Hello Readers! This week hubby and I were invited out to dinner and were joined by 5 other couples - so, it was a huge dinner party! My friend found a place that he wanted to share with us - not only for the food but the experience. We dined at a restaurant called Valenca, which is a small Portuguese restaurant located on the north side of Elizabeth. We entered through the front door (the fancy side I was told to enter) and found this to be awkward, as there was no hostess be found and we actually stumbled into a private affair - which we quickly back tracked. We made our way to the back bar, where we found our friends already seated and sipping on sangria. We noticed all the tables were full, with a very nice ambience, family friendly, and there were literally glasses of sangria on EVERY table.
We ordered our sangria and it was delicious! We enjoyed the complimentary salad which was large and containing olives, tomatoes, and onions with oil and vinegar dressing.
For appetizers, we ordered calamari and chorizo (which was set on fire - great tableside presentation) along with garlic shrimp for appetizers. Everything was really good, flavored well and delicious. We are enjoying the food and company - and then asked to place our order. My friend, our host for the evening, advises that we should order the filet mignon or lobster on the stone. Following his lead, hubby orders the filet mignon and I order the twin lobster tails. We figure we will taste each other’s dish. We continue to sip on sangrias until dinner is served…I suddenly see a billow of smoke and it continues only getting wider and coming toward our table.
Each one of us was served our dinner on a hot stone! They serve you 2 - yes two - 8-10 oz. uncooked pieces of filet. Hubby is impressed by the size as I am too - it’s a lot of meat and for only $25. The twin lobsters (also raw) were huge and that too was cooked on the stone - it is served with garlic butter for cooking and then drawn butter for dunking and eating. Your sides are yellow rice and fried potatoes - which I never got to because I was so full from dinner!
For dessert, hubby enjoyed fresh mango sorbet - served in the mango skin. I took a little taste; it was very smooth, light and quite refreshing after such a big meal.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant, and quite honestly I believe 2 can dine on 1 entrée - the meals are ridiculously huge! And don’t forget to get the red sangria - off da hook!
I enjoyed my meal, even though I wobbled out of there, and will definitely be back - although next time I’ll be wearing pants with an elastic waist.
Until Next Time, Eat Well.
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