Helmer's Cafe
Address: 1036 Washington St, Hoboken, New Jersey ( NJ ) 07030-5202
Telephone - (201) 963-3333

Here are a couple of interesting facts I learned about Oktoberfest, from the label on a bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest, one of my all-time favorite beers:

  1. In Germany, Oktoberfest is actually in September.
  2. The best selling Oktoberfest beer in the world is Sam Adams Oktoberfest (what a surprise they would write this on their own label).

Unfortunately, I missed the Helmers' Oktoberfest Party on Thursday, October 18 because I was home studying for the GMAT. But after finally completing the grueling exam this past Saturday, Ashley and I wanted to go out for a celebratory dinner–not only for the fact that I scored fairly well, but also because I wouldn't be bogged down by studying anymore (which, coincidentally, is why I hadn't written anything for over a week). We chose Helmers' because we thought its festiveness this time of year would be fitting for our occasion, and we wanted to make up for the night we missed there.

When we arrived, we grabbed drinks at the bar while waiting for a table. Helmers' has an extensive beer menu, which is one of the main reasons why it is one of my favorite hangouts. I ordered a Paulaner, and Ashley ordered a of Framboise Lambic–a sweet, raspberry beer (although it doesn't taste like beer) that Helmers' has on tap. As we sipped our drinks, we surveyed the scene, watching the plates of food being served to the tables and trying to decide what we were in the mood for.

By the time we had nearly finished our drinks, we were called to be seated. As always, our waiter was pleasant and friendly, as were the bartenders who had served us.

Now, if you love to gorge yourself with fried onion rings, then you need to try Helmers' Bavarian Onion Rings. This appetizer is nothing more than a huge mound of razor-thin slivers of fried onions. It looks almost like a funnel cake, and definitely has a "wow" effect when it arrives to the table. It is probably too much for just 2 people, but we finished it anyway. It would have been nice if they gave us something to dip them in, though we ate them so fast we didn't notice at the time. When we finished, we noticed how soaked in grease the napkin was beneath the onion rings. Wow.

Ordering the main course was easy for Ashley, but difficult for me. It was easy for her because she knew she wanted the Bauernwurst and Bacon Salad after she saw someone else eating it the last time we were there. It was difficult for me because I am by no means an expert on German food, so deciphering the menu was a bit difficult. I didn't think the menu was descriptive enough for someone who doesn't know the difference between wurst and schnitzel, however our waiter was extremely accomodating and helped me decide on the Wurst Platter, so I could sample a few different things.

Ashely's salad was hearty helping of mixed greens and vegetables topped with chunks of bauernwurst–which looks and tastes almost like keilbasa–each wrapped with a thin slice of smoked bacon. Although a salad, it was a full meal (though lighter than most other selections on the menu). Ashley said she would definitely order it again sometime soon.

My meal was a platter of 3 assorted wursts (which are German-style sausages): bratwurst, knackwurst, and weisswurst. I didn't know which one was which, so I identified them as the white one, the grey one, and the pink one. The sauerkraut on the side was smooth and almost velvety–it was by far the best sauerkraut I've ever had. In the middle of the platter was a plop of mashed potatoes smothered in gravy–also excellent. We were also given three different kinds of mustard for dipping–one that was sweet and mild, one that was sweet and a little spicy, and one that was "hot" (though it really wasn't that bad). All three were pretty good and it was fun to dip the different kinds of wurst in all the different mustards. In case you didn't know, guys love condiments.

My second beer was a Weihenstephan, which is another great beer that I drink all the time (they also have it on tap at Maxwell's). Although I have been drinking it for years, I only learned how to pronounce its name properly that night, from out waiter.

As for the different kinds of wurst, their flavors varied. The pink one, which I later found out was the knackwurst, tasted almost like a hot dog–it was good, but nothing I hadn't tasted before. The white one (weisswurst) was a bit bland, but it dressed up nicely with some mustard, gravy, and onions. The grey one, which was the bratwurst, was my favorite–it was delicious, and I would probably order a meal that features bratwurst specifically next time I eat there.

