Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
This week, I got invited to the soft opening of Hudson Hall, a Beer Hall and Smokehouse located few blocks from the Grove St Path station in Jersey City that is opening on September 23, 2017. This is an incredible place: when being there, you would think that you stepped into an old beer hall, when in fact the space has been completely gutted and rebuilt, with lots of attention to detail. The space is divided into three different sections: the huge dining room, with its bar that has a round shape on one extremity, allowing six people to sit facing each over; the small dining room with its incredible ceiling (called "the deli"), and the tunnel to go from one room to the other, giving a glimpse into the busy kitchen. Of course, you cannot miss the two large smokers in the main dining room. Yes, remember: this is a smokehouse.
Their menu, inspired predominantly from Eastern Europe, but with still American dishes, is crafted by Chef Dan Hoose who loves exploring European cuisine. A good thing considering the owners are from Eastern Europe! Here is what I tried:
They have a good selection of beers and cocktails, so I tried their cocktail called The Pendents, that is an old fashioned, as well as the Asbury Park Stout (dark ale).
Food wise, they first served us their homemade pickles:
Pickled vegetable medley:
Pastrami sandwich with house dressing, pickled onion, dill and shredded bib lettuce:
BLT sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato and fermented black radish mayo:
HH veggies composed of hash brown, roasted eggplant, tomato and white beans:
Gratin made with chopped smoked ends, onion and Jarlsberg cheese:
Portobello mushrooms fries:
Hudson Hall is a great addition to Jersey City: the restaurant looks fantastic and the food is what you would expect in such a place: comforting and casual. But I think that their Eastern European dishes and the smokehouse allow them to stand out.
Enjoy (I did)
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Hudson Hall - 364 Marin Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07302