By Sally Deering

 

Carpe Diem’s dining room features comfy chairs with a real working fireplace

On Hobokenâ€s west side right around 14th Street, the neighborhood continues to reinvent itself from industrial no manâ€s land to a thriving residential neighborhood with apartment complexes, daycares, dry cleaners, even a big chain supermarket. Still, it wouldnâ€t be a real Jersey neighborhood without a local pub where the food is tasty, the beer flows cold from the tap, and you can belly up to the bar to share a pint with your neighbor.

Carpe Diem on 14^th & Grand is in the hub of Hobokenâ€s 14^th street west side neighborhood, a corner pub with a plain exterior that hides a really nice wood-lined bar with a dining room that has a fireplace and a cozy upstairs pub room for private parties. Carpe Diem serves craft beers and a cuisine co-owner Joe Jones describes as “continental comfort food”.

The bistro opened in July 2006, an “American Dream” for owners Jones and Billy Oâ€Hara, two cousins who went into business together here in the states after growing up in Limerick, Ireland. Oâ€Hara came to the U.S. first and inspired Jones to join him. .

“Each time Billy came back to Ireland to visit, he would tell me ‘I think the states would be good for youâ€,” Jones says. “I got a Green Card in the lottery system. I was here for three months and loved it.”

After planting roots here, Jones teamed up with Oâ€Hara and the two cousins opened Carpe Diem.

If youâ€re grabbing a bite at the bar or in the cozy dining room with the fireplace, Carpe Diemâ€s continental cuisine reconstructs comfort foods and ramps them up a notch. For starters, you might try the Pasties which are seasoned Angus beef and potatoes stuffed in a braided puff pastry ($9); or the Southwestern Chicken Rolls with chipotle dip; Spicy Steak Bits tossed in a sweet soy sauce with jalapeno peppers; and the Coconut Shrimp with sweet chili sauce ($9-$14).

Soups include Hearty Chicken; and a Mushroom soup ($7); and for salads there are several choices including the Goat Cheese & Pear salad with mixed greens, walnuts, raisins, dried cherries, cranberries, brie cheese and carrots ($13).

Burgers & Sandwiches include Mini Burgers, you get four; Pulled Pork; Grilled Steak; and a Veggie Mash ($10-$14). Main Dishes include Fish & Chips; Shepherdâ€s Pie; NY Strip; Braised Short Ribs; and a Veggie Risotto ($14-$27).

On Tues, March 17 – St. Patrickâ€s Day – Carpe Diem will be serving a traditional Irish menu, so you can be sure thereâ€ll be plenty of corned beef on hand.  On a recent Monday, Corned Beef Egg Rolls, and Shepherdâ€s Pie Cake were offered as specials.

The menu also features a section of craft and name-brand beers on tap and bottled, and a list of sexy cocktails like the Skinny Margarita with agave nectar, orange, cucumber and mint; the Blue Jersey cocktail with muddled blueberries and lemons and blueberry vodka; and the Gatsby Seven with Tanqueray gin, apple juice and apple brandy.

Thereâ€s an extensive beer and wine list, too, and if youâ€re not sure what to drink with the Shepherdâ€s Pie or NY Strip you ordered, thereâ€s a suggested pairing of either wine or beer right next to the dishâ€s listing on the menu.

“Those are just beer or wine suggestions,” Jones says. “Iâ€m not a beer or wine guru, but sometimes people look for suggestions.”

Carpe Diem has a really nice upstairs room for private parties with bar and tables & chairs that line the walls, giving lots of room for dancing and mingling. And with spring just days away, outdoor dining soon resumes with tables and chairs all along the sidewalk.

A popular pub & restaurant, Carpe Diem, which means “seize the day” in Latin, was a term made popular from its use in the Matt Damon & Ben Affleck film DEAD POETâ€S SOCIETY.

“The name has nothing to do with the movie,” Jones says, clarifying the misconception “We just liked the name. If you look at the walls, theyâ€re covered with pictures of people from all walks of life that we believe have seized the day in their lifetime.”