As usual, our experience at Helmers' was both fun and educational. I guess you could say that Helmers' takes traditional German food and "jazzes it up" a bit–somehow, the restaurant has managed to put together a perfect mix of tradition and modernness.

It was a big, heavy meal, so afterward we had to go home to digest for a little while. Then, we walked down to 3 Forty Grill to have a few martinis. 3 Forty Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in Hoboken, and sometimes we also go there to drink martinis in their lounge area, when we are in the mood for that sort of thing. The atmosphere is dark and trendy, with the standard electronic lounge music setting the mood in the background. While we were there, I noticed that people who work at lounges always seem so serious–they don't smile much. It was a sharp contrast from the atmosphere at Helmers', where the lighting is bright and all the employees have smiles on their faces. Wouldn't you expect the German restaurant to be the serious one?

In a town where the Italian restaurant scene appears to be dominated by the celebrity-frequented, high-profile Tutta Pasta and the charming, authentic, always-crowded Margherita's, it can be easy to overlook some of the less flashy establishments along the Washington Street strip. So, for our anniversary night, we ventured to find an authentic, romantic, inexpensive (we had an expensive weekend planned–more on that in a later post) Italian restaurant that we hadn't already tried.

We decided upon Trattoria Saporito because it seemed both quaint and elegant, and the menu not only offered the standard Italian fare, but also showed a bit of creativity as well. Since it's BYOB, we brought a bottle of Cabernet that was left over from our visit to the Brotherhood Winery in upstate New York last winter. We opted to sit inside to escape the slight mugginess, though there were a few people who didn't seem to mind.

At the door, we were greeted by a friendly paisan who looked and sounded like he belonged in an Italian restaurant. He showed us to our table (there were only two other tables occupied inside) and proceeded to recite by memory a specials list that was quite possibly longer than the actual menu. After a few minutes, I had to hold back from bursting into laughter. When he was finished, I asked him to repeat everything.

It is often said that you can tell a lot about a restaurant by the bread they serve before the meal. The bread we received was a step better than a typical Italian baguette–it was obviously homemade and it was warm, which scores extra bonus points in my book (or on my blog, for that matter).

What really impressed us was that even though we did not order appetizers, our waiter brought us two delicious bruschettas to hold us over until mealtime. Keep in mind, I make it a rule not to tell restaurants that I will be writing about my experience, because I want the real experience, not special treatment. I cannot guarantee they will give all their guests free bruschettas, but I will say that they did it on their own. And while it did seem a little strange that we did not receive salads before our meals (especially at an Italian restaurant), perhaps they serve bruschettas instead. I guess we will have to go back again to find out for sure.

The food arrived to our table in a reasonable amount of time. Ashley had the Bucatini alla Giulia, which was pasta with red sauce, lightly fried eggplant, and shaved ricotta. The pasta was obviously homemade and we both thought her dish was delicious.

I went with one of my favorite Italian dishes–Linguine with white clam sauce. It is a dish that you can find at almost any Italian restaurant and even most pizzerias, but it takes real skill to perfect. For that reason, I feel it is a good dish to use as an assessment of a restaurant's quality and attention to detail. The dish was very good, though not the best I've ever had. I liked the way they topped the linguine with a mound of opened baby clams, though I was a little disappointed to not find little pieces of clams mixed in with the sauce itself (which was a bit soupy). All in all, though, it was a hit.

As we dined into the night, the lighting inside the restaurant was dimmed to create a bit more intimate atmosphere. To our surprise, however, the faint music playing in the background progressed from romantic Italian music, to modern pop, with even some 80's mixed in (I guess you can't go anywhere in New Jersey without hearing a little Bon Jovi).

The portions were hefty but not un-appetizingly huge. I managed to finish all of mine (hey, it was good), while Ashley brought the rest of hers home to have for lunch the next day. We were tempted to try dessert but we just didn't have any room left. I guess we should have planned for dessert earlier.

