By Sally Deering

 

Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars†owner and Executive Chef Nick Vazquez was just a kid when his family moved to the states in 1960 and settled in Hudson. Vasquez attended local schools, but learned he had a passion for cooking while watching his mom create traditional Cuban dishes in the family kitchen. Years later, Vazquez rekindled his passion and in 1995 opened Azúcar, his first restaurant in Edgewater. He closed the business ten years later and opened Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars in Jersey City, where his motherâ€s recipes highlight the menu.

Step inside Azúcar and itâ€s like a step back in time to a 1950s Cuban bistro where above the reception area a huge “Cuba” poster showing a Latina dressed in a 1950s cabaret costume catches your eye. Stroll to the right and youâ€re in the bar, an inviting, low-lit atmosphere with black tables and chairs upholstered in faux leopard. The room is cozy and cool especially with the large overhead fan that creates wafting breezes below. To the left, there are two dining rooms that seat 120 comfortably.

From the bar you can either step outside to the patio and drink under the stars or take the stairs to the second floorâ€s cigar room where cigar aficionados retreat to the only smoking lounge in Hudson County. This dark cozy hideaway with big comfy couches invites guests to stretch out and smoke one of the many cigar choices that range from $10-$30. (Sorry, no Cuban cigars; theyâ€re still embargoed.) Drinks and food are served in the cigar lounge and smokers can choose from a menu of rums from around the world. There are tables for dominos and chess, too.

Azúcarâ€s manager Lauren Vazquez is the daughter of owner Nick Vazquez and she oversees the familyâ€s Jersey City restaurant. (Thereâ€s also an Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars in Coral Gables, Florida.) Lauren upholds her fatherâ€s high standards of hospitality and ensures Azúcarâ€s guests are well fed and their experience is so memorable theyâ€ll come back again and again.

“We have a nice clientele,” Lauren says. “Weâ€ve had customers follow us for years. Theyâ€re loyal – at least 25 regulars come back once a week.”

Azúcar is the only multi-cultural restaurant in the area and that has a lot to do with its popularity. Lauren says: “People from all over the world, China, Germany, London, Brazil come here to eat. We just had the Mexican National Soccer team. All the coaches and reporters came here and had dinner. They won 4-to-1.”

Lauren attributes the success of the family restaurant to her fatherâ€s talents as a restaurateur.

“My father was the first chef, he did everything,” Lauren says. “He never went to culinary school; he just studied his mom in the kitchen and thatâ€s how he learned.  My grandmother is about sticking with Cuban traditional food and my father follows that tradition.”

On a recent afternoon, I visited Azúcar and Lauren shared some of the restaurantâ€s most popular dishes like the Tipicos Antojos Cubanos – three tiers of appetizers that are out of this world and include Ham Croquetas, Chiccarron de Pollo, deep-fried marinated chicken morsels on the bone; Yuka Frita, golden cassava fries served with cilantro dip; Beef Empanada; Masitas, morsels of deep-fried pork; and Tamal en Hoja, corn meal cooked with pork and onions.  We also shared Azúcarâ€s traditional El Cubano Grande – Cuban Sandwich. Lauren says lots of people come to Azúcar for the El Cubano Grande and itâ€s clear to see why – itâ€s one of the best in town.

Azúcarâ€s menu is quite extensive with Tapas de la Madre Patria (appetizers) that include Chorizo La Union, Spanish sausage pan-roasted with onions, peppers and finished off with a white wine; and Gambas Catalan al Ajillo, classic Spanish shrimp cooked in garlic infused extra virgin olive oil. Carne de la Finca (meat dishes) feature “La Soltera” Dona Rosita, a grilled double-cut marinated center-cut pork chop; and the Bistec Empanizado Campestre, breaded and deep-fried lime-marinated sirloin steak called “El Grande” and Chef Nickâ€s favorite. Pescador Del Mar dishes include the Camarones Enchilados (seafood), jumbo shrimp cooked in a spicy tomato creole sauce; and Pollo Classico (chicken) dishes feature the Pollo en salsa de Enchilados, boneless chopped chicken cooked in a spicy shrimp-based creole sauce.

