Pulled Pork Sandwich - d'jeet?

I am a simple man - if I see that the pulled pork sandwich is available on the specials menu for d'jeet?, I immediately order it. Everything about this sandwich is fantastic! I'm not going to say much about this, because I think the picture does it justice. Still, I'll say, it's chock full of pulled pork, oozing with melted cheese all over, and the bun is magnifique! Pair the sandwich with their regular fries or upgrade to truffle fries and you're in for a surely satisfying meal. I've paired this in the past with an easy-drinking, lighter ABV beer like a 6% IPA - Lil Shimmy Ye from Twin Elephant, Sneakbox from Kane Brewing, or Low Visibility from Magnify Brewing are all excellent choices! Salud! And bon appetit! 

Happy Hour Specials - B2 Bistro & Bar

It's been a while since I had visited B2 Bistro & Bar. In 2016, it was a staple of my Red Bank dining, but with the purchase of a new house and beer adventures taking me out of town, I've been on and off with revisiting. Yet, it's always nice to go back and grab a nice craft beer and enjoy with some good food. For this particular visit, I was able to partake on the Happy Hour food specials. I gathered my bar stool, hunkered down with a pint of Brix City Porter Authority and ordered three of the food items offered during my visit.

First up was the Chicken & Waffle Sandwich. The chicken's skin was crispy and crunchy to perfection. The waffle is described as a rice waffle but was a good combination with the chicken. What sets this dish apart is the whatever that syrup was used that was drizzled all over the chicken. The description on the menu said hot honey, but it was in a syrup type quality with a very nice spicey kick to it. I wish it had been drizzled a bit more over the waffles but I do understand that it is a sandwich. Whether it was honey with some jalapeño kick to it or a spicey syrup - it doesn't really matter, it's fantastic.

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The Earl of Grilled Cheese was next. Shaved pork with fontina cheese dance together along with some pickled red onions and whole grain mustard. This is such a good sandwich. Simple, yet tasty, the mustard brings all of the components together. The shaved pork is delicious and the cheese is melted to perfection, but the mustard elevates everything. I'd absolutely recommend this. 

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Last but not least - The Daily Dog. It looks like B2 changes this daily, so whatever version you may order, might not be the same as mine. Or, who knows, it might. Either way (and I can't believe I am going to say this) but the Daily Dog was my favorite of the three items. That all-pork hot dog was so damn good. The bread was toasted to perfection and held in the cheese perfectly. The pickled red onions add a nice tang to contrast the cheese and hot dog. As soon as this hot dog was finished, I wanted another. 

The worst part of having these three wonderful items was the fact that I saw multiple others being brought out to very happy customers. I saw the Rally Fries come out and that's next on my list. The Hash Brown sounds amazing and so does the Octopus Arancini. I love this Happy Hour specials menu and hope that something of a similar magnitude continues on after the summer. There's plenty more items for myself to check out and hopefully in 2018, we'll see that ever revolving draft list include some of Red Bank's own brews!

If you want to see happy hour times and days just click on this: B2 Bistro & Bar Happy Hour

Salud!

Red Rock - Delicious Bar Food

We're right in the middle of summer and with the much warmer temperatures outside this year, it's an absolute boon to find a spot in Red Bank to have some good beer and some good food outside. Although I'd already been to Red Rock back in January/February as chronicled by this earlier review, I haven't really stopped going since. The menu is ever changing and with Kane's Head High and Carton's BOAT consistently on tap, it makes it a no-brainer to sit outside and have some great specials along with some wonderful brews. As per the usual, Kiersten took care of the bar and food orders with top-notch service.

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The first item were the bacon cheeseburger lollipops. Although only 3 are pictured, the order does come with 6. The lollipops have a risotto base for the outside that holds the inside together. Nice chunks of bacon, burger, and cheese are filled throughout. It comes with a side of house coleslaw and some spicy pickles. These are the same pickles used in the Cuban sandwich from my earlier review - fantastic! The bacon cheeseburger lollipops themselves are well worth the ordering and even sharing.

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Short rib tacos are phenomenal at Red Rock. I already loved the short rib used in the actual sandwich, so the tacos almost seemed like a slam dunk of a decision. Chock full of the short rib meat and topped with some crumbled cheese, lettuce and a pico de gallo, you can enjoy these by yourself or share with someone as well. 

Over the course of these past few months, I've had these two great food items and then some. The specials are consistently updated and I've had such a thing as a hot dog with chilli wrapped in a tortilla that's much more amazing than it sounds written on paper. The jerk baby back ribs are also amazing, but buyer beware - these are some of the spiciest and hottest ribs I've had in recent memory. As we come closer to Red Rock's first year, I'm glad at all the progress this establishment has made since opening and I hope it becomes a permanent pillar within Red Bank eateries. Salud!

d'jeet? - Brunch!

