TOP N.J. CHEF STUMBLES AS NEW RESTAURANT FAILS TO THRILL | REVIEW
Hoboken’s downtown concentration of lively bars and pubs typically gets all the attention in the city. But the recent luxury high-rise boom has yielded an increased amount of foot traffic along the city’s western border — calling for more restaurants, self-care businesses, and things to do.
Chef Ehren Ryan, owner of Millburn’s celebrated fine-dining spot, Common Lot, saw potential in the area. He jumped on it with his new globetrotting project, Byrd, which opened earlier this month.
“My wife Nadine and I have always been looking for a second restaurant, and Hoboken/Jersey City was kind of our go-to area,” Ryan told NJ Advance Media last week. “This space came up through a realtor and had been vacant for a while.”
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Ryan and his wife first saw the space, formerly a Tilted Kilt chain restaurant on Jackson Street, last August and were drawn to its proximity to the light rail. But they knew they would need to modernize the space and brighten it up to match a menu that pulls influences from several continents.
“The ceilings were black, the pillars Hugh Hefner red and the floors were a bad acid wash. We ultimately went with an upscale but casual Scandinavian-meets-Great Gatsby style that we felt played off of Common Lot’s reputation, while creating one its own that would fit well into Hoboken’s landscape.”
Ehren and Nadine did a great job with the renovation — building a welcoming, minimalistic space with light woods and a beautiful, Art Deco yet modern bar, but I found myself searching for some hint as to where the name Byrd came from.
Turns out, the meaning is twofold.
“There’s the American polar explorer, Richard Byrd. Our logo is the Arctic tern, (a bird) that has the longest migration of any animal.” Ryan said. “Nadine and myself are both expats who have traveled the world and wanted to bring influences from those places to another eclectic area: Hoboken.”
I immediately caught wind of the global influences — the menu is peppered with South Asian flavors, French influences, Italian dishes, Aussie snacks and more. Curious how well this would all tie together, I dug in.
The good
Byrd took flight at the start of the meal. We started with the barbecued mushroom skewers ($10), a pair of umami-loaded mushroom kabobs coated in a delicious soy caramel glaze, sesame seeds and chives. They were tender, balanced and disappeared quickly. I would have loved a little bit more texture on them, but enjoyed them nonetheless.
The next banger arrived in the form of toast. The dish coined “Chef’s midnight snack” ($12) knocked my socks off, and the story behind it makes it a must-order when visiting Byrd. Chef Ryan’s bougie rendition of the late-night cheese toasts he’d make as a young chef, this one featured buttery sourdough topped with melted brie, truffle honey, olive oil, salt and pickled onions to cut some of the richness. I’d come back to Byrd for this dish alone, which I think would be best enjoyed at the bar with a nice glass of wine from their curated list that’s as global as their cuisine.
A great burger is always a welcome addition to any menu, and Byrd’s is stellar. The double cheeseburger ($18) is a two-patty stunner piled atop a brioche bun and dressed with lettuce, onions and a Big Mac-esque “Byrd” sauce. As the burger was rich and juicy, the bun was less supportive than I’d hoped, but it all worked together well — complimented by Byrd’s slightly thicker but well-salted fries. Ketchup was not needed for the burger. But it was a welcome condiment for the fries, which we also dipped into their homemade yum-yum sauce, a sweet and sticky Asian-inspired recipe that Ryan brought over from Common Lot.
Seafood felt like the perfect compliment to the rich burger, and we chose well with the arctic char ($34). The fish was cooked perfectly, crispy skin and all, and was served over a bed of bright and fresh sugar snap peas, potatoes, spinach and salsa verde. It was a light dish that was seasoned excellently — something I’d order again, especially during the warmer months.
The dessert menu at Byrd is tight and tempting. We order two of the three offerings, both decadent and delicious. A mound of soft brown stuff topped with flower pedals, served on one of your grandma’s clear, scalloped salad plates may not be visually appealing to some, but the textures and flavors of the chocolate mousse ($12) were spot on. The mousse was the perfect balance of sweet and salty, intensified by a drizzle of olive oil. The warm olive oil Madelines that were plated alongside served as the perfect utensils, their slight crisp complimenting the creamy, cold mousse with every bite.
I don’t think I know one person who doesn’t enjoy a warm chocolate chip cookie ($3). Byrd’s didn’t deviate from the classic in the best way, but the option of adding a glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would have taken it from good to exceptional.
The bad
Birds do fly south, and so did this one on a few occasions. We began with the burrata ($17), two oversized balls of cheese over a beautiful emulsion of strawberries, tarragon, chervil and pink peppercorns, served with buttery grilled sourdough wedges. I loved everything about this dish except the cheese itself. Burrata should have some drama about it — a delicate, thin-skinned orb that when cut open, exposes beautifully creamy strands of rich stracciatella. Byrd’s burrata was as dense as mochi, lacking in flavor and with no ooze to be found. My guess? This was a product of over-refrigeration, which brought down the otherwise impressive dish.
I was excited for some middle eastern flair, but the gorgeously plated roasted carrots ($16) with tahini and yogurt sauce, honey and sunflower seeds were the lowest point of the meal. The rainbow carrots, although tender, had an off-putting chemical taste to them, which overpowered the tahini and other elements of the dish. We ended up leaving this one, disappointed that our only veggie side was inedible.
The anticipation continued for the pasta section, where we ordered the smaller portion of both offerings. The rigatoni in broccoli pesto ($16) was overcooked and lacked flavor. The toasted pine nuts added some much-appreciated texture and nuttiness, but couldn’t save the dish from its overall blandness.
The vegetarian mushroom bolognese ($18) looked great. The sauce itself clung to the al dente orecchiette well, but missed the mark in all other departments. Acidic and tomato-forward, the mushrooms were undetectable. I yearned for more depth, more aromatics, more salt, and in general, more flavor.
The vibe
I visited at 7:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and Byrd was bustling. The dining room was crowded and had the sound level to prove it. There was barely audible music playing, which was completely overpowered by the volume of neighboring table conversations. Despite being open for just three weeks, Byrd is already very much on the map. Ryan mentioned wanting to strike a balance of being casual enough to dine in gym clothes, but upscale enough for a date or family dinner. I’d probably err on the latter, as it seemed a touch too nice for fitness attire.
Two dining spaces flanked a central seating area, which felt a bit misplaced. Somewhat close to the bar, the intention was likely to create a lounge environment where guests could sit comfortably while waiting for a table or just to enjoy drinks, but was an empty focal point that made the dining room feel slightly disjointed. The very muted color palette was not offensive, yet I struggled to find a strong sense of character. Yet the tables were spaced out nicely — so I could see Byrd being a lively place fit for families, friends or a date night.
The bottom line
Byrd adds a more elevated dining experience to the Hoboken dining scene without being pretentious. The varied menu could appeal to most palettes, and is very accommodating for those with dietary restrictions and allergies, including gluten, dairy and vegan. Early kinks aside, the stronger dishes were enough to ignite my interest to come back. Sunday lunch is on the horizon, where guests can order from the main menu or pre-order a lamb roast and eventually pork belly. Byrd is open for dinner and Sunday lunch. Reservations can be made on Resy.
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