A few days ago, I put up a post that I was looking for new contributors so I can expand ChicpeaJC to include more voices! To my surprise, I got many emails of people who were interested. I gave a few of them the task of helping me cover Jersey City Project Eats as I planned to take Sunday off for a much-needed family getaway. Five people made the cut, Crystal Davis, who you guys all hopefully know by now who joined the team almost a month ago. Yuvraj, a Jersey City native with a passion of all things JC; Lauren an adorable publicist, writer and blogger; Erin, a twenty-something living and loving the Jersey City life and Jess, a professional writer.
They all did an amazing job!! Alright. Enough babbling…Let’s get to the food.
Jersey City Project Eats
Before I delve into the details, I wanted to say that the whole crew behind Jersey City Project: Eats really out-did themselves. They did a killer job, and it’s exciting to see these events grow. I think I need to invest in more stretchy jeans though…
I arrived at around 11:15AM and did a little walk through the market. It was hard to decide what would be the first thing to eat and then I saw my beloved Grandma Downtown. I went with what’s comfortable and familiar and ordered a “Brix City Brewing Beer Braised Short Rib” bread.
It was really f-ing delicious! I forced myself to stop after a few bites because I knew I had a long way to go.
I kept walking and spotted a new vendor; “Double D’s” and the first thing I said when I saw these babes was “Woah, Double D’s is the perfect name for you guys!” well their actual names start with a D, which made total sense. Anyway back to the food… They had the most delicious crumb cakes which I popped in my mouth. Then took a few more in the bag to go along with my Grandma Downtown leftovers (I was saving it for the hubby to try).
After eating bread and then sweets, I started feeling a little sluggish….I realized I needed a new strategy. I decided to “cleanse” my palette with a Nitro cold brew from Mod Cup which has the consistency of a Guinness beer (read more about it here). Justin, one of the owners said to me “Are you trying to get f-ed up?!” Yes, yes I was.
After drinking the nitro, I was so ready to take on this event as well as run a marathon, and maybe even build a house. LET’S DO THIS!!
I decided to continue my journey with something a little on the “healthy” side, so I went right next door to my pals Bone In. I told Ron to “surprise me” so he handed me a plate of curried goat, with a ginger radish slaw and coconut mashed yams. I said to him, “You sure this is healthy?!” and he smiled and nodded. It was a truly magical moment. I ate most of it and realized I needed to save some for my better half…. but like, I sort of regret that now.
I realized at that point that I should probably take a little breather and just walk around, do some shopping and say what’s up to my JC people’s.
The Eighty Mag crew, Chadner and Marinell we’re there matching and representing! They say they are “Jersey City’s Biggest Fans,” but can there be multiple fans? Cause I kinda like it here too!! They are mad cool, the mag is so pretty and I am extremely excited for Issue #3!
Who needs drugs when you have Taproot Organics! I sniff them soaps like it’s going out of style. It is really fitting that they were at Project: Eats, because their soaps look so good you want to eat them. I LOVE TAPROOT. This is officially the 12th time they’ve been mentioned in this blog. Follow them @Taprootorganics
WORD bookstores had some super cute food related items: books, menus, recipe cards… I used to cook a lot before I started blogging and looking at that table made me reminisce….should I add a cooking section on ChicpeaJC?! Maybe using local produce and products? What do you guys think?!
Ever since my interview with the Oh Honey family, I go through a jar a month, their stuff is amazing and I love them. Nuff said.
Of course I can’t go a day without supporting my favorite vintage shop in the world, Another Man’s Treasure! I got these adorable vintage shorts which I changed into because it was hot…. ok fine, because I’m a diva.
Jersey City Peeps!! I love running into old friends and new friends doing Jersey City things.
Annelise Collette and her fiance Ken, how cute are these two?!
My neighbors!!
ChicpeaJC contributor/lifesaver Crystal Davis and her fam!!
Instagram friends and future stylish peeps.
Michael Billy and his fiance Mathew! What’s with all these cute couples? I can’t even…
My new friend, Yves, digging in.
Back to food….
Ok so I did enough shopping and socializing, it was time to eat more… I went to the Bread & Spoon booth because I’ve been seeing them at our local markets and never tried it. I ordered a half sandwich of a black bean spread with cheese, pickled veggies and two sides. I really liked it!! and it was good for me!
