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The New 411 on Edgewater’s Pier 115

It has made its mark on Edgewater’s nightlife. Now, it’ll be what you crave for dinner

A lot of things have changed since the doors first opened at Pier115. If you were an early adopter of the Pier115 concept, you may have been first drawn in by the amazing view, nightlife and vast beer options. Now that it has established a strong foothold on the nightlife scene in Bergen County, it has re-focused its efforts on being one of the better restaurant choices to compete for your dining dollars.

In 2013, the buzz of a new sports bar in Edgewater enticed people to visit and Pier115 quickly became synonymous with Bergen County nightlife. Its’ twenty screens have made it a great place to watch year round sports, it has featured some talented DJs, and the fact that it never charges a cover largely contributed to this distinction.

Perhaps another factor that may have cemented their renown throughout the years is its extensive beer program that can impress any connoisseur. Around 122 beers grace the menu with imported beers containing umlauts in their names along with more local brews such as ones from our neighbors in Brooklyn. There are even beers meant for sharing along with ultra calorie light beers that are not often found in bars in the vicinity.

Visiting now in 2016, more and more people have been coming to experience the food. According to the Manager Greg Kane, one of the reasons why Pier115 is a good choice for diners is that Pier115 is one of the few places nearby that serves fine dining style fare in a relaxed atmosphere. And I kind of agree. Although there are floor to ceiling windows and the view is spectacular, the place does seem less formal (ie: less stuffy) than your average Bergen County steak house or fine dining restaurant.

But to me, Pier 115 is a jack-of-all-trades kind of a restaurant. It could easily be a special occasion restaurant in the all glass-partitioned Hudson Room with an order of the Filet Mignon and a bottle of wine. A few days later it’s a casual lunch spot with a turkey club and cold beers in the long wood paneled Q Dock Lounge section. And on any given Sunday, it could be a place for the game with burgers at the bar. It is this subtle variety in ambiance makes it seem like a very repeatable place to dine without the monotony of being a weekly regular eatery.

If you’ve frequented the bar and grill in the past you, like many Yelp reviewers, may have heartily enjoyed the bar food staples. But the rave reviews of the wings, truffle mac & cheese and Margherita pizza haven’t slowed since its inception. The allure of the bar scene (and bar food) of Pier115 is still there. Everything else has just improved throughout the years.

If not for bar food, then what should you have? I sat down with manager Greg Kane to help me decide on dinner. He suggested I try a few things like the Filet Mignon (with Pier 115 Steak Sauce), or the House Smoked Bourbon Baby Back Ribs. Greg’s personal favorite dish is the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass. What I chose for dinner was the scallop dish… and it was a good choice.

The scallops were well seasoned and had the perfectly crusted caramelized sear. Other ingredients like hazelnuts, smoky bacon and a sweet corn pudding were there to lend balance and to add to the textural landscape of the dish. It was well composed while still being a no muss kind of plate. The scallops, as well as the entire restaurant, reminded me of a supermodel on its day off: beautiful without trying too hard.

So if you haven’t yet visited Pier115 come on by. If you haven’t been there for a while, I suggest you come back for a meal. You might be in for a delightful surprise. For reservations, call (201) 313-2155 or visit http://www.pier115barandgrill.com/

Note: Scallop dish over a sweet corn pudding with thick cut bacon and hazelnuτ

HUDSON ROOM

Note: Pier 115’s Hudson Room. (Photo from pier115 website)

· MAC N CHEESE