Despite the lengthy commute, long waiting time, and prices that lean more towards the expensive side, this restaurant is definitely the place to go for seafood lovers looking to spice up their friday night dinners with some flavors from the deep South. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, located about an hour away in Westmont, is a New Orleans-style restaurant that serves authentic Cajun cooking with a twist. The festiveness of Mardi Gras and Jazz music in the air makes you feel like you are actually in the French Quarter. Given the high cost of the food, I would suggest not making Pappas your weekly family eat-out, unless you have the money for it. My family and I typically go for special occasions, when we feel like celebrating and having a good time. And of course, Pappas is the perfect place for just that. The whole restaurant is like one big party, with friends having a few drinks at the bar and families clapping to the rhythm of the jazz quartet. After we picked up our menus, I realized that we had been staring at it with confused looks on our faces for about 15 minutes. So naturally, I started looking around at other people’s food to see what looks the most appetizing before I decided on what to order. The only problem was that everything looked good.

Being the avid sushi-eater that I am, I was thrilled when I heard that there was another sushi place that had recently opened up in the Algonquin area. Woow Sushi, along with Bistro Wasabi and @ Bangkok, had been added to my list of go-to restaurants when my sushi cravings hit. I remember getting the menu and coupons in the mail for Woow Sushi’s grand opening specials. There were so many tasty-looking menu items to choose from, and they were all within a reasonable price range. I knew this was not a restaurant worth missing out on. Walking in to the restaurant, I noticed how similar yet different the setting and ambiance were from Bistro Wasabi. The modern-style decor gave the restaurant a high-class, expensive look, but the soft lighting and comfortable chairs made everything seem more relaxed. Despite the setting, I felt like I was at home, especially when our waitress came out wearing sweatpants and crocs. She started out by giving us a free order of edamame, and helped us out by suggesting the best menu items that had no beef or chicken.

It is a Friday night, and a place is buzzing with excitement and energy as students from Jacobs socialize with each other after a home football game. After filling their cups with thick and creamy yogurt, the customers make their way over to the toppings bar where they get to choose from a variety of toppings, ranging from fresh fruit to colorful gummy bears. If you have not guessed by now, the place that I am talking about is Yogurtland that just opened up in Algonquin. Another yogurt place by the Commons? Trust me, this one is different, and possibly better than its froyo competitors.