There’s a taste of something good in Hudson County. The Harbor Bar & Brasserie, 500 Harbor Blvd. in Weehawken, offers savvy customers plenty of eye appeal in the spacious dining room and bar and fabulous fare. The bar and restaurant, which opened this past November, recently revamped their menu to offer customers more selections.
The atmosphere
The understated elegance will have you thinking of Manhattan – even before you look out at the stunning panoramic views of the city. And not surprisingly, the restaurant is owned by the same group that runs the Soho and the Tribeca Grand Hotels in Manhattan.
The place feels glamorous and inviting with the highly polished plank floors, a large L-shaped bar, and mirrors throughout which give diners a view of Manhattan no matter where they are sitting. The warm track lighting throughout the Harbor Bar give everything and everyone a beautiful glow. The service is exceptional. The entire staff from the hostess, to the friendly bar staff, to the waiters, work to ensure that every detail is taken care of.
Starters
On a recent Wednesday night, my companion and I went to soak up the view and sample some of the cuisine. As soon as we sat down, we were greeted by the very friendly waiter who was quick to offer suggestions for drinks and starters.
The Harbor Bar has a decent wine list in addition to specialty cocktails and a full bar. Wine lovers will be pleased with the ample selection of wines by the glass, which allows one to savor many full-bodied glasses. Two of the excellent wines we sampled were the Hess Select from California and an Australian Merlot. While we sipped, we tasted two appetizers – the calamari and the roasted beet salad.
The spicy fried calamari was a large portion that was served with a bowl of fresh sliced jalapenos. The calamari was only lightly breaded, which left more room to taste each tender spicy bite. The mayo based sauce provided a little relief from the very hot jalapenos.
We were pleased with the roasted beet salad, which came with toasted walnuts and goat cheese croutons. The mixed greens provided a nice base for the roasted beets and everything was lightly dressed in a homemade dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice and herbs. Delicious!
Both items were big enough to split.
According to our waiter, other house favorites are the steamed mussels and their classic “mac & cheese.” Other appetizers include: hot artichoke dip, crab cake, shrimp cocktail, tuna with avocado, clam chowder, and more. They are priced from $6 to $15. Other salads include: Caesar, spinach & bacon, their house salad, and arugula and goat cheese. They are priced from $5 to $10.
Entrees
The menu offers tasty, yet simple food that is expertly prepared, whether you are craving a juicy burger, roasted chicken or a fish dish. We decided on the grilled pork chop, which is new to their menu and the New York Strip Steak. The fabulous steak was grilled to perfection and infused with a peppercorn flavoring. It had very little fat. Every bite was juicy and delicious and it came with crunchy steak fries.
The grilled pork chop was served with Swiss Chard and tangy tomato chutney. My companion declared the pork chop was divine, saying, “you don’t need pork chops here. One’s enough.”
Both items were beautifully presented, and our server checked back several times during the meal to make sure we were satisfied.
Other entrees include: linguini with sautéed shrimp, classic fish & chips, roasted salmon, herbed chicken breast, chicken or vegetable pot pie, spicy tuna burger, grilled burger, and a ham and cheese omelet and more. The dinners are priced from $11 to $27.
In addition, there are several sandwiches to choose from including: chicken club, grilled vegetable, spicy pulled chicken, short rib, fish po-boy, and more. Half portions are available.
Also new is the American wine series offered on Wednesday nights, which includes a five-course dinner paired with wine for $75 per person. The next one will be held on April 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.
And…
Don’t forget to save room for dessert! All of the delectable homemade desserts are made on the premises and worth every calorie. We sampled the warm chocolate bread pudding and the warm sticky toffee cake. The warm bread pudding is thick and rich and comes with a dollop of real whipped cream. The chocolate flavor isn’t overwhelming – it’s just right!
The sticky toffee cake is pure perfection. Nestled inside the cake is a healthy portion of dates and nuts and the whole yummy dessert is topped with the fantastic caramel sauce. Both are pure bliss!
The rich coffee made by Izzy provided the perfect balance for the sweets. Other desserts include: cheesecake with berry sauce, chocolate cake, an ice cream sundae, and more. The desserts are priced from $4 to $6.
The kitchen is open all day long for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 6:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Reservations are recommended and all major credit cards are accepted.
The Harbor Bar & Brasserie is located at 500 Harbor Blvd. in Weehawken. For more information, call (201) 348-4444.