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!

Must love dogs - The Labrador Lounge

Thighs, Rockstar and I headed to Toms River for what will most likely be our last hurrah at the Jersey Shore. After a beautiful beach day, complete with rough surf that knocked yours truly literally on her ass, we de-sanded and ventured out to dinner.

We decided to try somewhere 'new' and headed to Bay Point Prime, a steakhouse in Point Pleasant Beach which is owned by New York chef/restaurateur Dennis Foy and his wife Estella. The smell of charred steaks from the parking lot was absolutely divine so you can only imagine our disappointment when we were told the restaurant was completely booked for the evening.

After I stopped pouting, our next stop was at the Bay Head Bistro, a place I know nothing about but Rockstar noticed on our ride into Point Pleasant. Once again, we were greeted with "I'm sorry we are booked solid this evening". Strike two!

We circled back and hoped the third time was going to be a charm at the Labrador Lounge in Normandy Beach. The Labrador Lounge was a restaurant I noticed on my last trip to the Jersey Shore and wasn't quite sure what we were getting ourselves into but judging by the crowded outdoor seating area, it seemed to be popular.

We approached the hostess and were told that (once again!) they were completely booked but there was a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, since the Swiffer family had a reservation they were late for and after a brief wait we were given their table. Thank you Swiffer's for taking your taste buds elsewhere!

We began our meal with two appetizers, the lobster mac n' cheese and an order of Havana olives.

The olives were stuffed with cheeses, breaded, lightly fried and served with lemon basil aioli. The olives were tasty but the real star of the appetizers was the lobster mac n' cheese. It was more flavorful than your usual run-of-the-mill mac offering and the sweetness of the lobster was enhanced by some yellow corn and I detected a few types of cheese in the dish. Gruyere and white cheddar perhaps?

Rockstar followed our first course with one of the night's specials: a Parmesan crusted skate over basil rice. The sauce on the bottom of the plate complimented the flavors of the herby rice and the saltiness of the Parmesan made this unique take on skate quite enjoyable. The flower was a really nice touch too!

Thighs enjoyed her Tuscan Chicken which was pan seared organic chicken breast in a Parmesan breadcrumb crust, complete with farmer’s cheese, arugula and sundried tomatoes. It was served over linguine and grilled asparagus with an artichoke and fresh tomato lemon caper sauce. Bountiful and delightful!

I chose another one of the night's specials, the Asian short ribs served over jasmine rice with snow peas. The ribs were well-prepared; rare enough to be tasty but cooked well enough to fork tender. The jasmine rice was sticky and fragrant and the crunch of the peas added another level of texture to the dish.

I was a bit concerned that hearty short ribs might be a bit heavy on a summer evening but I was pleasantly surprised to myself satisfied without being lethargic.

Judging by the crowds that kept coming into the Labrador Lounge it seems like Ms. Foodie and friends are finally in on the "secret". We were so proud of ourselves, that Rockstar struck a pose in front!