It seems easy to take the pulse of Hudson Jane in an instant, by pegging it as one of the new, slyly sanctimonious breeds of all-day, holistic lifestyle cafes.
The Fort Greene eatery flaunts the neo-fjordic uniform of pristine pale wood and succulent pots, and take-home “provisions” run to bottles of Dona Chai, blocks of Grafton Village raw cheddar, and recyclable tubs of baked vegan tomato pasta. And until DOB-based struggles allow them to finally serve wine, the restorative drink of choice remains golden milk, containing a pure turmeric and ginger root concentrate, that’s made (and will eventually be sold by) a member of the staff.
Yet for all of the above, Hudson Jane is committed to a something for everyone approach, especially if that something is bacon.
Rather predictably, a breakaway dish emerged—and it wasn’t the gluten-free flax seed oatmeal, but the degenerate Double Brown—the bastard child of a Kentucky hot brown and the KFC double down—which uses a pair of potato pancakes to swaddle Berkshire pork bacon, Aleppo aioli and egg.
And it’s not the only item defined by a profligate use of pig skin—there’s a bar snack composed of pure bacon, coiled around broiler-softened cheese curds. Pork belly benedict makes the menu during brunch, as does a patty melt, which includes rashers tucked under the Bien Cuit pan de mie. And while no animals were harmed in the creation of the Dutch baby, an accompanying pot of maple syrup all but calls for a Berkshire bacon side, as does a stack of french toast sticks. Even the dehydrated eggplant (moistened with sriracha cashew mayo) in the faux BLT render a mimicry of meat.
Hudson Jane may have the trappings of an ascetic’s sanctuary, but it’s not afraid to indulge in sins of the flesh.
Photos by Sasha Turrentine
