By Yomayra Figueroa

It may have taken a while to get to my mouth, but I’ve found perhaps the best cajun chicken and shrimp pasta ever known to mankind. Spiced to the perfect taste, noodles cooked to the best texture, and presentation aimed to please, Friday’s restaurant located on Pelham street, Methuen Massachusetts, will definitely give you a run for your money.
The minute you enter, the lighting is automatically appealing to the eyes. With the big windows placed around the restaurant, the natural lighting gives it a nice and mellow feel. As the sun goes down and night reaches, the lantern-like lights hanging from the ceiling give the place some light. The lighting gives the place a very home like aura, yet there is still spontaneity to it.
Alongside the very appealing lighting, the music goes well with the low lighting. In terms of loudness, the music is loud enough to be heard, yet low enough to avoid annoying or disturbing anyone. I am a stickler when it comes to the music I listen to, especially when I go out to eat at restaurants. However, I was quite impressed with the music selection they had playing. Instead of playing music with lyrics, instead, they were playing instrumental jazz music, which helped give the mellow feel to the place as I mentioned before.
The presentation of the cajun chicken and shrimp pasta was very appealing, and the dish looked well made. The instant I saw it, I felt hungry. Although, my noodles were a tab bit cold, it did not get in the way of the amazing taste I encountered when I took the first bite. I immediately tasted the spices such as garlic and cayenne pepper, and felt that it was seasoned very carefully, which definitely added on to my great experience. The taste was just right, and the chef did a great job at not putting in too many spices, which could have overwhelmed me. Texture wise, The softness of the noodles and the somewhat crunchy texture of the chicken and shrimp worked really well together. The chicken was very tender, and the shrimp was very juicy.
On the walls of the restaurant, were framed pictures and quotes. Some of the framed pictures were of influential people, such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Marilyn Monroe, and many more. The majority of the quotes were made for inspirational and uplifting purposes.
The type of atmosphere that this place created for me, revolved around the idea of acceptance and love. With so many uplifting quotes, natural lighting and the welcoming smiles from the staff working there, the atmosphere they were trying to create, definitely made its way across to me.
Overall, my experience at Friday’s was one for the books. I highly recommend the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp pasta. In terms of appetizers and dessert, I cannot suggest mainly because I did not try any of their appetizers and desserts, but from the reactions of others sitting nearby, they all seemed very pleased. Due to the welcoming atmosphere and aura to this place, one can go there on a romantic date, business trip, with friends, with family, and more. I suggest taking a moment to look at the pictured framed and quotes on the walls because it definitely added positive vibes to the overall experience. Although it may not seem like such a big deal, the vibes given off by the inspiring and uplifting quotes on every wall of the restaurant creates a better and more fulfilling experience. I thought the experience was solely based on the food, however, eating at Friday’s for the first time showed me different. I cannot speak on behalf of the other Friday’s in other cities and around the world, but the Fridays in Methuen Massachusetts was definitely worth it.