The Dining Room at Anthony David's

[Rosie]

We went back to The Dining Room at Anthony David's AGAIN. It is so hard for me to get back to the places that I love as I need to try out many restaurants so that I know what is going on in NJ. However, I have been to this restaurant 3 times since October because I love the food, service, and ambiance.

We started off with wonderful bread from Sullivan Street bakery served with a white bean paste and olive oil as well as a cup full of olives. Every table received a lobster bisque--a delightful start for our dinner. We then had a few comps before our meal; a small wedge of an outrageously tasty warm potato tart with prosciutto, caramelized onions and micro greens and a small tasting of the lightest potato gnocchi I have ever had with a mushroom sauce. For appetizers we had the spicy lamb sausage with herb tomato sauce, arugula and pappardelle and the veal Bolognese with porcini, arugula and tagliatelle. Both pasta dishes were split in the kitchen. Entrees were peppered tuna with mashed potatoes; roasted sea bass; grilled lamb chops with an artichoke and mushroom ragout; and free range chicken with olives, pancetta, spinach and mashed potatoes. Every plate was licked clean.

The Dining Room at Anthony David?s specializes in cheeses and 30 to 40 selections are offered nightly but we opted for the cardamom baked apple in pasty which I could have inhaled by myself it was so good and the addictive bourbon glazed donuts.

[glenn]

We went back AGAIN again tonight, our 3rd visit. I have very little to add as it has all been said. I guess we now reached ROSIE STATUS and qualify as near VIPs and got the same comps she did last week, which she described far better than I could. For the appetizer, we shared the pasta with lobster which was out of this world. For entrees, Anabelle had the salmon and I had pork tenderloins. Everything about the place is incredible, not just the food. The service is fitting a **** establishment, while the ambience remains casual. I only pray the reviewers stay away for a while so you don't have to make reservations a month in advance. My only complaint is that everything is so good that I can never find room to try the incredible selection of cheeses.

[thereuare]

Based upon all the recommendations on this restaurant, i REALLY want to try it, but i'm not into "haute food" (ie- duck, rabbit, pheasant, foi gras, quail, etc) and it seems as if this is the variety of food served here (it's for this reason i don't like Amanda's... i can't find anything "simple" on the menu).

Has anyone that has eaten here happen to notice if there is a filet mignon on the menu or a BONELESS chicken dish (or even a past without some form of bird in it?).

We walked by the restaurant the other nite, while taking an after dinner stroll, but there was a private part going on and the servers were in the process of picking up entrees from the kitchen, so i didn't want to disturb them and go in to ask for a menu.

Thanks.

[glenn]

Negative on steak and boneless chicken. They do have a free range chicken. As I mentioned, I had pork last night and previously had the lamb chops, which are fantastic. The selection of entrees is somewhat limited and about half are fish. No specials. They do have a nice variety of pasta dishes, though they're not really a main course. I had the pasta with veal bolognese previously which was excellent. I also think you can have a fine experience w/o ordering an entree. I decided next time I go I'm just gonna order cheese and a pasta dish.

[tommy]

Has anyone that has eaten here happen to notice if there is a filet mignon on the menu or a BONELESS chicken dish (or even a past without some form of bird in it?).

you're so freakin picky.

go for brunch, get the steak and eggs, and have a look at the menu then. the steak is a hanger steak and is very very good. served with potatoes. a very simple and delicious dish.

[Rosie]

They have a veal bolognese with porcini, arugula and tagliatelle and a wild mushroom tortellini with prosciutto, herbs, cream and parmesan. Lowell has had the free range chicken and it was excellent. They also have lamb chops with an artichoke and mushroom ragout and parmesan crisp. Does that help???

[tommy]

thereuare, a menu, which is probably outdated, can be found here.

[glenn]

Btw, Anthony mentioned he was negotiating to open another place in Hoboken. Then we got interrupted and I didn't get the full low down. Rosie, go do your job please. tia.

[tommy]

Btw, Anthony mentioned he was negotiating to open another place in Hoboken.  Then we got interrupted and I didn't get the full low down.  Rosie, go do your job please.  tia.

this place is the only real competition that amanda's has had. ever. i would be interested how much amanda's business is being affected, or will be with the opening of another anthony davids.

