HobokenFoodCritic

As I had mentioned previously, we spent our New Year’s Eve at Trinity. Although New Year’s Eve is generally overrated, we wanted to do something different than sit around at our apartment (or someone else’s), which is basically what we did the previous two years. This time, we wanted to get all dressed up and have an elegant, romantic night out to start the new year off right.

Trinity provides an interesting mix of old and new. The decor, as well as the cuisine, combines Celtic tradition with modern classiness. With slightly-oversized wooden tables, dim lighting, and calming ambience, Ashley and I agreed that the atmosphere inside Trinity could be described as ”rustic elegance”.

Trinity’s dinner menu has never been as immediately appealing to me as its more modern neighbors The Quays and 3 Forty Grill. Perhaps this is because much of Trinity’s Gaelic-style fare is not what I normally would expect at a somewhat pricey restaurant, with dishes including such items as creamed corn pudding, deviled eggs, potato gnocchi, or duck sausage.  Yet, the food seems to maintain a steady balance of heartiness and fanciness.

For appetizers, we decided to share the Grain Mustard Braised Mussels and the Mixed Baby Greens. The mussels were served in a brownish sauce that complimented them nicely. Mixed into the soupy sauce were large chunks of spicy sausage and small pieces of smoked ham. It was a combination of flavors that is not common with your typical mussels dish, but everything came together deliciously.

The mixed baby green salad was nothing more than a bowl of mixed baby greens topped with a balsamic vinaigrette and a few baby tomatoes. While Ashley appreciated its simplicity, I thought it could have been a bit more inventive.

For the main course, Ashley went right for the kill and ordered the Grilled Black Angus New York Strip Steak, which is probably my favorite dish on the menu. She ordered it medium and it was cooked absolutely perfect–seared on the outside, and gradually becoming a nice red in the center. And juicy. It was served with green beans, wild mushrooms, and a potato tart–which was also delicious.

Since I had eaten way too much red meat over the holidays, I was looking to have some fish. I opted for the Crispy Skin Salmon, a dish I had not yet tried. It was a good-sized piece of salmon (though not quite as big as Ashley’s New York Strip) with a spicy dose of what tasted like blackening seasoning on its crispy skin. The salmon was sitting in a sweet sauce that helped balance out the salty spiciness of the fish’s seasoning. The salmon was accompanied by some broccolini (which, in case you haven’t guessed, is like mini broccoli).

During dinner I drank two glasses of Black Box Merlot, which I enjoyed, while Ashley had two glasses of Black Box Cabernet, which was quite a bit heavier but stood up pretty well to her steak.

At one point, we took note that although the restaurant was full to capacity, we didn’t feel crowded. We were quite relaxed and happy, and our waiter was very polite and didn’t make us feel rushed.

The total price of the dinner came to $104 plus tip. We had taken our time with dinner (almost two hours), and as 9:00pm approached, people started filling in the bar area, and a line was forming outside. Instead of hanging out by the bar area, we snagged one of the comfortable leather couches in the small lounge area in the central part of the restaurant. We sat there for a while and enjoyed some good conversation and a few more drinks.

As the night rolled on, the place started to get more crowded, but not unbearably so. The crowd that showed up was not the typical drunken idiots you might expect to see on New Year’s Eve, but rather a somewhat classier crowd that was having a good time but not overdoing it.

By about 10:30, we noticed that the table at which we ate dinner was not occupied, so we decided to abandon our leather couch and sit back down at the table and order something to snack on. Our same waiter as before came right over to us and smiled as he handed us the dessert menu. We ordered the Artisinal Cheese Platter to split, and I ordered some Macallan 18 yr, which is one of my favorite single malts. The cheese platter came with grapes, several different crackers, some mixed nuts, an apple chutney spread, and three different types of cheese. Everything in the platter was very good, though we felt that the pieces of cheese were relatively small, especially for a “cheese platter”. We thought there could have been a few less crackers and a bit more cheese. This time, the bill came to $38 plus tip, mainly because my Macallan 18 yr was $21 alone.

