One of the coolest things about living in Hoboken was daily exposure to an endless supply of great restaurants, all within walking distance.  For a town that measures one square mile, there is an infinite supply of cuisine from all around the globe.  Paying homage to my Cuban heritage, one of my favorites is La Isla http://www.laislarestaurant.com/index.html.  Chef Omar Giner has been dishing out fantastic authentic Cuban cuisine there since 1997.  After a stint at the Russian Tea Room, Omar left to combine his heritage and professional training to reinvent La Isla.  Starting from scratch, he built a menu that offers traditional dishes that “capture the simple and hearty essence of Cuban cooking” and Nuevo Latino dishes that “use an amazing array of ingredients that comprise Latin American cooking to create colorful dishes with contrasting flavors and textures.”

To top it all off – originally a trained pastry chef – Chef Giner gives good reason to leave room for one of his popular dessert creations; or, maybe to stop by for a brunch treat that you’ll never forget.  Check out the brunch menu for La Isla, you will find one of Omar’s signature items at the bottom.

-Chef Omar’s Stuffed French Toast; two slices of thick egg bread filled with strawberry and guava cream cheese, dipped in cinnamon batter, and coated with corn flakes and almonds (all for a financially friendly $9.00).

All I can say is, beyond heading over to Hoboken’s famous Washington Street and placing your own order, the description speaks for itself. It’s an amazing twist on a breakfast and brunch classic; and, it’s building a reputation!  In fact, it caught the attention of none-other-than Chef Bobby Flay (Mesa Grill, Bar American, Bobby Flay Steak, Bobby’s Burger Palace, TV Celebrity Chef and Food Network Iron Chef)…

…and, apparently Chef Flay and his team are of the opinion they can come up with a French toast creation superior to Omar’s!  So, The Bobby Flay team traveled to Hoboken to challenge Chef Giner to a French Toast Throwdown.  Watch the battle on Food Network March 17th at 9 PM.

One more thought…if you haven’t noticed, spring is breaking through; and, there’s no better a time to head over to Hoboken to visit and experience La Isla.  Tell them the folks at Senor Sangria sent you.  And while you’re there, don’t forget that Sparrow Wine and Liquor http://www.sparrowine.com/downtown.html is just up the block with one of the best selections of wine and liquor around (and, of course, a valued supplier of Senor Sangria)!