Lou and I both took Good Friday off so we could have a leisurely lunch in Hoboken. He works there, and I occasionally meet him for lunch on my days off, but it is  always a rushed affair since he has to get back at a reasonable time. We figured having the ability to walk around afterward might be a good change of pace, and it was. We went to Onieal’s, an Irish tavern sitting inconspicuously on the corner of 4th and Park, set far away from the traffic of Washington street. We had been there before, and it was a good experience; tasty food, quick service, nice ambiance.

The weather was warm and breezy, so we opted to take a seat outside where I had some natural light for my photographs. The park across the street supplied a soundtrack of squeaks and shrieks, courtesy of children and some metal swingsets. I envied them those swings.

Onieal’s menus

He ordered a burger. There wasn’t anything overtly wrong with it, but it wasn’t as good as last time. I blame the bun. I don’t really trust buns with shiny crusts. If the top of the bun has a crust like that, I anticipate the rest of the it to be slightly stiff or stale, and I like them soft. I also think the egg wash is a little pretentious — does it really add flavor at all? No. It’s just meant to look better. I guess I prefer a burger with more self-confidence. At least it was delightfully pink! Nice grind, too.

Burger dish at Oniea's bar in Hoboken.

Burger close-up at Onieal's bar in Hoboken. Hell yeah.

Quesadillas, guac, and onions after the jump.

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