We were happy that the music played was a good variety of fun music. In the last few minutes before the ball dropped, everyone sang along to a few 80’s classics such as Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ and Bryan Adams’ Summer of ‘69.

We had one more drink and danced for a little while. As 1:00am neared we decided to head home. It was a good night. We ended up spending approximately $240 total on the night, which is probably comparable to what we would have spent if we went to one of the all-inclusive buffet/open bar events around town. However, we valued the freedom of being able to order whatever we wanted for dinner, as well as not being limited to only certain types of drinks, and not feeling the pressure to “get our money’s worth” all night. We did what we wanted, and we did it at our own pace. And it ended up being a great night.

It’s the question everyone begins asking the second Christmas is over.

We made our decision late this year, but as it turns out, HobokenFoodCritic will be dining this New Year’s Eve at Trinity, which overlooks the water on the corner of 3rd and Sinatra Drive.

Last year, we kept things pretty low key and just had a couple people over at our apartment and made all kinds of food and drinks. This year, however, we kind of wanted to get all dressed up and have a fancy night out. That’s not a difficult thing to do in Hoboken, especially for New Year’s Eve, but it can be difficult to avoid spending an arm and a leg in doing so.

Most of the nice restaurants in Hoboken and the surrounding area charge upwards of $100 to $150 per person for a prix fixe or buffet dinner, along with open bar throughout the night, and a champagne toast at midnight. The more casual bars offer buffet and open bar specials for $65 to $85 dollars. When you think about it, these prices might not seem totally off the wall–you can easily spend over $200 on a nice dinner for two and an entire night of drinking–but we wanted to keep things as reasonable as possible, and still have a formal and elegant night out.

Trinity is one of the few restaurants we’ve found that does not offer a hefty “all-inclusive” cover charge. Rather, we are going to have a normal, sit down dinner, where we will have the choice of ordering from the standard menu or from a prix fixe menu. Afterwards, they have a $20 per person cover charge to hang out at their cash bar (with DJ), and receive a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. I imagine it will be nice to just have a good time at our own pace rather than worrying about whether we are “getting our money’s worth”. We’ll let you know how it turns out…..

So, what are you doing for New Year’s Eve? Let us know–post a comment below or send us an email!

The other night we headed over to Black Bear Bar & Grill with a couple of friends to grab some dinner and drinks. We have had many good experiences at Black Bear as an after work hangout because of its consistently good bar & grill type food and fun, casual, laid-back atmosphere.

Since I had eaten an uncanny amount of red meat throughout this holiday season, I was in the mood for chicken. Although I’m a big fan of the Adirondack Chicken Sandwich at Black Bear, which is topped with bacon, cheese, sauteed onions and barbecue sauce, this time I went for another of my favorite Black Bear sandwiches–the Chicken Cheesesteak. One of our friends also ordered the same.

Black Bear’s Chicken Cheesesteak is a step above what you might get at other places because, rather than giving you a chopped up chicken steak-um, they actually give you sliced pieces of grilled chicken. Top that off with some carmelized peppers, onions, and cheese, and you have a winner.

The fries at Black Bear are also pretty good. They are nice and crispy, which is how I like them. Although we had a Heinz bottle on our table, a quick pour of the ketchup revealed that the Heinz bottles were obviously refilled with a cheaper, more watery brand.

Ashley had been craving ribs, so she opted for the 1/2 rack of Baby Back Ribs. Although her ribs were tasty and had a pretty good “fall-off-the-bone” quality, there simply wasn’t a lot of meat with them. Ashley managed to easily finish off the 1/2 rack, and despite her slender figure, regretted not ordering the full rack.

The service at Black Bear has always been pretty consistent for us. The wait staff is friendly and on top of things. Keep in mind that it is a busy place, and the bar area always seems to be crowded, so sometimes drinks take a bit longer than usual to arrive to the tables.

