This weekend was a time of true celebration. I celebrated both my cousin and my sister’s 25th birthday! Fun fact: They are born one day apart in the same year. Normally they have their birthday celebrations in NYC but due to COVID and no indoor dining (for another week) they decided to celebrate their birthdays on the other side of the Hudson. On Friday we had dinner at Rebecca’s, a cozy Cuban-Caribbean restaurant in Edgewater, NJ. If you guys are not familiar with the NY/NJ area, Edgewater is a town located along the Hudson River on the NJ side. The setup of the restaurant is an elevated chill vibe that is comfortable. I love Cuban food and my parents are from Jamaica so I was so excited to try the dishes. For an appetizer we shared plantain chips with guacamole. I am OBSESSED with fresh guacamole and this one did not disappoint! I also love plantain chips so I was super happy to see that on the menu as oppose to the typical tortilla chip option.
For my entree I had the Havana Shrimp dish which is grilled gulf ship in Caribbean spices, pineapple mango, and papaya salsa. This dish was so refreshing and savory and so unlike anything I typically order. I never normally have fruit with my dinner so this was an unlikely but delicious pairing. If you like Cuban-Caribbean food you will love Rebecca’s. After dinner we headed over the Pier 115 Bar & Grill, a modern, riverfront gastropub. This is one of my favorite spots in the summer because it is literally right on the water. The best part about spending time on the NJ side of the Hudson is that you have a full view of the spectacular NYC skyline. This view is absolutely unreal and no matter how many times I see it I do not get tired of the beauty of it. While we were soaking in the view, my cousin noticed rapper Fivio Foreign eating inside. I’m not familiar with his music but my cousin and friend were so they went over a took a pic with him. I know rappers are sometimes known to be a little stuck up, so I was pleasantly surprised he will chill enough to take some time to talk to them.
I had such a great time spending time with my family and friend’s trying a new restaurant in a town that I normally don’t visit.
On Saturday we celebrated my sister’s birthday at seafood and steakhouse, Chart House in Weehawken, NJ. I have not been this restaurant in years and I was really looking forward to fresh seafood with a view. For an appetizer we ordered calamari with kim chee and Thai chili sauce and an tortilla chips with spinach and artichoke dip. Guys, these appetizers were so good! I love fried calamari and I was nervous we would have tiny portions but they gave a lot and it was truly so, so good. And of course you can never go wrong with spinach and artichoke dip.
For my entree I had salmon with mushroom mashed potatoes. The sauce was so delicious and the mashed potatoes were the best I have ever had! I also ordered a moscato sangria, a mix of my two favorite drinks. This was such a tasty meal and I cannot wait to go again! They were sweet enough to give my sister a birthday dessert of hot chocolate lava cake which was basically a dessert dream. After dinner we took photos by the water and enjoyed the stunning view. Overall, it was a beautiful and appetizing weekend. This was the first time in a very long time that I got dressed up and had a true night out somewhere special. I didn’t even realize how much I missed weekends like this until I experienced this again. I will most definitely be having more times like this soon. How was your weekend? Have you guys ever visited any of these restaurants or any other restaurants along the Hudson? Please comment below!
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