A wine connoisseur, Nick Vazquez designed a wine list that won Wine Spectatorâ€s Best of Award of Excellence three years in a row.

Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars is a divine place to wine and dine and savor a fine cigar. That seems to be Nick Vazquezâ€s philosophy and he even put words to that effect above the chef stationâ€s window. It reads, “Come y bebe la vida es breve,” which in English means:

“Eat and drink because life is short.”

If you go:

Azúcar Cuban Cuisine & Cigars

495 Washington Blvd

Jersey City

(201) 222-0090

www.Azúcarcubancuisine.com

Hours: Tues-Thurs, 11:30 am to 11 pm

Fri, 11:30 am to 12 pm

Sat, 3 pm to 2 am

Closed Sun and Mon

The post Some Like it Hot! Azúcar Cuban Cuisine and Cigars: Tasty Cuban Dishes and a Smokin’ Cigar Room first appeared on River View Observer.

Houlihanâ€s restaurant has always been a big attraction on the Weehawken waterfront. Located in Lincoln Harbor with stunning views of the New York Skyline, Houlihanâ€s offers customers a hearty lunch and dinner menu, divine drinks and delish desserts and even though itâ€s been a Weehawken staple, the restaurantâ€s standards are as high as the day it opened.

The décor is cool and the atmosphere cozy with overstuffed booths and tables that give patrons enough space to hold a private conversation. The three-sided bar is large enough for groups to gather to watch their favorite games on the big HD TVs and the lighting, warm and relaxing.

 “Weâ€re very customer-oriented,” general manager Keith Miller says. “Our goal is to make every customer a repeat customer. Regulars and repeat customers are the pulse of the restaurant.”

If the customers are the pulse, the food is Houlihanâ€s heart and soul. The cuisine is Asian, Italian and American-inspired. Everything is cooked to order and only fresh ingredients are used.

“Everything we make is fresh every day,” Miller says. “A long time ago Houlihanâ€s slogan was ‘fresh not frozen†and it still explains what we do. Weâ€re one of the few chains that make our dishes from scratch every day.”

The lunch menu offers smaller-sized versions of the dishes served on the dinner menu. It features Appetizers, Small Plates, Entrees, Frites Bar, Salads and Sandwiches. Appetizers include Wings, Golden Fried Chicken Fingers, Crispy Calamari, Ultimate Nachos, Blackened Chicken and Caramelized Onion Quesadilla, Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Stuffed “Shrooms”.                I sampled the Shrooms which were Panko crusted and crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Absolutely delicious!

Small Plates include Asian Style Ribs, Goat Cheese and Artichoke Poppers, Mac and Cheese, and Seared Sea Scallops served with mashed potatoes and veggies. The scallops were sweet with a yummy crunchy top and the mashed, buttery and divine. The broccoli was cooked just right. Entrees feature Down Home Pot Roast, Chicken Parmesan, Grilled Rosemary Chicken, and Chipotle-Smoked Chicken Enchiladas.

Entrée Salads include Classic Chicken Caesar, Heartland Chicken Salad, Buffalo Bleu Salad, Mandarin Grilled Chicken Salad, BBQ Salmon Salad and the House Salad, which was fresh, light and topped with a combination of mild white cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.

The dinner menu features steaks, prime rib and seafood dishes like Scallops served over Lemon Risotto. Desserts are homemade and the Crunch Pie made with Snickers and vanilla ice cream in an Oreo cookie crust sounds absolutely divine.

The owners of Weehawkenâ€s Houlihanâ€s also own Houlihanâ€s in Bayonne and Secaucus and they must be doing something right because the wait person who served my table, Heather Zahn has been with the company since 2003. Zahn, a North Bergen resident, first started at Houlihanâ€s while studying for a Bachelorâ€s Degree at New Jersey City University and after graduation, she stays on staff while embarking on a career in theater.