Yes, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong is on the wall, along with Marilyn Monroe, Amelia Earhart and countless more.  The owners posted this explanation on Carpe Diemâ€s website: “Carpe Diem Pub & Restaurant celebrates life and those bold enough to live it to the fullest. The phrase, roughly translated as ‘seizing the dayâ€, means eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow.”

If you go:

Carpe Diem Pub & Restaurant

1405 Grand St, Hoboken

(201) 792-0050; www.carpediemhoboken.com

Hours: Mon-Thurs, 4 pm-2 am; Fri 4 pm-3 am; Sat 11 am-3 am; and Sun 11 am – 2 am

Brunch: Sat, Sun, 11 am to 3 pm; Tues, Mar. 17, St. Patrickâ€s Day: 11 am – 2 am

The post Carpe Diem in Hoboken brings the Neighborhood back to the Bar first appeared on River View Observer.

 Like Sinatra, Maxwellâ€s Tavern is synonymous with Hoboken and goes back to the 1940s when the city was more working class and employees at the Maxwell House coffee plant would stop in for a brew and a bite. Although the bar looks very much like it did back in the day, General Manager Jay Donnelly says new changes came with the new owners back in March. You can now enter right on Washington Street (instead of using the side door on 11^th) and thereâ€s some beautiful art work throughout the bar area that flows all the way through to the back room where bands and other acts perform. The menu has changed, too.

The bar area, with Maxwellâ€s original bar, features high-top tables and chairs; intimate seating along the perimeter and a back room with four-tops facing a small stage.

Along with the bands and extensive beer and wine selection, Maxwellâ€s offers a menu thatâ€s bar-friendly with an array of Starters, Salads, Burgers, Sandwiches, Thin Crust Pizzas, and Entrees.  For Starters, Maxwellâ€s signature Classic French Onion Soup continues to be a menu highlight along with Buffalo Chicken Wings, Fried Calamari, Momâ€s Italian Style Meatballs and Crab Cake Sliders ($7-$13). Thin Crust Pizzas, also a big draw, are served in several variations including White, Margherita, Chicken Pesto, Hoboken BBQ and Sausage Lasagna ($14-$15).

Burgers are Bleu, Black Bean, Turkey, and Traditional – all served with fries or chips ($11-$14).  Sandwiches are the Grilled Chicken, Pulled Pork and Philly Cheesesteak ($11-$13).  Entrees feature Shepherdâ€s Pie, Chicken Parmigiana, Vegetable Lasagna, Chicken Carbonara, Blackened Salmon, Grilled French Cut Pork Chop, and Grilled Angus Cowboy Steak ($16-$32).

Although there are several TVs in the bar area, Donnelly says the owners are trying to go back to Maxwellâ€s roots.

“Weâ€re trying not to be too much of a sports bar,” Donnelly says. “Originally it was Maxwellâ€s Tavern. When Maxwellâ€s had the plant down the street, they worked three shifts and the workers would come here. We wanted to bring it back to a tavern with a good dining experience: good quality food at a reasonable price.”

Back in the day, Maxwellâ€s was known for serving comfort foods like meat loaf, fried chicken and chicken pot pies. These days, there are several signature dishes customers keep coming back for, Donnelly says, including the 14-ounce Premium Reserve pork chop entrée, the French onion soup, thin crust pizzas and Buffalo wings. There are daily specials, too.

Half-price Happy Hour happens Mon-Fri from 5-7 pm, and Sun, 6 pm till closing (bar area only). On Thursdays, the bar serves $5 Martinis; on Sundays, its 50 cent wings and $3 Miller Lites or PBR Drafts. Since the bar is just a block or so from Stevenâ€s Institute of Technology, Maxwellâ€s offers SIT students 25% off their food orders with a school ID (drinks not included).

