The Friendly Crew at Kitchen Step

By Sally Deering

In the heart of the Downtown Van Vorst section of Jersey City, the Kitchen Step bistro offers Progressive American cuisine in an open and airy space thatâ€s down to earth with natural wood tables, eco green banquettes and paintings of leaves and tree branches hanging from the dining room ceiling.

General Manager Kenneth Rosado and the staff at Kitchen Step go the distance when it comes to customer service, which is evident when the 60-seat eatery fills up during weekend brunch with customers clamoring for dishes like the Nutella Swirl Pancakes and Truffle Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon.

“We are a neighborhood restaurant,” Rosado says, as the crew prepares for a busy Friday night. “We had big shows to fill when we opened a year ago last February. This was where Thirty Acres used to be.”

  Kitchen Stepâ€s market-inspired progressive American menu designed by executive chef Ryan DePersio seems to be a well-thought-out offering of creative takes on classic American dishes.

The menu features Snacks like Marinated Olives & Candied Almonds; Zucchini Fries and Harissa Mayo; Honey- Sriracha BBQ Wings, Thai Peanut Chutney; and Truffle Maccheroni & Cheese ($5-$10).

Small Plates include the Artisanal Cheese Plate, Balthazar Multigrain, Fresh Fruit; Kale Caesar Salad; Crispy Fish Tacos; Octopus Ala Plancha; ½ doz. Oysters on the Half Shell; Wild Mushroom Soup; and Crispy Duck Confit ($12-$18).

Large Plates feature the Ricotta Gnocchi, Olive-Crusted Salmon, Shellfish Bouillabaisse, Striped Bass, Pomegranate Chili-Glazed Pork Chop, RD Burger; Buttermilk Baked Chicken Breast; Moroccan Braised Chicken; and a 10 oz. Angus New York Strip Steak ($17-$30).

Chef RD Burger

The Ricotta Gnocchi is a big hit with the regulars, Rosado says.  

“The Ricotta Gnocchi are super light and fluffy,” Rosado says. “Customers have described them as pillows or clouds.”

The Pomegranate Chili-Glazed Pork Chop, a 14-ounce cut is served crispy with spaetzel and charred broccolini and its extremely popular, Rosado says. So is the Shellfish Bouillabaisse.

There are specials on the menu throughout the week and on weekends for Sunday Brunch which, Rosado says, is so popular he suggests making a reservation.

Moroccan Braised Chicken

“Weâ€re trying to create a fun culture here at the restaurant,” Rosado says. “Itâ€s a fine dining experience from beginning to end. Our customers are our guests and we want this to be a destination that people want to go to. We offer fine-dining etiquette in a casual setting.”

 Kitchen Stepâ€s unique name has historical significance. According to the restaurantâ€s website (www.kitchenstepjc.com): “We take our name from one of Jersey Cityâ€s most notable residents, Cornelius Van Vorst. In the days of the “courtly Cornelius,” his mansion enjoyed great local fame for its generous hospitality and its kitchen step, which used to attract so many people to the Van Vorst garden gate.”

It seems the tradition continues at Kitchen Step; a fine dining experience in a casual atmosphere with a side of hospitality.

If you go

Kitchen Step

500 Jersey Ave, JC

www.kitchenstepjc.com

(201) 721-6115

Tues-Thurs, 5-10 pm

Fri, 5-11 pm

Sat Brunch 11 am-3 pm; Dinner 5-11 pm

Sun Brunch 11 am-3 pm; Dinner 5-9 pm

The post STEPPIN’ OUT Kitchen Step Jersey City offers Cool Menu and Friendly Vibes   first appeared on River View Observer.

 Back in the day, Frank Fioreâ€s family emigrated from Southern Italy to the Bronx and after years of big family dinners made from Grandma Fioreâ€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.

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 Noseâ€s atmosphere is like one big family reunion with guests drinking, dining and enjoying the themselves. 

“I moved to Jersey City 12 years ago,” Frank Fiore says, sitting at one of his larger tables during a busy dinner service. “I felt we needed a good Italian restaurant downtown. I spent every summer in Italy with my grandparents. For me the story wrote itself. We didnâ€t try to be Italian. We cook traditional Italian food as we always do and people appreciate it. We were artisanal.      I grew up curing sausages in our garage,” Fiore says. “We pickle, we jar. We made our own wine.”

Roman Nose – Authentic Italian Kitchen – is just that. The cooks were all trained to cook the recipes that Fioreâ€s grandmothers cooked back in Italy. And the menu is an homage to Fioreâ€s Italian roots. Antipasti dishes feature Olive Miste, Italian olives served in house marinade of lemon,  thyme, rosemary, garlic, and fennel seed; and Crostini di Casa homemade mozzarella, prosciutto, tomato, oregano melted on grilled filone bread.