My parents are here for a few months so they came to meet us. It was time to get the party started… My parents are very good eaters, they know how to throw it down but they can also be picky. Especially when it comes to pizza.
My parents only go to one place, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in Clifton and they refuse to go anywhere else… Early that morning I posted a pic of me wearing a “Pizza” shirt and the lovely Pizza Vita people invited me to come to their food truck. I was nervous, it was do or die. I ordered a Margherita pizza and asked them to make it extra crispy for my parents and I crossed my fingers.
THEY LOVED IT!! My dad was impressed. We made it.
Mini-Chicpea started yelling “Ice Cream!” for around 5 minutes while we were in pizza heaven… I snapped out of it and ran with her to the Milk Sugar Love cart. We ordered the vegan Cookie Butter and she went to town (when she wasn’t looking I took a few bites).
How about the crowds? I have to say it was packed, it was probably the busiest Jersey City Project event I’ve ever been to (I think I covered all of them!!)
Back to the food… I needed something sweet so I went to check out Sugar Supply. I recently interviewed Maryanne, the girl boss and baker behind Sugar Supply so I obviously have a soft spot for her. She gave me a cupcake that had bacon bits on top… yeah I know, amazing right? it was melt-in-your mouth good, with just the right amount of sweetness and saltiness.
My dad disappeared and then showed up with a hot dog from Pig & Prince. Now I know where I inherited all my food faces… haha. So great!! Dad is the OG Chicpea.
It was so good, we went back to get another one to share. It was definitely one of my favorites of the day.
What does one do after having a hot dog? Well have another one of course!! but this time a vegan hot dog from Yeah Dawg. I tried YD a year ago at the 6th Borough Market so I knew it was going to be delicious, which it was. I got the one that had kale and faux coconut bacon chips. So delicious.
I needed something sweet and then spotted the Booqoo Beignets people, this was a must try. I captured a nice moment of my dad and I eating it and it was just beautiful (it’s on Instagram if you care to see it). They need to bring this to Jersey City, stat.
We took a break and went to the Lucky 7’s BBQ (more on that below) then brought Mini-Chicpea home for a little nap and I went back out to eat some more. I ran into my friend Joel aka Nemobeatz and asked him if he would be my eating partner for the rest of the day. He obliged and it was on.
I wanted to start with something light, something summer’ish, Oysters. We ordered half a dozen oysters from Brooklyn Oysters and shared it.
I felt like I was at sea, it was salty and creamy, it was everything I could hope for.
After our Oyster moment, we were both thirsty so we made a beeline towards The Hamilton Inn bar to drink a coconut boozy drink. I sucked it down in under a minute, what? I was thirsty!
Joel wanted some wings from the JCWingery. I was really full at that point but I obviously had to try it. Of course Joel got the spiciest ones and we ate them in the blazing heat, that combo was sort of torturous but also kind of perfect. The brussel sprouts were F-ing AMAZING, the perfect veggie treat.
I needed something to cleanse my palette after that… Amanda’s Banana’s!! Which is basically frozen banana’s ,made into ice cream, healthy and delicious!
I was done. I really couldn’t eat anymore… So the whole day we were trying to get our hands on a Musubi from Eema’s cuisine, but the line up at this booth was the gnarliest one… when we decided of stick it out and wait, they ran out!! Finally we came back at around 6:30PM to get them, but I was so full I couldn’t even try it. I am filled with regrets as I look at this picture.
More food porn! I didn’t eat these though….
Lucky 7’s BBQ
In between Project: Eats we headed over to the annual Lucky 7’s BBQ/ Block Party. The first thing we did was let Mini-Chicpea jump around in the bouncy castle. She loved it!!
Baes and Booze. My girl Kate, looking fab as always!
I so wished I left some room for the BBQ food!! It looked and smelled amazing.
The best part was watching the kiddos stay cool in a pool which let the parents kick back and enjoy their beers and live music. So smart….
More cute couples! Cat and Beth! I love running into them, they give the best hugs.
There were bands playing all day which we unfortunately didn’t get to really enjoy because the toddler basically refused to get out of the bouncy castle. Hopefully, next year she will prefer Rock ‘n’ Roll over jumping in a really-hot- accident-waiting-to-happen-activity-center…. but probably not. Dancing Tony aka Rock-it Docket aka the Mayor of Fun, did an incredible job with this block party, it’s getting bigger and better every year.
