Cuban hats adorn the windows and traditional Cuban cuisine graces the plates at Fort Leeâ€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 caféâ€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.

“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.”

Vicenteâ€s mother no longer could be his chef, so Vicente closed down shop and worked for others restaurateurs, running Karaoke nights in Jersey City Clubs and then doing PR for a Cuban restaurant in Edgewater. Several years after moving from Hudson to Bergen County, Vicente, with his partner Matos seized the opportunity to open a Main Street bistro.

“Cuban food is universally accepted by people outside the Latin community,” Vicente says. “The reason people are coming back to Babalu is because the food is good. But Iâ€m not the cook. Iâ€m the chief bottle-washer.”

The menu is all Cuban with items like Seafood soup which is traditionally served on Fridays; Chicken, and a Black Bean soup, which, on a recent visit, one customer described as delicious with beans served in a light broth rather than a thick paste ($3-$9.99).

Another popular favorite at Babalu is the Cuban sandwich made with pork, ham and turkey. A new sandwich Vicente plans to add to the menu on Valentineâ€s Day comes from Fidel Castroâ€s daughter Elena: the Babalu Turkey Jam made with turkey, cream cheese and strawberry preserves on Cuban bread toasted on a Panini press.

Sandwiches also include Babaluâ€s Bistec, Sandwich de Polo, Sandwich de Polo Asado, Media Noche (marinated roast pork), Shredded Pork, and Fried Spanish Sausage with Lettuce and Tomato ($5.99-$6.99). Appetizers include Chicken, Beef, or Cheese Empanadas ($2.50).

Platters feature the Churrasco Babalu – Skirt Steak with house Chimichuri sauce; Bistec de Palomilla – Sirloin Steak seasoned with garlic and Mojo with carmelized onions; and Pechuga ala Pancha, grilled chicken breast marinated in garlic and lemon ($9.95-$19.95).

Desserts include Flan, Bread Pudding and Tres Leches ($4-$4.50). There are traditional Cuban Shakes, too, like the Mango, Papaya and Guava ($4.50).

Vicente relies on a team of cooks – Jose Ramos, Mileidy Plata and Wendy Alvarado. – to create the menuâ€s traditional Cuban dishes and daily specials.

“I wanted to open a Cuban eatery because I wanted to add a little bit of our culture to the community,” Vicente says. “Iâ€m going to get Ricky Ricardoâ€s conga drum, put the Cuban flag on it, and put it right there in the middle of the window.”

If you go
Babalu Cuban Café
302-304 Main St, FTLEE
(201) 482-4989
Hours: Mon-Sun, 10 am-8 pm

The post Cuban & Main – Fort Lee’s Main Street just got hotter with Babalu Cuban Café first appeared on River View Observer.

To Debut in West New York next month.

 For the first time in HudsonCounty there will be an outdoor, three seasons market, offering, art, vintage clothing, jewelry, collectibles, toys, antiques and more. Located on Port Imperial Blvd, in West New York and sandwiched between P.F. Changâ€s Restaurant and the A&P Supermarket, the Riverwalk Outdoor Market will open for business in July.

 According to spokesperson Raul Vicente Jr, The Riverwalk Market will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm staring July 13^th and running through to October 31. On July 13^th the market will open with a ribbon cutting by West New York Mayor Felix Roque, town commissioners or a representative. Family oriented activities including face painting, balloon sculpting, childrenâ€s†tattoos and costumed cartoon characters posing with families will also mark the opening.

According to Vicente vendors are still being sought in a number of categories and anyone interested in submitting an application for a 10â€x16†space can email the market manager at hpg@consultant.com.

On Grand Opening day and thereafter, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm as many as 50 or more vendors will set up on designated spaces throughout the Lot. “Ultimately, the Riverwalk Outdoor Market will host 150 vendors“, said Vicente. The Riverwalk Outdoor Market will be operated by the Hudson Promo Group; a new Fort Lee based start-up.

The Riverwalk Outdoor Market will welcome antique and vintage dealers, juried independent designers and artisans, craftsman and women and a small but special selection of food trucks. All vendors will be chosen to achieve a great variety of merchandise and the food will include a small variation of great American favorites like hamburgers, hotdogs, and corn on the cob, juices, drinks and other specialty foods which are not available at the Riverwalk Place Shopping Promenade.

“Weâ€re going to make sure that we donâ€t compete with stores located at Riverwalk Place, “said Vicente. “In fact“, he added, “we will be directing shoppers to the Riverwalk Stores to insure that they benefit from any outside traffic which might be generated by the Market.”

The market will be THE PLACE to shop for surprises each week, enjoy family activities and make new friends. The market is also a way to bring the families of the various surrounding Waterfront properties out for a nice fun filled shopping experience practically in their own front yard, said Vicente. At the same time local residents can find that collectible they have been looking for, that one of a kind custom set of earrings or that piece of art that the bare space on their living room wall has been waiting for.

Next season the market will be open from April to October making it possible for Waterfront residents and their neighbors to shop in the spring, summer and fall.

Community children will be able to interact with each other in soft activities and games including a new game or activity each weekend just for them. Street chalking, hop scotch contests and

Hoola-hooping, are just a few of the many fun things kids will be able to do.

So run, walk, skate, cycle or just step out of your front door……”come to market with us”…where you can find the expected and unexpected.

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The post Vendors Needed for Riverwalk Market- An Outdoor Bazaar of Delights for Hudson’s Waterfront first appeared on River View Observer.