Applebee’s Presents Variations on Old Favorites

, a family-friendly casual neighborhood restaurant known for an atmosphere of welcoming persuasion, has introduced a brand new menu of "Stacked, Stuffed, Topped" dishes, in which derivatives of tried and true favorites have been created. 

These variations improve upon popular selections by pairing salad, pasta, chicken and sirloin with many unexpected ingredients and flavors, such as mozzarella scoops, fresh roasted vegetables and bruschetta.

The interior of the restaurant, nicely decorated with local school sports memorabilia, photographs of regular customers and homespun Americana impressions, draws you into a comfortable environment where you are able to feel at ease and relax. Music, both contemporary and classic songs, intermingles with lighthearted chatter of local news and gossip drifting over from adjacent tables. 

Accommodating, helpful, friendly servers reappear at times that are right, neither obsequious nor overly intrusive.  

For my most recent meal, I only sampled the newest recipes that went live near the end of June, starting off with their new margarita concoction, Raspberry Meltdown. Sauza Gold tequila is shaken up with Applebee’s signature margarita mix, blended with ice and topped with DeKuyper Razzmatazz liqueur. 

The drink is almost clear except for remnants of pink coral that is sour and tangy, followed by traces of liquor as an aftertaste. It was very refreshing, ideal for the summer, and beads of water droplets formed over the course of the meal, enhancing the exterior of the glass.

Inspired by the restaurant's Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccini, Stuffed Meatballs and Mozzarella Scoops was served in an attractive pan with the two meatballs and scoops resting on a rather unexpectedly spicy marinara sauce blend that includes Parmesan cheese and parsley. 

Each fried mozzarella, complementing the familiar recipe of stuffed meatballs, is lightly breaded and crispy on the outside, like roasted sand particles, that opens into cushions of cheese in a dramatic alteration in texture.

Bruschetta Topped Chicken Salad takes grilled chicken breast and fried mozzarella and sprinkles them on crisp romaine. Then champagne vinaigrette, juicy tomatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, basil, garlic, Asiago cheese and balsamic glaze fall like a confetti of new ingredients, resulting in a remarkably sensational treat. 

Succulent tomatoes pop juice upon each bite, bursting carefree flavor into the mouth. The raw romaine and dense chicken breast strips are a study in opposites. Pieces of red onions spike, and the peculiar taste of Kalamata olives stands out. 

All the while, soft folds of red peppers nourish against the sharp attention commanded by the vinaigrette. It is an incredibly wild assortment of tastes that leaves you feeling refreshed and well-journeyed.

Next, I tried the Chicken Parmesan Stack—country-fried chicken stuffed with Italian cheeses and soaked in Applebee’s spicy marinara, and paired with fettuccini that combines roasted garlic Alfredo, onions, peppers, parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese. A fat fragrant toasty roll of garlic bread escorts the dish. 

This is a personal favorite for those voracious moments, as the fettuccini is thickly creamy and extremely soothing. It is a filling, albeit heavy, course that is without any scratchy textures and instead nurtures the mouth with chicken pieces that exude abundant flavor, tender all the while.

Another new addition to the menu is Florentine Topped House Sirloin. It is a classic seven-ounce sirloin that is grilled to order [I had mine well done] with roasted red peppers, sliced mushrooms, onions, fresh spinach, bruschetta, garlic, herbs and fried red potatoes.

It is a hearty meal that has you wrestling with the sirloin [might be the result of my well-done request though] and reveling in the softening agent of spinach. 

When Jack King, one of the managers, and I spoke, he praised the new dishes.

“These are great value big dishes," he said. "For only $9.99, the Chicken Parmesan Stack, for example, is a lot of food for one person.  You get a lot for your buck.” 

Regarding his favorite, the Bruschetta Topped Chicken Salad, King described it as “the perfect summer salad, huge and not heavy at all, with a lot of stuff, two dressings, one of them the champagne vinaigrette.” 

In his opinion, King said, the presentation of the salad and the sirloin are the best.

“Every night after 10 p.m. until close, we offer half-price food specials, and drinks specials too," he said. "A lot of people have been requesting Stuffed Meatballs and Mozzarella Scoops for a late-night appetizer.”
   
When asked what distinguishes Bridgewater’s Applebee’s, King cited the neighborhood feel.

“We’re a great image for the brand, and as a welcoming restaurant that is always full of regulars, this is a place where you come back," he said. "A tradition almost.”

King also said that the location has been filling up with those seeking pre-game meals before heading over to , for a Somerset Patriots game.

“People come before the game for dinner and have a full-service meal here instead of paying a whole lot more at the stadium," he said.