Steppin' Out

My son Kacy and his lady love Emily live in Jersey City, which, if you're from Turkmenistan, is pretty much the new capital of Millennial Hipsterville. It may have actually supplanted nearby Hoboken in that regard, which has been officially "cool" for a two decades because of its proximity and easy access to NYC. Hoboken is cool, provided you don't own a car.

And there is no question that Jersey City has attained elevated "cool" levels. The dearth of free or cheap parking attests to that, but that's the price you pay, I suppose, for "cool." So it was with a near-sense of euphoria that I actually found a spot fifty feet from a restaurant where we were to celebrate Emily's birthday. This particular celebration was for the "rents," as the younger folks would celebrate in their own inimitable style a night later.

The coveted parking spot was across from a restaurant called The Kitchen Step, which supposedly has ranked very high in recent reviews of NJ eateries. Steeped in a bit of history having to do with a fellow named Van Vorst (who supposedly had a magnificent garden back in the day), the place is not large and rather narrow, though the availability of outdoor seating likely doubled its capacity.

While waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, I sidled up to the bar and ordered an NJ Beer Co, IPA, which was on draft next to the Strawberry Cream Ale from Demented. It's a nice beer, and it would be the first of three I'd consume with my meal throughout the course of the night. When my buddy Frank got there, he ordered a SixPoint Crisp, which came in a can and was delivered to the table semi-inverted and attached to the rim of the glass, giving it the appearance of being magically poured by an invisible server. I told you Millennial Jersey City was cool.

So Ray Keane's beer list was perfectly acceptable. Now what about the food? Well, the Chicken-Fried Mushrooms appetizer was solid and got rave reviews around the table; and you can't go wrong--most of the time--with a Hangar Steak cooked to your liking, especially when you pair it with a good IPA. Mine was delicious and cooked to perfection.

In fact, everyone enjoyed their (rather pricey) selections (hey, it's the mini-Apple, Jersey City), though I did hear comments about small portion size from one source who did not order the amply-sized Hangar Steak. I did stop at the entrance to examine the actual marble step from whence, I suppose, the place took its name; but, try as I might, I couldn't imagine it leading into a famous garden--or a kitchen, for that matter. But the fact that I was able to enjoy my dinner and beer while watching an endless parade of Jersey Citians pass by the large windows was a plus.