Last weekend, I was invited to brunch at Raval Tapas Bar & Cocktail Lounge in Jersey City. “El Brunch”, as it’s known at the already-popular restaurant, is served every Saturday and Sunday, from 12PM – 4PM and diners can opt to order off the à la carte menu or pay $35/person for all-you-can-eat brunch food with $1 mimosas, sangria, bloody Marys or Estrella Damm Draft. The all-you-can-eat offer is valid for a 2-hour window and everyone at the table must participate.

Raval, which opened in late May 2015, is the new dining establishment by Restaurant Development Group’s (RDG), whose sister restaurant, Satis Bistro, and brother dive bar, Lucky 7 Tavern, are both also in Jersey City. Raval was named after the Barcelona neighborhood that went from being a run-down place to one thriving with arts, entertainment and food scene. Jersey City went through a similar transformation in the last 5-10 years, so the name’s fitting.

The restaurant is eclectic with very distinct looks within the space – light, bright curved cement banquettes near the entrance, a vibrant red-tiled bar mid-space, backlit black and white leather banquettes in the back and an area with tall tables off the bar to accommodate the bar overflow. There’s also a spacious downstairs area often used for special events and where the vibe turns clubish in the evenings. The design elements are all evocative of Barcelona.

At Raval, Executive Chef Michael Fiorianti and Chef de Cuisine Ed Radich have created a flavorful menu of shareable Spanish tapas. Not to be outdone by the cuisine, mixologist Joe Donohue (Kolo Klub) has created a beverage program like no other in the area. There’s an extensive menu of more than 80 Spanish wines, hand-crafted signature cocktails and several house-made Sangrias and Spanish ciders. I enjoyed a cocktail I’ll be trying to recreate at home, the Paloma Rose ($12) – Vodka, grapefruit, lime, Rioja peppercorn.

For our meal, our group shared the following:

Shisito Fritos ($8) – fried Padron peppers sprinkled with Maldon sea salt. The combination of spicy and salty was pleasant and we snacked on the diminutive peppers throughout brunch.

Jamon Serrano ($10) – hand-carved, dry-cured Spanish ham. A simply delicious charcuterie board.

Plato de Queso ($12) – chef selection of cheeses. While all were outstanding, the blue was stellar.

Merguez y Huevo al Horno ($12) – call this the Spanish Benedict. House-made Merguez sausage patty served with a poached egg, Hollandaise sauce and Harissa with toasted bread crumbs.

Bikini Sobrasada ($9) – this is the Spanish version of a grilled cheese with Morcilla and Manchego cheese. Gooey, spicy and on great bread.

Bistec y Revueltos ($12) – Angus beef tenderloin served with soft scrambled eggs and piri piri sauce. The beef was beautifully-cooked and the piri piri a perfect way to cut through the richness of the meat.

Paella Bomba ($18) – the classic Spanish dish with the typical Chorizo and Morcilla but with the decadent addition of pork belly confit then topped with a fried egg. This was a favorite with our group because of the perfectly-cooked rice, flavorful meats and the runny egg.

On my next visit, I’ll try the Albóndigas ($10) – lamb meatballs, toasted pine nuts with sa­ron tomato sauce and the Bocadillo de Tortilla Española ($8) – baked potato, garlic and onion omelet with aioli, goat cheese and grilled asparagus.

We ended our flavorful meal with the Sevilla Churros ($9) with rich espresso chocolate sauce and the Torrijas Spanish French Toast ($9) served with burnt honey orange compote and cinnamon sugar.

Raval is a fun place to visit and the food was solid and perfect for sharing among friends. I’m looking forward to returning.

Raval – 136 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07302. Reservations can be made online or by calling Raval at 201-209-1099.

PS: Raval holds a daily happy hour from 5PM – 7PM that’s likely one of the best values in town – $5 house wine, $5 house sangrias ($15 pitchers), $5 draft beers and $5 well drinks.

Cheers,

Veronique