After dinner, we hung out at the bar area for a few drinks. We could hear roars upstairs from Black Bear’s weekly “Rock, Paper, Scissors” tournament. Black Bear has all kinds of weekly events and specials–one of my favorites being Wednesdays, when they have specials on their delicious Mini Burgers (aka “Sliders”), along with drink specials.

On weekends after about 9pm, Black Bear betrays its rustic decor and becomes the same kind of “hip-hop central” place that most of the downtown bars sadly become. So we stay away during those times. However, Black Bear is a great place to go after work, or for dinner when you are in the mood for bar & grill type food such as burgers and sandwiches.

For the past month, we had been seeing signs posted all over town advertising Sparrow’s 12th Annual Wine Tasting event, so we decided to check it out. The event was held this past Thursday night from 6:30 to 10:00pm at the Hyatt in Jersey City. Tickets were $65 each and all proceeds went to support HIV/AIDS programs at the Hoboken University Medical Center, so we could drink as much as we wanted without feeling guilty about it.

I’ve been to many tastings for wine, beer, and scotch, but I must say this event was one of the best I’ve attended. The Hyatt ballroom was jam-packed with over 60 tables, each one featuring anywhere from 5 to 15 wines to taste. With over 400 wines total, it was impossible to try more than a fraction of what was offered, but it was an incredibly educational and fun experience. There were wines from every imaginable region of the world–not only the usual suspects such as France, Italy, USA, Australi

a, Spain, Chili, and Germany, but also some areas less frequently associated with wine, such as South Africa, Brazil, Portugal, and Greece.

My taste for wine was acquired in college, when I spent five months living in Melbourne, Australia. As a result, I’ve developed a particular affinity for the heavy, full red wines, such as Shiraz, which is popular “down under”. I also enjoy a full-bodied Cabernet and a medium to full Merlot.

Of course, I kept notes in the little program booklet on each wine I tasted. My favorite red wines at the event included:  J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Paso Robles 2005, Blackstone Cabernet and Syrah, Lindemans Shiraz, Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot, Laura Hartwig Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Kilikanoon Shiraz “Killerman’s Run” 2005, Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 2004, GV Cellars Merlot and Cabernet (both 2004), and Marion Cab Sauvignon 2001. All can be purchased on Sparrow Wine and Liquor’s website…and they even deliver!

As for white wines, I like them dry with a bit of tanginess, such as the Sauvignon Blanc’s found in Australia and New Zealand. I’m not a fan of Chardonnay’s in general, they are usually too “buttery” and not dry enough for me, but once in a while I come across one that fits my tastes.

My favorite white wines at the event were limited because I focused mostly on reds, but I particularly liked Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc 2006, and J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay 2006.

The event wasn’t only about wine, though. There were also over 15 local restaurants, mostly from Hoboken and Jersey City, each serving up samples of their food. And the food was all included–just grab a plate and eat as much as you want.

Sushi Lounge continuously put out tray after tray of fresh sushi, and it was no wonder their table was constantly crowded–I went back twice myself. Margheritas served up some delicious lobster ravioli in a tomato cream sauce. We also enjoyed the mushroom ravioli in cream sauce served by Porto Leggero.

I never knew there were so many ways to serve plantains–several restaurants such as La Isla, Creative Food, and Cucharamama all incorporated plantains in their dishes, and all were pretty good.

We stayed away from the Charrito’s table, only because we had eaten there the night before.

The spinach dip served by Mikie Squared was unimpressive–it looked like green slime and, much like the other food I’ve had from there, it lacked flavor. Their corn and crab chowder was pretty good though.

The longest food line was for the mini burgers being served by Edward’s Steak House. Though tempted, I wasn’t about to wait in such a long line when there was plenty of other great food and wine waiting to be tasted.

There were also tables featuring scotch, vodka, gin, cognac, beer, and tequila. Samuel Adams had a table, as did Brooklyn Brewery, and a host of other microbreweries and craft beers. There was even a sake table–we tasted five different types of sake, and we were surprised at how different the five flavors were.