Perhaps the most satisfying part of the night was that, after having such a great meal, I was amazed to see a check of only $32! At that moment, Trattoria Saporito became not only a solid and authentic Italian restaurant, but also one of the best value restaurants in all of Hoboken. If we had ordered salads, appetizers, and dessert the price would obviously have been higher, but for what we paid we were extremely satified (and full).

By the time we left, around 8:00pm, the restaurant had filled to about half capacity, and the streets outside were lively. I guess Hobokenites eat late. Of course, I had to be the one to carry the doggy bag nine blocks up Washington Street during the busiest time of the night.

Trattoria Saporito 328 Washington St., Hoboken. 533-1801 Hours: Open daily. Lunch served Monday to Friday noon to 4 p.m.; dinner servered Monday to Thursday from 4:30 to 11p.m. to midnight; Sunday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. B.Y.O.B. Reservations not accepted Credit Cards: MasterCard, Visa, and Amex.

Beach Bum Tanning
20 Hudson Place
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-420-7277

Spa Hours
Sunday 11am-8pm
Monday thru Friday 9am-10pm
Saturday 9am-6pm

Beach Bum Tanning: Hoboken



You can always count on Hoboken to never run out of sushi restaurants, nail salons and real estate offices in the near future. Also on that list are tanning salons. With the yuppie residents working long hours under flourscent lights, the only tan they will get will be from the radiation coming off their computer monitors.

I will admit that i'm a "electric beach" advocate. I'm not going to sit here and try to sell people on tanning. Either you like it or you don't. I, myself, believe that if done in moderation and proper care that it isn't any more harmful than sitting outside in direct sunlight. Having my Italian / (black) Irish skin I tan easily, so for me using a tanning bed is a good way to start a base tan before the summer months. In years past, with all of my golfing I got a nice "farmers tan" which looked ridiculous. Instead of sitting on Pier A to fix this, i'd just bop down to a tanning salon to even the tanlines out.

I have been to a few places in town and found i'm basically satisfied with their service. Most of the employees I meet there are usually not very happy to be working there, and have the charm of a potted plant. Some places have a very industrial look to their business. Some are located below ground. Some are just too far away for me to really be interested in trekking to their location.

On my way home from Club H on Sinatra, Beach Bum Tanning opened their doors for the first time. It was only a few doors down. I stopped in to snap some pictures and look around the place.

Imagine my surprise when entering BBT I was greeted by four very enthusiastic employees. Being the proper salespeople they were quick to go over the different tan bed designs and Tanning Consultation Guide, along with being nice to show me around the place. Not only was I impressed with their good customer service, but the business itself is very charming and clean for a tanning salon.

They have different service levels, depending on the bed that you are interested in using. Each bed has a different design that will generate a certain level of UVA & UVB rays. Each are essential in tanning, and I will leave it to the sales people to try and explain the various differences. They also have spray-on tan machines, and from what I am told, they are using top of the line "California Tan Sunless" machine.

Here are the different tanning levels. For the members of Club H, you get 15% off every tanning session or packages:
Bronze, $9 per tan session, 5 tans $35, 10 tans $59...up to 50 tans for $199.
Silver, $12 per tan session, 5 tans $45, 10 tans $79 and up to 50 tans for $199.
Gold not available in Hoboken.
Platinum, $20 per tan session, 3 tans $49, 5 tans $75, 10 tans $129 and up to 50 tans $499.
Titanium, $25 per tan session, 3 tans $59, 5 tans $95, 10 tans $169 and up to 50 tans $599.
Diamond, $30 per tan session, 3 tans $69, 5 tans $109, 10 tans $199 and up to 50 tans $699.

Just a warning but the packages DO EXPIRE. 3 tans expire in 1 month. 5 tans expires in 3 months. 10 tans expires in 6 months. 20 tans or more expire in 1 year.

Each tanning level you can buy a beach pass, which gives 1 month unlimited tanning on that level's specific bed. For example, Diamond has the top of the line bed, the P-90. It has a mix of UVA at 90% and UVB at 10%, which, from what I was told, was ideal for getting that "perfect tan".

