Garden of Eden

[Curlz]

WOW...this is a looooooooovely addition to Hoboken! Was there last night, and was definitely impressed by the size of the place as well as the selection, esp of produce. Of course, some items (mostly pre-packaged) were overpriced (i.e. Pacific Veg Broth $3.99 a box), but I'd expect that in most markets in a town so small. Still, I'm sure it's a welcome sight for those living/working there.

Lots of prepared foods (salads, sandwiches, plus self-serve salad and hot food bars), a small bakery dept, as well as seafood and deli; definitely a full service supermarket. My friend commented that it was a mix of Whole Foods and Kings; a valid observation, imo.

[markk]

I went twice, hoping to like it. Physically, it's beautiful. In substance, it really doesn't have anything different, or better than we can get anywhere else in Hoboken, only more expensive. Well, it does have tins of caviar and foie gras, which we can't get anywhere else.

But the truffled foie gras mousse from D'Artagnan is cheaper at Shop Rite, which carries the same D'Artagnan products. The jarred, boxed, and canned natural and organic foods have been available forever at the Organic mega-store a few hundred feet down the block.

The first time I was in, there were prepared foods that had certainly seen better days. They were gone the next time I was there, but moved to the front was a new batch, including several displays of cooked shrimp that looked, well, it's inconceivable that anybody who saw them dried out and curling would buy them.

They had some interesting-looking salami and such in the deli. There was a mortadella that intrigued me, but it didn't have its wrapper, so I asked the fellow if he had one handy with the ingredients. He found one quickly, and read me "pork, water, salt, sugar". I was impressed and asked him for a pound of it. Then, something told me to ask the see the label. When he read me the ingredients, he'd omitted all the chemicals and preservatives that came after the first four ingredients. So I didn't buy any. I'm not faulting them for having meats with chemicals, just saying that we have no shortage whatsoever in Hoboken of Italian delis that already carry those.

Still, it's a pretty store. I'm not trying to say bad things about it, only that I was hoping that they'd bring us things we don't already have. The produce was pretty, I must say, but the cherries I bought (perhaps my own fault for buyng them) were mealy and horrible. And the lemons were twice price of the Korean deli a few steps to the other side of them; not the fancy lemons with the leaves on them, but the standard lemons. And I should say that price really doesn't matter to me, if I'm getting anything better or different than I can already get.

Edited January 8, 2007 by markk (log)

[jon777]

My first visit there on Friday night. A couple of impressions:

- Overall, the store is beautiful. And a great location as it's right on the way home from work, making it easy to pick up anything needed for dinner right on the way -- IF things are good and fresh.

- Produce looked very nice. Picked up a couple of juicing oranges and a Blood Orange (Sunkist -- who knew they did Blood Oranges???). Overall looked fresher/better than most and cheaper than Sobsey's (I love Sobsey's, but they are EXPENSIVE!). Prices seemed generally comparable or a little less than Whole Foods

- Nice deli counter with Boar's Head products -- good for everyday sandwiches -- for specialty items will still go to Fiore's or similar

- Fish Counter -- this is what has me the most excited. Hasn't been a place to get fresh fish since Apicella closed last year. Not a huge selection, but enough to be able to pick up something on the way home and make a quick dinner. Prices were again comparable to whole foods (i.e. not cheap, but if the quality is good (and I haven't tried yet, although looked good), will be fairly priced)

- Other -- a nice meat counter (they'll cut fresh, and had dry aged meats available). Small D'artagnan section -- as Markk mentions, Shop Rite's is better), and the desserts/pastries looked delicious.

Certainly won't be using it for my everyday shopping, but a very nice addition to the Hoboken shopping area, and if the fish and produce are up to par, will get a lot of week night business for me for simple, fresh cooking.

[EmilyG]

Markk- I really need to know where you're shopping if you can get anything they have at GOE elsewhere in Hoboken. I have been living here for two years, and have schlepped numerous bags from GOE Manhattan home on the PATH train.

True, Basic Foods has a lot of the organic produce that GOE has (in fact, they have a better yogurt selection), but they charge ridiculous prices.

