The Winter 2019 Edition of Hudson Restaurant Week kicks off today.
Through February 8, a total of 55 restaurants in Hudson County will offer discounted prix fixe lunch and dinner menus for cash-strapped diners. Here in Jersey City, a whopping 28 restaurants are participating. The list includes local favorites like Satis and Laico’s as well as a few newcomers.
New For 2019
Not surprisingly, Jersey City once again has the highest number of restaurants (28) participating in Hudson Restaurant Week 2019. (Hoboken comes in second with 19 restaurants).
There are five new additions in Jersey City this winter. They include Hudson & Co., Porta, Rumba Cubana, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and The Ashford. In Hoboken, we’re big fans of Halifax, which is offering a $18 three-course lunch and a $38 three-course dinner.
How Much Are You Saving?
Some restaurants are offering better savings than others. Ruth’s Chris, for instance, normally offers a 3-course prix fixe dinner for $46.95/pp. For Restaurant Week, they’re offering a 3-course prix fixe dinner for $40/pp. It’s not an apples to apples comparison, but if you’re in it for the savings, we suggest you do your homework first.
That said, here are some of our favorite money-saving picks (that we’ve actually eaten) and that are also available during Restaurant Week:
Hudson & Co.
Get the: Newcomer Hudson & Co. is offering excellent savings during RW. Normally, dishes such as the Crispy Octopus ($18, pictured) and Arctic Char ($28) alone cost $46. For RW, you can get both dishes and a dessert for $40. Their Black Truffle Pizza is another excellent pick that we’ve tried and liked. Also props to them for offering RW specials on both weekdays and weekends.
Available: Monday through Sunday
Cost: $20 for a 2-course lunch; $40 for a 3-course dinner
Latham House
Get the: We’ve never had a bad dish at Latham House. That may sound like an exaggeration, but Latham is one of the few spots in the tri-state area that’s consistently excellent. Favorites on their RW menu include the Crispy Calamari (pictured) and the Sesame-Crusted Salmon. The Braised Short Ribs ($28) are an excellent RW pick if you want to order something that’s normally out of your budget. For dessert, we recommend their Challah Bread Pudding, which comes with dulce de leche ice cream from Torico’s.
Available: Tuesdays through Fridays + Saturday (Feb. 2)
Cost: $20 for a 2-course lunch; $40 for a 3-course dinner
Ani Ramen
Get the: Unfortunately, Ani is only offering lunch this year. However, they’ve lowered the price of their Japanese Whisky Flight to $15 (it was $20 last year). Like Latham, you can’t go wrong with anything you order at Ani. Also, keep in mind their ramen bowls are priced at $14, so during RW you’re essentially getting a discounted appetizer with your bowl. That said, their buns are out-of-this-world delicious. If we had to pick, the Pork (pictured) and Shrimp Buns are excellent and their signature Ani Ramen is one of their best ramen bowls. The Vegan Ramen is also a must for non-meat eaters.
Available: Mondays through Thursdays only
Cost: $16 for a 2-course lunch
Piggyback Bar
Get the: Piggyback Bar has a nice mix of healthy/delicious and full-on gluttonous entrees on their RW menu. If you want to eat light and clean, their Grain Salad is an excellent lunch option. For something meatier, their Piggyback Ribs are tender and one of their classic dishes (they also cost $28 and are a good value pick). The Mussels w/ Chinese Sausage (pictured) is another great pick, although keep in mind that the $16 dish is usually available on the cheap during happy hour. Also worth noting, their RW lunch price is $18 this year (it was $20 last year).
Available: Weekdays + Saturday (2/2)
Cost: $18 for a 2-course lunch; $40 for a 3-course dinner
The Kitchen Step
Get the: Ok, $38 for a 3-course dinner at The Kitchen Step is a solid deal. For instance, the Pork Cheeks, King Ora Salmon, and Flourless Chocolate Cake will normally cost you $53. (See for yourself). All three of these dishes are available for RW for $38 combined. (Pictured is the Trout, which is not on their RW menu, but is just as delicious).
Available: Weekdays + Sunday (2/3)
Cost: $38 for a 3-course dinner
Hard Grove
Get the: Hard Grove is one of the few restaurants offering a 4-course dinner for RW. To maximize your savings, we recommend opting for their pricier items like the Plantain Guac & Chips and the Masitas de Cerdo Mofongo (pictured) — which also happen to be our favorite dishes.
Available: Tuesday through Friday + Saturday/Sunday (2/2-2/3); Lunch is available the weekend of 2/2 only
Cost: $20 for a 3-course lunch; $38 for a 4-course dinner
