Special Easter Brunch Planned and Huge Milestones this Year

April is promising to be an exciting month already, following on the heels of March, that has been quite a month in and of itself. Between Frenchtown's FIRST Restaurant Week, to the re-opening of our Monday Madness nights in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a., The Rat), to working diligently on creating our spring menu that will go live this coming month, to planning for what is sure to be an incredible rest of 2015. Here's are 3 huge milestones for The National Hotel:

• We will celebrate the 165th anniversary of The National Hotel since it broke ground in 1850 to establish the beautiful and gracious edifice we see today.
• We are celebrating the 125th night of Bi-Weekly Tuesday Trivia, thanks to the unstoppable creativity and ingenuity of its founder, Russ Coen, and our General Manager, Marlon Aranha.
• We look forward to the 250th night of Open Mic Night on April 9th! FIVE YEARS!!! And that is thanks to the many wonderful musicians and artists who take the microphone week after week, as well as to this special night's hosts--and in particular, to the night's creator, whose vision to create a legacy of music at The National Hotel has stood the test of time: Mr. Alex Wolfson.

As you can see, this year is a celebratory year, and YOUR voices have also been heard through social media, resonating state-wide and area-wide. From being nominated and making it to the very final cut of best NJ bars, to making it into Edible Philly's travel section along with other Frenchtown establishments, to continuing social media competitions (where we are pleased to report we won in the Food and Drinks category of Hunterdon's The Happening List, as having the area's best signature fresh-cut fries!!). And we know there will be many other opportunities for your opinions to be heard and for your love of this grand old establishment to spread to far-away places. We saw that in several recent TripAdvisor reviews, and the generous words used to describe our staff's attention to detail helped us forget about the frigid temperatures outside from sheer happiness and pride. Why not experience this yourself with an overnight stay with us now that spring is finally here? We have terrific special packages and rates that will make this get-away truly wonderful. Please all our knowledgeable concierge for more information:  908.996.3200.

Last night's re-launch of our Monday Madness after too long of a winter, proved to have been worth the wait. Friends turned up for Happy Hour (5 p.m. - 7 p.m.), and enjoyed the warmth of the area's "late night destination." Being open on a Monday exclusively to serve our bar patrons creates its own vibe, and we are excited to be able to add this to our weekly schedule.

This first weekend in April will also allow us to showcase another FIRST for us:  BRUNCH!! We've created an Easter Brunch menu that is sure to please, filled with favorites and uniquely crafted dishes that will include a glass of champagne, as well as coffee or tea. All for just $20 per person!!!! Please make sure to call us at 908.996.3200, because reservations are filling up quickly. Brunch will be served 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

In addition to our Easter menu, we will also continue to feature our weekend Additions to the Menu (Thursday - Sunday) that takes advantage of the beautiful area where we live, sourcing the freshest ingredients to bring succulent dishes to the table. These special menus will be posted on our website by Thursday evening, April 2nd. Do make plans to join us.

We're also excited about our new wine list, where we'll feature some of the best wines available at prices that are sure to please. You'll notice some terrific new wines in our White Wine section of our menu that will complement the new spring and summer dishes on our menu. We hope you too will agree.

The same goes for our National Wine Club. This just keeps growing and growing and we're so pleased, because we have the ability to create a more robust member night that will surely be in demand in the future. If you're curious about the benefits and/or interested in joining (just $10/month), please take a look at our webpage for information and fill out our inquiry form. Pete and I will be happy to send you information (or create this membership as an exclusive gift certificate for someone special). You can always call us at 908.996.3200 with any questions too.

Moreover, now that April is knocking on our door, it's wonderful to reflect and remember why we do what we do. Not a day passes that Pete and I (together with our incredibly dedicated staff) don't discuss this or that about The National Hotel, our patrons, upcoming opportunities, ideas for future projects, etc. It's also been such a labor of love to continue to meet with local farmers and merchants, who are eager to create that "farm to table" experience through collaboration and cooperation. Our Executive Chef, Geoffrey Thomas, makes this a priority, especially as he crafts new menu ideas alongside Pete, whose vision for each new menu selection is always inspired.

We owe much of the direction we take to you. Your feedback, your patronage, and your support continue to boost our spirits and propel us forward. Thank you for everything you do.

Please remember to check our facebook updates so you can mark your calendars for our weekly and bi-weekly events, including:

• Bi-Weekly Tuesday Trivia (8-10 p.m.);
• Weekly Wednesday Happy Hour (4-7 p.m.): Ladies' 1/2 off drinks;
• Weekly Wednesday Karaoke Night (8 p.m. - midnight);
• Weekly Thursday Open Mic Night (9 p.m. - closing);
• Weekly Saturday Night Live Music series (9 - 11 p.m.);
• Weekly Sunday Musical Afternoon series (5 - 7 p.m.);
• and now, weekly Monday Madness in The Rat (Happy Hour 5 - 7 p.m.; bar closes at midnight)

There's always something special happening at The National Hotel, thanks to your patronage. Please also join us for our weekly Wednesday Forks and Corks dinner, where for $25 pp, you'll savor a 1 lb. 100% grass-fed Porterhouse steak with mashed potatoes and vegetable and/or 50% off a bottle of wine of YOUR choice. Now that's a great way to fight the Wednesday Hump Day blues!!

