 |
| RER 5.513 |
Ok. “not just nourishment,” might be a lie, because all we
really did during the Spring edition of the Hoboken Arts and Music Festival,
was eat (take a look at the other
feasts and festivals Hoboken offers). We
walked down Washington Street, Hoboken’s main drag where the massive annual
event is held, and took in the sights and smells; from the smoky air of
barbeques, to the sweet scents of fried batter, to the festive sounds of local
bands, and wild paint strokes of home grown artists. There was a lot to see,
smell, hear and taste. But what we wanted to do was to E.A.T (Eat a ton), and
that we did.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
Check it…
 |
| RER 5.513 |
First Course: Mozzarepa ($5 each)
These delicious corny and cheesy feast and festival favorites are two rounds of cornbread
like cakes, filled till bursting with mozzarella cheese, and then toasted on a
griddle until crispy, hot and melty. They are sweet and salty, and perfect for
on-the-go. Each year, however, they seem to be less good, but appear at more
and more stands. This time around was pretty good or I was super starving.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
Second Course: Pulled Pork Sandwich from Texas Smoke BBQ ($7 per sandwich)
At the very end of the festival (close to Observer Highway),
we spotted a stand with high pennants and the letters B B Q caught our
undivided attention. At first the line looked daunting for our ferociously
hungry bellies, but it was a quick trip to the front and a hot pulled pork
sandwich was quickly within our grasp. There were three options for sauce:
mild, hot and spicy (what, pray tell is the difference between hot and
spicy?... but we dared not ask). We took our chances with the mild and the hot,
and it turns out the hot was pretty spicy. The meat was delicious, tender,
flavorful, with just the right amount of fat. It was not greasy or dripping,
but just enough to melt in our mouths and soak up the mix of mild and hot
sauces. I could have done without the bread, because it was dry, but it was
just a base. I really wanted it to be soft, doughy, yellow potato bread. We
almost got in that line again for the brisket sandwich… but more food options awaited
us.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
Third Course: Soft Pretzel ($3.50 each)
Who can resist a giant, salty soft pretzel? Obviously we
can’t. It had been maybe 10 minutes since we devoured the pulled pork sandwich,
and maybe 17 since the acquisition of the mozzarepa, but we were tempted, and
gave in. This was the best pretzel I have had in… well, ever. It was super soft
and airy on the inside, but the outside was sweet in that bread kind of way and
littered with salt. The chew was perfect (no water chaser needed) there was
nothing dry, stale, old, or used about it. It was fresh, hot, and … gone.
 |
| RER 5.513 |
Fourth Course: Chinese BBQ ($3.50 pork/ $4.50 steak)
But this is what I wanted the whole day. Those three other
stops were impulse, instant gratification. I peeped this Asian stand on our
first pass, and I knew it was what I wanted, but my boyfriend wanted to hold
out until we saw everything. So on our return, we stopped and stood in the
disorganized line and ordered pork and
beef steak skewers. I have never really been one to participate in meat
on a stick, but there is a first for everything. The steak was kind of dry and
cold, but the pork chunks were hot and succulent and probably one of my
favorite things of the day
.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
Fifth Course: Belgian Waffle from Waffle de Lys ($4 base price, $1/topping)
We smelled the sweet, syrupy crater cakes from miles away,
saccharine, warm, toasty, sweet and delicious. I knew that we were going to
make our way back to get one. The list of toppings ranged from chestnut cream,
to bananas and strawberries, to whipped cream and ice cream. We chose the
salted caramel topping which in the end was not really sweet or necessary. The
waffle was tender on the inside, almost doughy, and the outside was caramelized
and crunchy. Each tiny square was filled with the warm, wet salted caramel,
which added nothing. I do love Belgian waffles, with their tricky dichotomy of
textures, and savory sweetness.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
Sixth Course: Fried Fiesta ($13 plate)
Lastly, was a wild plate of fried delicacies that might have
been more than superfluous. We were already mostly full and satisfied with the
wide array of treats that we had previously eaten, but something about
plantains drive us into some kind of feeding frenzy. At first we were going to
only indulge in a sweet plantain, slit in half and stuffed with mozzarella
cheese, and a huge meat empanada. But then giant, flat, golden tostones were
put out. They did not give us one, but four of the large rounds, and piled them
on top of the already grease laden plate. Either this was far too late in our
day and we had already E.A.T.en too much, but this leg of the food adventure
was too much. The empanada meat was tasteless and greasy, and the pastry on the
outside was much greasier than its innards. The tostones were also tasteless
and less crunchy than anticipated. And finally the sweet plantain was not as
sweet as we longed it to be-- the contrast of the sweet plantain and the salty
cheese would have been magical together.
 |
| RER 5.5.13 |
The moral of the story is… we deffo stuffed our faces. But we knew that going
to happen. We had been forewarned that there was going to be far more
food this year, so we were overwhelmed and prepared at the same time.
Can’t wait for the Fall installment of the Hoboken favorite.
RER
5.6.13
 |
| JAR 5.5.13 |
