Before leaving to Seattle last week, my mom, sister, sister’s mother-in-law and I went out for a pre-Mother’s Day lunch, choosing the Madison Bar & Grill Restaurant in downtown Hoboken as our spot. It was perfect weather to take advantage of their outdoor seating, and we were lucky enough to get a table after just a few minutes of waiting. Their menu is quite varied, offering everything from salads and sandwiches to burgers and more hearty meals. Which basically means that it’s really hard to make a decision!
My sister is a fan of their macaroni and cheese and after stealing a few bites of hers, I can see why. I thought the mismatched Le Creuset casserole dishes were a little strange (red and green? really?), but the taste of the food will completely distract you from any misgivings about their color pairings.
Once I saw the Fried Goat Cheese Salad, I closed the menu. I didn’t want to be swayed by anything else. One of these days, I want to attempt to make fried goat cheese rounds at home, but for now, I’m content with letting a restaurant do it. Topped with grilled shrimp, it was perfectly filling and I did everything but lick the plate. I was, after all, dining in public.
The fries were perfectly salted and straddled that wonderful balance between crispy on the ouside and soft on the inside. Heaven, if you ask me. It came with three different dippings sauces, each one better than the next.
When I saw this drink go past, I asked the waitess about it. Sangria. The most gorgeous color ever. My sister said I should stop taking pictures of it, lest I weird out the customer who was actually sitting in front of it. But that’s what long lenses are for!
(my sister’s Bloody Mary)
(my sister’s lunch, the waitress-recommended Huevos Rancheros)
(my sister’s mother-in-law’s lunch, yummy looking sliders)
The service was excellent. The waitress was responsive, without hovering, and allowed us to have a nice leisuerely lunch without feeling the need to rush out of there. They accept all major credit cards and on a good day, you can find on-street parking. If the weather is nice, take some time to take a walk up and down Washington Street; there are lots of little boutiques and shops to check out. And the walk is a good way to work off those fries and mac and cheese, if you indulged like we did!
Madison Bar & Grill Restaurant
1316 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Telephone: 201-386-0300
This is the second time I’ve been to the Madison Bar & Grill. The last time was in ’05, when Nick was just two (yikes!) and this (then) very new blogger posted a restaurant review with, let me count, zero pictures. We’ve come a long way since then!
PS – For those that might be missing it, Project 365 will be returning shortly (along with catch-up). Once the new computer and limping modem gets sorted out, I can get back on track. Or at least that’s my plan.
Oh my. Drooling here. Every photo is better than the last. The salad! The fries! The sangria! I would totally be in heaven.
Oh…I have seen fried goat cheese salads on blogs several times and they look SOOOO good! Gonna have to find this somewhere!
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE goat cheese! That salad looks amazing! I got a goat for Christmas from a friend – it’s a lease – I need to pick my goat and I get a bunch of cheese from it :-) I’ve been waiting for salad weather to kick in to place my order – might need to try and recreate that salad! I have baked breaded goat cheese – never tried to fry it – super easy.
I’ve heard talk about how Hoboken is the new Williamsburg/Village and so I’ve really been meaning to get over there to try out some of the food! This restaurant sounds fantastic and yes, fried goat cheese is on my recipe bucket list also!
Welp, I totally want to lick the screen now! Sounds like a delightful place and I’m all about the sangria. I tried it for the first time last summer and could definitely indulge after a long day in the office right now!
All the food looks good. Sounds like a great place.