Friday Feature: Spicy Elk Meatballs from The Archer

Welcome to weekly series,"Friday Feature" showcasing a specific dish or find from around Jersey City.

This week's feature is the Spicy Elk Meatballs from The Archer.

Not long ago, I featured the excellent Artist's Special cocktail from The Archer, but today, the focus is on the food and specifically, the Spicy Elk Meatballs. Served on a bed of sauteed Tuscan kale on top of goat cheese polenta cakes and piquillo peppers and topped with a spicy tomato sauce and frizzled onions, the meatballs bring to mind traditional Spanish tapas, but are also hearty enough to round out a couple of smaller plates for a full meal. 

The meatballs themselves are delicious - slightly gamey, juicy, dense without being heavy, and they pack a little heat which is further enhanced by the spice in the tomato sauce. But the real star of the show are the creamy, tender polenta cakes. They absorb the sauce so that they melt in your mouth while waking up your tastebuds with nuanced smoky pepper and tomato flavors that are mellowed out and enriched by the tang of the goat cheese. The onions and kale help round it out for a well-composed and rich dish - one that helps justify another round of drinks or two.


Have a Friday Feature you'd like to nominate? Comment below or email me