Art is everywhere at Maxwellâ€s with exhibitions curated by local artist Steven Vizena.  The current exhibit is “Body Mind-Spirit” and Vizena says it explores “artists imaginings or aspects of experience that move beyond physical constraints.”

Artist Ibou Ndoye of Jersey City is one of several artists whose works can be seen on Maxwellâ€s walls. About his art, Ndoye says: “My message is social in the sense that it deals with the social and moral ethics of modern and traditional life. My inspirations come from the unseen, neglected, or discarded things from our social and daily life. The traditions of my homeland, Senegal, have a great impact on my work and storytelling through my art.”

Bands will always be a huge highlight at Maxwellâ€s. Performing Fri, Dec. 12 at 9:30 pm is the Eric R. Durham & Top Groove Band. (Admission $10). The back room where the bands perform can also be booked for private parties for up to 125 people.

“Todayâ€s Maxwellâ€s respects both its music and neighborhood roots while layering in new thinking about what is fun, exceptional and unique to Hoboken in terms of food, drink, music, arts and atmosphere,” Donnelly says.

If you go:

Maxwellâ€s Tavern

1039 Washington St

Hoboken

(201) 653-7777

www.maxwellsnj.com

Hours:

Mon – Wed:      5 pm – midnight
Thurs & Fri:      5 pm – 2 am
Sat:                      10 am –2 am

Sun:                     10 am – midnight

 

The post Maxwell’s Tavern in Hoboken Still Hip after All These Years first appeared on River View Observer.

New venture marks McLoone’s tenth restaurant

The post McLoone’s Restaurants Announces a Spring 2014 Opening of “Pier House” in Hoboken, NJ first appeared on River View Observer.

It was my first time at a fondue restaurant and I wasnâ€t sure what to expect when I walked into The Melting Pot on Sinatra Drive in Hoboken, a hip corner bistro where customers dip into delicious cheese and chocolate fondues, dine on tasty salads and cooked-to-order entrees while gazing at the spectacular views of the Manhattan Skyline outside its windows.

The dining experience at The Melting Pot is what co-owner Lina Patel calls “interactive,” because here diners donâ€t sit back with a knife and fork, they skewer and dip into the melted concoctions made right at their table by the wait-person. This family-owned business, a franchise that started in Florida, is a unique dining experience and a popular Hoboken night spot. On Fridays and Saturdays the 160-seat restaurant gets very busy and reservations are highly recommended.

On a recent visit to the Melting Pot, my wait-person, Blaine Climati– who has been at the Melting Pot for two years – created my Cheese Fondue by blending cheddar and Swiss cheeses, beer, garlic and mustard powder into a creamy concoction right at the table. He served it with bowls of fresh veggies, cubes of bread, tortilla chips and some sliced Granny Smith apple. With my skewer, I dipped the ingredients into the melted cheese and it was a very tasty and fun way to enjoy lunch. I followed that with the House Salad, a yummy and vast array of crunchy veggies in a sweet and tangy homemade dressing, that you can also buy and take home.

For dessert, I had the Chocolate Fondue and chose the Flaming Turtle,  a melted combination of milk chocolate, caramel and roasted pecans. For dipping, it came with fresh strawberries and bananas, a slice of cheesecake, Oreo-covered marshmallows, cubes of Red Velvet cake, chocolate brownies and Rice Krispie treats.  This was over-the-top deliciousness and a chocolate-loverâ€s dream on a plate.

There are lots of dining choices at The Melting Pot. You can go for the Big Night Out – a four course Melting Pot Experience that includes a Cheese Fondue, Salad, Entrée and Chocolate Fondue or you can go ala carte and choose from the Cheese Fondue, Salads, Entrees and Chocolate Fondue Menus.

