Shark River Inlet - July 2015
In honor of "Throwback Tuesday," I thought I'd blog about my fabulous vacation to the Jersey Shore. I traveled up there with Chris, my mom and my aunt for a family get-together and had the most amazing time. I used to love to visit when I was younger (my grandparents used to live there) but I hadn't been in about 15 years or so, and it was so much better than I had remembered. We went in mid-July, which is usually miserable here in Wilmington, but the weather up there was positively incredible. Sunny and warm during the day, but without the stifling humidity you get here in the South, and cooler in the evenings with a wonderful ocean breeze. The best part about the trip, as with any vacation, was eating at some of the best local restaurants. Below are some of the highlights.
Thursday - Lobster Night at The Columns
We drove up on a Thursday - left Wilmington at 7 that morning and didn't get to Avon until around 5:30... it was a really long drive! We checked into the hotel and immediately went in search of food. My aunt was staying at a hotel that was a block from the beach and right beside The Columns. I had heard numerous stories over the years about that place from my whole family, especially my uncles (suffice it to say that they were frequent patrons). Upon arriving, we learned that Thursday night is Lobster Night - talk about being in the right place at the right time! We wanted to sit outside, as it was a gorgeous night, but there was a 45-minute wait, so we decided to sit in the Grill Room, instead - that way we could order the lobster as well as items from the raw bar. We ordered whole steamed lobsters, raw and steamed oysters and clams, seafood bisque and chicken Caesar salads. Everything was perfect, especially after being cooped up in the car for 11 hours!
I had never had whole, steamed lobster before, and let me tell you, it was quite a treat! As you can see in the first picture, they were quite large, and served with real butter (a must-have when eating lobster). It was cooked perfectly, for exactly the right length of time. You can tell if lobster (or crab) is cooked properly by how tender the meat is, and how easily it comes out of the shell. These were absolutely divine. The bisque was another highlight (unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it). It was chock full of various types of seafood and potatoes, and was extremely flavorful. One of the best bisques I've ever had, especially out of a paper cup! The chicken Caesar salad was very tasty, and was, strangely enough, more expensive than the lobster! I am very particular about Caesar dressings, but this one had just the right amount of tang. You could also taste the anchovies in it, but they didn't overpower the dressing itself, which was nice. The oysters and clams were also superb, and paired quite nicely with the white wine I had chosen. Overall, the entire meal was outstanding, the atmosphere was relaxed and lively, and it was the perfect way to start the trip.
Belmar Bagel Cafe - Best Bagels at the Beach!
Some of the best things about visiting anywhere up North are the breads and pastries. Friday morning we went in search of "real" bagels before heading to the beach. We found the Belmar Bagel Cafe nestled beside a used bookstore, in what I suppose could be considered a strip mall in (you guessed it!) Belmar. My parents lived in Belmar when they were first married so my mom was familiar with the area, but not this particular joint. As you can see from the exterior, it was bright and colorful, and had a carefree, beach-like vibe. I ordered an everything egg bagel with veggie cream cheese (as did Chris) and my mom got the same bagel with cream cheese, lox, capers and red onions. I didn't photograph the bagel itself because I was starving, and it looked so delicious I couldn't wait! We sat outside underneath an umbrella, and between the gorgeous weather and the awesome breakfast, it was the ideal start to the day.
I love bagels. Plain, everything, cinnamon raisin, you name it - I could eat them all the time. Egg bagels in particular are one of my favorites, but I've noticed that it's difficult to find good ones down South. Some people think that bagels are the same everywhere, but that is just not the case. These were some of the best I've had in years - chewy, dense and with just the right amount of seasonings and spices on the outside. Apparently they boil their bagels before slow hearth baking them, and it makes a HUGE difference. We were all extremely pleased with our choices. I'll definitely be back the next time we visit the Shore, and next time I'll remember to get a dozen (or two) to bring home with me!
Last night at the Shore - Brandl, Belmar, NJ
Outside of Brandl - love the modern logo!