Bruschette: (3 for $5; 6for $9) Pomodoro, Pesto, Ricotta, Miele, e Noci, Pomodori Secchi e Pecorino, Crema Di Carciofi, and Tapenade di Olive.

Formaggi e Salumi: ($15; choice of three) Served with Tuscan chestnut honey, roasted almonds, fresh bread; a selection of premium Italian cheeses including Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano Pepato and Fontina.

Insalate: ($8-$12) Insalata Caprese, homemade mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil with extra virgin olive oil and aceto balsamico; Insalata di Finnocchio, Indivia, Radicchio e Arance Fennel, endive, radicchio, orange, toasted walnuts, and parmigiano shavings, with citrus vinaigrette; Insalata di Pollo, house salad with sliced grilled chicken breast, red onion, and parmigiano; and, Insalata di Tonno, house salad with Sicilian tuna in olive oil, red onion, and homemade mozzarella.

Polpette:  Family meatballs made with beef, pork, veal and amore, topped with Sunday Sauce and parmiagiano ($5-$10) include:  Meatball Sangweech, four meatballs stuffed into a fresh ciabatta; Meatball Bowl and Meatball Side.

Pizze:  Homemade mozzarella and pizza dough are made from scratch ($9-$30) and include Margherita, Saracena, Zucchine, Pesto, and Crudo with Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano shavings, arugula,  mozzarella and tomato sauce.

Zuppe:  Mama Mariaâ€s made-from-scratch soups ($6-$8) feature Lenticchie, classic lentil soup; Pastina and Minestrone.

Primi:  All pasta is made from scratch ($11-$18) and includes:  Spaghetti al Pomodoro; Fusilli al Pesto, and Tagliatelle con Gamberetti e Pomodorini, sautéed shrimp with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.

Secondi: Entrees include Parmigiana di Melanzane, classic parmigiana, pan-fried and breaded eggplant oven-baked with layers of homemade mozzarella; and Pollo al Marsala e Funghi, tender chicken filets cooked in Marsala wine sauce ($16-$18).

Roman Nose serves kid-friendly portions for children under 12 ($6-$7); side dishes ($5-$7) and guests can substitute gluten-free Quinoa-Corn Penne Pasta for their pasta dishes ($2 additional).

If you go

Roman Nose, Authentic Italian Kitchen

124 Newark Ave, JC

(201) 360-2176

www.romannosejc.com

Hours: Tues-Fri 12-10 pm

Sat-Sun 11-10 pm

Closed Mondays

The post Mom’s Family Recipes with a Dash of Heart- Roman Nose brings Flavors of Southern Italy to Downtown JC first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

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, itâ€s a huge win for the team.

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 donâ€t say we have guests. We have fans. Before the shift starts, I tell my staff we have a big game tonight and itâ€s not whatâ€s on TV.”

Gomezâ€s sports†analogies come from years of coaching basketball and working as a Scout. He melded those experiences with his 20 years in the restaurant business and his passion to open his own place. To find a bistro as big as HopsScotch is pretty rare these days. Thereâ€s the front dining room with a long bar alongside one wall and two levels of tables and chairs, and flatscreen TVs wherever your eyes land. If TVâ€s not your style, you can always go to the niche by the door and play darts. In the back, one side holds an area with booths and the other features a party room.

Not many restaurateurs can say they built their restaurant with their bare hands. Thatâ€s not the case with Gomez. He and his dad, Larry Gomez gutted the former Unoâ€s Pizzeria and created the restaurant to exactly what Luke Gomez wanted: a place where people come back again and again for the delicious food and wide selection of single malt scotch and craft beers straight from the tap. It took 89 days from demo –to-reno and HopsScotch opened July 2012.

“We offer quality not quantity,” Gomez says. “We offer better liquor and better food. Youâ€re not getting run of the mill French fries here, youâ€re getting pomme frittes. The quality comes from our chef Nick McCoy. Heâ€s been on the ‘Today†show and ‘Good Morning Americaâ€. Heâ€s a genius. On the menu, we have a Smoked Chicken and Waffle thatâ€s mind-bending. Not your typical chicken; not your typical waffle. We have a Pig Mac, which is ½ pound Angus beef burger, bacon and pork roll with a layer of macaroni & cheese inside the burger. Itâ€s between 6 and 8 inches high.”

HopsScotchâ€s menu offers a large selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers and “Big Bites”. Highlights from the appetizer menu include Hummus Three Ways (roasted garlic, oven-dried tomato, jalapeno); Wings (more than one pound served with a choice of traditional, fire, honey sesame or BBQ-spiced sauces; Crab Cake, Spinach & Artichoke Dip; and a Warm Bavarian Pretzel.