And in case you were wondering, Lindemans had a table there, so Ashley was able to get some of her favorite, Framboise Lambic. Only this time the guy working the table suggested that we mix it with some chocolate stout from an adjacent table. The blending of the dark stout with the sweet raspberry lambic made for quite a dessert-type treat.

We didn’t get to bring home wine glasses from the event, but after drinking that much wine in one night, we probably won’t want to even look at a wine glass for quite some time.

Hoboken411 posted some good photos from the event if you want to check them out.

A few weekends ago, I went with a group of friends to Brewtopia, the Great World Beer Festival, in NYC.

Brewtopia really is a great concept. You pay about $50 to taste as many beers as you want for four hours. When you walk in, they hand you a small “tasting” glass (which you get to keep), and then you are unleashed into a big room full of over 100 booths and tables, which are occupied by breweries from around the world. There are imports, domestics, and a wide variety of microbrews. There are even some of the big name brands. Most of the breweries have several different beer varieties to try, and as a result you have the opportunity to taste over 400 different beers.

This year there were three four-hour sessions over a two day period. We went to the session on Saturday, from 12pm-4pm. Due to ferry delays from the uptown Hoboken ferry terminal, we didn’t get across the river until about 45 minutes into the event. Even though we arrived late, we had more than enough time to accomplish our mission.

This was my second time attending the event; my first experience was three years ago. I have been trying to learn about beer for quite some time, and beer tasting events have definitely educated me and helped me develop a taste for what types of beer I enjoy most. It’s great to be able to try different styles of beer right next to each other, as well as talk to the people at the booths about how their beer is made.

I have realized that Belgian and Belgian-style beer is probably my favorite type. I also like some German beer such as Hefeweizen or anything with the word “Weiss” in the name or the description. I also like most wheat beers. I am not particularly fond of IPA’s (India Pale Ale), Pilsners, or anything described as “hoppy” (adding too much “hops” makes beer taste too bitter in my opinion). Some flavored beers (blueberry, pumpkin, etc) are ok, but they tend to be hit or miss. I feel the same way about stouts.

The beer selection this year was not nearly as good as I remembered it from last time, although it is nearly impossible to avoid packing on a pretty serious buzz after only about an hour of tasting beers one after another, so perhaps my memory is a bit blurred. There were several beers we particularly enjoyed though. One of my favorites was Hennepin, a domestic Belgian-style brew with a 7.7% alcohol content. I also enjoyed a couple of the beers from Heartland Brewery, a local brewery with restaurant/pub style brewery locations around New York City. One of my friends really enjoyed Cricket Hill and kept getting in line to taste it over and over again. Original Sin hard apple cider was a big hit with everyone in our group. Lindemans was supposed to be there, but their booth was empty for some reason, so Ashley didn’t get a chance to have any of her Framboise Lambic.

I was a little disappointed that Samuel Adams wasn’t there this time. Last time they had a big table where you could try their whole line of selections (except their famous “Utopia”, which is pretty expensive), and they gave out Sam Adams visors to everyone who tasted their beer.

Come to think of it, while I came home from my last Brewtopia experience with all kinds of bottle openers, coasters, keychains, and other beer memorabilia, this time I came home empty-handed. For some reason, barely any of the vendors were handing out promotional materials this time. Also, last time, the 4oz glasses they gave us to use for tasting, which we were able to keep, were made of real glass. This time the “glasses” were actually made of plastic. I would guess they switched to plastic because of people dropping the glasses on the floor and shattering them. Still, though, it was nice to get a real glass the first time–it’s more nostalgic as a keepsake than a flimsy plastic cup.

Food was limited, and sadly not included in the $50 ticket price. I paid $8 for a bratwurst sandwich. It was greasy and fatty and gave me a stomach ache within 15 minutes.

There were a few non-beverage vendors worth mentioning. Thrillist is a free email list that tells you about upcoming events, new restaurants, new shops, trends, and other topics of interest in the NYC area. Thrillist, which I subscribe to, is a great way to be alerted about next year’s Brewtopia and other simialr events. Another vendor called Beer Chips was selling small bags of their potato chips for $1 each. The chips are kettle-cooked and have a bit of a sweet and salty flavoring. They were so good I went back for a second bag.