Escargots and Foie Gras appetizer
We ordered two appetizers (see above): escargots and foie gras. Unusual, I know, but we love French delicacies like these. The escargots were baked in a garlic basil butter and were absolutely amazing. For those of you who have never dared to try escargots, I can assure you that they're not what you'd expect. When done correctly, they have a texture and taste similar to sauteed mushrooms. I've been a fan for several years, ever since I tried them at a local European bistro. It has since closed down, so I order excargots whenever I see them. These were exquisite - I've never had them cooked in the shells, before, but they were delicious. Tender enough so they weren't chewy, but still firm enough so they didn't just disintegrate when I bit into them. And that sauce... escargots are best in a garlic butter sauce. The two are just meant to together! The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth tender and incredibly savory. I know that a lot of people think it's cruel how ducks and geese are force-fed to get the best foie gras, but I figure, that's what they're put here for. Human beings weren't made to be vegetarians. We've lived for millions of years eating animals to survive. Foie gras and other such foods are just higher-end versions of hamburgers and hot dogs. But enough of my ranting about that. Suffice it to say that these two appetizers were definitely a promising beginning to the meal.
Lazy Lobster
In keeping with the seafood theme of the weekend, Chris ordered the Lazy Lobster. The lobster was poached in a vanilla bean butter and served over asparagus risotto. We were hoping that this lobster would be at least as good as what we had at The Columns, and we were not disappointed. It was wonderfully cooked, very tender, and the vanilla bean butter it was poached in was just fantastic. I had never thought to mix the sweet and savory when it comes to seafood, but it was an excellent compliment to the natural saltiness of the lobster. The risotto was also cooked perfectly - it still had a bite to it (al dente, that is) and the creaminess served as a nice foil to the brightness and crispness of the asparagus. All the flavors mixed very well together to create the perfect summer dish.
Short rib special
I chose the special, which consisted of a boneless short rib served over garlic mashed potatoes. I am a huge fan of short ribs - something about slow-cooking meat for long periods of time is just incredibly satisfying. These in particular were braised for 48 hours and served with garlic mashed potatoes and pickled red onions (thanks to Chris from Brandl for responding to my email inquiry so promptly with this description!). I thoroughly enjoyed it - the short rib was cooked to perfection and was juicy and tender, and the pickled onions were an excellent counterpart to the richness of the mashed potatoes. I don't know exactly what the sauce was but if I remember, it was some sort of jus, red wine perhaps? Whatever it was, it could not have been a better finish to this dish. As you can see it was visually appealing as well and, after all, we eat with our eyes first, right?
Crème bruleé
What better way to finish a wonderful meal than with a decadent dessert? As soon as I saw they had crème bruleé on their menu, I knew I had to order it - it's my favorite dessert, hands down. (I am so lucky to have found a man who can make this dish, also!) It's essentially a custard base topped with a contrasting layer of caramelized sugar. Simple yet delicious. There are thousands of variations and I've had so many different kinds, from Grand Marnier-infused to lemon-flavored, but my favorite is just the standard vanilla base, like this was, served with fruit. Good crème bruleé doesn't need a lot of fancy flavors added; if a quality vanilla is used, that speaks volumes by itself. The texture is just as important as the flavor, and this one was perfectly smooth and creamy, not curdled at all. The berries on the side served as the perfect accompaniment, as they were tart yet sweet, and really brought out the floral vanilla notes. As full as I was from dinner, I definitely made sure I ate every last bite of this crème bruleé - it would be a shame to let something so beautiful and delicate go to waste!
Chris & me on the boardwalk, last night at the shore!
All in all, we have a fantastic trip - the weather was gorgeous the entire time, it was great to see all my family, and the food, oh the food! Four stars to everyone mentioned in this post. A big shout-out and THANK YOU to everyone involved in the food posted here, and again I have to especially thank Chris from Brandl for sending me the description of the short ribs. My Chris has even said he can't wait to go back, which is HUGE for a born-and-bred boy from the South like him! It was the best summer vacation I could have taken, and I am so grateful I got to spend it with my culinary partner in crime.
My food quote for the day is by Lin Yutang (a Chinese writer, translator, linguist and inventor) - I felt it very apropos for this post:
"Our lives are not in the laps of the gods, but in the laps of our cooks."
Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful night!
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