In addition, we have to recognize and thank the Frenchtown Business and Professional Association (FBPA) that worked diligently to put Frenchtown's Restaurant Week on the map. This was an example of a town coming together and honoring what each restaurant contributes, because as a community, we stand strong together. If you walk along the streets of downtown Frenchtown, you'll see how we're growing, from businesses relocating to other parts of the town bringing new energy to the new location, to new businesses working to open their doors in time for the busier spring and summer seasons. We can't wait!

Please continue to send us your comments via email or on this blog. To all who observe, we wish you a very Happy Easter and Chag Sameach. We look forward to seeing you soon at The National Hotel. Thank you for your continued patronage.

          

SPRING PLANS FOR GREAT MEALS, GREAT PROGRAMS, AND MORE "IN THE WORKS"

I'm looking out my window this morning as the sun rose, and happily started my day knowing that the weather reports are predicting a beautiful spring day today.  We're ready for it!

There's been such a buzz at The National Hotel, awaiting the release of our new spring menu, that we just can't wait for the final proof to arrive from our designer.  Here's a little sneak peak of some of the new items that will be included in addition to our other Restaurant faves:

Spinach & Arugula Salad

Spinach, Arugula, Sliced Red Onion, Candied Pecans, Smoked Blue Cheese, Orange Champagne Vinaigrette

Conch Chowder   

Diced Conch in a Spicy Bacon, Corn, & Tomato Broth, Fresh Herbs

Spicy Tuna with Lotus Chips 

Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna, Creamy Wasabi Dressing, Crispy Lotus Chips

Hummus Club   

House-Made Hummus, Oven Dried Tomatoes, Pea Sprouts & Avocado Crème, 7-Grain Bread   

Available as a wrap with paratha bread

Chicken Seekh Wrap  

Minced Chicken with Indian Spices, Mint-Yogurt Chutney, Greens, Sliced Cucumber, Red Onion, Paratha Bread

Eggplant Rollatini    (Vegan)

Marinated, Grilled Eggplant Slabs Stuffed with a House-Made Macadamia Nut & Herb-Cheese, Melted Spinach, Smoked Tomato Jus

Grilled Salmon    

Grilled over a Gingered Sweet Pea Purée, Lime & Cilantro Gremolata 

Looking ahead as to the other items that have kept us huddled around our planning table, we are so pleased to be open special hours to help our patrons enjoy an Easter celebration that will fit their schedule.  We'll be open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 24th, serving a special Easter Brunch Menu in the Main Bar and Restaurant.  And the week after that, you can look forward to a special Vietnamese-inspired Ethnic Food Weekend starting on the 29th.

Luckily for us, we continue to count on the wonderful area residents who trust our establishment to be the "right" venue for their artistic expression, whether that be participating in our weekly Thursday Open Mic Night (oh yes...tonight starting at 9 p.m. to closing) in our Rathskeller Pub & Lounge, our recent addition bi-weekly Tuesday Trivia night (8:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.), our Saturday Night Live Music series (9 - 11 p.m.), our Sunday Musical Afternoon series (5 - 7 p.m.), or our 3rd Sunday of the month People's Poetry (2 - 4 p.m.)--which by the way, was just amazing last month!  We had participants getting up and reading, crossing generations.  There were young children as well as those who proudly announced they had already lived a lifetime, sharing their poems and beautiful works.  It's just such a joy to be able to attend these monthly sessions.  I hope you'll be able to join us this weekend for the April installment of the People's Poetry.  Here's a just a glimpse at what we heard last month:

For those of you already trying to make plans for Mother's Day, don't worry, we've got that covered too...We've planned a special and distinctive brunch menu for that special woman in your life, and we'll honor her by also establishing special hours for the day where you'll be able to plan the day on your terms:  10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

There will be a few other things planned for May, but I'll leave that for another blogpost.  In the meantime, mark your calendars for Saturday, June 4th:  We're thrilled to announce that we'll be hosting our 2nd Anuual music festival, The National Palooza, 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. the next day.  I'll write more about this in upcoming blogposts, but you can always get details of our events on our website, or by following us on facebook, twitter, and even by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

If there are other ideas or events that you would like to bring to our attention, please feel free to contact me directly at marie@thenationalhotelnj.com or by posting a comment here.  As always, Pete and I are incredibly grateful for your patronage and continuous support.  We couldn't create these events or programs without your help and encouragement.  Thank you!