By Sue Baldani

When Sam El Sayed, who grew up in Egypt, opened Pita Grill & Creperie in Warren 10 years ago, his goal was to share his country’s food and family recipes with the community. “He always had a passion for cooking,” says his son Hassan, who also works in the restaurant.

While specialties include authentic-tasting gyros, kabobs, shawarma and falafel, there are also many American favorites such as burgers, chicken fingers, and fries. “Our menu is pretty diverse,” he says. “We are where American meets Mediterranean.”

The most popular items, he says, are the salads, such as the Shepherd or Spinach salad topped with choices of lamb, shrimp, falafel, chicken, salmon, hummus and more. You can basically build your own salad or platter and have it made right in front of your eyes.

When someone orders a gyro or other meat-based dish, he says, the meat is all very fresh. “You’re not getting pre-cooked food. It’s literally cooked in front of you and sliced off the spit.”

Adds Hassan, “We definitely pride ourselves on having a fresh, all-natural menu. It sounds cliche, but honestly, in order to have really good food, the ingredients have to be top quality. We try to get the most fresh, local produce whenever we can, and our meats are high quality too. We also make sure our recipes stay consistent so people get that same taste every time.”

Of course, the crêpes, whether savory or sweet, are a real treat. End your meal with a Cream, Honey and Pistachio crêpe, a Dulce de Leche with organic banana and caramel or another great combination. These can also be made gluten free.

The restaurant also offers delivery and catering. “For catering, we do two different styles,” he says. “My favorite one is the family style where you just get big plates of all your favorite dishes and then you create your own plate in your own setting at home or in your office. But, we also do a lunch option where you get sandwiches with various salads and dips on the side.”

Pita Grill & Creperie accommodates all different palates and dietary preferences, and even has an easy-to-follow chart on its website that shows which dishes are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

“We want to have an environment where customers feel welcome,” says Hassan. “Our portions are huge and at a price point that’s reasonable for everyone, whether it’s a lunchtime worker at one of our locations, or two people going out on a dinner date on a Friday night.”

Today, Pita Grill & Creperie has four locations. In addition to Warren, there’s one in Summit, Somerset and Metuchen. “We appreciate all of our customers and their loyal support throughout the years and we’re just very happy to be here,” he says.

To find out more and see its full menu, go to PitaGrillandCreperie.com. Along with its large array of menu options, specials are offered every day. And, for even more savings, join its Rewards Program and earn delicious rewards!

Written for The Showcase Magazine in New Jersey.

Delicious fruit bars without all the added sugar

By Sue Baldani

When Amanda Ament was in her mid-20s, she realized she was eating too much sugar. So, she challenged herself to give it up for three weeks. “I felt great,” she says. “My skin cleared, I slept better, and I had more energy.”

After experiencing the benefits of her new regimen, she added weeks, then months, and eventually years to her challenge. Her biggest problem was finding snacks, especially snack bars, that didn’t contain sugar and tasted good.

“I started mixing nuts, seeds and superfoods like chia seeds and matcha with honey and maple syrup, and baking those in the oven,” says Amanda.

When she moved to the United States from Switzerland in 2022, she eventually settled in Franklin because the area reminded her of the beautiful country she left behind. There, that same year, she founded SIMPLE^® bars and partnered with a co-packer in Nashville. To cut down on the sugar content altogether, their food scientists replaced the honey and maple syrup with allulose, another natural sweetener.

“Some natural sweeteners have an aftertaste, but not allulose,” says Amanda. “You just need a little, and it barely has any effect on insulin, so it’s good for diabetics too.” The company will be selling allulose pouches soon too for people to use at home as a sugar alternative.

Her sister, Mélanie, who has a background in the food industry and marketing, also moved to the US and joined Amanda in this new adventure.

Today, SIMPLE offers four flavors – Almond & Dragon Fruit, Almond Matcha & Chia, Walnut & Golden Spices, and Chocolate Sea Salt.