Although this year’s Brewtopia wasn’t quite as amazing as my original experience, I will continue to attend the event in the future–it really is too much fun to pass up, especially with a group of beer-loving friends.

Here are a couple of interesting facts I learned about Oktoberfest, from the label on a bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest, one of my all-time favorite beers:

1. In Germany, Oktoberfest is actually in September.
2. The best selling Oktoberfest beer in the world is Sam Adams Oktoberfest (what a surprise they would write this on their own label).

Unfortunately, I missed the Helmers’ Oktoberfest Party on Thursday, October 18 because I was home studying for the GMAT. But after finally completing the grueling exam this past Saturday, Ashley and I wanted to go out for a celebratory dinner–not only for the fact that I scored fairly well, but also because I wouldn’t be bogged down by studying anymore (which, coincidentally, is why I hadn’t written anything for over a week). We chose Helmers’ because we thought its festiveness this time of year would be fitting for our occasion, and we wanted to make up for the night we missed there.

When we arrived, we grabbed drinks at the bar while waiting for a table. Helmers’ has an extensive beer menu, which is one of the main reasons why it is one of my favorite hangouts. I ordered a Paulaner, and Ashley ordered a of Framboise Lambic–a sweet, raspberry beer (although it doesn’t taste like beer) that Helmers’ has on tap. As we sipped our drinks, we surveyed the scene, watching the plates of food being served to the tables and trying to decide what we were in the mood for.

By the time we had nearly finished our drinks, we were called to be seated. As always, our waiter was pleasant and friendly, as were the bartenders who had served us.

Now, if you love to gorge yourself with fried onion rings, then you need to try Helmers’ Bavarian Onion Rings. This appetizer is nothing more than a huge mound of razor-thin slivers of fried onions. It looks almost like a funnel cake, and definitely has a “wow” effect when it arrives to the table. It is probably too much for just 2 people, but we finished it anyway. It would have been nice if they gave us something to dip them in, though we ate them so fast we didn’t notice at the time. When we finished, we noticed how soaked in grease the napkin was beneath the onion rings. Wow.

Ordering the main course was easy for Ashley, but difficult for me. It was easy for her because she knew she wanted the Bauernwurst and Bacon Salad after she saw someone else eating it the last time we were there. It was difficult for me because I am by no means an expert on German food, so deciphering the menu was a bit difficult. I didn’t think the menu was descriptive enough for someone who doesn’t know the difference between wurst and schnitzel, however our waiter was extremely accomodating and helped me decide on the Wurst Platter, so I could sample a few different things.

Ashely’s salad was hearty helping of mixed greens and vegetables topped with chunks of bauernwurst–which looks and tastes almost like keilbasa–each wrapped with a thin slice of smoked bacon. Although a salad, it was a full meal (though lighter than most other selections on the menu). Ashley said she would definitely order it again sometime soon.

My meal was a platter of 3 assorted wursts (which are German-style sausages): bratwurst, knackwurst, and weisswurst. I didn’t know which one was which, so I identified them as the white one, the grey one, and the pink one. The sauerkraut on the side was smooth and almost velvety–it was by far the best sauerkraut I’ve ever had. In the middle of the platter was a plop of mashed potatoes smothered in gravy–also excellent. We were also given three different kinds of mustard for dipping–one that was sweet and mild, one that was sweet and a little spicy, and one that was “hot” (though it really wasn’t that bad). All three were pretty good and it was fun to dip the different kinds of wurst in all the different mustards. In case you didn’t know, guys love condiments.

My second beer was a Weihenstephan, which is another great beer that I drink all the time (they also have it on tap at Maxwell’s). Although I have been drinking it for years, I only learned how to pronounce its name properly that night, from out waiter.

