HudsonRW: the Stewed Cow

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Thank goodness for Hudson Restaurant Week’s Super Week. To celebrate the Super Bowl coming to Jersey, some restaurants participating in HudsonRW have extended their deals through game day (eee!).

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Off to the Stewed Cow, a relative newcomer to the Hoboken scene, for Super Week. HudsonRW at the Stewed Cow included two options: three course prix fixe for $25, or $35 for a libation pairing. The color scheme of the place is dark, but the details are inviting, reminiscent of a contemporary old west. The Stewed Cow is a land of strong bourbons and hardy dishes— a watering hole for the urban cowboy. And somewhere in the back is a mechanical bull that gets plenty of action every night.

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Appetizers

Buffalo Calamari

This was super fresh, super yummy, and also super spicy (to me)— fried calamari with a spicy twist. The blue cheese crumbles were at first jarring (Scott Conant says that cheese and fish is a big no-no), but buffalo is automatically paired with blue cheese.

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Cheesy Tater Tots

A mini cast iron pan overflowing with greasy, golden potato pillows, topped with an inexcusable amount of cheese. It was hot and salty, starchy and what cafeteria dreams are made of.

Bourbon Chili and Chips

Like the other oversized appetizers, this was what you would expect, but it had the most complex flavors. The wet chili had a little pile of shredded cheese on top, but nestled in the warm sauce was thick chunks of braised beef, making it hearty and rustic.

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Entrees

Fish Tacos

The two tacos were topped with a bunch of shredded cabbage, adding a freshness and crunch that was missing in the marinated mahi mahi. A red onion here and chunk of tomato there comprised the salsa, but the tangy crema fresco muddled all the flavors.

All American Burger

It was big, juicy, and basically just right. Just a regular burger done decently.

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Cajun Fettuccine with Grilled Chicken

The rough and ready Cajun spices blended right in. The thin creamy sauce coated the fettuccine, adding not quite enough heat. Peas were frequent, while big chicken pieces seemed far and few between.

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Desserts

Warm Cookie Dough

This was the most undercooked cookie like ever, but it was hot and delicious, with the  harmony of white and brown sugars and chocolate chips. On top were two large baubles of melting cookie dough ice cream, indulging in a double dose.

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Borubon Pecan Pie

As all pecan pies should be, this one was sweet, meaty, dense and delicious.

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Fried Oreos

Memories of the shore came to mind, but this heavy, dough reincarnation of the favorite burst bubbles. The gooey chocolate cookies were lost in a puffy orb of oil-saturated dough, which made them hard to enjoy.

In the moment, the food was delicious, satisfying and addictive. I could not put my fork down gorging on little potato nuggets and spicy tentacles, or rest my taco on the plate or even give my spoon a breather when there was cookie dough childhood reveries to be had. There was nothing truly out of the ordinary at the Stewed Cow, other than the extremely friendly and eager staff, but at the same time, that’s not what it’s about. It’s about bourbon, and comfort, and having a good time, which I totally did! Next time the bull!!(?)

Keep up with all the #HudsonRW adventures and everything in between on facebook, instagram, twitter, yelp and pintrest! So sad that I am running out of time, but so happy there is Super Week!

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HudsonRW: Haven Riverfront Restaurant

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To avoid an hour wait for a table in the dining room, we sat in the lounge of Haven Riverfront Restaurant and Bar, after the hostess assured that there was the same menu and the same full service there. Little did we know that that service was going to be rapid fire. The Hudson Restaurant Week menu offered some dishes from the regular menu, but also had additions that were specific to the special $38 prix fixe.

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The very pretty monochrome butternut squash ravioli prix fixe appetizer was inharmonious. Crunchy, meaty walnuts added the textual contrast but the sharp white sauce met with the sweet butternut squash filling with a sudden uncertainty. However the pretzel-crusted calamari demonstrated duplicity of textures from the crispy dark pretzel coating and the perfectly tender octopus beneath. Though the calamari lacked salt, which would heighten its flavors, the zesty marinara sauce and spicy aioli added punch.

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The garganelli pasta Bolognese on the prix fixe, though not on the regular menu, came before we had finished our appetizers. It was just a deep bowl of pasta, overwhelmed by overly acidic tomato sauce and dry cubes of pork. The overcooked spiral pasta did not soak up the excess sauce, but only swam in it, and the ample amount of parmesan could not mask the poorly prepared pork.

