"Top Chef" Star Dale Talde's New Restaurant Arrives on the Scene in Jersey City

It’s been quite freezing around here, and with the long-awaited opening of Chef Dale Talde’s eponymous restaurant, Jersey City is going to get even cooler…

The street cred of a little stretch of Erie which boasts a long-revered ice cream shop (Torico) and a new coffee cafe (9 Bar) has just been boosted by the opening of Carrino Provisions Italian Marketplace (more on that at a later date) and Talde. Both are owned by The Three Kings of Brooklyn, Chef Talde, David Massoni, and John Bush.

At Talde JC, Chef Talde has kept with the same fusion theme as his very popular Brooklyn restaurant of the same name, and just added more…a lot more. While speaking with him, I sensed that in the year’s time of planning, he has gotten a good “taste” for the personality of Jersey City…”it’s not Brooklyn, It’s not NYC, it’s not Queens.” And his restaurant does not try to push the vibe of those places onto this locale. The staff is attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere is laid back and…chill. There are always kinks behind the scenes that have to be ironed out during the first weeks of a restaurant’s opening, but not much was noticeable during my second-night’s visit.

Housed in a former police station, the restaurant has an industrial feeling that is incongruously punctuated by a collection of delicate lanterns that seem to be floating from above; it’s a nice touch. Wooden booths line the perimeter and there is a long community table for those who would like to dine with their neighbors. Both the energy and noise level were high—probably not a good choice for an intimate dinner for two. But if your date loves good food, you’ll be busy eating, not whispering sweet nothings.

At first glance, the menu seems quite traditional, but like the decor, it too is punctuated by Talde’s signature twists. Pork dumplings studded with chives are wrapped in a thin pretzel-y dough, knocking the “standard dumpling” from their description. Wide chow fun noodles are wound into a tight cylinder that has been seared to a crisp perfection. Surrounded by butter-soft pork shank, this dish was another delight.

From the Robata (gril) came a bowl of skewered scallops that was smeared with a smoky pepperoni aioli and topped with bits of wasabi peas. Bao,traditionally a doughy Chinese steamed bun, has been flattened into a pocket encasing thin, crisp, and spicy chicken breast--it may be Talde’s take on a Wendy’s sandwich, but I hesitate to make the comparison.

The unctuousness of a fatty short rib entree is cut by paper thin slices of tart Granny Smith apples and then totally rocked by cubes of spicy hot pumpkin. Every dish we tasted was a standard that was tweaked enough to make it special. With a pretzel/potato chip base, even the 5G Cookie was a flavorful riff on the standard bar cookie.

There’s no question that Jersey City is undergoing a resurgence, and the investment and vote of confidence that Talde and his partners have shown is a positive sign. They are a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and we are anxious to watch them ride the wave.

Talde, 8 Erie Street--Jersey City, NJ