All the bars are whole grain and made with minimal ingredients. “The dragon fruit bar is really pink, so kids love it,” says Mélanie. “They’re all wrapped in clear packaging so people can see the colors and what they’re buying.” The sisters also hope to offer small bites in addition to the whole bars.

SIMPLE bars can be purchased on its website, at The Turnip Truck in Nashville, and can also be found in hotels, gyms, and various corporations, with more locations coming soon.

Enjoy!

SimpleBars.com

Written for Franklin Lifestyle magazine in Tennessee.

Enjoy Flavorful Mexico City cuisine close to home

By Sue Baldani

When Jennifer Teutli began offering authentic and delicious Mexican food in 2014, she did it from a small stand at local farmer’s market. “I was born and raised in Mexico City, so the flavors and seasoning are very important” says Jennifer. “Being at the market was a great way for people to get to know us and our food.”

The demand for her cuisine kept growing, and so did the business. “People started asking us to cater their parties, and it was very exciting because in Mexico, a typical luncheon, or “Taquiza,” would have beautiful Mexican pots and baskets and a lot of colorful decor and flowers. I really wanted to present our catering services that way because it was definitely new and original.”

She rented a commercial kitchen and then designed and added on a taco truck. “We participated in food festivals, farmers markets, and did lots of catering,” she says. “We also sold our packaged food out of wine stores in Chatham and Summit.”

Chef James Laird from Serenade restaurant in Chatham was an avid customer of the farmer’s market and of Jennifer’s offerings. Later, he had Mexican Spice cater his staff’s holiday parties and they all became friends.

Everything was going so well, then COVID hit. “Our catering and wine store business evaporated. We were not set up to be open to the public. I figured the most fun people were going to have in those days was getting take-out.”

Jennifer and her sister Andrea, who had just arrived from Mexico City, ran a fundraiser on a cool crowdsourcing platform that supports women (ifundwomen.com) so Mexican Spice could move to a new location where they could provide takeout and delivery. People were incredibly supportive, and in just three days, they raised enough money.

“We opened our restaurant on Main Street in Chatham two months later in September in a little place on Main St. that I’d always loved, and it turned out amazing,” says Jennifer. “We honor our donors with beautiful hand-pounded metal hearts made by artisans in Mexico City that hang on our Miracle Wall.”

Today, Mexican Spice has an additional taco truck and a mobile margarita/cantina truck. Although Andrea is no longer involved in the day-to-day business, Jennifer has a lot of help from her staff.

“They’re like my family,” she says. “They’re very hardworking. I don’t consider this my business, but our business.”

Mexican Spice caters many private events such as corporate meetings, high school graduations, birthdays, and anniversaries. “It’s not just about providing food – our clients trust us with their most special celebrations, and Mexican Spice becomes part of their memory. That’s a big honor and responsibility.”

All the food is fresh, flavorful and healthy. “The salsa chipotle we make is inspired from my husband’s grandmother,” she says. “Our zucchini soup is very traditional for a homemade lunch. Our salsa Verde is iconic of Mexico. The guacamole recipe comes from my mother.” 

She and her staff cook from scratch every day. “I’m very particular about keeping the authenticity of the flavors, colors, textures and presentation.” 

Jennifer is also on the Board of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, helping coordinate events like A Taste of Chatham, which includes all the restaurants in The Chathams and beyond.

Recently, she and Chef Laird came together for a special Collaborative Fusion Dinner using Mexican ingredients and French techniques. Held on March 6^th, it was a huge success, and it also raised $1200 for the Chatham Methodist United Church Food Pantry.

Jennifer and her husband Eugenio have raised their three kids, Rodrigo, Nico and Diego in Chatham, and absolutely love the town. Nico, who’s 20, works in the restaurant and Jeronimo, the father of her niece and nephew who recently moved from Mexico City and has ample experience in the food and beverage industry, is now the manager at Mexican Spice. At one time or another, many family members including her mother, father, sisters, kids, nieces, nephews, aunts, and even her grandmother, helped in the restaurant. It’s truly a family business!