ChicpeaJC over and out. I hope my trip-glycerides remain the same after this weekend. Thank you Jersey City.
My name is Yuvraj Ramsaywack and I’m a 22 year old JC resident who recently graduated from Rutgers University. I have lived in the West Side neighborhood for my entire life and I enjoy taking photos, trying new food, and sharing Jersey City. I hope to be a part of the ChicpeaJC team to help share our city with others.
Today was the big day! For weeks, I’ve been counting down to this year’s Project: Eats and, despite the muggy weather, it was far more satisfying than I expected it to be. I even had the privilege of enjoying the festival with two other Jersey City foodies. Great food, great company, and chill vibes. What more could you ask for? Maybe cooler weather, perhaps?
In our efforts to beat the heat and quench our thirst, we started off by visiting The Hamilton Inn, which is one of my favorite bars in Downtown Jersey City. At $9 a piece, the Rose Sangria was just what we needed to truly kick off Project: Eats. The folks at The Hamilton Inn had an extensive menu to meet your boozy needs.
We then made our way to Grandma Downtown, where I downed a roll (or two, or three, or six) filled with buffalo chicken – yum. The chicken was flavorful and somewhat spicy, which worked well with the soft roll. I was pretty satisfied after this stop, but I ran into a slight problem. My sangria was pretty much gone and I needed more relief from the oppressive sun.
I wanted something fruity, cold, and refreshing to finish off our mid-afternoon snacking. We made our final stop at Project: Eats at Lizzmonade, a Brooklyn favorite known for its creative, fruit-infused lemonades. I decided to try their pineapple infused lemonade, while my friend opted to mix iced tea with traditional lemonade. Both concoctions were delicious and brought needed relief. Our friends at Lizzmonade had extensive fruit options for your lemonade, including peach and mango. How you Lizz is completely up to you.
Couldn’t make it to Project: Eats? Here are some other photos from the festival, along with some of the great people I got to meet. Until next year, project EATS!
Weekend Roundup
Written by Crystal Davis
I’m full. I’ve probably never tried so much food in my life and the best part was, I loved every bit of it. While this weekend was full of some amazing stuff, what made it the best was the communal closeness of the Downtown area. People came flocking in from all over for Jersey City’s Second Annual Project Eats Street Festival!
With over 30 vendors I couldn’t resist going along. I decided to bring my close friend, Vicky, and my mother, and we enjoyed day one of delicious eats together.
Day one and the line for cheese curds from The Cow and The Curd were insane! I couldn’t wait to try some for myself.
Lo and behold, they were amazing AND super stringy.
People tried food from all vendors and had huge smiles to go along with it.
Later on into the evening we set out to Monty Hall for some live performances with DJ Guy.
The music was deep and really stimulated the mind, for a while people could only stand still until the music got them moving again. There was something radiant in the way that Ezrakh and BilllzEgypt could make you swoon in the middle of the dance floor.
DJ J Heat got everyone dancing, playing songs from Biggy to Drake!
Day two of the Project Eats Street Festival was even more exciting. Spectators and foodies were garnished with foods from Union Republic to Bone In to Whealth and The Archer and so many more!
The ramen dishes from Union Republic looked simply delish.
And let’s not forget the most amazing tasting curry chicken and beets. Yes, beets in the summer have got to be the most food ever.
For such a hot day, Lizzmonade made sure to keep my friends and I extremely hydrated and refreshed.
To sum it all up—this weekend was awesome, if you missed out make sure to fill your tummies next year. Without a doubt, you’ll need to make room.
Laurén is a new Jersey City resident by way of Brooklyn, New Orleans and the Midwest. She is a full-time publicist, part-time writer and all-time lover of good times, good people and good dogs. She is fresh out of wedding planning and fresh into an apartment renovation, both of which she is blogging about at onceuponalauren.wordpress.com
One must approach the Jersey City Project: Eats with a plan. You have to be strategic, assess the options, circle your prey and pounce.
Then walk around some more and wait until you are hungry again (and you should probably bring some friends so you can try some of what they’re having too).
I decided to hydrate first at the Lizzmonade stand with a muddled-to-order cucumber basil lemonade which the gal behind the table assured me was “very refreshing,” which was good because it was a real scorcher today.
Then I made my way over to Ahri’s Kitchen where Saul gave me the rundown of the menu: https://youtu.be/rNP1y-jIMo8
Their JC Projects: Eats special (not on their regular menu) was the Korean pork belly lettuce wraps – a perfect combination of fresh, crisp veggies, grilled pork and a peanut sauce that I literally licked off my fingers. Good snack on a hot day.
