Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
If you read this blog, you know that there is one thing I hate when dining in a restaurant: noise. I consider that having a meal with people is an occasion to share not just good food, but also a moment together and a conversation. So, when the music is loud, I just want to leave. Well, there is one exception: Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken. First of all, the music is good. But the main thing is the food: unique, delicious, or shall I say amazing. Each and every dish is like a trip to heaven where you are transported by the creativity of the chef, Paul Gerard, who ingeniously leverages the 30 ton coal oven that sits in the main room, behind the open kitchen. We went back to the restaurant for the first time since the pandemic began this past Saturday, but indulged quite few times pre-vaccine thanks to their delivery. Even their ribeye, that makes me drool just thinking about it, is perfect when delivered, not overcooked at all that can be the case when ordering steak for delivery. I should also mention Thanksgiving: they propose a dinner composed of a turkey cooked in their coal fire oven, but not just family style; they also propose it for one person that is great because, Jodi being vegetarian, it is very convenient, most restaurants proposing a meal for 4 to 6 people. You do not believe me when I say that this place is incredible? Well, see below what we had:
They have cocktails, some that you can get to go. I, of course, picked one with whisky and chose A Stones Throw From Manhattan, made with coal filtered bourbon, smoked cherries, sweet vermouth and burnt orange. An elevated Manhattan, where the fact coal filtering of the bourbon definitely raised my curiosity. I learned that this is a common process where the whisky is filtered through charcoal before going into a barrel, giving it a smoother taste. Smooth it was, slightly sweet and well balanced.
Manhattan at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
As an appetizer, we hesitated a bit but finally settled for their plantains N’duja croquettes, not realizing that N’duja is a spreadable pork sausage from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. This was anyway terrific: tasty, crispy on the outside and slightly sweet, it was perfect in that chili aioli that came with it.
Plantains N’Duja at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
Plantains N’Duja at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
For her main, Jodi ordered the Lasagna edges that are made with burnt butter mushrooms, hard herbs and served with a cheese toast. This is a delicious dish, with lots of cheese and mushrooms. Homey and earthy.
Lasagna edges at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
Lasagna edges at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
On my side, there was no hesitation: I ordered the dirty ribeye that can easily feed 2 people. This dry aged 3lb piece of meat is phenomenal, topped with herbs, peppers, roasted garlic and lemon. The presentation is beautiful and very appetizing, the meat arriving on a skillet, still sizzling, perfectly cooked medium-rare, as ordered. You have a choice of sauce, so I picked the hot oil that you can also buy there, that gives a bit of a kick without overpowering the meat that had a nice crust and a solid flavor.
Dirty ribeye at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
As a side, I went for the smashed gold potatoes with red chimichurri sauce, one of my favorites (no, this has nothing to do with boiled potatoes!!!).
Smashed gold potatoes with red chimi at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
Last is dessert. They have their bread pudding that is probably one of the best I ever had (you can order it on Goldbelly among other things), but, after such a feast, it would have been impossible to eat. But we could not leave without any dessert, so we tried a special, the Roasted Hot Hole Peaches that were served with amaretto and cinnamon, as well as mascarpone cheese. That is the kind of dessert that makes you not feel guilty. After all, we had fruits…This was delicious! The peaches were perfectly roasted, with a nice caramelization on top, tender, with that mascarpone cheese perfectly balancing the sweetness of the fruit.
Roasted peaches at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
Roasted peaches at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ
What a meal! Everything was delicious from start to finish! Antique Bar & Bakery is a unique restaurant that is worth the trip to Hoboken. I highly recommend it!
Enjoy (I surely did)!
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Antique Bar and Bakery - 122 Willow Ave, Hoboken, NJ 07030
