Mama’s Cafe Baci: A Taste of Italy in Hackettstown, NJ

April 29, 2024April 19, 2024 / realmofvibes / 6 Comments

A Family Tradition for Over 50 Years

Located in Hackettstown, New Jersey, Mama’s Cafe Baci has been serving authentic Italian cuisine for over half a century. The Schiano family came from Italy in 1970 and has made Mama’s a Hackettstown staple. Stepping into Mama’s feels like entering a warm, welcoming home — a place where you’re part of the family.

Jason and I recently had a date night at Mama’s where we were served a sampling of dishes and listened to live music. We just received a gift card to Mama’s for our 10th anniversary, and can’t wait to go back for the delicious food and ambiance.

Customized Italian Cuisine

Have dietary restrictions? Fear not, Mama’s offers gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian cuisine. The menu caters to your unique preferences. From classic pasta dishes to stone-fired pizzas, every plate is crafted with care and love.

What Sets Mama’s Apart?

Quality Ingredients: Mama’s sources local ingredients, ensuring freshness and flavor in every bite. My kids are a big fan of the pizza — the sauce has the perfect combination of spices and the cheese is delicious!
Diverse Menu: Choose from an array of options, including hearty lasagna, delicate risotto, and mouthwatering seafood. The pear purses are my favorite appetizer so make sure you try those. The cannoli was out of this world, too. Also, try Duets, which are 2 tastes on 1 plate. Jason loves getting the Chicken Parmesan and Penne Vodka Duet. Also, get the cappuccino — we both loved it as an after-dinner treat.
Late-Night Dining: Craving Italian after hours? Mama’s stays open late, satisfying those late-night pasta cravings. (Catch the special where apps are 50% off after 9 PM!)
Private Events: Mama’s has three on-premise event rooms that are perfect for family events (Birthdays, Christenings, Baptisms, Baby and Bridal showers). Cafe Baci & the Rainbow Room are located inside Mama’s. The new Coach Room offers an intimate space for private gatherings, celebrations, and entertainment. The Coach Room is located at 144 Mountain Ave, right down the road. Lastly, Bello Giorno Estate is the perfect wedding reception venue.
Preferred customer key tag: In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, ask for your preferred customer key tag the next time you visit Mama’s and receive 10% OFF your purchase dine in or take out.
Texting Program: To receive special offers, discounts, and promotions, visit here and follow the instructions to join Mama’s texting program.

Wine, Beer, and Cocktails

Pair your meal with a fine wine, a cold beer, or a handcrafted cocktail. Mama’s knows that good food deserves great company. On my next visit, I can’t wait to get a cannoli martini!

Order Online or Dine-In

Whether you’re picking up curbside, enjoying a cozy dinner on the patio, or savoring dessert and coffee indoors, Mama’s Cafe Baci meets all of your dining needs. As a busy mom, we normally do pickup or curbside orders. Outside also includes the Pooch Cafe, where your furry friends can dine with you outside during the warmer months!

Visit Mama’s Cafe Baci

Location: 260 Mountain Ave, Hackettstown, NJ 07840-2411
Hours:
- Mon-Thu: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Fri-Sat: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Sunday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Website: https://www.mamascafebaci.com/
Instagram
Facebook

Make reservations, order online, or simply walk in. Mama’s Cafe Baci awaits, ready to share a touch of Italy with you.

And, be sure to check out my reel of our visit to Mama’s on Instagram.

Have you been to Mama’s? Let me know your favorite dish in the comments and be sure to like and share this post!

Buon appetito! 🍝

Hello Fresh Food Subscription Review

July 3, 2017June 29, 2017 / realmofvibes / 1 Comment

I am a woman who is easily tempted by a coupon code. I am also that woman who orders her groceries online because setting foot in a supermarket, although a necessary evil, is not my cup of tea. Most of the time, I don’t feel like being creative with dinner, so after I was able to secure a coupon code for Hello Fresh, three dinners for two people came to $40. What a steal!

Food subscriptions are a new rage. Hello Fresh is a food delivery service that ships dinners right to your door. You can choose from the Classic (meat and fish), Vegetarian, or Family plan for either 2 or 4 persons.

Our Classic Carnivore menu consisted of:

Juicy Lucy Burgers
- 840 calories
- 10-minute prep
- 40-minute total time
Zesty Crusted Catfish
- 650 calories
- 5-minute prep
- 30-minute total time
Gremolata Strip Steak
- 880 calories
- 10-minute prep
- 40-minute total time

These are the 3 meals we chose out of 8 offered options.

Hello Fresh is packaged in a cooler box, so I didn’t have to worry about rushing home from work to find spoiled food. Everything is neatly packaged in recyclable cardboard. I like how Hello Fresh keeps all of the different meals organized.

The first meal I made was the Jucy Lucy Burgers. I was happy I had the additional ingredients on hand (olive oil and sugar). The burger was cooked perfectly and Jason kept raving about the dressing on the arugula salad. However, I did have quite a few pots, pans, and bowls to clean up, which makes for a fun after dinner chore.

The second night we had the Zesty Crusted Catfish, which was deceivingly filling. I love roasted broccoli and jasmine rice (staples in my home). I rarely have catfish which was a nice treat. The panko breading was crunchy and flavorful with the included fish seasoning.

