Blu on the Hudson brings a New York City-style dining experience to the waterfront in Weehawken, New Jersey. With views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline, land and sea come together at Blu on the Hudson not just as a view but on the menu as well, with a seafood forward menu accented by a top-flight steak program, homemade pasta, a cocktail program, and soon- to-come rooftop event space.
The concept was created by Blu Hospitality Group led by Kosta Gianopoulos, who collaborated with Designer Peggy Leung—whose previous projects include Tokyo DisneySea and being one of the lead designers of TAO Las Vegas—to fill the expansive 30,000 square foot space, designing a dining environment generally reserved for Manhattan. The interior has a cozy lounge with a large fireplace and reception, segueing into a spacious main dining room with floor to ceiling windows that provide views of the Manhattan skyline. Centering the room is a rectangular white marble-topped bar where crafted cocktails are served. Behind the bar are an array of dining alcoves with green tropical-inspired walls. Beyond that are two private dining rooms with a curated wine wall. Separated from the main space by sliding glass doors is Blu Sushi Bar, marked by red wallpaper depicting cherry blossoms, natural wood tables and an elegant marble sushi bar.
To undertake the massive project, Blu Hospitality assembled industry veterans to bring it to life: Executive Chef Juan Carlos “JC” Ortega (BR Guest Hospitality’s Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, and most recently Catch Steak); General Manager Tom Blume; Beverage Director Jeremy Le Blanche (Thyme Bar, The Gibson, German Gymnasium); and sommelier Adam Greer (Dovetail, Chestnut).
Chef JC has brought his years of experience working with seafood and steak to create a menu composed of simple and clean ingredients.
The menu begins with a Raw Bar and Crudo that includes: an Haute Caviar program, one-ounce of caviar (28 grams) served with crispy potatoes, brioche toast points and quail deviled eggs; and Dressed East Coast Oyster, with pickled jicama, salmon roe, and Meyer lemon.
Appetizers highlight include Shrimp, basque style shrimp in a pil pil garlic and chili sauce served with a toasted baguette; Rice Cakes topped with spicy tuna, tobiko, and avocado; and Spanish Boquerones, imported white anchovies on pan con tomate, with green olives.
To create the Homemade Pasta, Chef JC collaborated with Executive Sous Chef Alberto Reyes, who worked under Chef Scott Conant as a butcher and making pastas. The selections include: Gemelli with braised veal shank, Grana Padano, and basil; hand rolled Gnocchi in a spicy vodka sauce with local ricotta; and a Vegan option of Spinach Radiatore in zucchini-basil pesto with pine nuts and vegan feta cheese.
Main courses are dubbed Land & Sea: Chicken served piccata style with baby spinach Whole Branzino for Two, baked and served with bearnaise sauce and charred lemon; and Head-on Shrimp & Diver Scallops with chermoula, lemon, and herbs.
Blu on the Hudson’s steak program highlights Midwest Prime Steaks, Australian Wagyu sourced from Westholme and Japanese A-5 Wagyu from the Kagawa Prefecture. Headlining the program are an exclusive Wagyu Skirt Steak, sourced from Westholme and only available at Blu on the Hudson is a 16-ounce Delmonico, as well as large format cuts exemplified by their 40oz Wagyu Tomahawk and 32oz Prime Porterhouse.
Desserts were created by Pastry Chefs Erika Martinez and Sue Mun. They are inspired by classics and presented with a twist, like Classic Tiramisu, with a semi-liquid top that is poured over the dish tableside; Gala Apple Pie Profiteroles with almond crackling, whipped Greek yogurt, and bourbon caramel sauce; and Flourless Chocolate S’mores, gluten-free graham cracker with chocolate mousse and marshmallow.
Blu Sushi Bar, just off the main dining room, serves sushi as well as izakaya-inspired cuisine with flavor profiles similar to those in the main dining room created by Chef JC in collaboration with K Dong, who owns Hinoki Greenwich and MIKU SUSHI in Greenwich, Connecticut. The concept is meant to be more casual, offering creative dishes as well as lunch and takeout service.
To create the cocktail list, Beverage Director Jeremy Le Blanche drew from his experience in working at several cocktail bars around the world, including—Thyme Bar, The Gibson in London, and German Gymnasium in London—to create a program that while unique, is still accessible.
The Wine Program was built by Sommelier Adam Greer. He has curated a global wine list, with strengths in Bordeaux and Burgundy that features lesser-known wines for a great value relative to their plus quality alongside legacy producers. It includes a robust selection of wines by the glass, including five sparking, eight white, and twelve red selections as well as a reserve list beautifully displayed in the restaurant’s wine wall.
Blu on the Hudson is just minutes away from Hoboken and Jersey City by Light Rail, and a picturesque six-minute NY Waterway ferry ride from Manhattan.
Blu on the Hudson is located at 1200 Harbor Boulevard Weehawken, NJ 07086.
Opening hours are as follows:
Dining Room:
Mon – Thurs: 4 PM – 11 PM
Fri: 4 PM – 1 AM
Sat: 5 PM – 1 AM
Sun: 5 PM – 10 PM
Blu Sushi Bar:
Lunch
Mon – Fri: 12 PM – 3 PM
Dinner
Sun – Thurs: 5 PM – 10 PM
Fri & Sat: 5 PM – 11 PM
