I agree with two of them: Mutiny BBQ and Heirloom Kitchen.
Cousins Maine Lobster. From their truck in Old Bridge, we’ve had their N.E. clam chowder and Maine lobster rolls many times and, occasionally, the whoopie pie.
I will throw in Half Moon, we will make the trip there once we get back.
I’ve had Mutiny BBQ and thought it was just ok.
I’ve had it a few times now and really enjoyed it… Still haven’t tried the ribs yet, though. I’ve had the beef rib and pulled pork…and the mac & cheese is outrageous
Well I will have to give it another shot
I know there are a bunch of Red Bank Mexican food fans here…
It’s a subscriber-only article, but the APP reports on a New restaurant from the owner of Juanito’s and Juanito’s Market in Red Bank
“Opening on Saturday, May 21, with live mariachi music and a half-priced specials menu, Juanito’s Charcoal Grill will seat over 110. While there are tacos on the menu, Juanito’s Charcoal Grill will also serve pastas, as well as chicken, pork and steaks cooked on the kitchen’s open-pit, charcoal grill.”
Thanks I’m definitely going to check this out next week, but Mariachi music could get me there for the opening 
According to the APP, David Burke is the new owner of the Bayshore’s Dixie Lee Bakery on Main Street in Keansburg.
Hoping he doesn’t change their classics. It’s a once a year stop for us, but the apple turnovers and whipped cream are kind of a thing over here.
RED ALERT! This photo gallery in the APP shows pho from a place called Savoury Spoon Cafe in Spring Lake and I (a damn good Googler) can’t find a thing about it otherwise…anyone know where in SL it is?? The one account in NJ I can find references Essex Cty, delivery to towns in NNJ, and being at a farmer’s market in Scotch Plains, but nothing indicates they’re in Monmouth County and their FB page and website echo the same info. #INeedPho @SarahGriesemer any intel??
I’m going with it’s not a store front. This is from their website:
“Let our Chef provide you with our ready-to-eat meal prep service delivered fresh to your doorstep. Fully prepared and ready to enjoy. Our varied favorites cater to everyone at home or at work. Our weekly crowd pleasing meals helps save time and allows you to enjoy something new every week.”
"Order with ease.
Browse our menu and let us know what dishes you would like to order.
Call or Email Us (orders via text are not accepted)
732-439-9407
savouryspooncafe@aol.com
Pay By Phone
Checkout is always safe and secure with Square for Restaurants.
Reheat and Enjoy!
Please keep in mind that our prepared meals are cooked meals and that they can be reheated in a microwave, stove-top or oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer food to an oven friendly vessel. Heat for 10-15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated."
So maybe they added SL to their delivery zone so they don’t lose their NNJ customers when they are at their summer homes.
I found this in the NJ Herald:
Savoury Spoon Cafe, Spring Lake
When you are heading to the beach this summer and want to bring lunch along, stop by Helaine Hammond’s Savoury Spoon Cafe, a takeout-only cafe opening June 1.
Hammond will prepare her sandwiches, salads, empanadas, soups and more at a commercial kitchen on Essex Avenue.
“Savoury Spoon began with the idea of creating foods that I enjoyed eating since I was a kid,” she said. "My love of food became evident when I hosted my first, at-home dinner party. I never saw food the same, and it was then that I decided to attend culinary school.
“I started as a caterer, then a baker, then a creator of soups, and here I am today,” she said.
Her menu includes a Cuban sandwich of slow-roasted pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard; chickpea and quinoa salad; gourmet hot dogs (the Cape May Dog has mashed potatoes and baked beans); beef empanadas; and soups like pho and potato leek, among other dishes.
Go: Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 623 Essex Ave.; 732-439-9407, savouryspooncafe.com.
But I bet they cook in a single kitchen somewhere (some of their labels say Woodbridge) and just stock the “cafe”.
Thanks… I didn’t dig deep enough to find that article, so you win at Googling! But once again, here’s a food business that’s getting good PR and their website is completely unclear, as is their social media. How does any business owner not understand the importance of hiring someone to manage this information, even for an hour or two a week?!? 
And no, those folks aren’t perfect either (just today I pointed out to a pretty major local restaurant group that they had incorrectly tagged one of their own spots), but at least they’re trying!
Sidebar for the handful of you who haven’t read my posts saying this - I have chef friends and know plenty of small business owners. I don’t expect them to have the time or interest in doing this stuff themselves, but it’s 2022-spend a small amount of money so customers can find you and keep their attention! If I wasn’t an active HO, in this case, would have shrugged and moved along. I still may.
It was just random that I found that Herald article.
I do totally agree about needing a good social media presence. If you can’t do it right ( and you means having someone responsible handling it) then I almost think it’s better to have to presence at all.
Yes, owner Helaine will operate out of a commercial kitchen in Spring Lake. Takeout only. Opens June 1. From my story today (behind the app.com paywall): Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 623 Essex Ave.; 732-439-9407, savouryspooncafe.com.
So, does anyone else think that being open only on Wednesday and Thursdays is kind of odd? Especially for a shore town, with lots of summer visitors and tons of weekend traffic?
I do! I do! Those would be the day’s I’d probably close if I wasn’t going to stay open 7 days a week (which we always did).
Actually, I think this location is really Spring Lake Heights. This may seem like semantics but that stretch of Essex is not directly connected to Spring Lake due to the RR tracks and may be too far out-of-the-way for the SL glitterati. I hope they plan on having delivery.
Thanks. Interesting that the photo gallery was higher up on the home page, as I never saw your piece about them.