I then made my way over to the marketplace section where WORD bookstore was representing with a table full of goodies curated for JC lovers and foodies alike.
The Marcelli Formaggi table was an especially fun stop; Bob Marcelli, who referred to himself as a “recovering chef,” sells the handmade pastas and aged cheeses that his family has been making in the small Italian village of Abruzzo for decades. The cheese was rich, layered with flavor and it was as if the pasta called out to you in an Italian grandmother accent: ‘Have some! You could use a little meat on your bones!’
And thank god for The Lucky Honeybee candles and aromatherapy table who was responsible for wafting lavender, mint & rosewood scents over a sweaty crowd.
Back at The Wingery, they were serving up freshly fried wings, mixed up with a flavored sauce of your choice. They even included wipes and flossers with each serving.! That’s thinking ahead, folks.
Bucket & Bay Gelato had two of the more unique cold treats at the market – a Black Label Vanilla gelato (which could be combined with a serving of ModCup’s espresso) and Purple Sticky Rice gelato (which is actually made with black sticky rice but the cream gives it that purple hue, and lemongrass).
Gelatoholic insider info: they’ve got a new Peach Bourbon flavor on tap at their storefront on Bay Street that I will definitely be checking out this summer.
The longest lines seemed to be at Eema’s Cuisine and Bone-In, who were selling the super-popular curried goat over a pile of coconut mashed yams and ginger radish coleslaw that sold out at Saturday’s event.
The friendly folks at Jersey City Veggie Burger were pumping out fresh sliders with a sweet onion relish on potato rolls. I am a firm believer that a potato roll really brings a sandwich to the next level.
Pizza Vita had their special oven on wheels and, it needs to be said, that this guy was so friendly… even though he was literally standing next to a burning oven on a hundred degree day.
I was born in Wisconsin, so I HAD to try the cheese curds (sold, of course, with root beer) – I got it with the Chipotle Ranch sauce but even plain they were really delicious. They served a HEAP of curds too, which is so authentically Midwestern of them.
Gia Gelato & Café had all the perfect kid-magnet goodies: a display of potato chips, cold drinks and colorful icy treats.
The Big Straw had the golden ticket if you were looking for something thirst-quenching AND slightly sweet. Cheers to pineapple and Thai bubble tea!
But the real winner here was The Hamilton Inn, who knew that there was nothing better than a little airplane bottle of Malibu Rum dumped into a whole coconut on a hot day.
Summer might be half over but I guarantee that in six months, when I am running to the train, gripping my winter parka shut and cowering from the wind coming off the Hudson, I’m going to think of this sweltery day at Jersey City Project: Eats. It was all my favorite summer things in one place: gourmet finger food, ice cold drinks, pop music on the speaker system and lots of fun people excited to be doing the exact same thing.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store next year!
Hey there, JC! My name is Erin and I’m a twenty-something living and loving Jersey CIty life. When I heard that ChicpeaJC was looking for new contributors to help keep up with all of the happenings in the area (and that the first assignment had the word Eats in the title), I couldn’t get my hand in the air fast enough. A little about me: I’m a native Long Islander and Bucknell University grad working in the publishing industry. Some of my favorite things in life include my two-year-old Corgi mix, Benny, making jewelry, and skiing. I love a good book, a great concert, and going on new adventures. I’m so glad to get to know you all, and I’m looking forward to bringing you some great content in the near future!
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business: the food this past weekend at Project: Eats. It was 98 degrees and rising (okay, more like 93, but who can resist a 90s boy band reference?), but that didn’t stop locals and travelers alike from flocking to Grove Street for the second annual celebration of food, drinks, and local artisans. As a Grove Street resident and Jersey City summer virgin, I couldn’t wait to get out the door to start nommin’ on some delicious treats.
Round 1 was lunchtime, and before I had gone too far, the words “wild boar” caught my eye at The Archer. To be more specific, “Wild Boar Sloppy Joe Sliders with Cole Slaw and Spicy Pickles.” Is that crazy, or is that crazy? I got three sliders with all the fixin’s, and I was literally licking my fingers down to the last bite. I don’t know if I would have ever chanced wild boar when out to eat on a normal day, but this was not a normal day—and I’m now sold on it for good. My partner in food-crime got smoked alligator sausage from the exotic food truck Dark Side of the Moo paired with a cold brew from JC’s own Modcup, and was not disappointed.