I second what was said about the fish. Since the fish store on 1st Street closed 6 months or so ago, I haven't been able to get fresh fish. And what about the cheese? They have a great selection, including burrata. I think their cheese is even better than Whole Foods because they cut most of it to order.

It's also nice to have some bread that's not Italian. Don't get me wrong- I love Antique, but it gets old.

I have always wanted to be able to pick up a free range roast chicken on the way home, and now I can.

Overall, I am thrilled about the arrival of Garden of Eden, and it's probably good for property values, too.

[markk]

Markk-  I really need to know where you're shopping if you can get anything they have at GOE elsewhere in Hoboken.  I have been living here for two years, and have schlepped numerous bags from GOE Manhattan home on the PATH train.

True, Basic Foods has a lot of the organic produce that GOE has (in fact, they have a better yogurt selection), but they charge ridiculous prices.

I second what was said about the fish.  Since the fish store on 1st Street closed 6 months or so ago, I haven't been able to get fresh fish.  And what about the cheese?  They have a great selection, including burrata.  I think their cheese is even better than Whole Foods because they cut most of it to order.

It's also nice to have some bread that's not Italian.  Don't get me wrong- I love Antique, but it gets old.

I have always wanted to be able to pick up a free range roast chicken on the way home, and now I can.

Overall, I am thrilled about the arrival of Garden of Eden, and it's probably good for property values, too.

←

I've always liked Basic Foods, but I've never compared their prices, so I didn't know if in fact GOE is cheaper. I'll make it a point to comparison shop the items I buy next time.

I too would kill for whole fish. But the two times I was in GOE, the fish there shouldn't have been for sale. The skin was dry and sunken into the body, and the eyes were sunken in and very far from fresh. (For what it's worth, much of the fish I used to buy at Apicella had a faint but distinct smell of chlorine bleach, and I stopped going there.)

And I was impressed by the GOE cheese selection until I got into it. Two of the cheeses that interested me smelled horrible when I brought them near my nose, and one of the cheeses I sampled had absolutely no flavor whatsoever.

No, there's not a place for better cheese in Hoboken, nor is there a place for whole fish, let alone top-quality. Sadly. If there were, I'd gladly share it with you. And I did miss the fact that the chickens were free-range. But what I was saying was that I had hoped the store would be bringing things (great cheese, great fish) here, and in the couple of times I've been, I didn't find that.

[markk]

I have always wanted to be able to pick up a free range roast chicken on the way home, and now I can.

And... no, you still can't.

I just got back from there (I bought some nice looking pastries) but when I saw the roast chickens unlabeled, I asked, and they're neither free range nor organic, and never were either. So if somebody told you they were free range, they mis-informed you.

I only point this out because when the guy read me the ingredients in the Mortadella, he left out all the chemicals and preseratives.

[EmilyG]

It's really a shame that you have had such a negative experience. I bought some cod fillets there last week and they were very fresh and delicious. The burrata I bought turned out to be as good as DiPalo's or Buon Italia. Other than that, I've only bought produce so far, and it's been great.

The chickens that I used to buy at GOE in the city were indeed free-range. However, I bought one last night in Hoboken, and I was surprised to find that it was only $5.95. I am not surprised to hear they are not free range, although it was delicious. Thanks for doing the investigative work.

I think you should bring any complaints that you have to the GOE management. I stopped in to say hello when they were opening and they were very friendly and receptive. It really is a great resource, and I hope you are more satisfied with it in the future.

[markk]

Well, I have nothing actually to complain about it, and the day I was asking questions at the fish counter, the guy certainly was friendly and helpful.

I was out of town when they opened, and by the time I got there, a lot of the stuff that I guess hadn't sold was still in the cases. The pastries that I bought were very good, and as I'm on that block all the time, I will keep stopping in.

[rlibkind]

Hasn't been a place to get fresh fish since Apicella closed last year.

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Apicella's is the fish store that got me interested in fish when I lived in Hoboken, oh so long ago (1974-79). And there was a great Italian produce store a block up First from them. I had never seen periwinkles before patronizing Apicella's and was introduced to many other fish there. Hoboken is poorer for the loss.

