Shore dining help please

[thecips]

We will be staying in Spring Lake July 8Th & 9th and would like some dinner suggestions. Like more quite and upscale place. Whispers & Black Trumpet not our kind of food.Have already tried The Mill Inn. Scarbough Fair Liked The Mill Inn best.

Don't want to travel more than 20 minutes with shore traffic being what it is.

Thanks

Linda

[WHT]

The Farmingdale House would be my choise.

[Cartman0310]

I would try Citrus in Freehold, it's about 20 mins west.

[Rosie]

Never been but--

Bistro Ole, Asbury Park

Moonstruck, Asbury Park

Brandl, Belmar

Been to La Nonna Piancone's, Bradley and it is casual and very good.

[rozrapp]

The Farmingdale House would be my choise.

←

The only restaurant called The Farmingdale House that I know of was located in Farmingdale (near Adelphia and Freehold), and it closed quite some time ago. Has it re-opened? Or is there now another restaurant with that name in or near Spring Lake?

[=Mark]

Farmingdale house closed over 10 years ago after chef Toni Froio left. She is now serving undersized portions at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove.

A new place has recently opened right in Spring lake where the Sisters Cafe used to be. It is called the Island Palm Grill and has gotten good reviews from an enthusiastic audience (Even managed to squeeze out a 3rd star from Andrea Clurfield of the AP Press). They feature a "Pan Latin" cuisine with dishes such as Ancho/Maple glazed beef over Corn Cake, Duck and Goat Cheese with Yukon Gold Potato, Grilled Pork with Cilantro Mojo and Ceviche with coconut broth and Papaya.

Apps are from $10 - $12 and Entrees from $20 - $25.

Edited June 23, 2005 by =Mark (log)

[Rail Paul]

Never been but--

Brandl, Belmar

←

Brandl is excellent, based on two visits. easy availability during the week, difficult on weekends

[Tom D]

Wife and I had dinner at the Island Palm Grill on Saturday and the food was very good. Worth the initial good reviews. The trick will be to maintain the consistency over time.

Toni Froio has not been at Raspberry Cafe for many months. She has been the chef at I Cavallini in Aberdeen since last year.

Tom

[Rosie]

Farmingdale house closed over 10 years ago after chef Toni Froio left.  She is now serving undersized portions at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove.

Toni Froio has been the executive chef at I Cavallini Ristorante, 29 Rt 34, Colts Neck (732-431-2934) since December 2004.

[elicious]

Never been but--

Bistro Ole, Asbury Park

Moonstruck, Asbury Park

Brandl, Belmar

Moonstruck is a favorite of mine, ever since it opened in Ocean Grove. Great service, food and atmosphere. I don't think they take reservations so you'll have to get there early.

Bistro Ole is also a great newcomer - the owner is friendly and charismatic and the food is superb.

Nicholas in Middletown is also great, but might be a bit far for you.

[jtphjl]

We have had some wonderful meals at - Whispers (Hewitt Wellington Hotel) although it has been more then a year since I have been to South Jersey --perhaps someone has more recent info...

jan

[rozrapp]

Farmingdale house closed over 10 years ago after chef Toni Froio left.  She is now serving undersized portions at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove.

Toni Froio has been the executive chef at I Cavallini Ristorante, 29 Rt 34, Colts Neck (732-431-2934) since December 2004.

←

I Cavallini is located directly across the road from Delicious Orchards in the free-standing house that used to be Ray's Seafood. Although it was open a year and a half before they brought Toni Froio in to head the kitchen, we had not tried it. We've had dinner there twice since she arrived. The first time, in December, the meal was excellent in every respect. Unfortunately, the second meal in January was disappointing. Though we haven't rushed back, we'll probably give it another try one of these days because it's only about 15 minutes from our house.

[gourmand2]

What about Matisse in Belmar? They are not NY upscale, but the food is fairly good & you can't beat the view. Also, Mahogany Grill in Manasquan is good. And Brandl in Belmar is owned by one of Mahogany Grill's previous chefs. Although I can only recommend Brandl by word of mouth since I've never been.

[WHT]

The Farmingdale House would be my choise.