Burgers feature the Cowboy, hickory BBQ, HopsScotch beer cheese, and onion ring; HopsScotch Burger with roasted garlic, caramelized onion and HopsScotch beer cheese; the Big Larry, an Angus beef burger with pork roll, bacon marmalade and fried mac ‘n cheese; and the Garden State, a black bean or samosa burger..(Customers can switch out the burger and replace it with chicken.)

The menu’s Big Bites include Allagash Battered Fish and Chips, house-cut Kennebec frites Rauchbier tartar sauce and charred lemon; Mac N Cheese of the Week; a German Sausage Platter of bratwurst, knockwurst and weisswurst with sauerkraut, spaetzle and pickled mustard seed; Herbed Salmon Roulade with quinoa, kale, baby carrot, pea puree, and charred lemon; Grilled Sirloin with roasted garlic, creamed baby spinach and Lyonnaise potato and jus; and Crab Spaetzle with spring vegetable fricassée and lemon-thyme butter.

Gomez named his bistro HopsScotch for the playfulness of his pub and for the large amount of craft brews and single malt scotch he offers his customers. Twenty taps on the brick wall behind the bar spout frothy brews right from the line. They are categorized on the HopsScotch menu according to Hoppy, Toasted & Nutty, Crisp & Bright, and Strange & Boozy. Craft beers are known for their mix of flavors and crazy names and on a recent visit, the offerings included Ballast Point Dead Ringer Oktoberfest, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Forgotten Boardwalk Funnel Cake.

Scotch is served according to region. Hereâ€s a sampling: Highlands: Dalmore 12, Dalwhinnie, and Glengoyne; Lowlands: Glenkinchie 10, Macallan Speymalt and Glenfiddich. Thereâ€s Islay and Island scotch, too. Single malt scotch can get pricey and Gomez keeps his shots in the $11-$30 range. He also keeps a bottle of Macallan 30 Fine Oak scotch behind closed doors; it sells for $125 a shot.

“Thatâ€s in case LeBron James comes walking in,” Gomez laughs.

Gomez believes that attention to detail keeps customers happy and his team on the ball. There are board games like Connect 4 and Trivial Pursuit to play at your table. Sports games are broadcast on all 22 TVs; with trivia and poker tourneys held during the week. Thereâ€s live music every Friday, too.  Gomez offers a little bit of everything to keep customers returning as regulars.

“Iâ€m ‘old-schoolâ€,” Gomez says. “I donâ€t really believe social media will make a good restaurant. It takes good food and drink. Our food is outstanding. Word of mouth works for us.”

If you go

HopsScotch

286 Washington St, JC

(201) 451-4677

www.hopsscotchjc.com

Hours: Mon-Wed: 11 am – 1 am

Thurs, Fri: 11 am – 2 am

Sat: 10:30 am – 2 am

Sun: 10:30 am – 1 am

Menu: hopsscotchjc.com

Gomez believes that attention to detail keeps customers happy and his team on the ball. There are board games like Connect 4 and Trivial Pursuit to play at your table. Sports games are broadcast on all 22 TVs; with trivia and poker tourneys held during the week. Thereâ€s live music every Friday, too.  Gomez offers a little bit of everything to keep customers returning as regulars.

“Iâ€m ‘old-schoolâ€,” Gomez says. “I donâ€t really believe social media will make a good restaurant. It takes good food and drink. Our food is outstanding. Word of mouth works for us.”

If you go

HopsScotch

286 Washington St, JC

(201) 451-4677

www.hopsscotchjc.com

Hours: Mon-Wed: 11 am – 1 am

Thurs, Fri: 11 am – 2 am

Sat: 10:30 am – 2 am

Sun: 10:30 am – 1 am

Menu: hopsscotchjc.com

The post RECESS FOR GROWN-UPS At HopsScotch Bar & Restaurant, It’s all about Food, Drink & Games first appeared on River View Observer.

Rita & Joeâ€s New Chef adds Hip to the Menu

Seasonings are Key to Great Flavors

By Sally Deering

Nestled in Jersey Cityâ€s Marion Section, west of Journal Square, Rita & Joeâ€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

Fast forward to 2015. Rita & Joeâ€s celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year, but instead of relying on the old standbys, Isabel “Izzy” Pane (Ritaâ€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 & Joeâ€s menu with a contemporary take on tradition. Ritaâ€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 wonâ€t find store-bought pastas at this restaurant; everything is made fresh and to order.“Our big change is weâ€re focusing on fresh made pastas, fresh ingredients, and more up-to-date cooking techniques so we can cater to a wider variety of people,” Chef Stephen says. “Iâ€m focusing on seasonal food; itâ€s not the same menu all year long. As the ingredients are available; thatâ€s what weâ€ll use.”

