I Heart Hudson Street
We all have that place that's extra special to us.
It feels like my boyfriend and I were just kids when we met working at a bar and burrito spot on Hudson Street, an incongruously loud and wild establishment in the West Village. Three years later, last weekend, we celebrated our anniversary on the same block. It reminded me of my most favorite time as a New Yorker. Not only did I meet my man at this restaurant, but a handful of my closest friends. Every time I return I’m reminded of this vibrant yet simple time in my life where all that mattered was friends, love, and the Friday night dinner crowd. While the block has changed over time, its memories last forever.
The West Village side of Hudson Street is home to iconic dives such as Employees Only, Katana Kitten, and Dante. It is the north/south street perpendicular to the classic L’Artusi and trending Fiaschetteria. Now, newer restaurants are finding their way to the neighborhood such as Bangkok Supper Club and the spot we found for our anniversary, Justine’s on Hudson.
I discovered this by accident, having gone down a black hole of New Yorker food articles. The article described it as an “upscale bistro” with a French-Filipino menu. Intrigued, I went to Resy and made the easiest reservation I’d ever made in the village.
My boyfriend and I were seated at a table beside the only other couple in the restaurant; my only qualm of the evening, as I was eying the romantic and available table by the window. We were both handed a drink menu and the Sunday dinner pre-fixe menu where there were two just two seasonal choices for each course. Both featured dishes with ingredients special to me. It felt as though the menu and I spoke our own language of Filipino flavor.
My boyfriend and I decided to both start with the tuna tartare, then split the most buttery of scallops with a butternut squash risotto and a rich cassoulet with a crispy adobo-d duck. To complete the night, along with my wine and his pandan margarita, we shared a sticky toffee pudding with boba and a chocolate mousse.
Since the menu rotates each evening and season, I may not be able to offer an accurate recommendation except to enter with an open palate. While I loved the intimacy of a nearly empty dining room, I fear Justine’s has not developed a regular clientele or following because one is not sure what to expect when they arrive. However, if you are looking for a one-of-a-kind menu fused with finesse and flavor, Justine’s mystery is a pleasure to indulge in.
I cannot reminisce about my full-time life on Hudson Street without being reminded of the excessive amount of calamansi margaritas I served (and drank) while there. Calamansi, a small citrus fruit native to the Philippines, makes for a great sour mix sub in a margarita. Calamansi was a part of my regular diet during this time and anytime I go home, I pick some from my mom’s small tree by the pool and always shake up this recipe, one more refined than the one I made at work.
CALAMANSI MARGARITA
(serves one, or makes a pitcher by multiplying by 6-8)
Tools
2 small plates to help rim your glass.
A basic cocktail shaker
A glass, preferably chilled in the freezer or quick chilled (rim the glass, then fill with ice while you prep the drink)
Ingredients
Agave (or honey)
Rim season of choice (I prefer sugar, since the calamansi is quite tart, but feel free to do salt or tajin)
Ice
1 ½ oz pour of tequila, silver/blanco or reposado
½ oz pour of orange liqueur (cointreau or triple sec)
¾ oz of freshly squeezed calamansi juice
½-¾ oz of simple syrup, depending on how sweet you like it!
Steps
Add a bit of agave onto one small plate and then your seasoning on the other.
Rim your glass with agave, then dip into the plate with the seasoning. Then, chill the glass by adding a scoop of ice and setting it to the side.
While your glass is chilling, fill the cocktail shaker with ice.
Add tequila, then the orange liqueur, or both at the same time if you’re fancy like that.
Top with the calamansi juice then simple syrup.
Give it all a nice shake! Swap out the chilling ice in your glass for a fresh scoop of ice, then strain your margarita into the glass. Cheers!
On my days off from the restaurant, I still found myself gravitating toward Hudson Street. My walk there was a stunning one, a short saunter down tree-lined Bedford Street. If you were to walk northwest on Bedford and make a left onto Grove Street, you’d happen upon St. Luke’s Thrift Shop across the street on Hudson. In the basement level of the church is a neighborhood shop full of vintage and quirky goods. Many of my purchases have become staples of my closet, including this green sundress.
I recommend stopping in here, then going up to the Housing Works for a second-hand-double-feature and ending at The Elk for a matcha.
Take a moment to think about your favorite corner of the city and treat yourself to an excursion there soon. Let me know where you go in the comments and enjoy the weekend <3