I was very surprised that I stumbled into what seemed to be d'jeet's first brunch service. Now I've been here multiple times and did a review back in April, 2016 and they were my first featured section of Quick Bites just over a month ago with their Short Rib Grilled Cheese. Yet, I couldn't pass up the chance of visiting and seeing what these exciting new brunch items were. Again, d'jeet? is BYOB so fire up your favorite champagne or bring your favorite morning beer. This time around, we look at two new items: The Eggy Biscuit and the Jenny Benny.

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Looks can be deceiving. You'd think the Eggy Biscuit ($8) was the size of a normal biscuit from this picture, but it's not. This delectable breakfast muffin was the size of a burger bun and filled with scrambled eggs, gooey muenster cheese and soppresata. It's a phenomenal breakfast item, but make sure you get your pre-brunch workout in, the muffin is pretty massive.

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The Jenny Benny ($11) is a star of a brunch item. Filled with cheese melted to perfection, avocado and eggs cooked over medium, this was a definite favorite for the morning. The croissant is absolutely stellar and done perfectly. It's buttery, flaky and yet retains a certain amount of crisp that excites any ingredient within it. Again, the size in the picture can be a little misleading, it's actually bigger than it looks. It does come with a side of fresh fruit to serve as a palate cleanser or dessert, if you will. 

Both items are highly recommended if d'jeet? does continue to feature brunch during the weekends. I'm unsure as to whether this was a test run or not, but I support the idea since this restaurant is a prime location for something like brunch. With a BYOB set in place, the sky is the limit as far as how fun you want this brunch to be, but rest assured, the brunch menu delivers the goods. Salud!

B2 Bistro & Bar - Blackened Rib-eye

Even with all of the places I've visited and reviewed, there will always be a place that I call my home away from home. Conveniently, this "home" is within a stone's throw away from my living coordinates. B2 Bistro & Bar is quickly approaching its second year of existence within Red Bank and I'm happy to have witnessed and be a part of that history. A fantastic bar with an ever evolving list of beer taps, B2 has been a mainstay on my radar because of its friendly staff, deep beer catalogue, and its ridiculous food.

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Drinks!

Although this is within the Quick Bites section, it may as well also be a Quick Drinks section. Something a little different this time - Mike Molina whipped us up two drinks. Wanting to leave room for the big meal to come ahead, I decided to forego the plentiful yet wonderful carbs from beer. In lieu of that, drinks were had and enjoyed. A bourbon drink with orange zest and wedge in it, yes please! Don't be afraid to ask for a suggestion, but be kind and at least give the bartenders a baseline to go from, but they do get wildly creative - much appreciated too!

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Keep this bread away from Oprah Winfrey!

Because the menu is constantly being updated to match the season, I find myself trying new things at B2. I actually went back into my archives to see when my actual review for it came out... nearly a year ago: B2 Bistro & Bar. Time flies when you are galavanting all over the East Coast! Order some food and B2's house made bread will come ahead. Served with a side of pickled vegetables, the bread comes with the butter already baked into the middle. It's a great way to get your appetite going. My personal suggestion: Save some for the main meal. 

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I have NO words...

So what was this mystical main course that prompted a weekend visit in the first place? The answer: The blackened ribeye. If there is one thing that B2 Bistro & Bar has never failed to deliver is a wonderful main course where the protein is a huge cut of meat. Yes, the blackened ribeye is worth $38, but it definitely is big enough to feed two people and the cut is absolutely worth it. It does come with some red wine onions and a roasted garlic along with three "dips", but the main star of this course is the ribeye.

It's seasoned exceptionally well and even though I usually love a cut of meat like this with slight seasoning, you can't ignore the three dips that it comes with. They further enhance the flavor and make this dish is a knockout. Chimichurri, bacon salt (I believe), and chorizo (I'm almost sure?) are the three that you can choose to further enhance your culinary experience. Try it alone first and then compare. Then have ask Mike or Michelle or Marissa for any of their signature drinks to complete the eating experience at B2.

If you're going for beer, the tap list is quite often updated on their website. If you're going for drinks, you won't be disappointed. If you're going for food, from the burger all the way up to the ribeye, you're sure to enjoy whatever ends up being on your plate. To my home away from home, I lift my glass... Salud!

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This drink was phenomenal - another Mike Molina banger!