There are also Beach Passes available for each Tanning level. Basically you can get 30 days of consecutive tanning, for an annual fee. You need a 3 month minimum commitment and also pay a cancellation fee to stop the plan. It sounds harsh, but you actually save a good deal of money if you are someone who tans frequently.

Just another option in town for you to try. I know that I will probably try out that new P-90 soon. Here are some more pictures I snapped...

Body Balance
20 Hudson Place
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-420-7277

Spa Hours
Sunday 11am-8pm
Monday thru Friday 9am-10pm
Saturday 9am-6pm

I decided to drop by Body Balance, located at their new location on 20 Hudson Place in Hoboken on Friday. I have been stressed out the last week, and recently recovered from a head cold. I needed some pampering, and to me, it's important to indulge ourselves with relaxation, peace and tranquility in the form of a great massage.

In my quest to find inner peace, I have visited other spas in our city, and by far, Body Balance offers everything that I want: A great price, A wonderful experience and a professional atmosphere when getting a massage.

Body Balance's no frills approach was started by Melissa Guido, originally from Maine, who settled into Hoboken during 1999, while working for Cooper Lighting. She left the corporate world in 2002, to follow her dream of being a business owner and do something that she, herself, enjoyed: massages. She went to massage school, and while doing so got her national certification to be a massage therapist. Melissa started her business out of her apartment on 12th and Garden, honing her skills and building a client base. Over the years, she expanded her business out of her house into an office, but kept to her business mantra of a relaxed, comfortable, homey atmosphere to enjoy a massage. Her low prices, which haven't been raised in years, reflects her simple concept of keeping the body tuned with massage therapy and to encourage repeat business. She feels that a higher priced massage will force people to indulge themselves every once in a while for pleasure or when in pain, rather on a proactive, repeat basis.

I couldn't agree more.

First, lets talk about the costs of a massage. Depending on where you go and the type of massage you want, the price can vary. Let's not even compare New York City prices. I have found that Body Balance's prices are the lowest in town, with rates (before taxes) starting at $45.00 for the first 30 minutes. One hour is $75.00. 1 and a half, $100. 2 hours is $130. Oh, and don't forget - first time clients get a $10 discount off your first session of 60 minutes or longer!

As a rate of comparison, other facilities cost higher, up to $15 per session!

Second, i'll say that their new location is wonderful. They refurbished the entire business, with a clean, soothing decor coupled with multiple private rooms. Long-time Body Balance customers will remember the transisition to 20 Hudson, when their office was located in the Hoboken Business Center, and mere curtains seperated each other during a massage! Those days are long past, and they have five private rooms, with only the sounds of the white noise generator and soft music filling the air, along with the dim lighting that compliments the surroundings.

Third, they offer any kind of massage you want. Traditional Swedish, Deep Tissue, Nuad Bo Rarn (which costs more, see website for details), Neuromuscular, Sport Massage - the list goes on and on. When I went in, the therapist and I discussed the type of massage I wanted, and if I had any areas of my body that needed attention. I wanted a sports massage, and asked the therapist to focus on a nagging achilles / hamstring issue in my left leg that started a few weeks ago while on the treadmill. I felt great afterwards and started up on the ellipticals this week, without any pain and plan to ease my way back into running shortly.

Lastly, lets talk about the people who work there. Like I wrote in the past, there are other establishments which take you for granted. Every time I have been to Body Balance, the massage therapists are excellent. The front desk employees are considerate. They have treated me great everytime I have been there, and that is multiple visits under my belt. The old adage "The Customer Is Our First Priority" certainly applies to Body Balance. Melissa trains each massage therapist on her staff to make sure her personal techniques are incorporated into a massage at Body Balance.

To me, it is a no-brainer. Body Balance is the lowest priced, best massage in Hoboken. Located at 20 Hudson, it's literally across the street from the PATH (above the new City Diner), and convienent for most of Hoboken (Even with a $5 cab ride from uptown you would STILL save $10 per massage!).

Hobokenites often lament that our town is losing its character and charm to every new chain store, bank and real estate office that seems to spring up on Washington Street every few months, but there are charming new businesses if you know where to look, like at 720 Monroe Street, home to The Cheese Store.

