I was thrilled to try Frankie and Ava's, a new Italian eatery from long term resident Frank DiGiacomo, that opened last Wednesday.

You're going to tell me: does Hoboken need another Italian place? Well, why not if the food differs from the others? At Frankie and Ava's, it might not be the choices that are different, the menu offering pizza, hot or cold sandwiches, antipasti...Lots of components, such as mozzarella being made on premises.

I like the decor that, although casual, has a zen feel, thanks to the wood and color chosen. We decided to try several dishes there. For the appetizer, I was tempted by the buffalo chicken balls, a take on an all American dish, more intriguing than rice balls that they also serve on the menu.

Buffalo chicken balls at Frankie and Ava's in Hoboken, NJ

I liked it, the buffalo sauce having a nice kick that was counterbalanced by the blue cheese sauces that they serve with it. It was also a bit crunchy that added a slight texture to the dish that was missing a bit of it, the chicken being shredded a bit too thin. But at the end, it was fairly good and I recommend it if you like buffalo chicken.

Then, we got the meatball parmigiana sandwich, composed of homemade marinara, fresh homemade mozzarella and parmesan on a toasted Italian roll.

Meatball parmesan sandwich at Frankie and Ava's in Hoboken, NJ

It was a decent one: the meatballs were good, not dry, but it was missing a bit of that delicious marinara sauce (they should add a bit on the side - I am sure they would have given me some if I asked) and the cheese seemed to be on only one side that happened to be mine...

Last was the pizza. And what a pizza! We went for the Wild Mushroom one, made with mixed wild mushrooms, fresh homemade mozzarella and finished with truffle oil.

That was succulent: the crust was fantastic, thin and crunchy, it was difficult to resist. And at least there was enough mozzarella and mushrooms so we would not fight over a slice. What I appreciated is that they propose personal pizza (the size we chose), that had 6 slices for $10. A good price for good slice that seemed to be made with quality ingredients.

Even if I had few comments about the food, I liked Frankie and Ava's: they have a nice menu in a casual setting, offering dishes at reasonable prices. I think it is a good addition to the culinary world of Hoboken and I would certainly go back.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Frankie and Ava's

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