As for the different kinds of wurst, their flavors varied. The pink one, which I later found out was the knackwurst, tasted almost like a hot dog–it was good, but nothing I hadn’t tasted before. The white one (weisswurst) was a bit bland, but it dressed up nicely with some mustard, gravy, and onions. The grey one, which was the bratwurst, was my favorite–it was delicious, and I would probably order a meal that features bratwurst specifically next time I eat there.

As usual, our experience at Helmers’ was both fun and educational. I guess you could say that Helmers’ takes traditional German food and “jazzes it up” a bit–somehow, the restaurant has managed to put together a perfect mix of tradition and modernness.

It was a big, heavy meal, so afterward we had to go home to digest for a little while. Then, we walked down to 3 Forty Grill to have a few martinis. 3 Forty Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in Hoboken, and sometimes we also go there to drink martinis in their lounge area, when we are in the mood for that sort of thing. The atmosphere is dark and trendy, with the standard electronic lounge music setting the mood in the background. While we were there, I noticed that people who work at lounges always seem so serious–they don’t smile much. It was a sharp contrast from the atmosphere at Helmers’, where the lighting is bright and all the employees have smiles on their faces. Wouldn’t you expect the German restaurant to be the serious one?

The response we have been receiving from this site has been tremendous. Over a relatively short period of time, HobokenFoodCritic has been rapidly gaining exposure and readership. I would like to thank all of our readers, especially those who have sent us emails or posted comments thus far.

In an effort to better interact with our readers and provide them with targeted and useful information, we are adding a new feature to our site, which we are calling “Ask HobokenFoodCritic”. Here’s how it works:

Visiting Hoboken from out of town? Looking for the best restaurant in a particular category? Looking for a certain type of dining experience? Want an opinion on a specific restaurant or food establishment? Email your questions to anthony@hobokenfoodcritic.com and we will give you our opinion or recommendation based on our own personal experiences. No BS, no gossip, just the honest opinions you would expect from HobokenFoodCritic. If we haven’t had enough experience to answer your question, we will let you know. If you ask a particularly good question, we may even ask your permission to post the question and answer on this site!

I have also added an “Ask HFC!” section to the sidebar so it can be easily accessed in the future. The site is constantly evolving, so expect to see many updates as time progresses. Thank you to all of our current and future readers…I hope you continue to enjoy reading our material.

Sincerely,

Anthony (HobokenFoodCritic Admin)

Rain was pouring down, we didn’t have much in the fridge, and we weren’t in the mood to order in, so we went to Ted & Jo’s (on the corner of 11th and Park), since it is a short walk away and reasonably priced. We have been to Ted & Jo’s many times, and the food and service are both spotty. We had one experience where we were seated and then just forgotten about until we got up and asked someone for service after about 15 minutes. Another time our waitress kept forgetting about us. Other times our orders have been messed up. I will say, however, that when the owner is present, he stays on top of things to ensure the service is good.

Experiences with their food have not been much more consistent. Any dish involving grilled chicken, such as the Barbecue Chicken Salad or “The Clinton” chicken sandwich, almost always comes out with the chicken overcooked. When we tried the Fish and Chips, the fish was over-fried and dark brown. Most of the time, we order from the specials menu, because the specials tend to be pretty decent.

This time the service was good from the beginning–we were seated promptly and we ordered drinks right away. I had a Blue Moon, and Ashley had a glass of Ruffino Chianti. The night was off to a good start.

As we overlooked the menus, I was reminded that I’m not crazy about the menu at Ted & Jo’s. The menu seems rather limited, and there never seems to be anything on it that excites me, especially after being disappointed more often than not.

Ashley ordered the chicken pot pie, because she wanted to compare it to the one at Maxwell’s, which is right up the street. She had a chicken pot pie at Maxwell’s a few weeks ago, and although she enjoyed it, she said there was room for improvement.

