Zafra

I hit this place most every  morning for my cafe con leche and I for me it’s Hoboken’s best coffee. The beans they use are very fresh and I love the fact they grind ‘em right there. It has a chocolatey finish that lingers for a bit and it’s always served piping hot just like I like it!

So I’ve got some friends coming in from Hunterdon County and we hoof it over to Zafra for dinner. The restaurant opened in 2000 and has been going strong since. The chef/owner Maricel Presilla is a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region 2011! I must admit I’ve eaten here before but recently have become a huge fan of this woman and I am blown away that she chooses Hoboken as home to her restaurants. She also owns Cucharamama right down the street and you can stay tuned for that review.

It’s Friday night and the place was pretty well packed but we timed it right and were able to get a table immediately. The place has a real authentic “cantina” feel to it.  The lighting is dim but adequate and there’s a buzz of conversations taking place but it’s not too loud. We sit down and are handed menus right away. The joint is a BYOB but they have sangria that they will bring you gratis, that’s right folks FREE! The menu is mostly Cuban with a South American flare. I started out with mixed greens with avocado and there was something that resembled a corn nut in the salad. Now those who know me will tell you I do not like nuts in my salad, but I must admit it worked here. The salad was well dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette that was delish. From there we ordered a variety of tamales for the table.

The Cuban Tamal which is made of fresh grated corn and steamed in the husk is so sweet it should be offered on the dessert menu.

The Tamal de Pollo y Rajas which is a corn masa tamal with chicken and jalapeno in a tomatillo and avocado leaf was exceptional.

Last but not least was the chicken and mole tamal which had a complex flavor and was also very good.

Now for entrees it was meat, meat and more meat!  I had the skirt steak with chimichurri sauce that was slightly under cooked but very tasteful. My pal Joe went with the roasted pork that must’ve been decent as his plate was pretty well cleaned off although he refused to eat the skin, which worked out for me! We skipped dessert because we were pretty well filled up but did order up some of the cafe con leche to go. On the way out the place was packed with about 12-15 people waiting for tables.

So in closing if you have not tried this little gem of a restaurant you should but no need to rush because this place aint goin’ nowhere!

And that’s all I have to say about that!