←

The only restaurant called The Farmingdale House that I know of was located in Farmingdale (near Adelphia and Freehold), and it closed quite some time ago. Has it re-opened? Or is there now another restaurant with that name in or near Spring Lake?

←

Sorry to hear that it is no longer in business. I have not been at the shore in a number of years and am working from memory. Kobe on the Howell Lakewood border on Rt. 9 was a good Japanese steak house. You might want to check there. I wish I could remember the names to some of the places closer to you. I used to work along Rt. 35 from Sea Girt to Redbank. Sadly many of the places are gone.

[=Mark]

Farmingdale house closed over 10 years ago after chef Toni Froio left.  She is now serving undersized portions at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove.

Toni Froio has been the executive chef at I Cavallini Ristorante, 29 Rt 34, Colts Neck (732-431-2934) since December 2004.

←

I Cavallini is located directly across the road from Delicious Orchards in the free-standing house that used to be Ray's Seafood. Although it was open a year and a half before they brought Toni Froio in to head the kitchen, we had not tried it. We've had dinner there twice since she arrived. The first time, in December, the meal was excellent in every respect. Unfortunately, the second meal in January was disappointing. Though we haven't rushed back, we'll probably give it another try one of these days because it's only about 15 minutes from our house.

←

You may want to try Christophers Cafe in Colts neck, which is located in the small shopping area just south of I Cavallini and also across from Delicious Orchards. They are open Wednesdays thru Sundays for lunch and dinner and offer contemporary new American cuisine (their duck is excellent!). The place has been there for like 5 years and for some reason seems to be a local secret (lots of folks in horse riding gear show up for lunch).

[rozrapp]

Farmingdale house closed over 10 years ago after chef Toni Froio left.  She is now serving undersized portions at the Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove.

Toni Froio has been the executive chef at I Cavallini Ristorante, 29 Rt 34, Colts Neck (732-431-2934) since December 2004.

←

I Cavallini is located directly across the road from Delicious Orchards in the free-standing house that used to be Ray's Seafood. Although it was open a year and a half before they brought Toni Froio in to head the kitchen, we had not tried it. We've had dinner there twice since she arrived. The first time, in December, the meal was excellent in every respect. Unfortunately, the second meal in January was disappointing. Though we haven't rushed back, we'll probably give it another try one of these days because it's only about 15 minutes from our house.

←

You may want to try Christophers Cafe in Colts neck, which is located in the small shopping area just south of I Cavallini and also across from Delicious Orchards. They are open Wednesdays thru Sundays for lunch and dinner and offer contemporary new American cuisine (their duck is excellent!). The place has been there for like 5 years and for some reason seems to be a local secret (lots of folks in horse riding gear show up for lunch).

←

I am very familiar with Christopher's Cafe. He's catered two events for an organization I belong to, and my husband and I have had dinner there quite a few times since they opened. We were always pleased with the food until the last dinner we had there. It was after the expansion and, sadly, the meal was truly sub-par. Whether the expansion had something to do with it, or it was an aberration, nevertheless, it was a huge disappointment. Btw, the duck you mentioned has always been my favorite dish, but it had been removed from the menu.

[sabg]

I live next door and unless its x x x special i would not drive too far out on a weekend....brandl in belmar is one of my favs, great menu, excellent service by cute staff and byob...the do scallops in foie gras butter...had them on wed and went back and had same thing again on sat...carmines in asbury is new a v good..been 3x in the last month and great each time...6 types of oysters, best osso bucco ever, great selection of apps and they make pan roasts like the oyster bar in grand central...mahogoney grill in manasquan in great also...if you need directions or any more info...just post...my e-mail does not work....where will you be staying

[=Mark]

I live next door and unless its x x x  special i would not drive too far out on a weekend

←

Odd, I know both my next door neighbors and don't recall meeting you...

[sabg]

I live next door and unless its x x x  special i would not drive too far out on a weekend

←

Odd, I know both my next door neighbors and don't recall meeting you...

←

sorry, meant next door by next town over...what may be a few miles can be torture in the summer down here. this used to be area of the beer an burger bar but some v good restaurants are opening up