Paulie’s Anna Rose Restaurant, 234 W. Upper Ferry Rd., West Trenton (609) 882-1150
(Website) (Directions) Closed Mondays, open for lunch T-F, 11AM-3PM, dinner T-Su, 5PM-10PM

Sneak away to Paulie’s, especially on a summer’s evening sitting on the terrace, and you can feel for a moment like you’ve borrowed your friend’s country house, and are enjoying a weekend away from it all.  The setting is lovely, and the food is good enough to sustain the mood (though typical of the old-style Italian eateries in Mercer County).

Really, the only problem with Paulie’s is the price.  Entree’s which in most other Trenton-area Italian eateries would be $13.95, are pushing $20.00 at Paulie’s.  Add that it’s definitely NOT BYOB, and the wine list is no bargain, means you’re paying your “friend who loaned you the weekend house” rent for the weekend.  Except….

Paulie’s is the most aggressively Internet-marketed restaurant I’ve ever experienced, and if you’re on the list, you’ll receive at least two email promotions every week.  Typical are family nights (often Tuesday and Sundays) when they’ll do a family-style prix-fixe dinner (e.g. Caesar Salad, Penne, Chicken Parm with mashed potatoes and vegetables marinara, with a glass of wine, for $16.95/pp).  They’ll also sometime do coupons worth 50% off your party’s entrees.  Sign up, and you’ll get to print a 50% off coupon to start (good T-Th).

So, with the Internet specials you can can relax about the price and enjoy a truly romantic setting, only 10 minutes from downtown. Note that while the restaurant is nominally open until 10 every night, the kitchen seems to shut down shortly after 9 PM.

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