The corner cozy downtown favorite hotspot has been delighting Hobokenites and outsiders for more than seven years. With a new menu created by executive chef and owner John Martello a few months ago, the restaurant is now among the town's top places for eclectic cuisine.
"We want to provide a little bit of everything for our valued customers," Martello said.
Compared to other big name restaurants in Hoboken where there is a long wait for a table and lines outside on the weekends for patrons eager to be near the bar, the Gaslight is a more relaxed establishment with romantic settings. The main dining room in the back room is quiet with mild lighting, while the middle room, which serves as a lounge on weekend nights, is also considered romantic. The bar area, near the entrance, is lively and energetic. Bartenders keep the mix drinks flowing and make a vast variety of martinis.
The servers are attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.
New menu
The salads and appetizers in the new menu range from $5.95 to $9.75. The least expensive entrees are the pasta dishes, which start at $10. The meat and fish dishes go up to almost $30.
"Our specials change all the time. We put the interest of our customers first, ensuring an affordable comfortable dining experience," said Claude Persico, co-owner of the restaurant with Martello.
Appetizers include sautéed portobello mushroom, and cherry peppers stuffed with fresh mozzarella and proscuitto. The cherry pepper dish consisted of six red and green hot peppers and was filled with a wispy slab of mozzarella, a ball of proscuitto and a little garlic. The peppers were sautéed in olive oil. The combination was spicy and terrific. The mushroom was cut into fourths and presented in a marsala wine sauce fit for a steak. The dish was rich and filling. Other appetizers included baked clams, calamari, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail and antipasto.
The new menu offered a variety of entrees. They included chicken saltimbocca, veal piccata, shrimp oreganta, a sushi roll and a seafood platter (including scallops, shrimp and filet of sole) and pork chop pizzaiola.
Also, Martello presents his fine steaks on small planks from wine barrels. The steaks have been cooked on the barrels sent from the Fetzer wine company in California. The oak and wine flavorings from the wood seep into the meat and enhance the flavor.
I tried the filet mignon on a wood barrel and it was excellent. The meat was tender and incredibly sweet, due to the wine sauce in which it was steeped.
The dish came with a potato and vegetables like zucchini and carrot slices. The carrots were particularly sweet. I also enjoyed dinner with a tall glass of Jordan red wine and I concluded my meal with a homemade slice of cheesecake. The restaurant offers a variety of desserts.
The Gaslight Restaurant, Bar and Lounge is at 400 Adams St. in Hoboken. Brunch is served on Sundays starting at 10 a.m. For information call (201) 217-1400 or visit www.gaslightnj.com.
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