The Cheese Fondue choices are Spinach Artichoke; Fiesta Cheese; Cheddar Cheese; Wisconsin Trio; and Traditional Swiss; ($18, serves 1-2). Salads include the House Salad, Spinach Mushroom; Caesar; and California; ($8). Entrees feature Land & Sea (filet mignon, chicken breast and white shrimp); The French Quarter (filet mignon, chicken breast, white shrimp in Cajun sauces with Andouille sausage); Seafood Trio (sesame-crusted sushi-grade ahi tuna, white shrimp and cedar-plank salmon); Shrimp & Sirloin; all-natural breast of chicken; Cedar-Plank salmon; Pacific Rim (all-natural breast of chicken, teriyaki-marinated sirloin, white shrimp, citrus-infused pork tenderloin, breast of duck and chicken and vegetable potstickers); The Vegetarian (selection of fresh vegetables including edamame or onion rings, artichoke hearts, Portobello mushrooms and asparagus served with Thai peanut –marinated tofu, spinach-artichoke ravioli and pasta); Teriyaki-Marinated Sirloin; and Filet Mignon ($24-$35).

The Chocolate Fondue ($20, serves 1-2) features The Original (milk chocolate swirled with creamy crunchy peanut butter), Yin & Yang (dark and white chocolate), Cookies ‘n Cream Marshmallow Dream (dark chocolate topped with marshmallow cream flambéed and topped with bits of Oreo cookies), Chocolate Sâ€mores, Bananas Foster (bananas swirled in white chocolate with a hint of cinnamon), Flaming Turtle, and Milk, Dark or White Chocolate (for the chocolate purist).

The Melting Pot has extensive beer and wine lists, better than most local pubs and it has a room  for private parties and a ‘Lovers Alley” – three cozy tables tucked away in a low-lit and romantic nook. Since itâ€s a franchise, The Melting Pot also has its own cookbook, salad dressings and signature chocolate-covered strawberries for sale.  Best of all, itâ€s a great place for big groups – anniversaries, graduation parties, wedding and baby showers.

Thereâ€s lots of good Internet buzz on The Melting Pot. One Yelp.com reviewer, Brittany M. of Brooklyn gives the restaurant a rave: “My favorite restaurant ever. I love it. I tried just about everything on the menu! I highly suggest the Wisconsin Trio with a bouillon base…The chocolate (fondues), every single one I’ve had is great. The Flaming Turtle is my favorite, and then the Yin and Yang (dark and white chocolate) is the runner up. Just went here on New Yearâ€s Eve and it was so much fun.”

Brittany M. is right. The Melting Pot offers its guests a yummy good time and the Manhattan Skyline view from its windows is the cherry on top.

The Melting Pot

100 Sinatra Drive

Hoboken, NJ

201-222-1440

www.meltingpot.com

Hours:  Sun-Thurs: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Fri, Sat: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

The post Dip into The Melting Pot -At this Hoboken Waterfront Bistro Melted Cheese and Chocolate Fondues take Center Stage first appeared on River View Observer.

Arthur’s Tavern, the noted Hoboken steak restaurant, welcomes the New Year by offering a 15% customer appreciation discount off all lunch and dinner checks on Wednesdays.

Treat yourself, your family, friends and business colleagues to this superb discount on Arthur’s famous steaks, burgers, overstuffed sandwiches, seafood and winter specials.

Latest in burgers:
Arthur’s “Hell” Burger – a spicy burger with Cajun seasoning, Pepper Jack cheese and Arthur’s own “Hell” sauce made with six kinds of peppers.
The “Murphy” Burger with 10 ounces of beef served on mashed potatoes with Guinness gravy, sausage, hot peppers, onions and fried potatoes “finished” on the grill and topped with pan sauce.
Seafood, ribs and then some…
Check out Arthur’s succulent BBQ ribs, baked fresh New Bedford scrod, shrimp quesadilla and daily entree specials including Filet Mignon Sandwich, Pork Osso Bucco, Baked Salmon, Surf & Turf, Cajun Crab Cakes, Chicken Salad and Baby Spinach with seasonal vegetables with grilled salmon on top. 
Arthur’s Tavern is located at 237 Washington Street, Hoboken 201 656-5009.  Visit web site: www.arthurstavern.com for menu details.

