When busy moms get an opportunity to have a night out, it’s even more important to choose a location that offers ambiance, good food and drinks. With the aforementioned three in place, good times are likely to follow.
If you’re looking for a great place to dine in New Jersey, whether it’s a girls’ night out, a business event, a special occasion, etc., Fornos of Spain in Newark is an excellent option.
The décor is a wonderful combination of ethnic and cultural artwork, which gives the true feel of Spain. As you enter the building, there is a small, outdoor table area for those yearning for the al fresco touch. We were promptly seated, by the hostess; however I must confess that it was 5:30pm on a Thursday evening. Rumor has it that weekends are a bit more hectic, therefore reservations are strongly recommended.
Our server, Jorgie was both jovial and very knowledgeable about the menu selections. Last but certainly not least on my list of discussion item is of course the food. The portions were more than plentiful, as each of us had burgundy-colored take home bags in tow at the end of the evening as proof.
We started the meal off with red sangria, which was tasteful, but without being overwhelming. We ordered the avocado and crabmeat tower as an appetizer. While it was inarguably very tasty, it was not exactly what we envisioned. It was a whole avocado, sliced in half, stuffed with a delicious combination of avocado and, wait for it……crabmeat! We, alright I immediately and yes, jokingly asked our waiter for some chips. Why? Because through the eyes of three ladies of Hoboken, Brooklyn and Newark origins, this very visually appealing and appetizing food item was a seafood twist on GUACAMOLE! Unfortunately chips were not available for us us to engage in the art of dipping, (nor do I think Jorgie found humor in my request) however we enjoyed it immensely nevertheless!

For our main courses we ordered the Shrimp with Risotto and Spinach, Shrimp in Garlic Sauce and Paella Marinera, all of which were amazingly delicious.
Let me not forget to mention that preceding our main courses was a beautiful and flavorful tossed salad, fried potato chips, olives and bread- a hefty spread in and of itself, which is another reason why we ended up with take home luggage.

Two individuals in my party indulged in desserts, which according to them were scrumptious. The “dessertaholic” that I am showed some restraint, as I decided to save some calories for my upcoming birthday. However, that simply gives me yet another reason to return to the slice of Spain in Newark, commonly known as Fornos!

As for cost, well seeing as my dear friend Lady R, picked up the tab (something about an early birthday treat) I didn’t see the bill. However she has confirmed that our lovely meal, with tip was in the $150.00 range.

A great night out with old friends, enjoying great food and I am undoubtedly looking forward to a return visit.
¡Buen apetito!

Fornos of Spain

Cuisine: Spanish, Seafood

Full Bar, Patio Seating
47 Ferry St
Newark, NJ 07105
(973) 589-4767
Free Parking

NOW, FAST FORWARD TWO WEEKS……

My good friend Regina and one of my Fornos of Spain dining companions headed to Spain on a family vacation.

I thought it would be a wonderful compliment to my Fornos review, if she would provide me with some details from her trip when she returned:

Jacqueline DuJour: What was your eating experience like in Spain?

Regina:  “On our first day in Spain we visited Montserrat and our guide had booked the Bo2 Restaurant & Botiga restaurant for us. It is a cozy place with the natural side of the hill being part of the wall in the dining room. Needless to say our guide had been to the restaurant many times and he was happy to take the lead with the menu. He took the liberty of ordering our appetizers which were served family style; from the Jamon (classic Spanish cured ham) to the best cheese, to the perfectly grilled artichoke- we could not decide which dish we liked best. We each choose our main course and tried to order a wide variety of items so that we could all taste each other’s dishes. We had the opportunity to sample beef, duck, chicken and pork each dishes, all cooked to perfection.  After this delectable spread and some of the best wine I’ve ever tasted, it was hard to think about dessert, but we knew we had to try and make some room.  The flan, cheesecake and apple tart were amazing! The food was the best we had in Spain overall and that is saying something because we had a lot of great meals. There was a large table of locals celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary and they seemed to be enjoying it as much as we did. While you may visit this area to see how breathtaking Montserrat is, don’t forget to stop in to eat at BO2 for an equally amazing meal. I strongly recommend that you make a reservation because it is small place. Last but not least,  I can’t comment on prices because our meal was paid for in advance by our travel agent.

Jacqueline DuJour: “Of all the hotels that you stayed at during your trip, what was your favorite?”

Regina: I would say Hotel Duquesa de Cardona in Barcelona – It’s a great walk to the beach location, we had a room that overlooked the water, with a door that opened for a beautiful ocean breeze. They served a great complimentary breakfast, and it was actually the best breakfast I had in Spain.  The roof top restaurant/bar was a big plus as well. The restaurant staff command of English was not great (I guess some knowledge of Spanish on our part might have helped, too!)  caused us a bit of a problem with a communication problem when it came to ordering food and drinks. However, once we were able to communicate with an English speak staff member, we received the correct items and were extremely pleased with the taste and quality. I would recommend Hotel Duquesa de Cardona in a heartbeat!

Many thanks to Regina for her contribution to this Spanish-themed review article.

Have a product or business that you’d like reviewed? Contact me @jacquelinedujour@gmail.com