Spicy Spanish fare awaits at authentic eateries in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Monmouth County, New Jersey is home to some of the top restaurants in the state, and a wide range of cuisines awaits the adventurous eater. Bright, spicy Spanish fare is a favorite in the area as evidenced by several highly-regarded restaurants offering authentic Latin cuisine as well as creative versions of traditional dishes.
Bistro Ole
This Asbury Park restaurant was voted "Best Spanish Cuisine in Central New Jersey" by the editors of FunNewJersey.com in 2009. Bistro Ole cooks up Latin-infused Spanish and Portuguese cuisine with stylish flair, and its ambiance is as spicy as its paella. Fans of this bustling spot love both the service and the food, and the Ole Ole chicken entree comes especially highly recommended. Enjoy classic appetizers with a dash of Spanish zest--such as fried calamari served over a chipotle chile reduction--or try something new, such as their special fried plantain chips with creamy homemade guacamole. One unique service this BYOB offers: if you bring your own wine, they will mix it up into a fruity, refreshing sangria.
Bistro Ole
230 Main Street
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
732-897-0048
bistroole.com
Casa Solar
Translated as "Sun House," this New Jersey Shore establishment soaks up the rays in the beach town of Belmar. The restaurant's nuevo Latino cuisine is presented by Puerto Rican native Nancy Rios, an executive chef who combines traditional Latin flavors with her classical French culinary training to develop creative variations on dishes such as gazpacho (topped with crab), empanadas (stuffed with filet mignon) and sea bass (with roasted clams and spicy sausage). Specialties of the house include spicy sashimi-grade tuna ceviche and sticky-sweet guava-glazed ribs that New York Times reviewer David Corcoran praised as "fabulous." Their baked goods and desserts are so highly-regarded that they sell them to other area restaurants.
Casa Solar
1104 Main Street
Belmar, NJ 07719
732-556-1144
newjersey-restaurant.com/index.shtml
Europa South
Europa South is a casually elegant Portuguese and Spanish restaurant that serves up live music Thursday through Saturday and authentic menu items every day of the week. To really get a taste of what Europa South has to offer, order several small plates from the tapas menu in lieu of an entree; the Spanish sausage sauteed in Portuguese firewater and the shrimp in traditional green sauce are two choices from this part of the menu. Diners looking to go "whole hog" can order a whole suckling pig roasted in the traditional Spanish style; the $240 meal, as of March 2010, feeds six to eight and must be pre-ordered a week in advance. A more economical choice is the prix fixe menu, offered from Saturday through Thursday, a good value at $28.95 for four courses. Knowledgeable servers can make a recommendation from the well rounded wine list to help complete your meal.
Europa South
521 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
732-295-1500
europasouth.com
Tags: Europa South, County Jersey, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Jersey, Asbury Park