Red

[Rosie]

Red is radiant. Located at 3 Broad Street, Red Bank this restaurant has a knockout menu as well as an upstairs bar/lounge for those seeking a sophisticated scene to have a cocktail and mingle with friends.

We started out with an asparagus salad with shaved Parmesan cheese, micro greens and a white balsamic vinaigrette; a sensational special of pork ribs, off the bone, with coleslaw; tuna rolls with jicama and pepper julienne, arugula, and wasabi mayonnaise; and a don’t miss rich black bean casserole layered with chorizo sausage, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. After tasting each delicious item I didn’t know which appetizer to stick my fork into next.

One entrée we had was a perfectly cooked tender rib eye steak that I wouldn’t hesitate to order again. It was accompanied with horseradish mashed potatoes which I would have inhaled if I wasn’t busy feeding myself the sides of comfy macaroni and cheese and the French fries. Lots of carbs but worth it. Another side we shared was creamed spinach which was a crowd pleaser and also finished. The seared sea scallops with shiitake mushrooms and braised fennel were surrounded by a vibrant orange coriander sauce. The high quality of the scallops was evident by their texture and taste. The semi boneless roasted chicken was tender and accompanied by creamy mushroom polenta, pearl onions and a port wine sauce, Another special of swordfish was described as perfect.

Desserts?? Of course we had desserts and my recommendation is not to miss the red velvet cake with an oreo type filling; the “to die for” peanut butter ice cream sandwich with caramel sauce and chocolate whipped cream; and the warm chocolate chip cookies with a glass of ice cold milk. Leave room for an after dinner drink in the upstairs lounge. For reservations call 732-741-3232.

[Phil Ward]

Rosie,

Thanks for the review.

You left out an important element, imho, of any restaurant review, the wine program. To me, this is as essential as the decor, service and how good the food is.

Sorry, I am in the wine business and a former chef and know how important the food and wine are in concert.

Phil

[Rosie]

Didn't look at the wine list too carefully but it was extensive. We had a Cloudy Bay Sav Blanc (I think) which was $50. I also noticed they had a Treanna for $50 which sells for about $36 in the store making it a very reasonable price. Can you tell us more about the wine list?

[Flounder]

Rosie,

Thanks for the post/review. I'm a fan of Red Bank and always thought it was just a "trendy" place to get a drink. Never considered the food. I will absolutely try it now.

On a separate note, have you tried La Petit France? It's open for about 4 hours a week and feels like you've just stepped off a plane in Paris. (Not that I've been, but it's what I imagine it to be like.)

Flounder

[Phil Ward]

Rosie,

Thanks for drinking one of the wines I distribute, Cloudy Bay SB. The wine list is focused on American wines with a smattering of international selections. Pricing is generally fair, they have a good selection of wines by the glass at good, not enormeous, mark ups. They are also constantly looking to add new and interesting producers.

If anyone else goes, please tell us what you think of the wine service and knowledge level of the staff. They are always doing staff training on wine and I would like to know if the information I, and others, spew forth sticks or....

Thanks,

Phil

[Rail Paul]

Dee and I had dinner at Red, and I wish I could say it was a delight, but it wasn't.

The place is very loud. Piped bar music in the dining room and upstairs, which makes conversation difficult. The food was good, but not impressive on our visit, which was ten days ago. With entree prices from $22 to $32, I'd like to see impressive, well prepared food on imaginatively plated presentations.

Sauteed snapper, served over asparagus. Prob two minutes overcooked (waiting on the prep line?), relatively firm and dry. Rack of lamb was very good. Herb crusted, pink inside. Four large scallops were fine, seared on the exterior, translucent centers, citrus saucing, prob the best item. Pork chop was OK, but didn't have much flavor or spicing.

Dessert was good. A "brownie" with a layer of fudge brownie, topped with a whipped cream and berry presentation. This piece was well plated, tasty, and visually attractive.

Wine was a Cain Musque Sauvignon Blanc 2001. I was unfamiliar with the wine (and the server was of no help), so I thought I'd give it a try with three white wine drinkers. Nice wine, pleasant drinker. About $60, I think.

Other negatives. Tables were set with large, Burgundy wine glasses. When a diner chose not to order an appropriate wine, the galsses were removed, some by holding the underside of the bowl. These same glasses were then used to reset another table, and removed again. The glasses on our table were removed, and I noticed the glasses on the adjacent table had multiple fingerprints, too. Tacky.

List of specials, recited without prices.

The windows were wide open, which let the music out, which was nice. The open windows also let in the noise of several fire trucks and ambulances (hospital is on the next corner) and beeping people who wanted folks to turn right on red, etc.

All in, the dinner ran $200 for 4, with no apps and two shared desserts. Maybe on nights other than Friday the disco sound level is turned down, which would be a huge improvement.

[tommy]

Other negatives. Tables were set with large, Burgundy wine glasses. When a diner chose not to order an appropriate wine, the galsses were removed, some by holding the underside of the bowl.  These same glasses were then used to reset another table, and removed again. The glasses on our table were removed, and I noticed the glasses on the adjacent table had multiple fingerprints, too. Tacky.

most of my friends, who aren't into wine for the most part, would have more common sense than this. where are the managers? the trainers? the owners? the people with common sense?

at least they were large/proper glasses. however, it sounds as though the restaurant is treating the decent stemware as a luxury, rather than a necessity. shame on them. until restaurant owners catch up with the average diner and realize that proper stemware is expected, we'll be seeing more of this. most restaurant owners are simply not stemaware.

Edited May 17, 2004 by tommy (log)