Ralph's Tavern Mozzarella Sticks

Between work, school, and wedding planning, we've been pretty stressed out lately. What better way to give in to a little comfort food and indulge with deep fried cheese sticks. After a whirlwind Tour de Tavern Pizza with no room for anything else, the thought of Ralph's Tavern mozzarella sticks lingered for weeks taunting us. We finally caved and went for it.

Our first encounter did not disappoint. They clearly did not come straight from the freezer. Although not as crunchy as your typical mozzarella sticks, these lightly hand-battered logs had just the right amount of breading to let the cheese shine. If you're looking for an oozy, gooey, melty mozzarella stick, this hits the spot. It's also not too greasy which made wolfing these down way too easy.

Now what's a mozzarella stick without some sauce? While you can go the traditional way and have yours with marinara, you can also go the Upstate NY route and get yourself some raspberry sauce. J was more of a traditionalist preferring a savory sauce, while I leaned toward the salty and sweet combo. Don't get me wrong, the homemade red sauce is a classic and was just as good. The marina had great flavor and balance of seasonings but there's something about the grease, salt, and sweetness that was so addictive. I know, it's just jam from a jar but somehow it works. Are you a Team Mozz & Melba or Team Mozz & Marinara kind of person?