The homemade pasta dishes include Salmon Cappelletti with melted leeks and peas, and a white wine cream; Radiatore Vongole with garlic, grape tomatoes, white wine and crispy leeks; Fettuccine Putanesca with Kalamata and green olives, caper berries, anchovies and marinara; Gnocchi Fresca with fresh tomato, spring onion, asparagus and white wine; Ricotta Strangliopretti with oven-dried tomatoes, roasted eggplant, fennel and shaved ricotta salata; Manicotti Fatto, home-made manicotti shells stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella cheese, shrimp and broccoli rabe in a pink vodka sauce; and Mezzaluna made with shrimp, leeks, tomato and saffron sauce. ($10.95-$16.95)

Antipasto dishes feature Stuffed Peppadew Peppers with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, artichoke hearts and cherry peppers; Fried Calamari; Grilled Octopus; Ritaâ€s Meatballs; Brasaola Carpaccio; and Truffle Gnocchi and Meatballs. ($7.95-$12.95) Insalata (salads) include the Orange and Fennel; Caesar; and Baby Spinach. ($6.95; add Shrimp or Chicken for $5.95) Pizzas are the Margarita; Prosciutto; Funghi; and Sausage and Peppers. ($8.95-$11.95)

The Entratas (entrees) offer a kaleidoscope of flavors like the Grilled Bronzino with charred lemon vinaigrette, broccoli rabe, crispy pancetta and red bliss potatoes; Roasted Salmon with oven-roasted tomato risotto, grilled fennel and a tomato fennel broth; Grilled Teres Major with Rosemary roasted potatoes, green beans, and red wine jus; Grilled Twin Pork Chops with asparagus, mushroom, potato hash and pomegranate balsamic drizzle; Chicken Montebianco, two chicken breasts layered with prosciutto, spinach and shrimp in a sherry cream sauce; Chicken Sorrentino with prosciutto, fried eggplant, mozzarella cheese combined with chicken breast and sherried marinara sauce; and Braised Short Ribs with parmesan mashed potatoes, baby carrots and barolo jus. ($15.95-$25.95)

“We have the classics, too,” Izzy says, “like our Chicken Cardinal with roasted peppers, prosciutto, sautéed shrimp and mozzarella; and our Eggplant Parmigiana, which is available all the time. So is the Chicken Parmigiana. These are Ritaâ€s recipes from when we first opened and they are always on the menu.”

Chef Stephen honors the traditional recipes that Rita & Joeâ€s has served to their customers over the years, but heâ€s added his own contemporary twist. And if a customer requests something thatâ€s not on the menu, just like another Rita & Joeâ€s tradition, Chef Stephen says he will always try to fulfill the request.

“As long as I have the ingredients, thereâ€s no reason for me to say no,” Chef Stephen says. “We will always try to accommodate everybody.”

Chef Stephen brings to Rita & Joeâ€s a passion for cooking that goes back to when he was a kid watching his parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts create dishes for the family meals.

“In my family, everyoneâ€s a good cook,” Chef Stephen says. “We would have these big family dinners at Grandmaâ€s house in Spotswood. Russian food was our big staple. Weâ€d have 30-40 people gathered around the table on holidays.”

At Rita & Joeâ€s there are daily specials; and they make their own desserts. The restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner; and thereâ€s a banquet room adjacent to the restaurant for Christenings, baby showers, graduation parties, wedding receptions and corporate functions.

And although Jersey Cityâ€s Marion section continues to undergo change – the new Mana Contemporary art museum and art storage facility is located just down the street – Rita & Joeâ€s continues to be a neighborhood staple and go-to destination for traditional Italian cuisine.

“Weâ€ve been here 30 years,” Izzy says. “Weâ€ve become one of Jersey Cityâ€s landmarks.”

If you go

Rita & Joeâ€s

142 Broadway, JC

(201) 451-3606

www.rita-joes.com

Kitchen opens: Mon-Thurs, 11:30 am – 9:45 pm

Fri, 11:30 am – 10:45 pm; Sat, 1 – 10:45 pm

Sun, 1 pm – 9 pm

 

The post Rita and Joe’s Traditional Italian Cuisine with Contemporary Flair first appeared on River View Observer.

WHAT JERSEY CITY RESTAURANTS USED TO BE

By Sally Deering

 Few Jersey City restaurants look like they did back in the day; and very few were around in the 1960s like The Barge Inn restaurant a little jewel in Jersey Cityâ€s crown. The Barge Inn serves Italian cuisine made from recipes handed down through generations. Thatâ€s why the food is so delicious – itâ€s authentic.

Owners Linda and Peter “Bitsy” Paldino run the restaurant which Lindaâ€s dad John Marto opened in 1969. Linda remembers when Anne Polaro, sister to former Jersey City Mayor Anthony Cucci painted the murals depicting Italian scenes on the restaurantâ€s walls.

“Mayor Cucci was a friend of my dadâ€s,” Linda says. “I watched her do them; it took her two weeks.”

