not complete listings. Check out the websites for more restaurants .. because I love you readers, but I don't love you enough to list them all.

- Ling

Pea Soup Curry

OK. So after a long day of work and class, I decided to treat myself to some Thai food. My usual favorite place was closed, so I decided to give a new place a try that I had always been curious about...

Siam Basil

2161 Highway 35

Sea Girt, NJ

siambasil.com

I didn't have my camera with me because I'm not a fob like Eve, so unfortunately I don't have pictures for you. But, I can still tell you about it and give my humble but very correct opinion.

I ordered a Chicken Pad Se Ew and a Chicken Massaman curry.

Chicken Pad Se Ew is a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish. It's one of my all-time favorite Thai entrees, and it didn't disappoint here - it was still pretty delicious.

HOWEVER, the Chicken Massaman curry did disappoint. Chicken, potatoes, onions, and peanuts - the usual - which I order pretty much every time I go to a Thai restaurant. My boyfriend and I both agreed that the curry was too thick. Good Thai curry should be on the thinner side, like a broth almost, and it should be flavorful but delicate at the same time - even when it's spicy. The thickness of THIS curry really overpowered everything else. It was like pea soup consistency. If you don't mind that, then yeah, it's decent curry. But for me, that makes this place lose major points.

Dinner for 2: $27 no tip because we got take-out

Forks: 2.5 out of 5

Why did this place get such a blah score from me? Two reasons. One, 50% of my meal was not good. I still can't get over how thick that curry was. Two, I'm being biased. Now, I'm not saying this was a bad Thai restaurant. Because it isn't. And I'm not saying that you should compare places buuuuut, about 10-15 minutes up the road, there is a little gem called Bamboo Leaf in Bradley Beach. So, with a much better choice that close, there's really no excuse not to get better food. (Don't worry, blog is pending.)

Overall: I would only fork this place if Bamboo Leaf was closed and I was really in the mood for Thai. And even then, I would never order the curry again.

-Ling