Friday nights are sacred to girlfriend night. Lovely way to reconnect after a long week, feed the need for whatever we're craving and then to dance it off. While being an ex- Hobokenite I hadn't really savored the culinary haunts for 10 years, during my unfortunate venture to the 'burbs. But last Friday we were feeling 'boken and jetted down Route 3 to my pal's fave restaurant - Lua.
I kept hearing about gorgeous it was, how fab the food was, how great the crowd was. This from a restauranteur, so I knew I'd have to experience it for myself. First a cocktail at the bar, the benchmark for any good joint is the quality of their drinks. And Lua's don't disappoint. Slightly dirty Martini with fat, firm olives. No pimento, thank you! My friends had a sugar free Mojito and Ketel One straight up. Happily the young bartender was able to keep up with our finicky taste buds.
Appetizers were a arugula salad decently dressed with a simple oil and lemon vinaigrette topped by a somewhat dry goat cheese encrusted wafer and an Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche in a tomato and lime marinara dressing. While refreshing, I would have preferred a slightly deeper bite in the form of fresh chilies, preferably a fruity jalepeno.
The mains were outstanding; Angela had seared tuna slabs over dressed greens while Mary and I shared Pernil. Now this was not just Pernil, this was an entire shoulder of pork, heavily seasoned and roasted for God knows how long until buttery fork tender served over a bed of black seasoned rice and testones. Despite my picadillo for thinking testones sound awfully like testosterone or a part of the lower male anatomy, these plaintains were cooked and then fried till carmelized and starchy sweet. The showstopper for pernil, as any good Latino will tell you is the crust of pork fat that is allowed to remain on the shoulder while the bad boy is slowly cooked. The result? A hardened shell of crunchy, salty, fatty skin that permeates the meat to impart succulence while offering the unshy eater a crusty treat. I went for it right away.
I was prepared for the porky salinity, but not the wave of pure unadulterated lard that oozed beneath the crust. Yet I ate it, and kept eating it till halted by a wave of hot of nauseau made me take cover with a sip of vodka. Restored I plunged into the dark shoulder meat, lushly gushing with juices. Mind you, I ate a mere salad for lunch so I felt totally justified digging away till sated.
Jean Pierre our patient waiter (with his mother's name tatooed on his forearm, take that Bart Simpson!) generously treated us to a trio of desserts. Apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream, dulce de leche custard and chocolate lava cake with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. All worthy of their impeccable presentation.
It would have been a sin to discard the delectable remains of pernil, so I had no choice but to pack it to go. Sunday morning I popped the meat between a hero roll, the sides of which were slathered with mayo and threw in a condiment of hot pepper rings and a few slices of plum tomatoes to keep me honest. I toasted the bad boy on the griddle with a heavy pan atop for my impromptu Cuban sandwich.
As much as I longed for another hit of porcine fat, I turned my face away and gave the dog the last few remaining shards of Pernil crust. We've both been eating raw veggies ever since.
Lua
1300 Sinatra Drive North
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Phone: 201.876.1900
I kept hearing about gorgeous it was, how fab the food was, how great the crowd was. This from a restauranteur, so I knew I'd have to experience it for myself. First a cocktail at the bar, the benchmark for any good joint is the quality of their drinks. And Lua's don't disappoint. Slightly dirty Martini with fat, firm olives. No pimento, thank you! My friends had a sugar free Mojito and Ketel One straight up. Happily the young bartender was able to keep up with our finicky taste buds.
Appetizers were a arugula salad decently dressed with a simple oil and lemon vinaigrette topped by a somewhat dry goat cheese encrusted wafer and an Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche in a tomato and lime marinara dressing. While refreshing, I would have preferred a slightly deeper bite in the form of fresh chilies, preferably a fruity jalepeno.
The mains were outstanding; Angela had seared tuna slabs over dressed greens while Mary and I shared Pernil. Now this was not just Pernil, this was an entire shoulder of pork, heavily seasoned and roasted for God knows how long until buttery fork tender served over a bed of black seasoned rice and testones. Despite my picadillo for thinking testones sound awfully like testosterone or a part of the lower male anatomy, these plaintains were cooked and then fried till carmelized and starchy sweet. The showstopper for pernil, as any good Latino will tell you is the crust of pork fat that is allowed to remain on the shoulder while the bad boy is slowly cooked. The result? A hardened shell of crunchy, salty, fatty skin that permeates the meat to impart succulence while offering the unshy eater a crusty treat. I went for it right away.
I was prepared for the porky salinity, but not the wave of pure unadulterated lard that oozed beneath the crust. Yet I ate it, and kept eating it till halted by a wave of hot of nauseau made me take cover with a sip of vodka. Restored I plunged into the dark shoulder meat, lushly gushing with juices. Mind you, I ate a mere salad for lunch so I felt totally justified digging away till sated.
Jean Pierre our patient waiter (with his mother's name tatooed on his forearm, take that Bart Simpson!) generously treated us to a trio of desserts. Apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream, dulce de leche custard and chocolate lava cake with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. All worthy of their impeccable presentation.
It would have been a sin to discard the delectable remains of pernil, so I had no choice but to pack it to go. Sunday morning I popped the meat between a hero roll, the sides of which were slathered with mayo and threw in a condiment of hot pepper rings and a few slices of plum tomatoes to keep me honest. I toasted the bad boy on the griddle with a heavy pan atop for my impromptu Cuban sandwich.
As much as I longed for another hit of porcine fat, I turned my face away and gave the dog the last few remaining shards of Pernil crust. We've both been eating raw veggies ever since.
Lua
1300 Sinatra Drive North
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Phone: 201.876.1900
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