It is owned by Chung Park, whose passion for the dairy culinary arts began because of fate. This passion began with a job many years ago at specialty store, Todaro Bros, in New York City. He was assigned to the cheese department by the management, and where he started to learn his craft for over a year. Then, reading the New York Times one day, he saw an ad for a six month apprenticeship at a Goat Cheese Farm in Jeffersonville, New York, near the Catskills. It would not only enhance his knowledge, but it was free room & board, too. He jumped at the chance, and after learning what he could, he came back to New York City to work at Murray's for about five years. After Murray's, he worked for importers / wholesalers and would consult various businesses on what cheese they should buy - and why. Then Chung realized that he could be that business. He had the knowledge and the interest to start his own business in a field which he was an expert.

The long winding road brought Chung to Hoboken, where he offically became a cheesemonger on July 19th 2007, only 4 days after the birth of his first child. He chose Hoboken, because of the people who live here, people who would be receptive to the variety and depth of his product. At his store, it isn't only about cheese - he has cured meats, olives, walnuts, dried apricots, pate, sausage, yogurt, milk and cultured butter, and baugettes.

But I do have to take a moment to mention the fresh sandwiches. Upon my visit to the store, I walked in, and looked at the ever present chalk board, which has the daily written specials. I chose a sandwich with French Ham, Gruyere, lettuce, dijon on a baugette from Baltazar's Bakery. It was simply, my friends, worth the walk alone. He tells me that the sandwiches change often, but has made a "signature sandwich" from mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, balsamic vinagrette and fresh basil leaves and it was also just as exquisite as the first.

After sampling that, Chung took the time to explain the various process of cheese to me, from understanding how you can have artisan, farmhouse, dairy and industrial cheese makers who all produce an enormous wide variety of cheese for the international consumers. Much like in the world of wine, you have specific vineyards who are renown for their wine, you also have specific cheesemakers who are renown for their cheese.



Chung is able to wade through the quagmire, to bring a great selection of cheeses, which he classifies as: Hard Ripened (those that age and become dense), Soft Ripened (those that age and become, well, soft), Washed Rind (rubbed with brine at a young age and allowed to age) and Bleu Cheese (those that age and have mould on the outside or inside). Some customers will walk in knowing exactly what they want, and others are curious.

Chung tells me that he has a motto: "Whatever they are curious about, I encourage them to taste."

He does so without hestiation, often using a cheese slicer on the hard cheeses, or a small spoon on the soft cheeses, to let the customers try what is behind the display case. Much like a sommilier, Chung can guide the consumers towards what may interest them. Unlike going to a wine store, where it is nearly impossible to sample a wine before opening it, the customers at The Cheese Store, are welcome to sample everything that strikes an interest.

My knowledge of cheese is very basic. At a young age, I knew only of swiss, cheddar and mozarella. As I got older, I was exposed to gouda, brie and havarti. There can just be a dizzying array of cheese out there, and Chung has an amazing selection. We tried Fromager D'Affinois, Humbolt Fog, Delice De Bourgogne, Foglie Di Noce (Tuscan pecorino wrapped in walnut leaves, and my favorite I think!), Abbaye De Belloc. I found that upon tasting that I liked the hard ripened more, and didn't enjoy the briny taste of the Washed Rind as much. But I found myself learning and enjoying everything that Chung was teaching me about this experience.

What The Cheese Store has is exactly what is missing from other competing stores in Hoboken - someone like Chung Park. If you walk into Garden of Eden, certainly they have a large cheese selection. Who would you rather describe to you the cheese you are interested in, a teenage employee who is working there part-time or someone who has the experience of Chung Park? Will that store open the cheese up for you, and let you sample it? Are the prices as competitive as The Cheese Store? I doubt it.

I absolutely encourage everyone to expand their horizons. Go out there and try new things. Take an hour out of your day, and just try something new. Say hello to Chung, he is a great guy and so was his father Peter, who was helping behind the counter. We need more establishments in Hoboken like The Cheese Store, places that restore our faith that Hoboken isn't losing its personality, but gaining them, if you know where to look.