Marto, who is now 85 regularly comes around to lend a hand and make sure the restaurant runs smoothly; but Linda and Bitsy are in charge these days with Bitsy cooking alongside Chef Jose Marti in the kitchen; and Linda running the front of the restaurant. Their philosophy is simple, she says.

“We want everybody who comes here to feel warm and welcome and enjoy great food,” Linda says. “Everything we serve we make at home. We donâ€t skimp. We use good meat from Maloneyâ€s meat market on Newark Avenue; and everything we serve is cooked to order.”

Lunch specials are served 11:30 am-3 pm, Monday through Friday, and you can order dishes like Melanzane Parmagiana (eggplant with mozzarella and tomato sauce); Broiled Basa (fresh filet with butter and lemon); Homemade Meatballs; Thin Sliced NY Strip Steak on Garlic Bread with Italian Potatoes; Pork Chop Giambotta (potatoes, onions, cherry peppers, and mushrooms in brown sauce); Pollo a la Parmagiana; Ravioli; Grilled Chicken; and Trippa (tripe) in red sauce. Everything is served with soup or salad for $9.95. No kidding, $9.95!

And if you think thatâ€s a good deal, on Thursdays its “All You Can Eat Pasta Night” where for $8.95 you can have endless pasta and a glass of wine. No kidding, $8.95!

“Weâ€ve been doing ‘All You Can Eat Pasta Night†for 20 years,” Linda Paldino says. “It used to be $7.95; we raised it a dollar.”

The menu offers Italian Appetizers, Pasta, Entrees, Specialties of the House and Desserts. Appetizers include Fresh Clams on the Half Shell, Mussels Marinara, Shrimp Cocktail, Scungilli Salad, Clams Oreganata, Shrimp Scampi, Fried Calamari, Sauté Broccoli Rabé and Sauté Long Hot Peppers ($5-$15).

 Pastas feature Stuffed Rigatoni, Homemade Cheese Ravioli, Penne with Vodka Sauce, Linguini with Red or White Clam Sauce, Linguini with Garlic & Olive Oil, Linguini Marinara, and Meatball or Sausage Sides ($4-$18).

Entrees come with house salad and pasta and include seafood dishes like Basa Oreganato, Shrimp (Oreganata, Fra Diavalo, Scampi or Parmagiana), Shrimp Marinara, Fried Shrimp, Calamari Marinara over Pasta, and Broiled Lobster Tails ($20-$22; lobster tails are market price).

Specialties of the House include Pork Chops Bitsy (with potatoes, onions, sweet or hot peppers), Chicken a la Barge (with prosciutto, mozzarella, pimentos and mushrooms), Roasted Half Chicken, Chicken Breast, Chicken Milanese, Chicken Savoy and Grilled Chicken with Sauté Broccoli Rabé or Spinach and Hot Vinegar Peppers. There are several veal dishes, too, and a NY Strip Steak ($15-$24).

For dessert, Homemade Italian Cheesecake, Tartufo, and Cannoli ($5); and Espresso and Cappuccino ($2-$3).

“We are the last of the authentic Italian restaurants in Jersey City,” Linda says. “This is home-cooking to the people who live in the neighborhood, especially the young people who bring in their parents. Itâ€s a family place.”

The Barge Inn also offers a kitschy romantic setting for couples, especially with the electric fireplace. And for Valentineâ€s Day, the restaurant is offering a special $85 Surf & Turf dinner for two on Friday and Saturday nights, Feb. 13 & 14. Couples can dine on 8-oz. Filet Mignon (2) with potatoes and veggies; 8-oz. lobster tails (2) accompanied by ravioli in vodka sauce; and salad.

The Yelp.com reviews are pretty spectacular and this one from Garreth G. of Union City says it all pretty well: “Thursday nightâ€s all you can eat pasta of your choice with a glass of wine (red or white… I could just stop there and finish my review but this place deserves more….What really made the pasta delicious was the sauce. They do have a vegetarian option but I got the meat sauce which had great depth of flavor of tomato, herbs, and seasonings. I barely needed any salt and pepper. I personally had 3 plates of pasta and each time was a different type of pasta noodle…The Barge Inn has character that you rarely see any more especially with all the other restaurants popping up in DTJC.”

 Two regulars, Brian Oâ€Day and Betty Kennan stopped by on a recent Thursday night for their favorite dishes.

“I like the pork chop,” Oâ€Day says, “and Betty likes the Chicken Invotini which is Chicken Rollatini with prosciutto, mozzarella in a tomato Alfredo sauce.”

“The meatballs are great, too,” Keenan says. “They remind me of my motherâ€s.”

If you go:

The Barge Inn Restaurant

324 Third St

Jersey City

(201) 420-3268

The post Step Back in Time for Old World Italian Cuisine at the Barge Inn Restaurant in Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.

