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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
 
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I went there last night with my fiance. There was a decent crowd, and we got an upstairs table in the back. The brick walls make the place echo-ey, and the bass heavy music and very loud talking it forces makes it hard to hear your dining partner. The chairs are a bit too short for the table height. The table surface was up at my nipples, while my shorter dinign partner was at a proper height.
Aside from that though, everything was great. Our server, Felix, was personable, knowledgeable and attentive. The sangria was pretty good, although it could have used a tiny bit more hard liquor. We had two of the seafood medium plates, a mixed prawn and seafood salad, and the octopus, shellfish and potatoes in a nice paprika heavy sauce. We moved on to the pork with the salsa verde, which was delicious, but was sold as a main, so it really needed some kind of side at $28, instead of being just two pieces of meat on a sauced plate. The paella though was excellent. The seafood in it was fresh, very well cooked, and the rice was aromatic and infused with the seafood broth, as well as the saffron, pimento peppers and paprika. The staff sent over the grilled peppers tapa on the house to thank us for being patient for the paella, and we skipped dessert. The entire bill was $120, which is about the same we would pay for a similar sized meal at Satis, and we left almost as satisfied with the experience. If they adjust the noise and work on their plating for a few dishes, they will be a very welcome addition in our rotation.
Posted on: 2015/6/12 14:43
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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They have thousand-dollar hams in this place and we?re talking about footwear?
Posted on: 2015/6/5 13:10
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Not too shy to talk
 
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Classic dramatization. There is no dress code, just don't dress like a scumbag. If you call up and ask about a dress code, I'm sure any employee that feels proud of their job in a nice new restaurant would say something like "Well, dress nice I guess". Meaning don't walk in there wearing an Under Armor singlet and yellowed Court Classics. Dress and act like an adult, and you'll have no problem. I've been there, know 3 people who work there and the bouncers are the from the same company/rotation as Barcade/Lucky 7's. It's also week one of public opening. Expect a good amount of people making it an event to go to a restaurant opening weekend. Expect people hanging out there getting used to the menu, making reservations, trying out drinks and meeting bartenders etc.
Posted on: 2015/6/4 21:07
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Does anyone know if Raval ACTUALLY has a policy of no sneakers?
Or did someone just make that up and everyone believes it?
Posted on: 2015/6/4 13:41
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Ate there last night with some colleagues. Fantastic. Everything was delicious. We were a large group and ordered alcohol as well. With tip and tax, total came to ~$50/head, which was pretty good I thought considering the facts (Tapas, Large group, alcohol). Definitely will be back.
Posted on: 2015/6/4 13:31
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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I used to be involved in the nightlife industry..."no sneakers" is not a dress code in and of itself. They'd be better just saying "smart casual" and give examples like: no gym clothes, jeans must be neat, etc. So someone coming from the gym in sweats and a tank is a no, someone in "fashion sweatpants" and heels and a sequined top would be fine (I hate the idea of fashion sweatpants, but it is A Thing).
Fashion right now is all about mixing ultra-casual stuff (sweat pants, sneakers, jeans) with dressier elements (blazers, sparkly embellishment, heels) so banning individual items is an exercise in futility, and a good way to get accused of discrimination if the dress code is applied unevenly.
Posted on: 2015/6/4 13:29
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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I have not encountered any strict no sneaker restaurants (those are all I wear). As long as you aren't wearing any pair of garish Nike's or athletic shoes I think you are ok.
Even restaurants where jackets are required will allow fashionable sneakers.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 17:00
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Exactly this. A "dress code" does not necessarily mean suits and jackets and such. I took dress code to mean: no sports/athletic sneakers, no baggy/sagging jeans, etc. In other words, look halfway respectable. I am sure they will not turn away anyone that is smartly or casually dressed in a manner that looks respectable.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 16:24
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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I have been to only one restaurant where a serious dress code is enforced which is Peter Luger's everywhere else is come as you are and be ready to pay.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 16:23
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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I mean, restaurants only rarely have a very strictly enforced dress code (although woe be to the man who tries to eat at Chef's Table without a suit), but just because a restaurant isn't jackets required, or even suggested, doesn't mean that they don't have a dress code. From what I hear, it seems that Raval is trying to have a smart casual type dress code, and working out some early kinks on how aggressively they're enforcing it.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 16:09
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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In my opinion stylish casual, or "smart casual" is a much trendier way of looking put together than "dressy". Example being nice jeans, stylish non-athletic sneakers, nice shirt and maybe a casual blazer.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 15:51
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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How is the concept of a restaurant dress code so foreign to people? Sounds like this may not be an issue, but realistically it is "foreign" because the NYC area landscape has trended well toward the casual side the past 5/10+years. Almost no spots left with "jacket required", and only a few more I would make a point to definitely not wear speakers to. I tend to eat "spur of the moment" style in NYC: no res walk-in, eating at the bar, or grabbing a late res when something pops up... definitely have walked into some of the better restaurants in NYC (2/3 star) without thinking twice about sneakers or somewhat casual attire. Not wearing grubby stuff that would alarm staff, but definitely have not even heard the "drew code" for a restaurant in ages. Nightclubs, obviously a different story... or Meatpacking District ;)
Posted on: 2015/6/3 15:38
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Newbie
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Spoke with someone that works here, no dress code.
