On ancient maps there was often a message written in Latin at the uncharted edges: "Here be dragons!" -- a clear warning to foolhardy circumnavigators to stay away from unknown and wild places. In New Jersey, this same warning should be placed at the labyrinthine intersctions of Route 7, 280 East, Truck 1 & 9, I-78, the Turnpike and of course, the notorious Tonnelle Circle. Getting to Jersey City from the rest of North Jersey is no mean feat. There is no really direct route. There are a few back roads and highways that can get you close, but there are also places where the turns are so sharp and the construction detours so serpentine, that even the best map apps cannot save you from getting lost in the urban jungle. The instructions inevitably come too late.
With all that said, and with two former residents in the car to guide us safely, we made our way into revived, and now even surprisingly hip, downtown Jersey City this past Saturday night to scope out two of the most buzzed-about bars in town.
The first, Dullboy, (as in "All work and no play" via The Shining) opened this past spring and brought a speakeasy vibe to the neighborhood. The drinks are classic and interesting variations on the classics. No wild ingredients here, but a very solid, comfortable menu of food and drink.
Even though it was pushing 7:30 PM on a mild Saturday night we were able to score a good parking spot. One of the great things about Jersey City is that parking is free on the street. Don't underestimate this in the continuing success of downtown Jersey City. The parking is simply awful in Montclair and their downtown is full of empty storefronts. Parking is also terrible in neighboring Hoboken. Good free parking is good energy all around. You start off your night feeling blessed and with a little extra cash.
A short walk brought us to Dullboy and through a set of curtains to keep out the chill, we entered a dark, cozy space. There was still one table available in the back and we grabbed it. It was pretty crowded but not claustrophobic.
Now when I say the restaurant was dark, it was Egyptian plague-level dark. There is a midrash, a Jewish legend, that the darkness in Egypt was so thick and heavy that Egyptians couldn't even get out of bed. On the other hand, the Israelites were able to find "light" by helping one another through the darkness. It was definitely a revived plague number nine but we were firmly in the Israelite camp. Using shared votives and cell phone flashlights, we worked together to decipher the faint text on the menu. The typography and the dimness made it a challenge. Plus we're just old.
The drinks menu had a balanced combination of classics and specials. The bar has a loose "writer" theme; a typewriter hangs on the wall (yes we pressed the keys) and another entire wall is made up of paperback books affixed like wallpaper. There is banquette seating, and small tables where you can pull up chairs and up to four people can eat. And of course a very attractive bar. And of course ubiquitous Edison bulbs. The single TV is not obstrusive and the space really works.
The specialty drinks are named after various novel heroines: The Mina from Bram Stoker's Dracula, and The Betty Jo, which I think is from the 1963 sci-fi novel, The Man who Fell to Earth (in which an alien under the influence of alcohol begins to feel intense emotions). Clever. Specialty drinks are fairly priced at $12 or $13 each and the classics are an even better price at $11 each.
I went with The Joana (which I mistakenly ordered as The Jeana because I honestly could not see the letters). Reminiscent of a Pink Lady or a Gin Fizz, it had gin, ginger, cherry-lime, and egg white. It was fantastic and was served up in a small, quite narrow version of a highball glass. Best of all, it came to me with a smiley face made of bitters floating on the delicious egg white foam. I loved that. I appreciate a bar that while seriously good, does not take itself too seriously. My friend ordered the aforementioned Betty Jo: bourbon, Aperol, Cynar, and maraschino. Quite strong, very warming, and an interesting combination of bitter and sweet. Our husbands drank beer. Men.
You order drinks at the bar but a server brings them out to you at your table. I liked that balance of self-serve and table service and it keeps the bar area clear. We got settled with our drinks and ordered a few appetizers to share: a dozen West Coast oysters (market price), tuna tartare with giant potato chips ($12) beet salad with fried goat cheese ($12), and Dullboy fries with rosemary, garlic and pecorino ($6). Everything was truly delicious, very good portions even for four. We all agreed the tuna was a standout. It was one of those dishes where you truly wanted it all for yourself, but appropriate restraint was required. If you've ever done one of those phony,"You finish it!" "No, you!" things, you know what I mean. After the chips were all gone (they were so crispy and good) the tuna tartare was happily eaten straight with a fork.
They serve mains as well and hopefully on a return visit we'll try one or two. I have no reason to doubt that they would be equally tasty.
Our server was brisk but friendly and despite being busy he managed to give us a warm thank you and good-bye. The staff seemed to work with smooth alacrity. When we left, there was a crowd around the door and as we got up our table was swiftly commandeered. Dullboy was far from it and I hope to come back to a Happy Hour (8$ drinks) or even better, to the weekly "Tiki Thursday" which sounds like fun (if you're not working on a Friday).
Walking to our next location, my friends, who had moved out a few years ago, were stunned by the number of new upscale eateries and bars. Now, don't get me wrong, the city still has many truly blighted, sketchy areas and many working-class neighborhoods besides, but this area has really become a destination. They've shut down a large street, Newark Avenue, and made it a pedestrian thruway. There are benches and tables in the middle of the street, and police, as well as an EMS presence, give security. A mix of modest shops and bars/restaurants line the street, and we headed to our next bar, The Archer.
