I really don’t like coffee. Never have. However, I usually find coffee-flavored things like mocha chip ice cream absolutely delicious. Dunkaccinos get me through particularly long weeknight meetings. But if someone hands me a steaming cup of hot, fresh coffee, it’s just not going to happen. Which is why my most recent review of Black Rail Coffee took an interesting turn when I made a pretty great discovery.
Located on 9th Street between Jackson Street and the light rail station (it shares a building with Tilted Kilt, but on the opposite side), the cleverly-named Black Rail is one of the newest (and few) eateries in the back end of Hoboken. Since opening over the summer, their rather aggressive advertising campaign piqued my interest; so, I went. Then I went again. And again. And again. The limited selection I had sampled to date made me very happy, so for this week, I decided a more thorough review was in order.
First, the drinks (it is a coffee shop, after all!). I still don’t like coffee, but at the suggestion of the store owners (it’s a family operation), I sampled their cold brew iced coffee. As was explained, the reason a lot of people don’t like coffee is that the hot water leaves the brew somewhat acidic and harsh; cold brew doesn’t have that problem. After trying a sip and subsequently downing the entire cup, I had to agree. In the spirit of all that is basic and fall, my roommate got a pumpkin spice latte, which he absolutely loved!
But, they aren’t just coffee! They have a decent variety of sandwiches and soups as well. They have a couple varieties of soup most days, and since they change daily, a set menu is tough to come by. If they have the chicken noodle, it’s ok, but if they have their broccoli Monterey Jack cheese soup, get it. Get all of it. Of the sandwiches, we sampled three different kinds: the Caprese, the Healthier Sandwich, and the Wasa Beef (I’m saving that one for last – read on!). The Caprese features fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato on ciabatta bread; it’s also panini-pressed, so everything comes out warm but not hot (it’s a good thing). The Healthier Sandwich is turkey and a smorgasbord of vegetables (including avocado); it was decent, but a little too chock full of greens for what I want out of a sandwich. Finally, the Wasa Beef; oh, the Wasa Beef! Roast beef, arugula, red onions, wasabi mayo, and Swiss cheese, all on rosemary foccacia! This sandwich is absolutely the reason I decided to review Black Rail for this column; you need to find out why…
Aside from made to order foods, they offer all kinds of pastries, snacks, fruit, and drinks, all of which are pretty solid and can complement any sandwich or stand alone. For breakfast, while I have yet to try these, they make all kinds of breakfast sandwiches and pastries; best part (so it seems at least) is their bagels come from Hoboken Hot Bagels.
To be blunt, living in the back end of Hoboken can be a struggle when you’re hungry: you can either venture back to Washington Street or succumb once again to the tempting mistress that most call “delivery”. So, when a new place opens down the block from your apartment, you take notice. Black Rail Coffee is a family run shop which, while advertised as a coffee shop, is so much more! With food which will fire up your taste buds, coffee which will turn even the most stubborn, and a friendly atmosphere, Black Rail is set up to be one of the few successful eateries on this side of Hoboken.
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