 Downtown Jersey City can now boast a new jewel in its crown, a gem of a restaurant glistening on the waterfront like a pearled onion garnishing a NY Strip.

 Taphaus biergarten opened just a couple months ago at the eastern end of 2^nd Street in Jersey City; you canâ€t get any closer than this to one of the most beautiful views of the New York Skyline and particularly the Freedom Tower. No dark corners in this eatery; instead, its family style tables in a large dining area and bar, and a menu of classic comfort food reconstructed by Chef Chris Nirschel.

Chef Nirschel has been featured on several TV shows and he calls himself a “Culinary Bad Boy”. Heâ€s worked in the food industry since he was 15; and since then, attended the French Culinary Institute in New York, and worked in several Manhattan restaurants, starting at the Knickerbocker Bar & Grill in Greenwich Village and then becoming executive chef at the Excelsior on the Upper West Side.  A TV favorite, he competed on Season 7 of FOOD NETWORK STARS and has appeared on DR. OZ. He recently hosted HOUSE OF FOOD on MTV, teaching aspiring chefs the art of cooking.

These days, Chef Nirschel can be seen regularly at Taphaus, where he designed the menu featuring dishes like Asparagus Fries, Tap Haus Mac and Buffalo Rock Shrimp ($7-$13); bratwursts like the Spicy Jalapeno and Chimichurri Beef ($11-$12); sandwiches including the Chicken & Waffle, and Ribeye Steak & Cheese ($13 ea.); and entrees like the Pan Seared Salmon, Swordfish Skewers, and the Risotto Stuffed Pepper ($18-$22).

Now in his 30s, Chef Nirschelâ€s star seems to be on the rise. He also got engaged, recently, to his fiancé Dana Ahern and the couple plans to have their wedding reception at Taphaus.

Here are Chef Nirschelâ€s Ten Ingredients:

RVO: Chef Nirschel, can you explain what makes you a “Culinary Bad Boy”?

CN: I like to be a versatile chef. I like music in the kitchen. I like to be in a good mood. I rap to my guys in the kitchen. Iâ€m a culinary bad boy with a heart of gold.

RVO: Where did you grow up?

CN: My dad was in higher education, so we traveled a lot. I was born in Connecticut, lived there for a few years, Pennsylvania for a few years, Miami for eight years. I liked it.  I was always a very social guy.

RVO: How did you get interested in cooking?

CN: I always connected with food. Iâ€ll cook all day for my family, my friends. My uncle Daveyâ€s Argentinian and he would teach me how to fish and grill. Heâ€s my favorite uncle in the world. I have so many good memories sitting around the dinner table and talking about life and food.

RVO: What is your cooking style?

CN: I cook with my heart. Here, at Taphaus I have a lot of fun creating bar food with a nice little flair.  I also create custom menus for special occasions, party menus.

RVO: At Taphaus, what are the signature dishes?

CN: There are so many options on the menu that youâ€ll want to come back just to try different things. Thatâ€s the goal. I want the guests to say I canâ€t wait to try that next time. We want to be a new-age biergarten.  Here we have the most amazing food, 48 drafts, and a great view.  Itâ€s a fun place to go, or throw a party.

RVO: To the people who eat your food, what message are you sending with every plate?

CN: I take a lot of pride in my food, the aesthetics of the plate, the portion, I want the customer to be satisfied. Getting their dollars†worth, getting something special, their experience should be the best possible and I want to make sure of that. When you go out and eat, itâ€s the full experience. I want it to be fun and yet professional so youâ€ll come back.

RVO: You teach cooking classes for kids?

CN: Itâ€s called Culinary Kids Rock! and I teach kids about food and cooking. I have an 11 year-old named Sam studying with me whoâ€s coming in tomorrow. Iâ€ve been cooking with Sam for about 8 months. He has a great palate and he comes up with great ideas. 

 RVO:  You work with non-profits, too?

CN: I work with the New Jersey Food Bank and In Godâ€s Love We Deliver. I try to reach out as much as I can. I canâ€t donate money, but I can donate my time.

RVO:  Youâ€ve become a celebrity chef and make a lot of TV appearances. Did you enjoy doing the DR. OZ show?

CN: Dr. Oz wanted me to do a gourmet dish utilizing canned ingredients for under $5 per person. I made salmon cakes and a pineapple chutney. It was pretty cool.

 RVO: Taphaus has only been open a couple months; howâ€s business?

CN: Last week, we had ten parties; this week five, and every night weâ€re filling the house.