The post Arthur’s Tavern in Hoboken offers Customer Appreciation 15% Discount all day Wednesday first appeared on River View Observer.

 

Arthur’s Tavern Serves Delmonico Steaks with Old Hoboken Charm

by Sally Deering

 In a town where almost every doorway on Washington Street leads to an eatery, Arthur’s Tavern on the corner of 3^rd Street stands out as a Hoboken treasure – a throwback to the way the town looked back in the day with prices that are more than reasonable (a Delmonico hamburger for $5.95) and steaks and sides as yummy and comforting as your favorite dish on grandma’s table.
 
The tables decked out in red-checkered tablecloths first catch your attention as soon as you walk in the door. Then you notice the stained-glass lamps hanging from the hammered-tin ceiling. Add to that the mouth-watering aroma of sizzling Delmonico steaks and you immediately relax a little, ready to settle in for some hearty and delicious fare.

“We only serve Delmonico steaks,” General Manager Sami Nacer says. “The meat is good quality and always fresh.”
 
The Delmonico’s come in three sizes:  24-ounce ($23.95) 48-ounce ($40.95) and for the light eater, the Junior Sirloin ($17.95.)The menu has BBQ Ribs ($17.95) a Petit Sirloin & Shrimp dish ($18.95) and for sandwiches, there’s the hot pastrami ($6.95) and, of course, the burger ($5.95) made from the same Delmonico beef with a choice of cheeses (a few cents extra.) A standout on the menu, a sandwich that’s a throwback to when Hoboken drew more sailors than yuppies, is the Liverwurst & Onion ($6.50.) Where else can you order a liverwurst and onion sandwich? That in itself is worth a trip to this rustic Hoboken landmark.

All these wonderful ingredients – the atmosphere, the food, even the red-checkered tablecloths are the handiwork of Arthur McGreevy, a restaurateur  who opened his first Arthur’s Tavern in  Morris Plains in 1957.  (McGreevy also owns the St. Moritz in Sparta, New Jersey.) A regular of old-time establishments – the Tavern Restaurant in Newark and Ma Flynn’s in Whippany – McGreevy combined his memories of those neighborhood eateries and brought it all home to Hoboken to open Arthur’s Tavern in1985, where customers travel from as far as California to savor one of the house steaks.
 
The restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. There are three main dining rooms and two bars, including a sports bar in the back with three TVs on the wall. The two upstairs dining rooms are ideal for parties. The larger room decked out like the first floor dining room with rows of tables with red-checkered tablecloths and hanging stained glass lamps is ideal for corporate holiday parties and birthday celebrations; the smaller, elegant room is perfect for gatherings like baby showers and anniversaries. No matter what room you decide to book your party, the atmosphere will have that old Hoboken charm and those delicious Delmonico’s to satisfy the guests.
 
But what if you’re looking for something a little lighter than sirloin?

The local Hoboken community has changed since Arthur’s Tavern first opened its doors in 1985. Back then, the kitchen served 1,000 steaks on a Saturday night. But these days, although the restaurant’s family clientele has not changed, there have been more requests for lighter fare and Arthur’s Tavern co-owner, Arthur’s daughter Alyce plans to make some additions to the menu in an effort to reach those lighter-eaters who may want more options than a tuna sandwich.

“We’re going to add some great salads and seafood dishes,” Alyce McGreevy says. “Watch for those new additions before the holidays begin.”
 
But don’t worry, the steaks will always be on the menu, Alyce says. That’s one tradition she will never change.
 
“Arthur’s Tavern offers the best value for the best steaks,” Alyce says. “That was very important to my father and it’s important to me. My daughter Alyse-Marie and I are carrying out my father’s legacy. This was his dream.”
 
Arthur’s Tavern

237 Washington Street & 3rd

Hoboken, NJ

201-656-5009

Open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week

Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas

The post Restaurant VIEWS-The Best Steaks in Town -Hoboken first appeared on River View Observer.