Itâ€s January and the winter blahs are knocking on the door, but that doesnâ€t mean you have to sit home with another Lean Cuisine. Why not skip the frozen dinner, throw on your overcoat and head out for some yummy neighborhood dining during Hudson Restaurant Week and a night of yummy delights at A Taste of Hoboken. Both events are a terrific way to spice up these cold wintery days – and nights.

 On Tues, Jan. 22, A Taste of Hoboken, the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA’s annual gala fundraiser celebrates its 22^nd anniversary. It will be held at Stevens Institute of Technologyâ€s Canavan Arena in Hoboken with 40 restaurants, bakeries and cafes participating. These eateries will be offering tasty bites from the dishes on their menus and some chef surprises, too.  And for the first time since A Taste of Hoboken started all those years ago guests will have the opportunity to sample beer and wine from all over the world. 

 Proceeds from A Taste of Hoboken will go to the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA which recently received the approval of a $500,000 grant by the Hoboken City Council to finish the $15 million construction of new “single apartments” at the Yâ€s Washington Street location.

 Tickets to A Taste of Hoboken are $60 for general admission; $80 if you want to go to the 6 pm Champagne Reception prior to the gala. Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets. If you decide to get your tickets at the door, add $10 to those ticket prices. And donâ€t forget to bring your dancing shoes! Music will be provided by Swingadelic.

Less than a week later, starting Mon, Jan. 28 and running through Fri, Feb. 8^th more than 35 eateries in Hoboken, Jersey City, Bayonne and Weehawken will serve up prix-fix menus at discount prices. Lunches will start at $12 and dinners will cost no more than $35, not including alcohol, taxes or gratuities.

Hudson Restaurant Week began in 2005 as a culinary celebration to promote Hudson County as a premier dining destination in New Jersey. Held twice during the year, in January and July, Hudson Restaurant Week continues to gain popularity and attract foodies from all over the tri-state area.  

Every year new restaurants jump on board, too, and this yearâ€s newbies are The Fig Tree, Raaz, Ruthâ€s Chris Steak House, Pilsener Haus, Las Olas Sushi, VB3, Goodfellas, O’Hara’s Downtown, and Skylark on the Hudson. Eateries that are back for another year include 3Forty Grill, Amandaâ€s, Chart House, Maritime Parc, Liberty House and Light Horse Tavern. To see a full list of participating restaurants visit www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com.

Hudson Restaurant Weekâ€s organizer Tamara Remedios of Xplore Communications offers some fun aspects to Hudson Restaurant Week with“Tweet from your Seat” where if you tweet #hudsonrw from your seat you might be eligible to have your meal free. You can use that same hashtag — #hudsonrw – and instagram your food photos.

“We are excited to celebrate Restaurant Week for its ninth year,” Remedios says. “It has become a part of Hudson County culture to celebrate the culinary scene and support our local economy. Now, especially after Sandy, our community businesses need help recovering. So we encourage all to eat and shop local this year.”

If you go:

 

Tues, Jan. 22, 7 pm (6 pm Champage Reception)

A Taste of Hoboken

Stevenâ€s Institute of Technology

Canavan Arena

Castle Point on Hudson

Hoboken

For tickets: http://tasteofhoboken.bpt.me/.)

 

Mon, Jan. 28-Fri, Feb. 8

Hudson Restaurant Week

For info: www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com

 

 

The post Calling all Foodies! Hudson Restaurant Week and A Taste of Hoboken invite Foodies to Feast first appeared on River View Observer.

Food-service businesses are earning $0.10 per gallon for used cooking oil, thanks to partnership between Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, Destination Jersey City and Grease Lightning

February 16, 2011, Jersey City, NJ -Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) CEO Steve Lipski announced today that the cooking oil recycling program launched late last month is off to a great start with 58 local, food-service enterprises now participating.

The program, a partnership between the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, Destination Jersey City and Unity Fuels’ Grease Lightning, pays participating food-service organizations 10¢ per gallon for used cooking oil. The Jersey City Medical Center, Courtyard Marriott, Hyatt Regency Jersey City, Westin Jersey City, and more than 50 area restaurants have come on board with the program.

 “This really is a win-win for participants and for our community. There are no costs to the food-service participants; in fact, they can make money. And, our community is assured that this waste is removed and recycled safely and legally, and that it is transformed into an eco-smart fuel,” Mr. Lipski said.

 Grease Lightning, a Unity Fuels company, provides participants with free storage containers, collects the used cooking oil, and then processes it into the recycled vegetable oil (RVO) that is sent to local refineries for conversion into a clean, renewable diesel fuel substitute called biodiesel.

 Destination Jersey City Director of Tourism Lauren Hall, who has been handling awareness building with Jersey City food-service establishments, said there has been a very favorable response to the program.

 “Every one of the food-service establishments that learns about the program is very excited because if they sign up for it, they are saving money by not having to pay to have the used cooking oil removed from their premises, and they are actually making 10¢ for every gallon that’s removed,” Ms. Hall said.

 Mr. Lipski said that all Jersey City restaurants, delis, school cafeterias, hotels and food manufacturers are invited to participate.

 The contractual agreement and other information about the program may be obtained by visiting the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation website (www.jcedc.org) or www.DestinationJerseyCity.com, or by phoning Grease Lightning/Unity Fuels at 973-531-7816 and visiting their website www.yourwasteourfuel.com.

 The following is a list of food-service organizations participating in the Grease Lightning Recycling Program:

 

 
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The post 58 Jersey City Restaurants, Delis and Hotels —Plus a Hospital — Are Turning Grease into Green first appeared on River View Observer.