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Even the hanger steak entrée had a few missteps despite its contemporary plating. The steak cooked just fine, lacked the salt needed to bring out those meaty flavors. However, the roughly mashed potatoes were bright and created a good balance with the meat. On the side of the plate, like a slimy afterthought, sat a thick tasteless chewy mushroom, which added nothing to the dish. Neither did the parsley emulsion; it was just a pretty color to add to the dull browns. 

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A mildly sweet rice pudding, served with a red ball of cherry sorbet and a spattering of crunchy granola was offered for dessert. The pudding was wet and loose, not as decadent and luxurious as expected. The tang of the cherry sorbet brought the rice pudding alive, yet there was far too much granola.

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The chocolate pot au crème was very dense and heavy, but the espresso cream and salty caramel pieces on its top layer stole the show. It was foamy, creamy with a subtle hint of coffee, and crystals of salty caramel candies made for a near perfect combination. Underneath the chocolate was smooth, dense and pudding-like, but almost too chocolaty.

Unfortunately the aesthetic of presentation throughout the whole meal was quite uneven. The butternut squash looked beautiful in their minimalist presentation, while the calamari appetizer appeared minimal. Same with the entrée duo— the hanger steak was like a piece of art, colored sauces and perfected staging, while the pasta was thrown in the bowl with too much sauce. The deserts also seemed to be on two different levels of attractiveness. 

Haven fell flat. The service was poorly timed—drinks were a bit slow, appetizers came out quickly and the entrees came out even faster. Also the dishes did not rise to their full potential as they had been described in the menu. It appears the new restaurant has a few hiccups to smooth out, but there is promise in Haven.

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HudsonRW : Skylark on the Hudson

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At $13 for a prix fixe lunch, Skylark on the Hudson treated its customers well for Hudson RestaurantWeek. The restaurant, a self-proclaimed fine diner, combines tables, booths, neon lights, various patterns and large orb lights, to create that diner aesthetic. A wall of windows overlook the Hudson River, making the eatery seem even larger, lighter and more playful.

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Even though the regular menu looked like a jumble, there are a wide variety of elevated diner dishes from familiar sandwiches to hefty salads and fancy main courses. Visually the HudsonRW menu was more straightforward, listing highlights. But each plate had a clean presentation and none of the mess of a traditional diner.

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The crab cake appetizer from the regular menu was tasty, but the fresh buttery popcorn heavily dusted with Old Bay seasoning added something a little different. The popcorn was playful pairing with the sophisticated crab cake. Even the french fries served with the prix fixe corned beef Ruben, were a step above your typical diner fare. These were thick, supple and soft on the inside, with a thin layer of crunch and felt like home away from home.

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However, the chicken quesadilla one of the appetizers on the special menu, did not offer anything different or exciting. It was just a cheesy quesadilla, with a good crunchy texture on the outside and an oozy cheesy and warm barbeque sauce center. It was just large enough to get a taste of the favorite.

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The corned beef Ruben was only half a sandwich for the restaurant week special, but it made an impression. Though the sandwich is a diner classic, the quality of the ingredients made Skylark’s Ruben so much more than a slippery diner specialty. Somehow the ratios were perfect, letting the chewy pink meat of the corned beef shine. The bread was super crunchy not greasy, to counter the melty cheese, the thin layer of tangy sauerkraut and just enough Russian dressing.

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A shrimp scallop provencal on the regular menu offered a deep bowl of wet risotto delicately topped with tender shrimp and scallops. The dish was attractive, rich with the aroma of a beurre blanc and the sea. The seafood flavors seeped into the pool of vegetable risotto below it, creating another dimension and layer for the seemingly straightforward dish.

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The apple strudel, a dessert offering for the lunch prix fixe, came hot, with a tiny orb of ice cream on top of the buttery layers of pastry. While the doughy elements tasted luxurious, it was dense and chewy and the apples were washed out and lackluster.

The dressed up diner definitely has a dense menu which mixing diner favorites with an elevating flourish. Skylark on the Hudson manages to make some of their dishes interesting, either by adding something new and playful or doing the classics super well.

Keep up with all the #HudsonRW adventures and everything in between on facebook, instagram, twitter, yelp and pintrest! Let me know what places you are going to try too!

