Category Archives: Dining

Dining, Sally Deering

MOST WANTED CHEF ALANA PUENTES RAISES STAKES IN JC

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Chef Alana Puentes Debuts new Catering Company
Soon in JC: Most Wanted Food Truck

By Sally Deering

Most wanted chef Alana Puentes
Alana Puentes

Chef Alana Puentes takes pride in her Cuban-American heritage, but when she gets behind the stove and turns on the heat, Puentes transforms her saucepan into a “melting pot” of international flavors.

After spending several years raising her son Vincent as a single mom, and working long hours cooking for large conglomerates, Puentes traded her corporate chef’s coat, recently, for her own label, Most Wanted Chef LLC. Puentes ventured out on her own to cook her cuisine, her way, and it seems to be working to her advantage. These days, her phone rings a lot more frequently; incoming calls from potential patrons craving Puentes’ unique cuisine for their special events. Continue reading MOST WANTED CHEF ALANA PUENTES RAISES STAKES IN JC →

Dining, Sally Deering

Cuban & Main – Fort Lee’s Main Street just got hotter with Babalu Cuban Café

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By Sally Deering

Sandwiches sold at Babalu Cuban Cafe in Ft Lee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cuban hats adorn the windows and traditional Cuban cuisine graces the plates at Fort Lee’s newest addition to Main Street: Babalu Cuban Café. Since opening the bistro in December, owners Raul Vicente, Jr, his partner Patricia Matos, and their team of crackerjack cooks conjure up tasty dishes for new customers who are soon becoming regulars.

The café’s name pays homage to the most famous TV couple of the 1950s, Lucy and Ricky Ricardo (Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz) with posters from “I Love Lucy,” their famous TV Show adorning the walls.

Raul and Lara
Babalu Cuban Cafe owner Raul Vicente Jr. and his daughter Lara in front of the newly oepened Ft. Lee Restaurant

“I had a steakhouse in Jersey City,” Vicente says during a quick break between customers. “My mother was my cook; she was a great cook.” Continue reading Cuban & Main – Fort Lee’s Main Street just got hotter with Babalu Cuban Café →

Dining, General, Sally Deering

Presto’s Restaurant serves Authentic Italian Cuisine in Jersey City

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“SUNDAY SAUCE” SERVED (almost) ALL WEEK 

Dishes inspired by Sicilian Family Recipes                    

By Sally Deering

Presto's Italian Restaurant To Sal Albanese, the owner and chef of Presto’s restaurant on Warren Street in Jersey City, food should be simply prepared and lightly seasoned to let the flavor of every ingredient shine through. Too many ingredients and seasonings can overwhelm instead of meld flavors.

Albanese serves his personal philosophy with every plate that comes out of Presto’s kitchen where truly authentic Italian cuisine is the star of the show. Inspired by recipes handed down from family in Sicily – south of “the boot” – Albanese’s dishes stand out because they’re made with fresh, flavorful ingredients.

“A lot of my menu is from family recipes, friends, things you pick up along the way,” Albanese says. “My mother has given me so much info, and a lot of it has to do with how we prepare the sauce. We do it the way my mom made it at home.” Continue reading Presto’s Restaurant serves Authentic Italian Cuisine in Jersey City →

Dining, Sally Deering

Chef Frank Roda brings Italian Fare with Flair to Maxwell’s Tavern in Hoboken

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TEN INGREDIENTS…with Chef Frank  Roda

Frank Roda Maxwells of Hoboken's Chef
Chef Frank Roda

 By Sally Deering

Maxwells Tavern hoboken  Fame came to Maxwell’s back in the 1980s and it has since become a Hoboken landmark as revered as that other Hoboken celebrity Frank Sinatra. Through the years rock stars and wannabees have set up their amps and drum kits in the small back room reminiscent of the old CBGBs in the East Village. And along with live music, Maxwell’s features a big beautiful bar that dates back to when the place served boilermakers to longshoremen who worked the docks.

Good food has always been a big part of Maxwell’s allure. Whether it’s the Angus beef burgers on the bar menu or the omelets served at brunch, hearty dishes of American fare – nothing fancy – just substantial good food keep Maxwell’s customers nourished and coming back for more.