  If you go:

Taphaus biergarten

Two 2^nd Street

Jersey City

(201) 626-6000

www.taphaus.com

Hours: Sun-Thurs, 11 am-12 midnight

Fri & Sat, 11 am-2 am

Chef Chris Nirschel

Culinary Bad Boy.com; Culinarykidsrock.com

The post The Culinary Bad Boy Ten Ingredients with Chef Chris Nirschel of Taphaus biergarten in Jersey City   first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

 During the summer months, River View Observer likes to slip into the kitchen of some of Hudsonâ€s best restaurants and shine a spotlight on the chefs who create the delicious dishes on their menus. This week, RO visited Casa Dante restaurant a few blocks north of Journal Square on Newark Avenue. Casa Dante opened 40 years ago and changed hands about 8 years ago just around the time Chef Gregg Freda came on board as Executive Chef.

Newark Ave. could use a little fixing-up, thatâ€s for sure, and it appears the street outside Casa Dante will be going through some demo to put in new street lights, but that shouldnâ€t deter a visit to Casa Dante. Once you step inside the restaurantâ€s foyer, you are immediately transported to an extremely tranquil setting where a visitor can easily relax and enjoy the traditional Italian cuisine. Another good reason: Casa Dante has its own parking lot, a rarity in Jersey City.

Casa Danteâ€s menu includes Antipasto dishes like Mozzarella in Carrozza, mozzarella, parmigiano encrusted bread, lightly fried; served with a size of the house marinara sauce; Clams Oregnata, Little Neck clams baked with oregano-seasoned bread crumbs; and Fried Calamari, tender fresh calamari lightly fried and served with lemon and a choice of sweet or hot marinara.  Salads feature the Insalada di Avocado, avocado, hearts of palm, fresh mozzarella and diced tomatoes with lemon and olive oil dressing; and Crabmeat Salad, tangy arugula, colossal crabmeat and asparagus in garlic and lemon dressing. And the House Specialty, Seafood Salad ala Dante, chilled shrimp, scungilli, calamari, diced tomato, lemon, garlic and olive oil. There are Pasta, Chicken, Veal, Seafood and Steak entrees, all traditional Italian cuisine.  Chef Freda also creates daily specials, some with a flavorful twist.

Letâ€s meet Chef Freda!

RVO: Chef Freda, what is your background and how did you get interested in cooking?

CF:  I was born in Newark and raised in Verona. Iâ€m the middle-child. My motherâ€s side of the family has always been into food. My grandfather Frank Panico was a butcher and had his own shop in Newark. My first job was in King Supermarket where I worked as a cashier while I was still in high school. I was always around food. Then my uncle Frank opened Panicoâ€s restaurant and I started out as a cook, worked my way to sous chef and chef. That was in the 90s.

 RVO:  What is your educational background?

CF: I had attended St. Johnâ€s University and studied pre-law, but the book work, the reading, that stuff I didnâ€t find interesting. I liked cooking better.  Working with food, I enjoyed it more. Itâ€s fun. Itâ€s still fun 30 years later.

RVO: Did you go to culinary school?

CF:  No, Iâ€m self-taught. I worked my way up the old way before culinary schools were popular.

RVO:  What are your responsibilities as Executive Chef?

CF: My responsibilities are pretty much everything. I oversee the kitchen.

RVO: Does Casa Dante have any signature dishes?

CF: There are certain things synonymous with Casa Dante like the Casa Dante Seafood Salad, and the Sole Francaise. We have tripe, which you donâ€t see very often. Thatâ€s an “Old World” dish. Iâ€m not crazy about Tripe, but it does give a lot of flavor to the tomato sauce itâ€s served in.

 RVO: In traditional Italian cuisine, isnâ€t tomato sauce called ‘gravyâ€?

CF:  Tomato gravy has to have meatballs, sausage, braciola, pork spare-ribs – to me, thatâ€s gravy. At Casa Dante, we sell Sicilian meatballs with pignoli nuts and raisins in them. If youâ€re from Sicily, itâ€s a classic Sicilian meatball.

RVO:  How would you describe traditional Italian cuisine?

CF: Italian food is supposed to be five ingredients. They can be whatever you want, but the dish has to be simple. The product is supposed to stand on its own. If itâ€s a veal chop, let it be the best veal chop. If its fish, let it be fresh. Itâ€s all healthy food. 

 

RVO:  You also create daily specials with a twist? Can you give an example?

CF: Theyâ€re Italian dishes but not “old Italian”. Today we have a Braised Beef Short Rib over Creamy Polenta; Swordfish Rollatini; and Wild Salmon with a Mixed Peppercorn Crust.

RVO:  Many of our readers donâ€t have a lot of time to cook when they get home from work, can you suggest a quick recipe?

CF: Hereâ€s a great summer pasta dish: Take some Jersey tomatoes, peel and seed. Chop the tomato and put it in a bowl with fresh basil, salt & pepper, and garlic. Take hot pasta, toss your hot pasta on top and drizzle some Extra Virgin olive oil on top of that. Serve it with some bread;  itâ€s a classic, simple dish.

