The downtown area of Jersey City is exploding with expanding choices in cuisine. One of those hip new choices is the Merchant Bar & Restaurant on Grove Street.
The atmosphere
The entrance off of Grove Street leads directly to the bar that was filled with a lively after-work crowd on a recent Wednesday night. Some of the business professionals were enjoying the specialty sangria that was discounted that night.
One of the first things you notice about the place is the 18-foot ceilings, the sage green walls and how new it looks. The Merchant was also immaculately clean. From the bar to the bathrooms to the dining area, every detail was meticulously attended to. Even with the crowd, there wasn’t a stray napkin or straw on the floor.
The appetizers
For starters, we ordered the Roasted Portobello Mushroom and the Bang Bang Shrimp. The mushroom comes stacked high with red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and pesto. It had the perfect blend of spice from the red peppers and pesto that blended with the creamy texture of the cheese. The portion was large enough to share, even for those with a big appetite.
The shrimp were marinated in a sweet-and-sour sauce flavored with curry and served with a cumber sauce to balance the spice. There were only five shrimp served with this, so it would be possible to eat this without any help. The courses were served with ample time between each with the excellent, yet unobtrusive service.
Dinner
For dinner, my companion and I split the Apple & Goat Cheese Salad and the house specialty, the Grilled Hanger Steak. The salad was topped with pine nuts, sliced apple and a warm goat cheese patty. The salad was a heaping entrée size portion that was refreshing with the home-made raspberry vinaigrette. The dressing was expertly applied, not too much, not too little, even if you are watching your weight.
The hanger steak was tender, juicy and cooked to the correct temperature. The homemade steak sauce that was drizzled over the steak was one of the best I’ve tasted. David O’Brien, one of the owners, explained that the sauce is prepared for several days. While he wouldn’t reveal all the ingredients to the secret sauce, he did say that it contained garlic, molasses, and veal bones. The sauce was spicy with a slightly sweet finish. The fries are thick cut with the skins on them. They were crispy on the outside and delicious dipped in the famous sauce. The asparagus were perfectly cooked and delicately seasoned with butter and lemon. There were two crispy onion rings served on top of the steak. The breading was mildly seasoned and didn’t fall apart after the first bite. This dish is the perfect meal for steak lovers!
More food
Whether you are looking for a light bite or a full meal, the menu has something for every taste. Appetizers include: Chicken fingers ($7); calamari ($9); crab cakes ($11); Mussels ($12); grilled flat bread with humus and olives ($9); and beef skewers ($8).
The salads include: house salad ($8); Caesar ($6); grilled vegetable ($10); pecan crusted chicken salad ($10) and a Cobb salad ($10).
The sandwich selection includes: a house burger ($9); grilled chicken ($9); a veggie burger ($9); a rare tuna wrap ($10); and a steak wrap with goat cheese ($10).
There are four pasta dishes: penne with pesto ($10); farfalle with chicken ($12); home-made Mac & cheese ($12); fettuccini with salmon ($14).
Entrees include: steak, brook trout, tuna steak, grilled chicken, pork chop, and fried shrimp tempura ($16-18). All entrees come with a complimentary side.
And for dessert…
For dessert, we tried the Snickers Chocolate Truffle which was smooth and sweet. It was decorated with a sliced Snickers Bar. The dessert was large enough for two to share. All desserts are $6. They also offer hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream, chocolate cheesecake, banana chocolate bread pudding, and flourless chocolate cake.
The restaurant has a smoking and a non-smoking section. The non-smoking section is in the back and doesn’t get any whiffs of smoke. They have a full bar and soft drinks. They also offer daily happy hour drink specials from 4 to 7 p.m.
The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., during the week. On Friday and Saturday the kitchen stays open until 1 a.m. Sunday they are open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The back rooms are available for private parties and reservations are recommended for large groups.
The Merchant Bar & Restaurant is located at 279 Grove Street in Jersey City. All major credit cards are accepted. For more information call (201) 200-0202 or visit www.themerchantnj.com