Fabulous, Fabulous, Fabulous!

For me, Mesob has been the most fun experience so far. It is exactly what we hoped our

"summer tour" would be - a very different dining experience, unusual but delicious food and the opportunity to bring some of our favorite people together.

The food at Mesob was fantastic. Along with Stamna, our first stop, Mesob is by far my favorite. The food was both different and familiar. Dishes were based on the basics - beef, chicken, lamb, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, portobello mushrooms, carrots, green beans - cooked with different spices and sauces and a wonderful use of beans. We shared an appetizer sampler of farmers cheese, lentils, chick peas, mushrooms and tomatoes - all delicious. For our entree, Alan and I shared a meat sampler of beef, chicken and lamb, cooked in amazing sauces. The flavor was very different, but not overwhelming. Dishes come in your choice of mild, medium and hot, which we appreciated.

And yes - we did eat with our hands. The food is served in small plates or servings on a large tray. You break off small pieces of bread and "pinch" what you want to eat. The sauces are thick, which makes using the bread to pick up the food very easy. And the bread - incredible! Called injera, it is a light porous bread, served folded like a tortilla or in long strips wound into a coil. I am a bread lover and this bread had a wonderful and unique flavor.

Best of all was the opportunity ot share the experience with good friends. Paula and Greg and Cyndie, Bob and Hope Rice joined us. Here's to Hope - I don't know many eleven-year-olds who would be willing to try something so different.

Mesob is BYOB, so we brought a bottle of Purple Cowboy, which we have been saving, to try. It is a red blend, made by the winemaker who makes two of our favorite blends. It is described as "tenacious red" on the label and was a little too strong for me, but others did enjoy it.

Try Mesob - the food and the experience are well worth the trip. The restaurant itself is also beautiful - the ambiance adds to the enjoyment of the meal. I am thinking of suggesting it for the ACNJ holiday party this year!