Where The "Influencers" Become The Believers

"This is a big step out of our usual comfort zone," said successful restaurateur Ladislav Sebastyan as we sat down at a wooden table made from beams in the basement of the not-yet opened Hudson Hall.

Ladi's (and his partners') "comfort zones" already include a pretty impressive array of European-style throwback bierhallen in NJ and Washington. And yours truly has visited and reported on a couple of those booming Jersey places--Pilsener Haus in Hoboken and Asbury Festhalle in Asbury Park.

Hudson Hall, despite its Jirka Kolar interior design (more about him later), will be different from those established food and beer emporia for one simple reason--Chef Dan Hoose's food, which emphasizes pickling, smoking and fermenting of old-style European favorites. Beer halls and beer gardens are sprouting up like mushrooms after a rain in Jersey City, but there is no place that does what Hudson Hall wants to do, and that's a gamble.

The PubScout was invited to this event as an "Influencer," a group of folks who blog about food and entertainment in Jersey City, like Louis of Jersey City Upfront and Chris of Jersey Digs. The PubScout was the only Beer Nut in the Haus, however, due likely to that previous history with Ladi's other places. I have yet to get to the Wurst Bar, also in Jersey City, but my son Kacy, who joined me, says it's fabulous. So it's on the beer pail list.

We were greeted by owner Peter Borovicka (R.), a native of Slovakia, who spoke with us about the challenges of achieving his dream. The building that houses Hudson Hall is in the Powerhouse District, and has seen various iterations--a night club and a pizzeria have done business there--and closed after a while.

"We gutted this place, top to bottom," said Peter. We dug out the 1800 sq. ft. basement to put in a downstairs kitchen, and we used the wooden beams to make all our tables up here. And everything in this interior was fashioned by hand--the Old World way." The metal work, which includes gates, railings and bench and seat pedestals, was all contracted out to a Czech metal master named Milo. And judging by the overall "back in history" effect, Milo knows his stuff. But the real mastermind behind the signature look of Hudson Hall is the aforementioned Jirka Kolar.

Kolar (L.), also from the Czech Republic, knows more than just beer. Considering his wife and two-month-old son back home hang out regularly in the cellars of Pilsner Urquell with avuncular Brewer Vaclav Berka himself, I'd say he's pretty well connected to the Czech beer scene.

But Kolar's job is more interesting--and infinitely more intricate--than that. He's responsible for generating the Old World "vibe" of the place, advising the owners on everything from the walls, to the floor, to the wall hangings and even to the design of the zinc bar.

Borovicka was always bothered by the lack of patron interaction once they assumed seats at the bar, because "they lost eye contact with those at the other end of their group." So Peter, working with Kolar, designed the ends of the bar to form a semi-circle, allowing patrons to interact while actually sit across from each other.

Borovicka also knows his beer. When we walked in he asked Kacy and me what kind of beer we wanted. Kacy chose a Braufactum Progusta, the first German IPA, and one that I had enjoyed immensely at Pilsener Haus. I asked Peter what pilsner beer he had available, and he answered, "The best Pilsner in the world--Pilsner Urquell." Done.

The massive old authentic sign over the bar, though obliterated in part by age actually shows the Czech name for this classic beer-- Prazdroj. What's more, Borovicka knows how to pour it, demonstrating the famous "mliko" pour by using his authentic "dimmer" taps which permit that. He purchased those taps from Lukr in the Czech Republic, which happens to be a block away from--you guessed it--the brewhaus of Pilsner Urquell itself. His other taps ar "on-off," but his favorite Pilsner required some special loving care.

And care permeated the entire experience. It was clearly an ingredient in Chef Dan Hoose's extraordinary food offerings. Our table consumed everything put in front of us, so I moved over to Jirka's table to sample more. Later, I told Dan that when I visit a brewery, I ask the brewer to give me the beer he or she is proudest of, not necessarily that which sells the best.

"So what food does Chef Dan eat when he's here?" I asked.

"Definitely the BLT," he responded.

And there you have your first suggestion for when you visit, to be accompanied, of course, by a a Pilsner Urquell--for starters.