A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I decided to take a drive into New Hope, Pa., on a Friday night. We figured we would try out a new restaurant/scene for the night in New Hope, about a 25–30 minute drive from our house. It was a beautiful night and perfect for dining outside. The problem was I think everyone else had the same idea as we did! Between the parking and overloaded restaurants in New Hope, it may not have been the best time to come into town. So we decided we would drive over the bridge into Lambertville, N.J., and check out the scene there. Cute and quaint, I have always enjoyed this side of the bridge. Also, I often find it can be a bit less crowded than New Hope. In the midst of browsing the restaurants in the center area of town, I remembered a friend recommending an authentic Mexican and Peruvian restaurant in Lambertville. We were both in the mood for this type of cuisine, so we thought we should check it out. We easily found the restaurant, located on North Main Street. Lucky for us, we also found a convenient parking spot within close walking distance to the restaurant. We walked into El Tule Restaurant and immediately noticed the lovely garden/patio area. We were hoping to sit outside, and fortunately a two-top had just opened up. Perfect! The restaurant is a BYOB, but I am expecting a little one, so drinking alcohol wasn’t an option for me anyway. Instead, we each ordered the Jamaica, a traditional non-alcoholic Mexican drink made from the hibiscus flower. It was nice to try something different versus your standard margarita. Plus, the drink was delicious and refreshing! I was quite hungry, so it was nice the server brought out chips and salsa dips while we browsed the menu. While the restaurant offers both Mexican and Peruvian dishes, I didn’t find the menu overwhelming. We decided to start off with a Mexican appetizer, the tamales de cerdo. This delicious starter is mashed corn wrapped in banana leaves stuffed with pork. It was served with Criolla-based salad featuring onion, pepper and lemon. Yum! For our entrées, I opted for a Mexican dish while my boyfriend chose a Peruvian entrée. I enjoyed the spinach and lump crab enchiladas served in the chef’s green sauce and topped with cheese. My boyfriend went with the lomo saltado, featuring tender beef sautéed with onions and bright tomatoes in a red wine sauce served with crunchy fried potatoes and white rice. We were both pleased with our choices. On our next trip back to El Tule (when I can drink), I will be interested to bring tequila and see how this pairs with their homemade margarita mix. In addition, they have a delicious list of ceviche, which I am eager to taste, too! — Olivia Falcione, advertising manager