When Caffe Buon Gusto opened in February in Hoboken, I was not sure what to expect, thinking that this would be another Italian restaurant competing with some great ones like Sorellina or Otto Strada, but was glad to see a new restaurant opening on the upper part of town that truly needs some more places to dine.
So, several weeks ago, we decided to give it a try. The place was…
When Toastique opened in Hoboken, I was part of the skeptics: who would want to go eat toast on a regular basis? Alright, I admit that toast might not be my favorite when going for lunch or brunch, unless they have something unique. I changed my mind. Serving gourmet toast, Toastique has a great selection that will satisfy vegetarian and non-vegetarian, with the possibility to add items such as crab, poached egg or salmon to your toast. My favorite is the avocado smash, especially…
I discovered Bikanervala in Jersey City few years ago, after one of my co-workers brought some jelibis from there. This place, that specialized in vegetarian dishes and sweets is a true gem with a large menu and so many desserts that you get a bit overwhelmed when ordering at the counter. What I love about this place, besides the sweets, is their thali, that is a selection of few dishes served in a small quantity in a platter, that not only includes savory dishes, naan and rice, but also a dessert that, although small, is a nice way to end a meal. Of course they have the classics: samosa, dahi puri (these…
It took a while for Chip City to open in Hoboken, to the point that there was some doubt they would actually come to the mile square city. They finally opened at the very end of February, few blocks from Insomnia Cookies. To understand the concept, you have to know the story of Chip City that started back in 2017 in Astoria, where two childhood friends Phillips and Theodore Gailas challenged each other as to who would make the best cookie and several storefronts later, they…
It’s been a while since I have been so excited with a restaurant menu, so, when Blu On The Hudson opened in Weehawken, NJ, I could not resist trying that place and was so enthusiastic about their cocktails and food that we went back four times! Let’s start first with the cocktails: They have a full bar so you can get some classics, but, if you go, you better check for their signature cocktails that are superb and create a bit of a show when you see some of them being served in the dining room, the smoke from the dry ice adding a note to their creativity. I have tried:…
When Touch The Heart closed, I was wondering what would replace it and then learned that a vegan burger place, Jerrell’s Betr Brgr was coming. Opening a vegan burger joint just next to Mighty Quinn’s BBQ and few blocks from Shake Shack is a pretty bold move to say the least. So we had to try it. As we entered, we could not not notice the bright and fun decor of the place.
Located in the stunning United Charity Building, Hawksmoor is the 10th restaurant of a British steakhouse that two childhood friends decided to open in London in 2006. Coming to a city with so many steakhouses and even to a country where meat is king is a very bold move for sure. The place is incredible: This National landmark was built in 1893 by John S. Kennedy for the Charity Organization Society…
We were looking for a place to eat before going to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway when we decided to try Revel and Rye in the Marriot Hotel in Times Square. I only went to their lounge for a drink few weeks before and thought that it would be a good idea to try the restaurant, Revel and Rye.
I passed in front of Fine and Rare so many times that I really wanted to try this place. Little I knew that it is the sister restaurant of The Flatiron Room, my favorite destination for whisky, this place having more than a 1000 bottles. Both have a feel of old New York, with live jazz and bear the same initials and, although it does not have the same extensive whisky list as its sister restaurant, Fine and Rare has quite a large selection and allows some cocktails, like the espresso martini to be made with Old Grand-Dad Bourbon with bourbon aged coffee.
Located in the East Village, the Pineapple Club is a speakeasy that is a perfect spot for brunch (I would think that dinner is great but the noise level is probably not for me). Great service, great atmosphere and great food and cocktails are what is probably characterizing this place that is quite spacious.
For cocktails, being for brunch, it was good to marry an espresso and some vodka for an espresso martini that was…
Madame Claude is gone, long live Madame! Not a bad change of name in a way, considering that Madame Claude was the name of a famous Madame who, when arrested threatened to reveal who her influential clients were. So, we were curious to check out this French restaurant that, although a bit off the beaten path, is quite popular in Jersey City. Located in a basement, this is like a hidden gem, with a more modern decor than before, but with still some charm to it. The bar, called Panache (meaning done with flair) has…
It has been a while since I wanted to try Carbone, the Italian restaurant of Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick. This popular place, that lost its Michelin star in 2022, is like stepping in an episode of The Godfather, from the decor in the back room to the Italian music playing in the background.
After going to the Monmouth Museum to see one of Jodi’s paintings that made it into an exhibition there, we ended up for a family dinner at The Pour House in Red Bank, NJ. A big restaurant, really crowded, with a mix of diners and patrons sitting at the bar, this place seemed to be like a neighborhood favorite where you hang out on a Saturday evening. Luckily, as we were a big table, we ended up in a “private” room, that only had one long table, more spacious and less noisy for sure.
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I am a huge fan of Chocopain, a French Bakery that has few locations in Hoboken and Jersey City. So, when I heard that they were opening a new place in Jersey City, I had to check it out. So, I walked approximately 10 minutes from the Journal Square Path station, and found Chocopain on the ground floor of a Luxury Building, Le Leo, recently erected.
On a Friday evening, we decided to have dinner at Strip House Midtown, few steps from Grand Central. We had a reservation and were bit early; we had to wait until our table was ready, but observed several couples coming without any reservation being seated before us. The person at the desk explained that she was waiting for a good table for us: ok, I would give her that, our table being quite comfortable, on one of the corners upstairs, overlooking the restaurant.
We finally made it to Olivia’s in Hoboken. We wanted to go before, but reviews were not that great, people complaining about the cleanliness of the place. But we decided to give it a chance. We went on a Saturday evening, the place being packed, dark and with loud music that is definitely not something I like…
We discovered The Parisian Tea Room last year, as we were driving through New York to go to JFK Airport. I was really surprised to see this place in an area a bit off the beaten path, with not too much foot traffic, but surrounded by hotels and near Times Square. I am more a coffee drinker, but I do appreciate a good tea sometimes, herbal mainly with mint being my favorite, and we have tried quite a few places in New York; so, why not try this place? We went on an off day as I was off, picking a 11:15am spot rather than after 1pm.
When The Lola cocktail Lab and Eatery opened in Hoboken, I was curious to try it, wondering if the notion of cocktail lab would take precedent over the eatery concept. The place is big, with two main areas: the main dining room that surrounds the large bar, and a second dining room, more cozy and slightly quieter.
Earlier this year, we went to Ju Lan Club, a restaurant located where the Limelight used to be that serves upscale Chinese cuisine in an incredible setting. This place is huge and we only saw the main dining room that was beautiful, especially the murals on the walls that added to the aesthetic of the place.
The menu there is quite overwhelming, with specialty dishes marked with a crown. But there are so many that ordering each of them would be a gargantuan meal. They have classic Chinese dishes like…