“The staff is like my second family,” Zahn says. “Thereâ€s camaraderie here and I wholly enjoy the people I work with. I like what I do and overall my employers have been very good to me.”

Delicious food and a happy staff that serves your freshly-prepared meals with a smile – sounds like the perfect recipe to make any Houlihanâ€s first-timer into a regular.

If you go:

Houlihanâ€s  1200 Harbor Boulevard Weehawken, NJ 201-863-4000

www.houlihans.com

(Houlihanâ€s in Bayonne) 151 LeFante Way Bayonne, NJ 07002 (201) 858-0400

(Houlihanâ€s in Secaucus) 700 Plaza Drive Secaucus, NJ 07094 (201) 330-8856

The post Houlihan’s, Still Delicious After All These Years in Weehawken first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

Maybe itâ€s the shiny chrome and Formica counter tops that draws us in or the beauty of the chocolate layer cakes beaming through the pastry fridge window? Then again, it could be the first bite of a juicy cheeseburger, the rich dark coffee or the eggs served just right. New Jersey has some fine restaurants, thereâ€s no doubt, but our kinship with diners is as binding as meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Riverview Diner on River Road in North Bergen has been a go-to spot on the diner directory since Tommy Mavronasios opened the place back in 1982. It became ‘all in the family†when Mavronasios introduced his daughters, Olga, Cindy and Vivian to the business and then sent them off to college. After graduation, the girls came back to Riverview to share their time managing the restaurant with their dad.

“Dad is boss,” Cindy says on a recent afternoon as she greets and seats a constant flow of customers. “He has high standards and wants everything to be right.”

In August, Tommy Mavronasios decided to give Riverview a more modern look, updating the restaurantâ€s exterior to fit in with the revitalization of River Road, its new townhouses on the Hudson and shopping centers with big box department stores like Target. Step inside and Riverviewâ€s new interior is diner cool with booths in warm tones of dark wood, burnt orange and bronze. Directly over each table, a drum light casts a warm glow in contrast to the bright light reflecting off the shiny silver chrome accents of the counter lined with orange-upholstered, swiveling stools. A big-screen TV hangs over one section of the fresh-pastry counter and divider that connects to the dining room where tables of four are nestled within rows of booths that face New York and River Road. Everything is new except one thing, Cindy says:  “We left the old register.”

Riverview Dinerâ€s menu is vast with traditional fare and a new addition of dishes for those who prefer a more health-conscious choice.  The “Breakfast Anytime” menu features Old Fashioned French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Golden Brown Pancakes, Omelets, Bagels, Muffins and Cereal.  For lunch, customers can choose from Overstuffed Deli Sandwiches; Char-Broiled Burgers, Pita and Croissant Sandwiches. Dinner features Steaks & Chops, Italian Favorites, Hot Open Sandwich Platters, Broiled, Fried and Stuffed Fish; Cold Salad Platters; and Greek Specialties. Thereâ€s even a Childrenâ€s Menu. And donâ€t forget you can have breakfast any time of day. Then there are the desserts – fresh cakes, pies and the classic Rice Pudding to dazzle your taste-buds.

Checking out reviews on the internet, I came across this one from Evelyn K. of West New York who posted on yelp.com: “I always enjoy eating at the Riverview (and) find the food and atmosphere great. Thanks Riverview for having such a pleasant place to eat. Also love the new renovations. Five stars to the Riverview.”

 Jonathan L. of New York City also wrote a review on yelp.com: “Huge servings (and) very speedy service. I had a club sandwich with French fries, which I asked be ‘extra crispy’ and they totally got it right. I appreciate that. My friend got a bacon cheddar burger and they piled the bacon on, no skimping here. Also tried my friendâ€s chocolate milkshake and it was perfectly thick and creamy.  It’s just diner food, but when done right, what else do you really need?”

Theresa E. gave the restaurant four stars on menusism.com. “I love this Diner!” Theresa E. says. “The food is very good and fast and the staff is super friendly – they remember you even when you haven’t been there for weeks and that always makes going nice.”

