Goods & Greens is an awesome spot, if I lived closer to the Hamilton Park area, I would pretty much eat and shop here everyday… or at least come say hi to Paul my new best friend.
This post was at first intended to be the normal run of the mill “Eats” write-up about this spot; the food, products, healthy options etc…. but then I met Paul. Paul is the Chef and Managing Partner of Goods & Greens; he is beyond sweet, warm , friendly and takes great pride in the food he prepares; using local, organic and fresh ingredients.
I want all of you to know this guy, his food, and what an asset he is to Jersey City. Paul is an amazing human being, he exudes positive energy and I am so happy I was able to sit and talk to him over a nice lunch he made especially for me! I am so fucking lucky!!! I can really get used to this gig. #realtalk
Paul, what am I eating? “Grilled Asparagus with Brie and pickled spanish onions and the salad is chickpeas…”
(screaming) CHICPEA!! You knew my nickname is chicpea right? I did! Chickpea salad with rainbow chard, cherry tomatoes , olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and shallots. My food is very clean straight forward …. I was a chef for 20 years and always did pretty much farm to table style of cooking”
ITS SO GOOD (mouth full) “Food should speak for itself”
Do you change your menu everyday? “You know what it is…. I live in Brooklyn and I’m learning the neighbourhood. The first restaurant that I owned was in Park Slope and that was in 97 which is how JC is now, things are developing …. so it reminds me of that. I am learning the clientele and trying to get the cafe to develop and the store to develop . The store is different then the previous owners…. I am trying to keep to the vegan clientele as much as I can, and I am trying to bring in non vegan clients.
I think its hard …. the neighborhood could use both. We have plans down the line to do more charcuterie things of that nature. Trying to keep things in the neighborhood”
Where do you get your ingredients? Majority of my stuff is from Hudson Valley Harvest. …Because we are a small shop I buy daily. The dry goods are from PA, NJ , NY … coffee is local, Mod Cup.
So you are basically catering to people who want to eat clean, local and fresh… ” I eat clean, so I try to cook my food that way. Things in the case that we have is prepared the same day…I will have some stuff with meat in it but I have a lot of vegetarian/vegan food options. Its taken a little adjusting…. I was used to cooking for the masses and now its tailoring for a particular crowd… Our goal is to make everybody happy”
Well can I tell you something? I am very happy right now! This is delicious ” I am going to start pickling things… its not a trend for me. I am of Sicillian decent so everything was pickled in the house. We always had peppers, cherry tomatoes marinated, my parents made their own wine… jarred sauces”
How long have you been working in Jersey City? 4 months now, I live in Brooklyn. I would live here but my kids are older and go to school in Brooklyn. When my kids are here they are at the park across the street….”
What’s next for the store? “Well I would like to carry wild caught fish for the store… like small amounts. I want to develop this place to be as accommodating as possible to the neighborhood…. I like that whole feeling, that you know the person that’s getting the food, you can trust them that you are getting the best quality….”
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