58 OCTOBER 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
COST – Moderate to high
WHAT WE LIKED
ingredients, the amazing plating, the beautifully crafted cocktails, the
delicious coffee, the attentive staff and management, the comfortable
seating and the spirited energy.
Dining
w it h Draz
BY LORI DRAZ
Asbury Kitchen by David Burke
old Modine’s and bank building). 732-893-5302. Hours are Monday,
Wednesday through Sunday for dinner 4 to 10 pm and for happy hour 4
-
enByDB.com
We give Asbury Kitchen five Js
It has been a hard year for restaurants, but the news is getting better. One
of phoenixes of the culinary clan is the internationally acclaimed Chef
face of the pandemic, and boy, are we glad he did. This pop-up spot was an
dining corridor. The restaurant is in the old bank building, taking over the
former Modine’s space. The impressive interior, with its towering windows
and massive vault lock, leftover from the bank, set the stage for the drama
and whimsy that is part of a Chef Burke experience.
To the left is a long bar where a master mixologist creates grand cocktails
and serves from the well-rounded wine list. The décor is simple, but
we understand a renovation is in the near future, though I hope they don’t
tamper with the beauty of the building too much. The staff is upbeat, and
the equally proud management team paid several visits to our table, and
they do have a lot to be excited about.
We began with three appetizers, starting with the Tuna Tartar Tacos, with
a sesame ginger sauce and shaved vegeta-
the brim with sushi-grade tuna. The cool
tuna against the lightly crisped tacos shells
were fantastic. We also had the newly add-
butternut squash, farro, cranberries and
Boursin cheese in a pecan vinaigrette. It
non-kale crowd will love this one. Our third
was the Wings & Rings. This skyscraper of
with surprising plating and taste that is every
bit as impressive – a wow!
Now for the entrées. Diner one indulged
her yen for beef with the Skirt
Steak which comes with crispy, cubed polenta
fries and a pesto purée. It was everything
she hoped for. She remarked at how
tender the skirt steak was and how the
deep char did not overcook the juicy beef.
She also liked that the chef had sliced the
beef, which enhanced its melt-in-yourmouth
qualities.
Diner two heard about Chef Burke’s
hamburgers. He’s pretty proud of his own
burger blend, so he had to put this one
to the test, and he humbly conceded that
this was among the best burgers he has
ever had. The grill, the cheese, even the
roll all came together, and the shoestring
French fries were a crispy companion. He
said they were the closest duplicate to the pomme frites he enjoyed
in France.
I chose the Salt Brick Chicken. OMG. Someone has to tell me how
they made this chicken. The skin was fully rendered, a golden brown
moist, boneless breast shares the plate with a sweet apricot barbecue
me in the Oktoberfest mood. This is a great choice.
We bolstered our dinners with the three combo of sides. We selected
the yummy Spinach and Mushrooms as well as the Street Corn
a mouth-watering combo of taste. Our third choice was the Hipster
Fries, a Burke favorite. It is a big, digable basket of seasoned fries and
goodies – great for sharing and so very good.
The thrilling and playful dessert menu is like going to the circus,
complete with cotton candy. Cotton candy – who does that?! We
butterscotch and vanilla ice cream, taffy caramel and topped with
cotton candy. Ours came with apples instead of the blueberries and
jelly beans mentioned on the menu, and we loved it. It was like the
softest caramel apple ever! We also tried the Mini Chocolate Chip
Ice Cream Sandwiches with caramel sauce. Three sandwiches, three
diners, three happy campers. Our third was the classic DB’s Famous
Chocolate-Dipped Cheesecake Pops. This dramatic dessert is meant to
be admired and shared. Each tasty cheesecake bite is encrusted with
pure delight. The fresh and full-bodied coffee was fabulous too.
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