The third meal was the Gremolata Strip Steak. I love strip steak! Cauliflower mashed potatoes is also a great way to include vegetables into my diet. The pesto on top of the steak really added flavor. I would absolutely make this again!

The Good:

I didn’t have to think about dinner. It was nice to grab a box and get to work.
Each dinner was tasty and flavorful. Jason and I really enjoyed the variety.
The variety offered is plentiful. I love adding different meals to my nightly menu.
You won’t spend more than 40-minutes preparing a meal.
Good portions.
Easy to follow, step by step directions with pictures.
Cost effective with a coupon.

The Bad:

I used more pots, pans, bowls, and utensils than usual.
The calories are a little high. (I try to stick around 500 for dinner).
No leftovers. (I usually have leftovers for lunch the next day).
- I could order the 4 person option to solve this problem.
Expensive without a coupon code

Verdict

I would absolutely use Hello Fresh again, especially on crazy busy weeks where I don’t have enough time to order groceries online or get to a supermarket. I would also use them if I am in a “dinner rut” and want some new ideas.

Hello Fresh, you certainly made dinner much easier!

Sign up HERE to get $40 off your first box!

Namaste.

PS. This is not a sponsored post. I wanted to share my experience with Hello Fresh with you. All opinions within all of my posts (whether sponsored or not) are my own. If you would like to have your product/brand/service on Realm of Vibes, please visit the Contact page or e-mail realmofvibesdg@gmail.com. Realm of Vibes is also looking for guest bloggers in the lifestyle niche.

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Part 1: Lake Placid, NY – Where to Stay & Eat

June 16, 2017June 16, 2017 / realmofvibes / 12 Comments

Lake Placid, New York has always fascinated me. My friends have told me stories about skiing, hiking, the Olympic sites, and the quaint downtown. My husband and I purchased a Groupon Getaway to the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid, New York for January 2017. I injured my back, and the hotel allowed us to reschedule our 4 night, 5 days stay for May 2017. We were thrilled. We stayed on the fifth floor Marcy Specialty room, which had a jetted tub, fireplace, and private balcony.

Lake Placid, NY

Here’s why I would strongly recommend staying at the Golden Arrow:

Beach access, right on Mirror Lake
- Canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, docks, plenty of water toys
Indoor pool with two hot tubs, a wet sauna, and a dry sauna
Fitness Center with locker room and dry sauna
- Insider tip: use the sauna in the fitness center instead of the indoor pool area
Generations Restaurant
- Happy hour all day when you show your room key
  - $5 house wine, $3 well drinks, $4 select draft beers
- Free breakfast included with your stay
  - This was delicious!
Alpine Mall Shopping attached to hotel
- Restaurants, shopping, and liquor/wine store
Location of hotel
- Right in the center of Lake Placid, convenient to shops and restaurants

There are two issues with Golden Arrow: parking for a full size truck (even though they have a lot across the street, the parking is terrible during peak season) and the layout of the hotel (could only access the fifth floor from certain elevators & the elevator signage is confusing and varied in each elevator).

View from the Balcony

We would absolutely stay at the Golden Arrow again. This was an incredible resort and we not only enjoyed our room but took full advantage of the amenities.

Where to Eat

Smoke Signals

If you love BBQ, put this on your list. Smoke Signals has indoor and outdoor seating and a fabulous menu that will make your mouth water. We had not one complaint about eating at Smoke Signals. The food was really delicious after a long drive up to Lake Placid.

What we ordered:

Perpetual Pig BBQ Wings
Jason: Brisket and Macaroni & Cheese
Danielle: 1/2 rack of ribs and Macaroni & Cheese
Two local draft beers

Ribs, Brisket, and Macaroni & Cheese

Eat Here, Drink Beer

First Page of the Menu

Big Mountain Deli & Creperie

After a long day seeing the sites, we stopped here for delicious sandwiches.

What we ordered:

Jason: Table Top with chicken and a bag of Kettle Chips
Danielle: Algonquin sandwich with a side of potato salad

Big Mountain Deli and Creperie has 46 sandwiches to represent the 46 High Peaks. They also have soups, salads, and crepes. The sandwiches are very filling, great after a hike!

Lisa G’s

Lisa G’s was another fantastic restaurant that had indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating overlooked a scenic waterfall. Everything on the menu is homemade and the drink I ordered, Salty Rikki, was strong.

What we ordered:

Jason: Chicken Parmesan
Danielle: Crispy Goat Cheese Salad with Chicken
Drink: Salty Rikki

Honorable mentions:

Generations Restaurant (adjacent to our hotel)
- We ate breakfast here every day as it was included in our stay. The blueberry pancakes were incredible, as well as the special egg concoctions. The Sunny Cove ($2 upcharge) was my favorite. We never had a bad breakfast here!
Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery
- Dairy makes me sick to my stomach but I couldn’t help myself. I got a small maple ice cream. Jason had a scoop each of cookies and cream and double fudge ice cream. Incredible.
The Lake Plaid Pub & Brewery
- Besides the long wait, this had three floors of fun and a store to purchase pint glasses and other keepsakes. Jason enjoyed the Ubu Ale while I imbibed the Golden Ale. The food was hot and delicious. I ordered the Josh’s Fire Fish for dinner while Jason enjoyed the Schulzy Burger.