Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

It’s been a while since I have been to Lokal in Jersey City. Not that the food is not good, but there is so much to explore in Hoboken, Jersey City and New York that time passed before going back there. So, when I got an invite to try their new menu, I was thinking that it would be a good opportunity for a revisit. I did not regret it: the food at Lokal is not just exciting, it is overall good in a relaxed atmosphere, not too noisy (well, it will also depend on the neighboring tables of course), with a breathtaking view of the city.

We started our meal by ordering some cocktails / mocktails. Jodi had a lychee mojito mocktail that was refreshing and quite original, lychee not being a fruit that is often used for cocktails, while I went for an espresso martini that was fortunately not served in a martini glass (I hate these glasses).

The difficult part with their menu is that they have so many mouth watering plates to share that you would want to order all of them! We decided to share their charred cauliflower that were cooked with vadouvan spices that is an Indian blend typically made with onion, garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek. I liked the rustic presentation and it was quite good, prompting me to think about how I used to hate cooked cauliflower when I was a kid… The second appetizer was their goat cheese croquettes that were made with goat cheese of course, potato and chickpea, laid on purple mustard that also served as a way for these little balls to stay in place on the plate. The croquettes were superb: crispy, not greasy, with a generous amount of cheese in it. I could have eaten another serving for sure.

For her main, Jodi got their margarita flatbread that was made with blistered cherry tomatoes, burrata and basil. I admit that it was ok for me, finding the crust to be a bit bland. Bland is not how I would describe my dish though! I got their rack of lamb that was crusted with goat cheese (again! Goat cheese must be on sale!), giving a mediterranean feel to the dish. This dish was delicious: the perfectly cooked lamb was served with haricots verts and harisa roasted potatoes that were not spicy despite being cooked with harisa. I definitely recommend this dish if you like lamb.

Of course, we could not miss dessert. Their tiramisu was a bit of a let down, being a bit watery, that is a shame because I can still remember the tiramisu they used to serve that was very good. But the molten chocolate cake was superb: gooey in the center, it was very chocolatey, the vanilla ice cream complementing perfectly the richness of the chocolate. Another must have.

Overall the food at Lokal was very good and exciting. It is worth the trip to Newport, knowing that it is 10 to 15 min walk along the river from the Newport path train stop.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

Lokal - 2nd St Unit 101, Jersey City, NJ 07302

I Just Want To Eat!