After a well-deserved nap (read: food coma), I hit the streets once more for round 2. After much drooling and deliberation, I finally settled on trying something from Short Grain, the brand-spanking-new cafe and eatery in downtown JC. I got the Pork Belly Banh-mi, and the incredibly friendly staff suggested that I use TWO sauces, sriracha and some kind of peanut sauce. Boy, they were right. As I devoured my half sandwich (or so they claimed, it was huge), one of the owners delivered the exciting news that the creation would be available at Short Grain effective the following day. That means that as you read this, you have the opportunity get your own. Do yourself a favor and get on over to Montgomery Street stat.
Not to be outdone, my man friend waited on the relentless line at Eemas Cuisine for Musubis, a popular Hawaiian snack that reminded me of sushi. He got one Chicken Katsu and one with Spam, both of which were ridiculously good and led to the second finger-licking episode of the day. He claims that he is going to try to make his own, but I have a feeling we’ll be taking a trip to Lyndhurst very soon.
Let’s be honest—a food festival done without ice cream is a food festival done wrong. We headed over to Bucket & Bay next for a cold treat to end the day with. I’ve been dying to try their craft infused gelato since they opened, and couldn’t wait to get my grubby little paws on some this weekend. We got one Black Label Vanilla and one Affogato al Cafe special. The vanilla was insanely delicious on its own, but in the special it was cross-crafted with a shot of espresso from Modcup. The treat was handed over from B&B to Modcup and back again, with parting words of “Enjoy heaven in a cup.” All that I can say is that they weren’t joking, and I hope the fantastic partnership that the pair have is permanent so that I can eat this forever.
One weekend wasn’t nearly enough time to take in all of the treats and sights that the event had to offer, but I surfaced with a handy bucket list of places to hit up for the rest of the summer. I hope that you all had a chance to get some grub at Project: Eats!
Much love,
Erin
Meet Jessica: I’m a professional writer. I went to school for writing, and I was part of my college’s newspaper and first-ever literary magazine. I graduated with a B.A. in writing and public relations in 2010, and when I wasn’t working my corporate full-time jobs I’ve freelanced for several publications including alternative music mag The Aquarian Weekly, The Jersey City Independent and have even done one-man-band reporting for Hudson County TV News. I’m a curious and creative person, so I gravitate towards any artsy, cultural or community events. I’m also a big film junkie and have a growing interest in healthy living. I’m a very open person though, so I’m down for any type of event really. The quirkier the better, in my opinion.
Stomachs were rejoicing this weekend at Project: Eats in Downtown, Jersey City. All the fabulous eateries in the Jersey City area and local makers set up shop in front of City Hall on Saturday and Sunday from 11-7. Despite the heat, there was still an awesome turnout. I mean, what foodie would miss out just because it’s 100 degrees outside? Not this girl!
As I walked up to the fest, I was immediately drawn to The Cow and the Curd food truck parked on the corner. After hearing an old coworker who was originally from Wisconsin brag about how good cheese curds are, I was so excited to finally get the opportunity to try them.
Mozzarella sticks ain’t got nothing on these! Did I mention I’m lactose intolerant? YOLO!
Next, I stopped over to enjoy a delicious Banh Mi sandwich at Short Grain’s tent. It’s fun to try different Banh Mi places because they each have their own unique take on the sandwich. Short Grain’s pork and soft, crusty roll definitely took front and center stage. The people were super nice and pointed out that their actual cafe location was right across the street. I’ll definitely be visiting!
Then I enjoyed a bowl of cold mustard noodles courtesy of the fine folks at Ahri’s Kitchen. It was so refreshing to have a nice cold cup of soup on a hot Summer afternoon!
Last thing I needed to make my afternoon at Project: Eats complete was bubble tea from Straw. Have I mentioned that I love bubble tea? I was feeling something different than taro with tapioca bubbles, which is what I usually order when I stop by Straw, so I got a cup of pineapple tea with mango jelly instead. YUM!
Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the jelly was cut into cute little stars.
As slurped up the last of my mango stars, I knew my food journey at Project: Eats was complete.
Here are a few more pictures in case you missed it!
Your Fellow JC Explorer,
ChicpeaJC Team, over and out.
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