By Sally Deering

Nestled in the historic Paulus Hook section of downtown Jersey City, Ameliaâ€s Bistro on Warren Street is a warm, welcoming and beautiful restaurant with a lovely menu. As soon as you enter the corner bistro, the vibe is welcoming and the attentive staff greets you at the door with a smile. Designed with an artful eye, the restaurant is reminiscent of the bistros in Paris with its muted gold walls, dark wood accents, white tablecloths and stained glass low-hanging lamps dimly lit over the bar and throughout the dining room. 

When you are brought to your table, the waiter takes out a very large “ink stamp” and stamps the white butcher paper on top of the tablecloths, a unique way to inform you of the dayâ€s specials. For a recent lunch, the specials were Lobster Bisque; a Thai Steak Salad; and Caper Crusted Sole Sandwich.  I tried the sole and it was magnificent, moist and flakey and the artichoke hearts nestled on the home-made Foccaccia bread (baked on the premises) were a great tangy addition to the fish. The accompanying French fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – sheer perfection on a plate.

 

Ameliaâ€s serves Small Plates like the Minted Risotto Balls; Shrimp Lemon Cerviche; Spicy Red Pepper Sausage; and Tuna Tartar. Flat Bread (Pizza) features the Chorizo, Wild Mushroom, and Smoked Gouda; and the Maine Lobster & Roasted Garlic Mascarpone.

 

The bistro also serves Crostini – mini portions of flatbreads topped with interesting combinations like the Cannellini Bean, Basil and Tomato; Smoked Salmon, Ricotta, Citrus and Cilantro; and Shrimp, Tomato, Cilantro and Avocado. I tried the Manchego, Fig Jam, Marcona Almond; the Chorizo, Roasted Peppers and Reggiano and the Hummus, Feta, Roasted Peppers and Pesto crostinis and they were light, flavorful and fabulous.

 

Along with the soup of the day, Ameliaâ€s serves a White Bean & Escarole Soup, which was delicious. The bistro also offers Entrée Salads like the Pear & Gorgonzola; Sliders including the Mini Kobe Burgers; and Crab Cakes; and Sandwiches featuring the Braised Short Rib; the Chipotle Club; Roasted Turkey Reuben and the Grilled Ham & Gruyere.

 

Pasta dishes like the Truffled Mac & Cheese; Penne & Sweet Sausage; and Maine Lobster Fettuccini are offered along with Fish and Meat entrees like the Seafood Paella; Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass; Beer Battered Fish and Chips; Chicken Sauvignon; Cracked Pepper Herb Fried Chicken and Salt Rubbed Strip Steak.

 

The Dessert Menu had some yummy choices including the Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Sundae; New York High Cheesecake; and the Homemade Skillet Apple Cobbler, which was served warm from the oven with a side of vanilla ice cream – out of this world delish!

 

On Saturdays and Sundays, Ameliaâ€s serves Brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there are lots of great choices including Caramel Crunch Brioche French Toast; Fresh Buttermilk Pancakes; Salmon Pizzette; Southern Apple Chicken Sausage and Biscuits; and Crepes served in a myriad of ways, like the Seafood crepe, the Apple Cobbler Sausage Crepe and the Strawberry Banana Crepe.

 

Thereâ€s an extensive wine menu and after dinner drink offerings include Cognac, Grappa, Single Malt Scotch, Dessert Beer, Dessert Wines, Coffee Drinks and Dessert Martinis. And while the main floor dining room is beautiful; thereâ€s also a lovely dining room downstairs for private parties.  Ameliaâ€s caters on and off premises and they do a swell take-out delivery service to nearby office buildings.

 

For a cozy and delicious dining experience, try a visit to Ameliaâ€s on Warren Street.  Youâ€re sure to become one of the many regulars who slip in almost daily to dine in this friendly neighborhood bistro.

 

Ameliaâ€s Bistro

187 Warren Street Jersey City, NJ (201) 332-2200

www.ameliasbistro.com

Hours:  Mon-Fri: 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sat and Sun: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sat, Sun Brunch: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The post Amelia’s Bistro, Welcoming and Wow! first appeared on River View Observer.