When the meal arrived, it was not a chicken pot pie at all, but rather just a bowl filled with all the stuff that would be inside a pot pie. It was topped with a small puff pastry. Although the dish was not quite what she expected, Ashley gave it a chance, thinking that sometimes “different is good”. But not this time–it tasted disappointingly bland. I tried a few bites and agreed. Even after loading it up with salt and pepper, it still had very little flavor.

I ordered a burger, cooked medium-well (which is how I like my burgers), with provolone and mushrooms. Since I had eaten fries for lunch that day, I asked if I could substitute my fries with a small side salad, which was no problem. The meat was cooked perfectly, and although the bun it was served on didn’t have much flavor, I have to say it was a pretty good burger overall.

Our waitress, who was very nice, kept coming back at regular intervals. When I finished my Blue Moon, I ordered another. But that was the last we heard from our waitress until we were done with our meals, about 15 minutes later, when she finally brought me my second beer.

I guess we couldn’t complain too much, since the bill was only $38.

Ted & Jo’s is the kind of place that I wish I liked, but I just can’t because of the experiences we’ve had. It’s a small local Irish bar & grill that looks very appealing from the outside, and has a nice, clean, relaxed atmosphere inside. There is also outdoor seating. In fact, I think the visual appeal is what keeps us coming back–we keep giving it another chance after enough time passes that any negative experiences don’t seem so bad anymore. I feel like the place has so much potential, but continues to fall short.

As we walked home, we talked about our experience. Ashley remarked, “Well, another mediocre meal at Ted & Jo’s. Who makes a chicken pot pie like that?”

A trip to the uptown Bagel Smashery has always been, in my view, more about the fun atmosphere and the unique concept than about the quality or value.

For those of you who don’t know what it is, the act of “bagel smashing” is simply toasting the bagel with a sandwich press, which results in a flattened creation that might resemble a panini. If you are not in the mood for a “smashed” bagel, you can order your bagel “sober”, which, by contrast, means not toasted at all.

The uptown Smashery is the second of two locations. The original shop is located downtown, on First Sreet. Several years ago, a young couple bought the rights to use the Bagel Smashery concept for their small uptown sub shop called Josh & Ive’s, which became more widely known as the “uptown Bagel Smashery”.

The tiny shop on Willow Ave (between 9th and 10th) grew to be a popular breakfast and lunch shop, where hung-over customers would sometimes overflow out the door on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They offered (and still offer) a wider variety on the menu than the downtown location, expanding beyond bagels to include subs, wraps, and breakfast burritos.

The food, particularly the breakfast food, was never that great. Actually, it was far from great. The bagels tasted more like bread than bagels. The breakfast burritos were wrapped in a rubbery tortilla, and filled with eggs that always had a grayish tint. And it was all expensive.

Yet, as you approached the uptown Bagel Smashery, you would always hear their speakers blaring music such as Guns ‘N’ Roses, Jimi Hendrix, or Jack Johnson out through the screen door. In front of the shop, you were commonly greeted by a chalkboard that had some kind of hip or humorous quotation written on it.

Inside, though cramped (and often crowded), you were always met with a lively, vibrant atmosphere. Small photos were scattered all over the colorful walls. And the owners, Josh and Ive, were always upbeat and pleasant, and their attitudes added to the experience.

Bringing new people to the uptown Bagel Smashery was always fun–if Josh found out that it was someone’s first time there, he would ring a bell and and announce the presence of a “first-timer”, and all the employees would cheer.

I remember one time I went there on a Saturday afternoon around 3pm, and Josh was sitting there with his Apple laptop, designing new menus for the business.

“Check this out,” he said, “What do you think?”

I gave a nod of approval.

He went on to tell me the whole concept he was trying to convey with the menu, and as I was trying to decide which sandwich I wanted, he explained the techniques he used to make a few of the sandwiches.

Although the chicken cordon bleu sandwich I eventually decided upon that day was nothing more than mediocre, there is something to be said about the fact that Josh and Ive put their whole hearts into the shop which bore their names. It was that passion that kept their customers coming back.

And so Ashley and I were sad to see a “for sale” sign on the establishment over a year ago. Read the rest of this article »