RVO:  Who would you say is your favorite chef?

CF: The best food I ever had in my life was my grandmotherâ€s. I remember the holidays and her macaroni and meatballs and sausage. Itâ€s a pity I never got to learn from her. One time, my brother asked her to cook him a can of Chef Boyardee. So my grandmother cooked him Chef Boyardee and then she threw the pot in the garbage. She wasnâ€t going to say no to her grandson, but she was not going to use that pot again. Thatâ€s a traditional Italian grandmother.

 

 

If you go:

Casa Dante

737 Newark Ave

Jersey City

(201) 795-2750

www.casadante.com

The post Ten Ingredients: At Casa Dante, Chef Freda Creates Italian Dishes a Traditional Grandmother Would Love first appeared on River View Observer.

Kathryn Budinich Transforms her Jersey City One-Family into Supper Club

By Sally Deering

 Like many other houses in the Marion Section of Jersey City (west of Journal Square) Kathryn Budinichâ€s humble little home has a screen door, cozy rooms and a backyard – and thatâ€s about all it has in common with the other houses on the block.

 In 1999, Budinich, her husband Richie and son Mark transformed the familyâ€s modest one-family into an exclusive dining club where Budinich and her staff, including her long-time friend Mary Lou Roche serve guests in two floors of rooms decorated in Victoriana frills, figurines and frou-frou and formal table-settings in crystal and porcelain. The lighting is low, intimate and perfect for the six-course dinner Budinich serves over the course of three luxurious hours.

 A self-taught chef, Budinich learned to make Italian dishes and desserts listening to her mother, aunts and neighbors who brought in suppers when Budinich and her family worked the feasts sponsored by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church and school their children attended. Years later, Budinich opened Word of Mouth caterers and in 1999 she turned her 15 Fox Place home into a supper club. Fourteen years later, business is so good customers have to make reservations two months in advance and Budinich only opens Friday, Saturday and one other night during the week. She also had to move out of her home to accommodate the demand for reservations. 

 “One Valentineâ€s Day I needed the seating, so. I took everything out of my office and put a table and tchotchkes in there. We now called it the Library,” Budinich says. “I live in Nutley now.”

 Reservations are necessary because Budinich only opens for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights and then either Thursday or Sunday nights – depending on her schedule. She also doesnâ€t give her guests a menu with lists of dishes to choose from. Instead, Budinich and her son, Chef Mark Budinich design a seasonal menu and everyone is served the same dishes. (If youâ€re allergic to something, Budinich will accommodate your dietary needs if you contact her in advance.)

 And what a menu it is. Six courses of homemade Italian dishes that make you feel youâ€re vacationing in Naples. Yes, that good!  On a recent visit, I tasted a few dishes like Pizza Frittes, little pizzas made with lightly fried dough stuffed with cheese and topped with her sweet, delicious tomato sauce. I ate four of them and could have eaten four more. I also tried Budinichâ€s Eggplant Rollatine and it was out of his world. The eggplant was thinly sliced and light as a feather. I also tried her Meatballs with Peas. Budinichâ€s meatballs are light and tasty in her signature red sauce with plump peas a yummy addition. She stuffed Cubanelle Peppers with her own tasty bread crumb mixture and her Baked Manicotti overflowed with cheese smothered in her sweet red sauce. Everything was really delicious.

 Other classic Budinich dishes include Polenta Arrabiatta, polenta served with a hot and spicy sausage sauce; Shrimp in White Wine Sauce; Baked Mussels; Chicken Saltimbocca; Baked Homemade Manicotti with Budinichâ€s “Sunday” Gravy and Asparagus and Cream Pasta.

Budinich serves guests who travel from all over the world including Australia, Italy and Hawaii to eat her cuisine; 15 Fox Place has a mailing list of 9,000. Itâ€s also a terrific venue for weddings and private parties and thereâ€s an outdoor patio for guests who prefer dining under the stars in summer.

 15 Fox Place has been favorably reviewed by Zagat and Yelp customers who have given the dining club a five-star rating. The New York Times also favorably reviewed 15 Fox Place and Budinich and her restaurant were just featured in a segment on TVâ€s Pix 11.  All this attention is great for business, Budinich says, but she doesnâ€t do it for the reviews, she cooks because she loves what she does.

 “Every day is a party and every day Iâ€m making people happy,” Budinich says. “When people come here, they have a different attitude than when they go to a restaurant. Theyâ€re coming for the experience. Itâ€s a happy place.”

 If you go:

15 Fox Place

Jersey City

Fri, Sat nights; and, either Thurs. or Sun. nights

Reservations Required

 (201) 333-1476

www.womcatering.com

For info, email: staff@womcatering.com

 

The post 15 Fox Place in Jersey City Puts the Home in Home Cooking first appeared on River View Observer.