Despite being a town with one of the highest number of restaurants serving brunch per capita, Hoboken is notoriously difficult for finding a place to actually have brunch. While the typical Sunday morning for a freshman consists of an omelet and sandwich from Pierce in the neighborhood of 11:30 a.m. or so, upperclassmen, many of whom have pockets flush with co-op money, seek out brunch along with the entire young professional community of Hoboken. As a result, many of the most popular breakfast locations in Hoboken are packed to the gills until early in the afternoon on any given weekend morning.
With the weather rather pleasant if not a bit on the colder side, Sunday brunch in the city seemed like a pretty great option for my roommate Gabe and I before settling in to watch the Giants embarrass themselves on national television (again). As such, this week’s article was originally going to be about Anthony David’s, a gourmet restaurant and popular Sunday morning destination. However, upon our arrival, we were dismayed to find a line to even get a table, inside or out.
Considering the majority of other typical places were bound to be equally packed, we took a risk and walked all the way uptown to City Bistro, located at 56 14th Street (between Washington and Hudson) with the hope that its relative distance from the heart of Hoboken would leave available tables and quick service; we were in luck!
While not the sexiest pick for Sunday brunch, we were delighted to find the atmosphere pleasant and the outdoor seating rather comfortable, if not a bit cozy. After ordering drinks (nothing out of the ordinary from any standard brunch-offering establishment), the waiter dropped off a small basket of muffins, launching us into a discussion in the feasibility of a business that only sells muffin tops. From rumor, I had heard that most of their brunch menu is rather delicious, particularly the pancakes and eggs benedict. Off this and other recommendations, we decided to start with the Short Rib Nachos before moving on to main dishes. Much to our surprise, they were served not quite in the typical style of nachos (a smothered mess that ends in frustration as you try to pick apart the stack without bringing the whole thing down), but in a neat stack of large, separated portions, each with a dollop of short rib, cheese, and sour cream. With guacamole and salsa on the side, the nachos made for a pleasantly neat and satisfying appetizer for both us and the table next to us, who congratulated us on our selection.
On to the main courses! Gabe ordered the steak and eggs, a higher-end staple of any proper brunch; the dish also comes with potatoes (more non-potato heavy than normal, but good nonetheless) and a couple pieces of fruit, all reported as absolutely delicious. As for me, I ordered the smoked salmon eggs benedict in what would become my first foray into eggs benedict. Properly poaching an egg is one of the most difficult things to pull off successfully in cooking, which I imagine is what makes it such a popular item at many brunch places (the whole “ordering things you couldn’t make yourself” adage). Safe to say, I guess I like eggs benedict. While the dish wasn’t quite as drowned in hollandaise sauce as I’ve seen at other restaurants, the English muffin and salmon proved tasty complements, and the potatoes on my end were fantastic as well.
Given the young, professional culture teeming throughout Hoboken, Sunday brunch is often one of the most competitive times to find a table all over the city. While the hike up to 14th Street is often thought of as unconscionable for the Stevens student, when there are so many places much closer to campus. Trust me, it’s worth it; if the choice is between fighting the crowds to get into the Anthony Davids, Elysian Cafes, and Stacks Pancake Houses or venturing out to places like City Bistro, the choice should be pretty simple. With quality food, decent service, and a friendly environment, there’s no need to despair when the line at your favorite places stretch around the block; just hoof it to the north end of town and find a table with ease.
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