Students getting a little bored with what Gourmet Dining has to offer don’t need to go far for a delicious, reasonably priced meal alternative. Located just six minutes away from Rowan University, Fireside Family Restaurant is a quaint, newly renovated sit-down restaurant in Sewell.

From the outside, the small restaurant looks bland. However, as soon as I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised; I experienced the same nostalgic feeling you get when you walk through your own home’s front door. Greeted by a friendly waitress, my date and I were seated at a table of our choosing without a moment of waiting. She was accommodating and knowledgeable about the menu for the duration of our meal.

The menu has a wide array of choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My biggest complaint of the night was that although the menu was large, there were few vegetarian options. As a pescatarian, my dining options are limited. And besides a few salads that did not include poultry, there were not many choices.

Between soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and seafood selections, I decided to go with the broiled salmon. My entree came with a choice of two sides, so I went with mashed potatoes and green beans. My date ordered a cheeseburger with a side of fries. Our food arrived within mere minutes of ordering, and the first thing my date said was, “This is the biggest burger I’ve ever seen in my life.”

I was amazed by the portion size of my meal. It was nicely garnished in all four corners of the plate and beautiful to look at. My salmon was very tender, juicy, and full of flavor. My favorite part of the meal was the mashed potatoes. They tasted like my mother’s cooking, and it was definitely a delicious break from the cafeteria food.

After licking our plates clean, our waiter was quick to clear the table. My date and I ordered a slice of vanilla cake for dessert. I was happy to see that all of the dessert options were homemade and baked fresh from the kitchen. The icing was not overwhelmingly sweet, and the cake wasn’t dry. It was well worth finding the extra space in our tummies after our large meal.

Our overall meal cost less than $40, and my date and I both agreed that we would frequent the restaurant again with a few friends for some good American cuisine.

Family Fireside Restaurant is a welcoming environment that reminds you of home, and the food reflects that. Be prepared to take home food, you definitely get your money’s worth and more.

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