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1.22.14

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MangiaMore: KAMISH bread

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Snowed in today? Baking cookies is a fun cold weather activity anyway, and when you have to be cooped up indoors, why not take advantage of the time and bake some delicious kamish bread. I never had these wildly addictive jelly filled cookies until I was dating my boyfriend. Compared to recipes online, his family does it a little differently.

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It goes something like this:

3 cups flour

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup oil

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Combine all ingredients to form dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Roll out the dough and add toppings. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Cut the cookies while still warm.

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Boom.

Many recipes that I have seen call for chocolate chips, but the ones I know are filled with jelly, and toppings ranging from coconut to raisins and almonds. After refrigerating the dough, we roll it out and creating “loaves.” We run a thick stripe of jelly down the middle, toss the toppings on that sweet jelly, and fold up the sides. Bake those badboys and cut the loaves into long, biscotti-shaped cookies.

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Kamish bread is also often thought of as Jewish biscotti, because in some recipes it is baked twice. The end product is something more crunchy and crispy like the Italian cookies that have to be dunked to be chewed. The family recipe that I have come to love, does not instruct for a second bout in the oven. We often opt for underdone and initially soft. Once the cookies are cut and cooled, they do become more crumbly and drier, even without that last step of toasting.

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So simple and so satisfying. Much of the time the necessary ingredients are already in the house, which makes kamish bread the perfect snowed in snack.What do you make or do on snow days? Is baking high on the list? It is for me! Check out my snow days on instagram, facebook and tumblr!

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HudsonRW: Marty O'Brien's

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Next stop, Marty O’Brien’s. Another first, but it definitely will not be my last. Stopping in for Hudson Restaurant Week, was a great idea— a great meal for a great price. The bar eatery offers a hefty menu for the $25 prix-fixe, with appetizers like General Tso’s chicken and crab strudel, and mains like fettuccine and shrimp and braised short ribs among others. There are a ton of options and most definitely something for everyone.

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Even though, walking into the corner spot, you are thrown into a space complete with a long bar, a bunch TV screens and high tables lining the wall, Marty O’Brien’s serves up extremely high-quality food. It looks like a bar at first glance, but further in there is casual dining space and a hearty restaurant menu, with full meals that do not qualify as just bar food. 

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The French onion soup was classic, small and served with French bread and a heavy dose of gruyere cheese. It was salty and warm, sweet with the caramelized onions, typical and delicious. Even the macaroni and cheese was a step beyond rough and ready mac and cheese. The mixture of mascarpone and gruyere cheeses along with the salty smoked bacon gave an adult flare to an easy favorite. Both appetizers had the comfort of bar food, but a quality that made them more special.

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Though petite, the hanger steak entrée was a blend of traditional flavors with an unexpected twist. Blue cheese and steak marry in many a salad, but at Marty O’Brien’s, the slices of meat rested in a pool of thick sweet onion and blue cheese sauce, uniting the flavors in a less straightforward way. Appealing roasted corn on the cob also offered an elevated presentation as well as a smoky sweet taste. The mashed potatoes, though pretty normal, were executed with ease, adding that pillow of comfort.

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A hefty portion of fish dominated the plate for the potato crusted salmon option. It was far heavier and far more satisfying than initially expected. The salmon was filled with lump crabmeat, which added another consistency and a layer of sweet meatiness. The potato crust offered merely texture, a crunch to the soft chew of the salmon and its filling. Yellow rice and sautéed spinach accompanied the fish, just filling the plate, adding color and sustenance. It was the topped salmon that was the star, a unique conglomeration of the familiar.

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Dessert was either a creamy cheesecake or zesty carrot cake. Neither was the consummate dessert, but each had elements of deliciousness. The crust of the cheesecake was like a cookie, soft, but spicy because of cinnamon, which cut the sweetness of the creamy filling. But the moist carrot cake was dense while its cream cheese frosting had a lightness to it that was addictive.

Do not let the long bar and gigantic TV screens fool you; there is something truly delicious in store at Marty O’Brien’s. It is both a home for Hoboken regulars, as well as a spot for a low key but high quality meal. Can’t wait to go again! Thanks #HudsonRW.

And stay tuned for more #HudsonRW on facebook, instagram, twitter, yelp and pintrest! Where will I go next? You just have to wait and see.

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