Tommy Mavronasios taught his daughters to keep the standards high at Riverview Diner and he also shared with them how to give personable customer service. Cindy not only greets every customer, she calls many of them by name and even wishes them a “Happy Birthday!”

 “I love our regulars,” Cindy says. “We believe itâ€s important to be a member of the community,”

At Riverview Diner, youâ€ll always get that warm welcome whether itâ€s Tommy or one of his daughters greeting you at the door and excellent service by the wait staff.

And the coffeeâ€s pretty great, too.

If you go:

 Riverview Diner

7850 River Road

North Bergen, NJ

201-868-5400

Hours: Fri, Sat, 24/7

Sun-Thurs, 6 am-2 am

The post Riverview Diner in North Bergen , A New Look for an Old Friend first appeared on River View Observer.

Smashing Opening for Son Cubano at The Shops at Riverwalk

Son Cubano restaurant celebrated its opening at The Shops at Riverwalk in West New York and promises more exciting events to come, including a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Pictured at Grand Opening Celebration for Son Cubano Restaruant Edward Duran, Claudia Caraballo, Alex Duran, Diana Gouchee and Kevin Gouchee    

Bergen/Hudson County, NJ, 22 December 2010 – After months of anticipation, the highly awaited opening of Son Cubano at The Shops at Riverwalk was a smashing success this past week.  The Duran-Gouchee family was able to bring the sweet sounds and flavors of the Caribbean to its latest restaurant venture in West New York.

Upon arrival at the opening, guests marveled at the fine décor of Son Cubano.  The spacious restaurant had dramatic lighting with sparkling chandeliers and candlelit tables that added to the alluring atmosphere.  The colorful paintings hanging on the walls were a representation of Cuban culture and tradition.  While the group, El Gallito del Son, provided musical entertainment for the evening that kept the guests dancing, comfortable tables and booths invited people to enjoy the variety of drinks and food while soaking in the festive atmosphere.

The glamorous evening was a true celebration of Cuban culture and, above all, culinary delights.  The focus of Son Cubano is to bring delectable Cuban dishes to its public and the opening delivered nothing but exquisite plates.  Hors d’oeuvres were handed out during the evening and kept guests satisfied with their bold Latin flavors and seasonings.  Guests spent the night devouring a plethora of drinks and dishes ranging from scrumptious empanadas de rabo encendido to lobster ceviche and croquetas de bacalao (cod croquettes).  Drinks were another huge crowd-pleaser as the bar was abuzz all night with guests enjoying a long list of drinks, especially the classic Cuban cocktail, the mojito.       

Son Cubano at The Shops at Riverwalk is off to a busy start with its successful opening and plans to continue with upcoming events like its New Year’s Eve celebration.  The restaurant plans to ring in the New Year with a prix fixe menu and open bar or guests can come and enjoy a cash bar.  Call 201.624.1150 to find out more information about the festivities, to make a reservation or to get a gift certificate that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.  If the opening is any indication, the New Year’s Eve event will be a celebration to remember.

The post Son Cubano – New Restaurant Opens in West New York, New Jersey first appeared on River View Observer.

 One of Hudson County’s Most Popular Restaurants

If you haven’t been to Ten East  you are missing out on one wonderful night of Delicious cuisine and breathtaking ambiance, as new customers found out on August 19th at Ten East’s 2nd Anniversay Party. The large crowd experienced: An all night long Happy Hour, Free passed Hors ‘Doerves, 50% off the entire dinner menu, Drink Specials and Giveaways, A chance to win a trip to the Bahamas, DJ Spining music, Karaoke by Jerzey Jim,  a fun night for the whole Family.

Cutting the ribbon at the 2nd Anniversay for Ten East :Mayor Mark Smith, Patrick and Anthony Franconeri -owners of Ten East Restaurant.

The post Ten East Restaurant, Bayonne Celebrated Second Anniversay on August 19th first appeared on River View Observer.