Talula's - Beekeeper's Lament & Apple Cider Donuts

Every time I've been to Talula's, I've enjoyed fine selections of craft beer, and I encourage everyone to do the same. But after a flight from Florida back to Newark, all I crave is a drink and a fantastic slice of pizza. For this round, I ordered the Paper Plane. It's a fantastic little drink make with Four Roses Bourbon and some lemon. The taste is lightly sweet, and mostly tart, but definitely serves as an excellent starter. Because it also has amaro nonino, it's also partly a digestive drink and blends in perfectly with the meal ordered, or for after!

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The Beekeeper's Lament - my greatest food kryptonite. I've challenged myself so many times to order something else. My desire to have something else almost always seemed quashed by my desire for the sweetness of that honey meeting the spiciness of the calabrian soppresata. It's such a simple design with easy ingredients and yet, the taste is insanely addictive and I can't stop ordering it. Whenever someone asks me about pizza, I immediately recommend this one. Nothings get uneaten here, even the sourdough crust gets demolished.

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Since I won't budge on ordering the Beekeeper's Lament, I decided to switch it up a bit and actually try one of the desserts. I'd been recommended the Apple Cider Donuts before and decided to finally give it a shot. What you receive is three decent sized donuts that is easily shareable for two people. The donuts are coated in cinnamon sugar with some whipped cream on the side. With or without the whipped cream, the donuts are excellent. They come out warm, so I assume freshly made to order and don't carry that heavy feeling from having donuts at a donut place. 

I definitely recommend the Apple Cider Donuts and, of course, The Beekeeper's Lament. With a distance relatively close to many breweries such as Kane Brewing, Jughandle Brewing, and Little Dog, amongst a few others, it's hard not to give into the desires of having a pizza at Talula's. If you haven't been yet, you should. If you haven't read my previous review from July, here you go. And until you plan to make a trip here, here's another picture of the Beekeeper's Lament to further entice you. Salud!

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Barrio Costero - Nachos & Tacos

Ever since my first review of Barrio Costero in June, 2016 - I've returned a handful of times. I've enjoyed quite a few of their menu selections and have always been very happy with their beer selection. Even though they have a relatively small amount of taps, I always seem to find something new to try to go with my exquisite meals. For this round, I went with a Neshaminy Creek Coffee JAWN. It's a pale ale conditioned with coffee that is smooth, drinkable and yet seemed to pair pretty well with the food ordered. After enduring a beer release at Kane Brewing earlier in the day, this beer was exactly what I needed. 

And in case you are wondering about my earlier review and haven't read it, you can visit it HERE.

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Standing in line at a brewery for a can release will surely work up an appetite for delicious chicken tacos. The ingredients listed are chicken tinga, scallion créma, pickled red onion, and awesomeness. They come 3 per plate but you do have the option to add an extra 1 just so you don't have that awkward moment with someone else where either party fights over the last one. BRILLIANT. My only slight grievance is the sauce from the chicken began to corrode through the tortilla, but really who cares... use a fork and knife like I did for the last one and enjoy either way. I highly recommend these.

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Look above... those are nachos. Look again... those are fantastic nachos. They aren't your typical nachos and I, for one, am VERY glad that this is the case. Gone is a plate full of 100 chips where the top layers get all of the toppings while you have all the stragglers at the bottom that get ignored. Here, nothing is ignored and everything gets equal opportunity toppings. The Barrio Nachos come with black bean and cheese, topped with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. They also come at 3 per plate but you do have the option to add a número 4. Eat them as is or mess the toppings around to create a beautiful mess on top... either way, I very highly recommend these. They are a great starter or easily could be a meal. 

Because I was there on a Sunday between 1 - 5, I was able to partake in the happy hour, and even though there is a reduced menu, you will leave satisfied if you go before dinner. Next time, I promise to try out a margarita to go along with my Barrio Nachos. I'm very happy that Barrio Costero has continued to produce quality food with an always excellent service. The restaurant is very close by Dark City, Asbury Park Brewery, Kane, and even Jughandle so it definitely should be on your radar for a culinary visit. Buen provecho & salud!

d'jeet? - Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Last year when I visited d'jeet?, I had recommended listening to the specials. Thankfully, upon revisiting just this weekend, I listened again and came across this wonderful sandwich for a quick bite - the Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich. It's a simple yet satisfying sandwich packed full of delicious short rib in a sauce of its own with some fantastic Muenster cheese. the time I was done, I was scooping up that delicious short rib sauce with the last corner of the sandwich. So good!

Pair this up with regular fries, a salad, or their famous truffle fries, and you're golden! Maybe the next time you visit, this might not be there again... but again, just listen to the specials! And never forget, d'jeet? is BYOB so whatever you are dining on (I recommend the wings) - feel free to pair it with your favorite beer or wine. So... d'jeet?