Posted on: 2015/6/3 12:30
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Stringer wrote:
Posted on: 2015/6/3 12:13
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Raval Brings Tapas and Barcelona-Inspired Spark to Jersey CityNow Radich and former Ox cook Michael Fiorianti are back in the kitchen at Raval (136 Newark Avenue, 201-209-1099), an ambitious two-story tapas bar adorned with muraled halls and tiled banquettes. Radich and Fioranti met soon after Fioranti moved into the neighborhood. "Mike walked in and said 'this looks like the kind of place where I want to work.' He literally walked onto the line at 5 o'clock on opening night and just killed it," Radich recalls. "We've been friends ever since." Fiorianti eventually moved on to Satis Bistro, and Radich found work in as a corporate chef. "My son is five years old, he was born right when Ox was closing, and I needed to work. I went into corporate dining because it was stable, it was family friendly, and it was rewarding for a while. But you miss this. Not to get all Anthony Bourdain, but there's something fulfilling about it; the hours, the pressure, being on your feet all day." At Raval their previous roles are now reversed; Radich is chef de cuisine and Fiorianti is executive chef. Read more: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkint ... ey_city_opening_tapas.php
Posted on: 2015/6/3 1:09
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Quite a regular
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my impression of raval:
cocktails - good, strong, a little pricey tapas - okay, expensive rationes - mediocre, expensive, not enough food. we were told paella was meant for 2 people to share, but even after sharing 4-5 tapas, the paella still left us hungry (and in total $150 poorer). dress code? lame. no one gave me a hard time (pretty sure i was wearing converse sneakers), but i tend to avoid places that have a dress code, so noted for the future. all in all, i wouldn't say it was a bad experience, but i am certainly not dying to revisit the place. if i did go back, it wouldn't be for the food. it was way too expensive for what it was, and leaving hungry after ordering like 5 or 6 food items and spending $150 is not for me. i would go again after having eaten, and maybe just order 1 or 2 tapas to share, and try another cocktail.
Posted on: 2015/6/2 21:15
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Given the inconsistency, they'll get called out on that quickly enough. https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/the ... one-because-of-appearance
Posted on: 2015/6/2 16:24
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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I call bullshit, I was wearing sneakers and so was my party. I think this is code for certain individuals they don't want in.
Posted on: 2015/6/2 16:16
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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My guess: they're trying to say "hey, this is an upscale place" to set the initial vibe, but after they've been open a while they're not going to be so strict. We wandered in a few days ago pretty late (menu changed over to late-night menu while we were there), and I'm pretty sure at least one of us was in jeans?
Food was good!
Posted on: 2015/6/2 16:13
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Exactly. I am really not understanding all this hand wringing and heartburn over a dress code. Like I said before, I wish more restaurants in town would enforce some baseline dress code so we can keep things classy around here. And, whoever equated a dress code with Hobokenization, s/he couldn't be more way off. On the contrary, I would hope a dress code will keep all those over-pumped bros with the tacky frat-bro uniform of popped collars and white sneakers out of some of the local restaurants.
Posted on: 2015/6/2 16:13
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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What about my $1200 Ferragamo sneakers? Certainly they would be allowed, right?
Posted on: 2015/6/2 16:09
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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How is the concept of a restaurant dress code so foreign to people? Tapas, as a concept, may have casual roots, but plenty of people have done it (and tapas-inspired small plates restaurants) in less-casual environments. I mean, if instead of Raval, it was L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, would you still consider wearing sneakers there to be appropriate?
Posted on: 2015/6/2 15:26
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Screw that.
Posted on: 2015/6/2 14:19
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Just can't stay away
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No sneaker policy is a shame. I've been to Satis - their other spot in Paulus Hook with sneakers and shorts dozens of times.
I also own some rare/limited edition casual old school type sneakers that cost more than most people's dress shoes. With that said, I understand certain dress codes. The first owners of the Powerhouse Lounge would not allow hats (it was during the day, on a weekend)...not a big deal, but I never went back (was not kind of place any way.) Just find it funny that people judge behavior based on footwear. I have more of a problem with exposed toes/sandals than sneakers - especially when eating :)
Posted on: 2015/6/1 23:46
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Hmm, bouncer at the door, dress code...this smells like a developing douche fest. The menu looks great though. Please stop the Hobokenization of DTJC. "Lounges" are so early 2000s.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 17:06
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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If this place really does ban sneakers then I guess that's their perogative but it sounds douchey as hell to expect people to wear "slacks and dress shoes" out in JC. This is a tapas place, after all. It's roots are in casual bar food. Sneakers do not always imply mucked up old gym shoes anyways. Certain types of sneakers are fine with "smart casual" and somehow every tapas place I've ever been to has gotten by just fine without requiring Ferragamos. This isn't 11 Madison Park for chrissakes. But whatever, if they want to turn this into a Hoboken style bro-down lounge its up to them.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 17:03
Edited by maybeMoving on 2015/6/1 17:23:25
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Quite a regular
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Slacks? I don't know anyone under 40 who wears slacks as part of a "going out" outfit.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 15:50
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Home away from home
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Interesting, I was wearing sneakers and shorts the day I went. I guess I was lucky.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 15:49
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Not too shy to talk
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2008/7/24 18:19 Last Login : 2015/10/19 13:26 From Jersey City
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Just got off the phone with them and they do have a dress code policy. They're going for a more upscale vibe so slacks and dress shoes are a requirement. They stated they'd be a bit more lax during the day, but that it would strictly enforced at night. Hope that clears things up.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 15:39
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Re: Raval tapas place
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Not too shy to talk
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If this is, in fact, their rule, they have my vote. I'm all in favor of banning sneakers, and people who know the style names of sneakers. Good to see the JCList trolls are alive and well. If Raval chooses to ban sneakers, I have no issue with that. Their place. Their rules. Cool. I'll give them a call later to ask about their dress code.
Posted on: 2015/6/1 15:26
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