Open only two months, The Archer bills itself as a "bar and refuge." Refuge from what I'm not quite sure. The wild vicissitudes of utterly corrupt Hudson County? Surprisingly, there was a bouncer or security person of sorts at the front door who asked for ID. Laughable considering our age. Carrying numerous bags of crushed goldfish in my purse should be all the ID I require. We were told to talk to Jesse inside for a table, but we weren't really interested in sitting down. In any case, no one named Jesse produced himself, there was no host to greet you, and the whole situation of having to work to find someone to do so was a tad odd. Either have a host or hostess clearly available to seat or don't. But don't make the customer search out the host.
Our eyes had gotten used to the darkness, yes this was another very dark space. Overall it was more refined than Dullboy. A mounted mule deer head, an antler chandelier, candles aplenty, antique bookcases and a warm gas fireplace helped transport us from city grit to hunting lodge chic. One of the best things it had going for it was a series of antler-shaped coat hooks. It's awful to carry a coat around inside and I appreciated this greatly. Generally, it had the feel of a swanky Brooklyn bar but we didn't have to drive all the way to Williamsburg. Not that we ever would. Did I mention the Edison bulbs?
The drinks menu was extensive and again cellphone flashlights came in handy. By now we had our illumination procedure down pat. There were Winter seasonal drinks ($12) as well as staples. I went with The Bijou: gin, sweet vermouth, green chartreuse and orange bitters. Tangy, herbal and strong, served in a coupe glass garnished with large orange peel, it was very satisfying. My friend enjoyed her cocktail made with mezcal. The men drank beer. The bar was packed with young, beautiful people in their 20s or 30s. We were maybe the oldest there. No seats were available, but there was plenty of space to stand by the fire which was fine with us. It wasn't crowded.
We drank and talked for an hour, and were offered a table at one point but declined. The seating area looked lovely. Hopefully we will come back and taste the food menu which features game. I would have ordered at least one more cocktail, but the parental witching hour of 10 pm was drawing close; children wake up at the same time every morning regardless of when you go to sleep, and now we have something to explore and enjoy when we return.
Drinks finished, we walked back out into the temperate January night and to our car. We happened to be parked next to the beautiful 162 year-old St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception church, and right in front of a modestly illuminated shrine to St. Rose of Lima. She is the patron saint of gardeners, of whom I am one. I couldn't help but think she gave us little help with the parking. Maybe she'll spread her beneficence upon two of the newest seeds to be sown in the fertile soil of a rejuvenated Jersey City. Both Dullboy and The Archer deserve their recent accolades. May they continue to bless us with great cocktails this side of the Hudson.
http://www.dullboybar.com
http://www.archerbar.com
With all that said, and with two former residents in the car to guide us safely, we made our way into revived, and now even surprisingly hip, downtown Jersey City this past Saturday night to scope out two of the most buzzed-about bars in town.
The first, Dullboy, (as in "All work and no play" via The Shining) opened this past spring and brought a speakeasy vibe to the neighborhood. The drinks are classic and interesting variations on the classics. No wild ingredients here, but a very solid, comfortable menu of food and drink.
Even though it was pushing 7:30 PM on a mild Saturday night we were able to score a good parking spot. One of the great things about Jersey City is that parking is free on the street. Don't underestimate this in the continuing success of downtown Jersey City. The parking is simply awful in Montclair and their downtown is full of empty storefronts. Parking is also terrible in neighboring Hoboken. Good free parking is good energy all around. You start off your night feeling blessed and with a little extra cash.
A short walk brought us to Dullboy and through a set of curtains to keep out the chill, we entered a dark, cozy space. There was still one table available in the back and we grabbed it. It was pretty crowded but not claustrophobic.
Now when I say the restaurant was dark, it was Egyptian plague-level dark. There is a midrash, a Jewish legend, that the darkness in Egypt was so thick and heavy that Egyptians couldn't even get out of bed. On the other hand, the Israelites were able to find "light" by helping one another through the darkness. It was definitely a revived plague number nine but we were firmly in the Israelite camp. Using shared votives and cell phone flashlights, we worked together to decipher the faint text on the menu. The typography and the dimness made it a challenge. Plus we're just old.
The drinks menu had a balanced combination of classics and specials. The bar has a loose "writer" theme; a typewriter hangs on the wall (yes we pressed the keys) and another entire wall is made up of paperback books affixed like wallpaper. There is banquette seating, and small tables where you can pull up chairs and up to four people can eat. And of course a very attractive bar. And of course ubiquitous Edison bulbs. The single TV is not obstrusive and the space really works.
The specialty drinks are named after various novel heroines: The Mina from Bram Stoker's Dracula, and The Betty Jo, which I think is from the 1963 sci-fi novel, The Man who Fell to Earth (in which an alien under the influence of alcohol begins to feel intense emotions). Clever. Specialty drinks are fairly priced at $12 or $13 each and the classics are an even better price at $11 each.