[thereuare]

Nice deli counter with Boar's Head products -- good for everyday sandwiches -- for specialty items will still go to Fiore's or similar

There are a few things i don't understand in Hoboken and this touches upon one of them...

Who is getting pre-made sandwiches at places like Garden of Eden, or worse: Subway, Quiznos, etc, when we have some great real delis such as Fiore's, Vito's, M&P Biancomano, and to a lesser extent, Lisa's.

All of these places make their own fresh Mozarella (mutz) daily and get some of the best bread the area has to offer from the local brick oven places.

It's not even a matter of cost, as a sandwich at Quiznos would run you just about, if not more, than a similar sandwich at Vito's, M&P, etc. (maybe Fiore's is a bit more).

[markk]

Nice deli counter with Boar's Head products -- good for everyday sandwiches -- for specialty items will still go to Fiore's or similar

There are a few things i don't understand in Hoboken and this touches upon one of them...

Who is getting pre-made sandwiches at places like Garden of Eden, or worse: Subway, Quiznos, etc, when we have some great real delis such as Fiore's, Vito's, M&P Biancomano, and to a lesser extent, Lisa's.

All of these places make their own fresh Mozarella (mutz) daily and get some of the best bread the area has to offer from the local brick oven places.

It's not even a matter of cost, as a sandwich at Quiznos would run you just about, if not more, than a similar sandwich at Vito's, M&P, etc. (maybe Fiore's is a bit more).

←

There's a much broader issue than the one you raised. Who, in Northern NJ, if not America, with a car, is going to dinner at Chili's or Applebees, when they're not in an airport and limited to those places?

Quality wise, I think you need to put Lisa's much higher on your list, by the way, and Fiore's a lot lower.

[tommy]

  Who, in Northern NJ, if not America, with a car, is going to dinner at Chili's or Applebees, when they're not in an airport and limited to those places?

people who don't share your taste in food.

[ghostrider]

So where is this Garden Of Eden?

Is it anywhere near the train station? I sure could have used some good prepared foods on my way home tonight. (I was counting on the Thai place in the station food court, not realizing that it'd be closed for the holiday.)

Man this is wack. Their website hasn't been updated in over 2 years. Hoboken 411 (The NEW online guide to Hoboken!) doesn't have the address either. The place is apparently too new to show in the online Yellow Pages.

Why is everyone keeping the location a secret? Is this really one of these places where, if you have to ask, you don't belong there anyway?

Edited January 15, 2007 by ghostrider (log)

[plattetude]

So where is this Garden Of Eden?

←

226 Washington St (between 2nd and 3rd). And the address *is* listed on hoboken411.com, FWIW.

So, yes, it's at the south end of town, easily accessible by train.

Christopher

[jon777]

Went in again last weekend. Bought a bunch of produce -- mostly salad stuff -- and some fruit. Quality is much higher than supermarket and I thought priced fairly. Inspected the fish counter again -- significantly bigger selection this time (this was Saturday afternoon). Everything looked fresh and there was no fishy smell coming from the cabinet (always a good sign). A couple of the whole fish looked like they might be slightly past their prime, given the glassy eyes, but I'm admittedly not an expert. A very respectable tiramasu and some cookies from the bakery were good as well. Checkout was fast an efficient.

Very happy to have in town and will continue to shop there for produce, fish and specialty items. Interested in hearing some reviews of the meat counter...

[finnfann]

Agreed -- this is a great addition to Hoboken. I stopped in yesterday and was amazed by the produce, fish and cheese selections.

One caution -- watch your cashier when the produce goes by. I don't think they are trying to pull fast ones, they are just clueless. My regular green squash rang up at $8.99 a pound, not the $1.99 it was supposed to be. My husband had a similar experience with his tomato ringing up as a $9.99/lb heirloom. Hopefully they cashiers will soon learn their produce codes.

I am really happy to have a good fish counter back in town!

[thereuare]

There coffee is pretty good and at $7.49/lb is reasonably priced ($1 for small cup / $1.25 for large)

The avocados i bought were 'ok'.

To give some perspective on the location... it's the old Rite Aid (which used to be next to QuickCheck) on Washington Street.