It’s now 2016 and along with a new year, Maxwell’s Tavern has a new chef (well, he started six months ago). Frank Roda, former owner of Francesca’s in Jersey City, now runs the kitchen at Maxwell’s Tavern where he creates Italian fare with a flair. Continue reading Chef Frank Roda brings Italian Fare with Flair to Maxwell’s Tavern in Hoboken →

Dining, Sally Deering

Mom’s Family Recipes with a Dash of Heart- Roman Nose brings Flavors of Southern Italy to Downtown JC

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By Sally Deering

 Roman nose downtown Jersey City Back in the day, Frank Fiore’s family emigrated from Southern Italy to the Bronx and after years of big family dinners made from Grandma Fiore’s recipes, Frank, his brother Raymond, his father, Ruggero and his mother Maria, extended their family table to Newark Avenue in Downtown Jersey City and opened Roman Nose–Authentic Italian Kitchen.

 

Outside Roman Nose Restaurant Located next to The Word Bookstore right off Grove Street, Roman Nose landed one of the best locations in town: the Pedestrian Mall that extends west from Grove, Roman Nose offers guests a  hearty taste of Southern Italy and a casual dining experience with white wainscoting on the walls and vintage-style tin ceilings.  It has two areas for seating and a small bar with a big wine and cocktails list.  Intimate and friendly with black & white family photos on the walls, Roman Nose’s atmosphere is like one big family reunion with guests drinking, dining and enjoying the themselves.  Continue reading Mom’s Family Recipes with a Dash of Heart- Roman Nose brings Flavors of Southern Italy to Downtown JC →

Dining, Sally Deering

NEW PERSONA- With a New Liquor License and Broader Range of Entertainment – The Dopeness becomes The Citizen

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By Sally Deering

Logo for the Citizen in Jersey CIty
The Dopeness becomes The Citizen 

 

 

 

 

 

 No Jersey City club had a better name than The Dopeness, a little restaurant and performance venue on Second Street off Newark Ave that served kitschy food and entertainment that ran the gamut from stand-up comedy to jams and slams. Then, suddenly The Dopeness sign came down and a new sign went up for The Citizen. Run by the same team – Anthony Gude and Stephen Schlat – (minus one original partner) The Citizen has what The Dopeness never had:  a liquor license.

Now, visitors who stop by The Citizen can order a Colt 45 and a shot of “Jaimo”, 16-year old Single Malt Scotch, or The Grateful Dead and Moscow Mule – drinks that get squirted into the glass by way of nitro fusion. After one of those you may forget all about The Dopeness and welcome The Citizen with open arms.

“The liquor license was officially granted on Oct. 22nd and now we have a full bar,” co-owner Gude says, “We have a nice selection of top-shelf drinks and late-night deals that are synonymous with the dive bars in the Village. We’re classy but we serve it all in plastic cups for safety.” Continue reading NEW PERSONA- With a New Liquor License and Broader Range of Entertainment – The Dopeness becomes The Citizen →

Dining, Sally Deering

RECESS FOR GROWN-UPS At HopsScotch Bar & Restaurant, It’s all about Food, Drink & Games

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By Sally Deering

HopsScoth in downtown Jersey City

Luke Gomez, who owns HopsScotch bar and restaurant in Jersey City with his wife Sarah, compares running a restaurant to coaching a sports team. Every member of his staff participates – no benchwarmers – and when the place fills up with hungry patrons, it’s a huge win for the team.

Bar at HopsScotch JC Burger at HopsScotch

 

 

 

 

You have to have your staff work well together, like a basketball team,” Gomez says. “The Line Cook is the Center. The Bartender is Point Guard. Servers are Guards. My management is my Assistant Coaches. And we don’t say we have guests. We have fans. Before the shift starts, I tell my staff we have a big game tonight and it’s not what’s on TV.”