[glenn]

The **1/2 star rating by the current issue of NJ Monthly was very disappointing. The review itself was pretty accurate and I wouldn't quibble with anything. The dishes that weren't liked I didn't try. However, the reviewer must have been there early on to say the service and front of the house had some problems. On the contrary. On the plus side, I guess the mediocre rating won't make it impossible to get reservations.

[Rosie]

The reviewer, Anthony Giglio, wrote about his experiences when he dined at The Dining Room at Anthony David's. He may have been there early on as NJM reviewers usually work 4-5 months ahead of time because of publishing deadlines.

The Dining Room at Anthony David's is one of my favorite NJ restaurants. It's hard for me to get back to a restaurant that I love and I have mananged to return there many times. The only problem I have is the parking in Hoboken. I have always had professional service there and outstanding meals. I am not in favor of the "star" system when rating restaurants but my experiences there have been 3 1/2.

[glenn]

We went again last night and finally tried the cheese. Not being a connoisseur (of anything!) and never having ordered cheese before, we let Anthony pick the cheeses. They were wonderful, but can't remember the names. Then a complimentary amuse of lobster bisque, the warm potato tart appetizer for each of us and pasta dishes -- lobster gnocchi and lamb sausage. Very filling, very reasonable, and as usual, incredible, not to mention the great service. Reservations are a lot easier to come by -- I think they have 2 seatings now, an early one at about 6 and one at 8, or something like that. I think you're limited to those times, but I guess that's the only way he can handle it with the limited seating and trying to get maximum turnover, uh, twice. The spring menu should be out soon. One complaint is the absence of specials, but he's not set up for it, having limited kitchen help.

[Rosie]

Glenn--How was the parking in Hoboken? Were the streets plowed?

[glenn]

The usual spot, nearby the parking lot on River Rd. or whatever it is, that charges me $20 and you $10 (half price for little people?) We parked on top of a snow bank.

[thereuare]

I'll park on the street, meet you when you arive so that i can move my car, and you can take my spot... and i'll only charge $5.

[Rosie]

I don't think I'll be back in Hoboken until the spring. Want to try Augustino's again.

[thereuare]

Based upon the kudos received on this board about this restaurant (Anthony David's) i chose it as a belated birthday dinner.

Although the menu has a lot of fish dishes on it (and i'm not such a seafood fan) it's not a menu that i would drool over, but one that i order something by default. With that said, it's also one of those places that no matter what you order it will likely be fantastic, as "whatever they do... they do right".

Appetizers ordered were a potato pastry which was described as a 'potato pizza' and it was an upscale version of Uno's Pizza Skins (this comparison does it no justice, but it's the closest thing i could think of, and it was GREAT!) and two salads. Entrees were lobster risotto, sirloin steak, and scallops. All were fantastic and received rave reviews from everyone (although entree size was a bit on the small side). Dessert was a chocolate ganache cake and the donuts i have heard so much about. I'm not a donut fan but these were amazing!! and more like light zeppoles (without the powdered sugar) than donuts.

This is a higher-end restaurant in a casual atmosphere and am so glad i was turned onto this place as Hoboken needs more good restaurants. For those that have read other reviews of mine i often will comment about value, and this is an example of how value is not only dependent upon cost... it's cost vs. enjoyment. Although this restaurant is not the cheapest in town (nor the most expensive), and is on the pricier side of things for Hoboken, yet provides an excellent value as the quality and overall enjoyment of our meals ranked very highly by everyone in our group (and typically tough crowd).

[markk]

This past summer we had the Tasting Menu at Anthony David's, and it was delicious - foie gras, roasted beets with goat cheese, a lobster dish, a sea bass dish, and lamb. Photos of all the courses (along with descriptions) can be found here: Anthony David's Tasting Menu Photos

The portions were small, though, which was especially problematic considering how good everything was. The fact that it's BYO only enhanced the experience, because we brought a wine for every course, indlucing a dry Alsatian Gewurztraminer for the Foie Gras, a Pouilly-Fume for the beets and goat cheese, a white Burgundy for the fish, and a Bordeaux (1985 Chateau Talbot) for the lamb.

It's my experience that except for the great, great (and very expensive restaurants), you usually don't find a really good wine experience (either in quality or variety) as often as you find great meals such as the one at Anthony David's, and BYO is the perfect solution.

Incidentally, another great Hoboken BYO is La Isla, with photos here: La Isla photos

And for more Hoboken comments and photos, you can always check out Dine Hoboken

[tommy]

David Corcoran gives AD's a "very good" tomorrow. good for them.

there's another thread here.

