What Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without authentic Louisiana style fare? Experience the best of New Orleans in your own backyard at Oddfellows Rest in Jersey City or Hoboken.
The atmosphere
Stepping into the Jersey City Oddfellows, you can’t help but feel that you’ve discovered a treasured establishment frequented by locals. The high ceilings showcase the mezzanine level, which offers views of the entire restaurant that is decorated with shades of sage green and mustard yellow. The contrasting accents of red and dark mahogany wood throughout provide the perfect backdrop for the pictures of New Orleans.
Details like the interconnected custom designed fans and the candle sconces on the walls add to the beauty.
The appetizers
Before tasting some of the delicious Cajun food, we decided to try Oddfellows’ signature drink, the Hurricane. We were not disappointed by the sweetest rum punch this side of the Bayou, which comes in its own specialty glass. The Hurricane is the perfect beverage for some of the spicier appetizers.
We started with the Cajun popcorn, the crab puppies, and the barbecue shrimp.
The bite-sized lightly fried crawfish (called Cajun popcorn) are loaded with flavor and served with homemade tartar sauce. They are the perfect dish to share.
The delicious crab puppies are miniature balls of crabmeat, served with lemon and tartar sauce.
Shrimp lovers will love the barbecue appetizer. Six tender shrimp are sautéed in butter, beer, and spices and served with chunks of bread to soak up the sauce.
Other appetizers include: catfish fingers, chicken fingers, calamari, stuffed mushrooms, chicken gumbo, quesadillas and more.
Appetizers are priced from $6 to $10.
Creole
Next, we sampled the crawfish etouffee and the seafood jambalaya.
Jambalaya, a traditional Creole dish, combines seasoned rice with celery, onions and peppers. This hearty dish simmers for hours to release the flavors of the sauce. Customers have a choice of seafood, chicken, or vegetable jambalaya.
We had the seafood jambalaya, which is a rich stew of mussels, sea scallops, shrimp and crawfish. From the first bite to last, we enjoyed the savory dish.
The crawfish etouffee was also delicious. The crawfish, which taste like a cross between shrimp and lobster, are simmered in a rich seafood sauce and served on a bed of fluffy white rice.
The chicken, seafood, or vegetable jambalaya is priced from $12 to $16.
Other Creole dishes include: chicken etouffee served with thick gravy over rice ($14); homestyle fried chicken served with red bliss mashed potatoes and corn on the cob ($14) and several kinds of Po’ Boys.
Catfish
There are many tempting ways to try the Catfish ($16), which is shipped in fresh daily. Customers can have it “Southern fried,” grilled, bronzed or blackened.
We had it blackened. The large, tender whitefish was covered with Cajun spices and pan-seared over a high heat. This juicy fish melts in the mouth and has all the seasoning it needs.
All of the fish dishes come with your choice of two sides including: mashed potatoes, jazz fries, potato salad, corn, spinach, collard greens and more.
Other entrees include: Louisiana crab cakes ($17); grilled seafood platter of tuna, shrimp, and sea scallops served with a tomato basil sauce ($16); meatloaf served with red bliss mashed potatoes and BBQ baked beans ($14); BBQ hanger steak served with homemade potato salad, baked beans, and corn on the cob ($16); and chicken stuffed with broccoli, red peppers and ricotta cheese served with red bliss potatoes and soul vegetables ($15).
For those with a smaller appetite, there are dinner salads including: Steak salad with romaine lettuce and plum tomatoes served in a crispy tortilla basket ($14); grilled chicken salad served with grilled vegetables, parmesan ($12); chicken, shrimp, or tuna Caesar salad served with romaine, garlic croutons and homemade dressing ($12 – $14). More
There are many tempting desserts to choose from including: pecan pie, bread pudding, cinnamon cheesecake, banana foster and chocolate mousse.
In addition, there are coffee drinks, martinis, and other specialty rum cocktails.
They are open seven days a week. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 4 p.m. Dinner is served Sunday through Wednesday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday until 11 p.m. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 to 4 p.m., although customers can also order from the lunch menu.
The mezzanine level dining room can be reserved for private parties and they can also accept large groups in the spacious downstairs dining room.
They have karaoke in the bar area on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 9 p.m.
At both locations, there will be live music, drink specials and more during Mardi Gras week. Experience the party of the year New Orleans style!
All major credit cards are accepted and all the food items are available to-go.
Oddfellows in Jersey City is located at 111 Montgomery St. For more information, please call (201) 433-6999 or visit: www.oddfellowsrest.com. Oddfellows in Hoboken is located at 80 River St. For more information, please call (201) 656-9009.