Continue reading RECESS FOR GROWN-UPS At HopsScotch Bar & Restaurant, It’s all about Food, Drink & Games →

Dining, Sally Deering

SOUTH HOUSE JERSEY CITY SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A JERSEY ACCENT

SOUTH HOUSE on Newark Ave in Jersey City serves Sexy Cocktails & Home-style Southern Fare

 By Sally Deering

Rocking chairs sit outside South Hous in Jersey City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New to Jersey City, SOUTH HOUSE bar and restaurant stands out from the crowd because no other eatery on Newark Avenue has three grand-daddy rocking chairs parked out front. And that’s just the tip of the drink straw when it comes to this hip and absolutely stunning bar and restaurant.

David Hohensee South House Jersey City
South House Bar & Restaurant owner David Hohensee stands at his bar below a photograph of his Great-Grandfather Hilario Villarreal

Even if you’ve never been to Texas, once you step into the open “porch” area of SOUTH HOUSE with its herringbone-bricked floor and cascading water fountain, you may feel transported, like you were visiting a relative down south. Owner David Hohensee and SOUTH HOUSE designer (and his sister) Stephanie Villarreal-Farld grew up in Texas and have transformed this old Jersey City uniform store into an inviting world of hip southern hospitality. Hands down, the décor will practically take your breath away as you sit down, order a cocktail and make yourself at home. Continue reading SOUTH HOUSE JERSEY CITY SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY WITH A JERSEY ACCENT →

Dining, Sally Deering

Cooking with Heart at Carmela’s Piccola Cucina in Bayonne

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From her Tiny Kitchen, Chef Carmela Suppa Serves Tasty, Traditional Italian Fare

 By Sally Deering

Ave C in Bayonne Carmela's Piccola Cucina Nestled among the storefronts on Avenue “C” between 25th and 26th Streets in Bayonne is Carmela’s Piccola Cucina, a cozy little Italian restaurant that serves hearty, home-style dishes from Northern and Southern Italy.

Suppa at her restauant Carmela's in Bayonne
Chef and Owner
Carmela Suppa

In Italian, Carmela’s Piccola Cucina means “tiny kitchen” but that’s the only thing small about the place. Owner and Chef Carmela Suppa cooks serves up hearty portions of homestyle dishes that are delicious and seasoned just right.

“You know when you do something you enjoy, you don’t think about anything else,” Suppa says, taking a break from her work at the stove. “Everything I make is cooked to order.”

 

Dining room at Carmela's in Bayonne  Carmela’s Piccola Cucina’s menu includes Antipasti like the tasty Calamari served tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside and with a choice of mild or hot sauce; Caprese Stacks, which is Roasted Eggplant, Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes; Stuffed Mushrooms with Roasted Peppers; and Antipasto Rustico, a Selection of Dry Meats and Sharp Provolone cheese. ($6.50-$8.95)

Continue reading Cooking with Heart at Carmela’s Piccola Cucina in Bayonne →

Dining, Sally Deering

Rita and Joe’s Traditional Italian Cuisine with Contemporary Flair

Rita & Joe’s New Chef adds Hip to the Menu

Seasonings are Key to Great Flavors

By Sally Deering

Nestled in Jersey City’s Marion Section, west of Journal Square, Rita & Joe’s Italian Restaurant has been serving customers since 1985 when owners Rita and Joe Pane turned a “beer and shots” bar into a popular neighborhood eatery

Rita Pane and her daughter -in law Isabelle
Isabelle Pane and
Rita Pane
New Chef McCall at Rita and Joe's Jersey City restaurant
Chef Stephen McCall of Rita and Joe’s

Fast forward to 2015. Rita & Joe’s celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, but instead of relying on the old standbys, Isabel “Izzy” Pane (Rita’s daughter-in-law) has made some changes to keep up with the changing times. She brought on Chef Stephen McCall, a 1999 graduate of the New York Restaurant School who, along with Izzy, has revamped Rita & Joe’s menu with a contemporary take on tradition. Rita’s signature dishes like Eggplant and Chicken Parmigiana are still offered, but Chef Stephen has created some new dishes flavored with carefully chosen seasonings and using all fresh ingredients. You won’t find store-bought pastas at this restaurant; everything is made fresh and to order. Continue reading Rita and Joe’s Traditional Italian Cuisine with Contemporary Flair →