Topics have been merged.

Edited February 22, 2004 by Rosie (log)

[Curlz]

Fwiw, there's a lot on the end of Washington Street at 14th that offers free parking in conjunction with many of the restaurants on that end of Hoboken. It's in front of the Tea Building (residential). If you pull up to the attendant, you can always ask if AD validates; if not, you can pay to park there. That's where I always park (for free) when I go to India on the Hudson.

[glenn]

I wasn't aware that you could get validated parking at the lipton tea lot. Amanda's free parking recently changed -- the lot on Sinatra Drive closed, though I don't think they changed to the lipton tea lot - it's somewhere else. India on Hudson?? I ate there once when they first opened and it was horrible. Have things changed, like did the chef kick the bucket? ;-)

Made reservations today at AD for next week. Before the review, you had to call a week in advance for the weekend. Considering they have under 40 seats, it'll probably be impossible to get into after the review comes out. Sometimes you gotta hate BIGMOUTH Corcoran.

[Curlz]

Not to make this a Hoboken thread, Glenn, but I've been going to India on the Hudson for about 4 years--since my then-boyfriend (Indian) dubbed it as one of the best places he had eaten in--and he was formerly a fan of a few places in Edison and Jersey City! I've eaten plenty of Indian food but keep going back there--and trust me, it's not for the service or the decor (which they did recently upgrade)--it's all about the food!

[markk]

This charming 30 seat BYO that serves as a deli, cheese shop, and gourmet food market in the daytime transforms itself into a wonderful restaurant at night.

I agree, and can offer you photos of a delicious dinner at Anthony David's last summer. It was the "tasting menu".

Dinner at Anthony Davids (© Guyarts, Ltd.)

This is also a wonderful example of why BYO restaurants are so great, often a question that's raised on e-gullet. The answer is that a wine collector with a cellar can usually bring much better wines (in terms of quality and variety to accompany the foods) than most restaurants can offer. Thankfully, a lot of local restaurants give great care to the quality of their foods; to expect one to have a vast and reasonable cellar as well might just be too much to ask.

What we ate (and what we drank):

To start, Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with cherries, caramelized shallots, and gastrique (accompanied by an Alsace Willm dry Gewurtztraminer).

Next, Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts, and micro greens (accompanied by a Pouilly-Fume whose name I no longer remember)

Then, Maine Lobster with cremini, sweet corn, and potato gnocchi (accompanied, if memory serves me right, by a white Burgundy, which I also don't remember; it might have been a 1985 Chassagne-Montrachet, and in fact, it may have been an Alsace Pinot Gris altogether.)

Then, Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass with a white bean asparagus ragout and creamed corn (and to be truthful, memory fails me on the wine again)

Followed by Grilled Lamb Chop with arugula, oven dried tomatoes, and favas (accompanied by either a 1985 Sociando-Mallet, or 1983 Chateau Talbot; I broght both but don't remember which we drank).

Sorry for the lack of memory of the wines, but I think you can get the idea.

Every dish was as delicious as it looks. The only criticisms I had, albeit slight, were that the cherry sauce for the foie gras was too sweet, and that, even with this many courses, the portions were quite (quite) small.

I hope you enjoy the photos, and the restaurant.

[Rosie]

Thank-you for the great post markk.

[Rosie]

I always walk out of The Dining Room at Anthony David’s, 111 10th Street, Hoboken with a smile on my face. The food is excellent, service sublime and atmosphere relaxing. We started off with additive Italian bread that we dipped into fruity olive oil.

Appetizers were sublime. Do not miss the mussels with orange, cream, pernod and fennel. These ingredients work and I especially enjoyed dipping the mussel shells into the broth for an extra tasty treat. Other delights were a warm potato tart with prosciutto, caramelized onions and micro greens; and an outrageously delicious pumpkin ravioli with a butter sage sauce.

Entrees also pleased the palate. We had tenderloin of pork (guess who had that); sea bass with Brussels sprouts and flecks of prosciutto; gnocchi with lobster; and cassoulet chock full of rabbit, sausage, veal, pheasant and beans topped with crunchy bread crumbs. I loved everything.

Desserts are great here. We were stuffed and bypassed the cheeses that this restaurant is famous for. However we devoured the bourbon sauced doughnuts, cinnamon sugar beignets, and apple tart. Do try this restaurant even though the parking in Hoboken is awful. For reservations call 201-222-8359.