When Restaurant Development Group‘s trio of real estate experts were looking for inspiration for a new Jersey City restaurant, they found it in Spain.
“Raval, this neighborhood in Barcelona, was once the seedy, down-by-the-port rough neighborhood,” RDG’s Michael Garcia said. “It went through a renaissance and now this once-undesirable place has a thriving arts, entertainment and food scene.
“So it’s not unlike Jersey City.”
Celebrating Jersey City’s story, and improving upon its dining-related chapters, is part of RDG’s goal. That’s important for a company that now — with the opening of Raval Tapas Bar & Cocktail Lounge — has three food and beverage establishments and firmly embedded roots in the city.
“Now, if only we could get (a place like) Raval to open a restaurant called Jersey City,” said Andy Siegel, another RDG partner.
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