It was take your mom to work day here at NYC Hidden Dining Gems. She is a much pickier eater than I am, so I strategically chose somewhere offering classic American dishes, without anything too far out of the box. Since Hoexter’s (pronounced HEX-ters) has been on my list since its opening, it seemed like the perfect excuse to finally go.
As I made our reservation, I asked, “Mom, do you like gorgonzola cheese?” and was pleased to hear her say yes. Though I don’t always look at a menu prior to dining, in this instance, I did because I had to ensure it met mom’s needs. When I saw an appetizer of “Hoexter’s Famous Gorgonzola Garlic Bread” ($18), I was fully prepared to scarf the whole thing down myself if I had to, but was glad to hear my mom is indeed a fan of the stinky bleu.
We arrived at Hoexter’s and I was immediately into the swanky yet quirky atmosphere. The walls are plastered with navy blue wallpaper with little gold shooting stars and moons, and it created a playful yet elegant setting, thanks to other additions like a massive chandelier and white tablecloths.
Before my butt was in the seat, I told my server we’d be taking an order of that garlic gorgonzola bread, and while we settled in, my mom ordered an Upper East Side cocktail (when in Rome), and I went for a dry gin martini. Our bread and cocktails came out impressively fast.
The signature gorgonzola garlic bread, which was topped with chopped green parsley, was completely covered in a white sauce that had the viscosity of something between melted butter and a cheese sauce; nowhere near as thick as fondue, but also nowhere near as thin as melted butter. It coated the bread effortlessly, and the butter helped tame the funk of the cheese, making it more palatable.
To take the words right out of my mom’s mouth: “I’ve never had anything this good — how do they make it?” Welcome to the life, ma.
For our mains, I went for the double smashburger, which had all of the signature marks: charred crust, processed “new school” American cheese, and thick crunchy pickles, all topped with special sauce. I took a bite and did a little happy dance. A gin martini and a smash burger from Hoexter’s is my equivalent of an adult Happy Meal, especially because I was dining with my mom.
If I had to get really nitpicky, I would’ve chosen a different bun than Hoexter’s did, as the bread-to-burger ratio felt only slightly off. Regardless. I would order that burger again and again. The pile of fries accompanied with it made the $29 price tag hurt a little less.
I’m not the biggest ribs fan, but growing up, my parents ate them at every chance they got, so it came as no surprise that my mom ordered the St. Louis BBQ style ribs. She was a fan and described them as fall-off-the-bone. While she got her saucy meat fix, I took a sliver of the cornbread with spiced honey butter that came as her side. It was like a slightly savory, slightly sweet, nutty dessert, adorably served in a skillet and cut into four equal pieces.
Speaking of dessert, my mom and I have a lot in common, but having a sweet tooth is near the top of the list. We couldn’t decide on just one dessert, so, naturally, we got three: the giant chocolate chip cookie, the lemon tart, and the ice cream sundae.
The ice cream sundae came in an old school metal dish, topped with perfectly rounded whipped cream, a thick caramel drizzle, and a maraschino cherry, confirming that Hoexter’s really is like an adult Happy Meal experience. The bottom layer was a rich dark chocolate ice cream, and felt like finding the treasure at the end of a rainbow.
Dining with my mom in New York City while sharing an ice cream sundae felt nostalgic in every sense of the word. And don’t even get me started on the giant chocolate chip cookie; even writing about it now has me smiling. It’s not going to change your life or be the best dessert you’ve ever had, but it’s a giant, warm, chocolate chip cookie — who on earth could be mad at that?
I love when a restaurant isn’t afraid to tug at the heart strings of our inner children, replacing pretension with playfulness. If there’s one thing Hoexter’s has mastered, it’s doing just that.
- Address: 174 E 82nd St, New York, NY 10028
- Phone: (212) 288-1777
- Hours: Sunday-Thursday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
- Prices: Raw Bar $22-$250; Appetizers $8-$24; Salads $17-$22; Mains $29-$76; Sides $10-$17; Dessert $15-$17
- Takeout available, no delivery; reservations accepted via OpenTable
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