I went with The Joana (which I mistakenly ordered as The Jeana because I honestly could not see the letters). Reminiscent of a Pink Lady or a Gin Fizz, it had gin, ginger, cherry-lime, and egg white. It was fantastic and was served up in a small, quite narrow version of a highball glass. Best of all, it came to me with a smiley face made of bitters floating on the delicious egg white foam. I loved that. I appreciate a bar that while seriously good, does not take itself too seriously. My friend ordered the aforementioned Betty Jo: bourbon, Aperol, Cynar, and maraschino. Quite strong, very warming, and an interesting combination of bitter and sweet. Our husbands drank beer. Men.
You order drinks at the bar but a server brings them out to you at your table. I liked that balance of self-serve and table service and it keeps the bar area clear. We got settled with our drinks and ordered a few appetizers to share: a dozen West Coast oysters (market price), tuna tartare with giant potato chips ($12) beet salad with fried goat cheese ($12), and Dullboy fries with rosemary, garlic and pecorino ($6). Everything was truly delicious, very good portions even for four. We all agreed the tuna was a standout. It was one of those dishes where you truly wanted it all for yourself, but appropriate restraint was required. If you've ever done one of those phony,"You finish it!" "No, you!" things, you know what I mean. After the chips were all gone (they were so crispy and good) the tuna tartare was happily eaten straight with a fork.
They serve mains as well and hopefully on a return visit we'll try one or two. I have no reason to doubt that they would be equally tasty.
Our server was brisk but friendly and despite being busy he managed to give us a warm thank you and good-bye. The staff seemed to work with smooth alacrity. When we left, there was a crowd around the door and as we got up our table was swiftly commandeered. Dullboy was far from it and I hope to come back to a Happy Hour (8$ drinks) or even better, to the weekly "Tiki Thursday" which sounds like fun (if you're not working on a Friday).
Walking to our next location, my friends, who had moved out a few years ago, were stunned by the number of new upscale eateries and bars. Now, don't get me wrong, the city still has many truly blighted, sketchy areas and many working-class neighborhoods besides, but this area has really become a destination. They've shut down a large street, Newark Avenue, and made it a pedestrian thruway. There are benches and tables in the middle of the street, and police, as well as an EMS presence, give security. A mix of modest shops and bars/restaurants line the street, and we headed to our next bar, The Archer.
Open only two months, The Archer bills itself as a "bar and refuge." Refuge from what I'm not quite sure. The wild vicissitudes of utterly corrupt Hudson County? Surprisingly, there was a bouncer or security person of sorts at the front door who asked for ID. Laughable considering our age. Carrying numerous bags of crushed goldfish in my purse should be all the ID I require. We were told to talk to Jesse inside for a table, but we weren't really interested in sitting down. In any case, no one named Jesse produced himself, there was no host to greet you, and the whole situation of having to work to find someone to do so was a tad odd. Either have a host or hostess clearly available to seat or don't. But don't make the customer search out the host.
Our eyes had gotten used to the darkness, yes this was another very dark space. Overall it was more refined than Dullboy. A mounted mule deer head, an antler chandelier, candles aplenty, antique bookcases and a warm gas fireplace helped transport us from city grit to hunting lodge chic. One of the best things it had going for it was a series of antler-shaped coat hooks. It's awful to carry a coat around inside and I appreciated this greatly. Generally, it had the feel of a swanky Brooklyn bar but we didn't have to drive all the way to Williamsburg. Not that we ever would. Did I mention the Edison bulbs?
The drinks menu was extensive and again cellphone flashlights came in handy. By now we had our illumination procedure down pat. There were Winter seasonal drinks ($12) as well as staples. I went with The Bijou: gin, sweet vermouth, green chartreuse and orange bitters. Tangy, herbal and strong, served in a coupe glass garnished with large orange peel, it was very satisfying. My friend enjoyed her cocktail made with mezcal. The men drank beer. The bar was packed with young, beautiful people in their 20s or 30s. We were maybe the oldest there. No seats were available, but there was plenty of space to stand by the fire which was fine with us. It wasn't crowded.
We drank and talked for an hour, and were offered a table at one point but declined. The seating area looked lovely. Hopefully we will come back and taste the food menu which features game. I would have ordered at least one more cocktail, but the parental witching hour of 10 pm was drawing close; children wake up at the same time every morning regardless of when you go to sleep, and now we have something to explore and enjoy when we return.
Drinks finished, we walked back out into the temperate January night and to our car. We happened to be parked next to the beautiful 162 year-old St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception church, and right in front of a modestly illuminated shrine to St. Rose of Lima. She is the patron saint of gardeners, of whom I am one. I couldn't help but think she gave us little help with the parking. Maybe she'll spread her beneficence upon two of the newest seeds to be sown in the fertile soil of a rejuvenated Jersey City. Both Dullboy and The Archer deserve their recent accolades. May they continue to bless us with great cocktails this side of the Hudson.
http://www.dullboybar.com
http://www.archerbar.com