Consistency is Key

I've said in this blog more than once that in cooking, fresh ingredients really make all the difference. What I haven't said is that for a restaurant to be successful, the key is consistency. Perfect a dish and be able to execute it night after night after night. That being said, after singing the praises of the Labrador Lounge in my last post, I am now rescinding my recommendation.

I went to Labrador on Tuesday night with Rockstar and Legs, days after posting about my second trip. I was tempted to order the Asian baby back ribs that Mr. RRR had on our last visit, but instead, chose the "Marion's Famous Crab Cakes".

After waiting over 30 minutes, our food finally arrived. The crab cakes were extremely dry beneath an inch of over browned crust and ice cold on the inside. As particular as I am about my meals, I NEVER send food back. Well never say never. We called our waitress over and she brought them back to the kitchen, convincing me to give it another go, even though at this point I was already done with this meal.

Second time was not a charm. They were warm but still dry and in a word...inedible. The mound of remoulade sauce didn't help and I wound up taking two bites before throwing in the proverbial towel (or napkin in this case).

Our server was extremely apologetic and removed the crab cakes from our bill. She also informed us that we were not the first to complain about this dish and when she left the couple next to us also expressed displeasure with the crab cakes.

Note to Labrador Lounge: If you are reading this, I suggest removing this dish from your menu. If you can't execute a dish consistently, you shouldn't bother. Perhaps you should try to rip off this excellent crab cake recipe from Tyler Florence.

Return Trips to Red's and the Labrador Cafe

Our week down at the Jersey shore included a trip to Red's Lobster Pot in Point Pleasant. This is not my first post about Red's, one of my favorite restaurants on the Jersey Shore, but I enjoy eating here so much it was worth a second post.

Red's isn't exactly a well-kept secret and the wait for a table can sometimes be lengthy. The good news is that Red's expanded its dining area to include a large outside patio which boasts a more casual menu. If you are on the hunt for steamed clams, lobster and raw bar offerings you are in luck! Just bring your favorite beverage, grab a booth and watch the fishing boats come into the docks.

We prefer to sit inside and enjoy one of the many special that Red's has to offer. The specials are usually a bit more interesting than Red's regular menu offerings and this trip was no exception. As I've said time and time again, it all comes down to fresh ingredients and with the fresh fish Red's serves up daily, you can't go wrong!

Another return visit was made to The Labrador Lounge and certainly merits a second post as well. It was a bit overcast on the night I visited The Labrador with the RRR's but we took our chances and sat outside hoping the skies wouldn't open up until after our meal.

Mr. RRR had the pick of the night with the baby back ribs and sweet potato fries. We were able to wrestle a few morsels from him and the meat was stringy tender and sticky sweet. As you can see by the photo, I was lucky to even get in a snapshot (must admit, I don't blame him for not wanting to share). In the midst of the BBQ craze, you don't really get ribs better than this!

I started with shrimp skewers over a delightful slaw of jicama, peppers and mango; followed by a creamy chicken curry over noodles. The curry was quite good and the portions at Labrador are always generous to say the least. The restaurant also gets an interesting mix of people - families, locals, couples on dates and foodies like us. If you are looking for a casual vibe and good food without all the frenzy that you can find at Jersey Shore restaurants on busy summer weekends, take a ride over to Labrador. You won't be disappointed!