Stop in and enjoy some incredible Mexican food. You’ll keep coming back for more.

http://www.MexicanSpice.net.

Written for Chatham & Short Hills Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.

By Sue Baldani

In 2016, Kimberly Anwar founded Magic Family Getaways as a way to assist others while also spending more time with her family. “I used to work for a French bank in NYC as a client relationship manager, but being a mom of three, I wanted to change to a career that I could do from home,” she says. “So, I just took a leap of faith.”

Kim dove right into the industry and taught herself everything she needed to know. Helping people travel to the happiest place on earth also made her very happy. Today, she is licensed in every state and has 40 other agents around the country who can book vacations to not only Disney destinations, but to anywhere in the world.

“We are a full travel planning agency now, and help people before, during, and after their vacations. We’re their vacation advocate; you don’t get this kind of personal service when you book online.”

Kimberly still partners with Disney and has earned the distinction of an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. “That’s something to be proud of. We’re trained on all of their products including Adventures by Disney, Disneyland and Disney Cruise Lines.”

She appreciates the travel advisors on her team, and loves to share her passion for this wonderful career. Kim is thankful for her family’s help too. “My husband helps on the back end, my brother is our webmaster, and there have even been times when my kids ran the social media. It’s truly a family-run endeavor.”

26 Park Street, Suite 2201
Montclair, NJ

973-969-2080

MagicFamilyGetaways.com

Written for Suburban Essex Magazine in Fairfield, NJ.

By Sue Baldani

Maddy Zamel always had a passion for clothing. Even as a little girl, she would go into her mom’s closet and play dress up. A few years ago, she decided to embrace that passion.

“There were a couple of things that led me to a new way of living,” she says. “One was I lost my mom unexpectedly in January of 2020, and that made me come to the realization that life is too short. You can’t just be working around the clock and not really prioritizing what’s most important.”

The first thing she did was move out of Manhattan after living there for 20 years. “I wanted fresh air, a house and a yard for my dog, George.”

Her sister Pam, who lives in Milford, recommended she check out Clinton.  “I fell in love with the town and moving here in August of 2020 was my first step on my new path.”

But then, in January of 2022, Maddy was diagnosed with breast cancer. “That was the final awakening. I realized that I needed to pursue my dreams and my passions.”

The following summer, she found that opportunity. “I was walking George in town and he literally pulled me across the street to this store that had a for rent sign in the window.”

She immediately called her sister Pam. “I asked her, ‘Is it crazy for me to even be thinking about this when I’m in the midst of chemo?’ and she told me that it was exactly the time that I needed to do this.” Her other sister Linda was also on board.

Maddy moved forward and opened Lady of Leitrim (pronounced Leetrum) last March. Leitrim is the town in Ireland where her mom grew up. “It’s a way to pay tribute to her. It’s wonderful because people always ask about the name and I get to share her with them.”

She wants her boutique to be so much more than just a clothing store. “I really want it to be a shopping experience where you come in and the sounds, the scents, the colors, and the fabrics make you feel transported.

“When trying on clothes, I love to see women really connecting to themselves and feeling their beauty, their strength and their confidence. It’s about providing a space where women can feel comfortable and supported.”

Maddy loves sourcing products and focuses on brands of clothing that are made well and fit well. The fabrics also have to be beautiful and feel good against the skin.

“I like to have a fun mix of everyday clothing that people can wear at home and some special pop pieces for dressing up and going out,” she says.

The boutique also carries jewelry and handbags, and with spring and summer coming, there will be some great totes for the beach.

“I just want to keep moving towards what feeds my soul,” says Maddy.

To feel and look your most beautiful, stop into the boutique and visit Maddy, or shop incredible styles online. LadyofLeitrim.com.

Published in The Showcase Magazine in Warren, NJ.