Two River Tastes: Burgers, An American Classic

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These past few weeks we’ve had an unusual February heat wave!  With iced coffee in our hands and shades over our eyes, we knew there was just one thing missing: cheeseburger, cheeseburger! Since it’s clearly a sun’s out, buns out situation, we’ve decided to write about a few of the mouthwatering burgers in the Two River area. We sought out recommendations from friends and family and we were happy to visit some spots we’d never thought of to taste the delicious American classic. With that, let’s begin and end with a big juicy bite!

Mumford’s Culinary Center’s One Serious Burger arrives with grilled red onions, thick sliced tomatoes, baby greens, chipotle aioli and cheddar cheese.

Mumford’s Culinary Center

Our first stop for a burger lunch was Mumford’s Culinary Center in Tinton Falls. A favorite destination to take cooking classes, it had been awhile since we sat down for a delicious lunch by Chef Chris Mumford and his awesome team. We visited on a Tuesday afternoon and took a quick walk around the lovely vegetable garden outside – a treat for the senses in the spring and summer. We sat down in a cozy spot and ordered the one and only, One Serious Hamburger ($14.95). Recommended to us by a friend, this BIG burger hit the spot immediately. This burger was a melt-in-your-mouth experience, cooked medium rare with grilled red onions, thick sliced tomatoes, baby greens, chipotle aioli, and cheddar cheese. All served on a Kaiser roll with seasoned french fries. While the fries aren’t the main event here, don’t skip them. They are flavorful and completely addicting. This burger will be a hit in our playbook for a long time to come.

Surf BBQ

After a few trips to Nashville over the past few years, we have not only been impressed with our cooler (than us) little brother’s college experience, but also with the Tennessee BBQ. So it’s safe to say we were more than excited when Surf BBQ opened up in Rumson last summer.  In case you haven’t heard, they now have a delicious assortment of burgers and hot dogs. We decided to try the Hatteras Burger ($14) which is perfect for two because it comes with two 100 percent ground short rib burgers layered on top of each other with gorgonzola, smoked bacon, wildflower honey, caramelized onions and lettuce. The smoked bacon was a nice touch that we’d recommend on any burger especially if it’s made at Surf BBQ. We also had an indulgent order of the Swine Fries ($7) crispy fries, melted cheddar, cilantro ranch, all topped off with tender slabs of pulled pork. We’re definitely looking forward to going back and enjoying another one of the new burgers on the Surf BBQ menu.

The Halle Burger, an Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten’s specialty, comes with muenster cheese, red onion slaw and tomato jam on a brioche bun.

Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten

The drive to Asbury Park is one of our favorites in the Two River area. Over the past few years this legendary Jersey town has become a mecca for good food, good drinks and lots of fun. On this occasion we took the scenic route down Ocean Avenue to visit Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten. Big, bustling and friendly, we’ve always liked this spot and the way it brings happy strangers together with their grand communal tables. With people to our left and right, we ordered a beer, a pretzel and of course the Halle Burger ($14). Juicy, plump and rare with muenster cheese, red onion slaw, and tomato jam on a brioche bun – this is what burger dreams are made of. The rarer the better in our opinions, and there’s just something about a shiny, fluffy brioche bun that brings burgers to the next level.

B2 Bistro + Bar

Last but not least! Honorable mention goes out to the awesome Dry Aged Burger ($16) at B2 Bistro + Bar in Red Bank. Beautifully laid out on a modern wooden board, this burger is just as worthy of your attention as any other specialty on the menu. It’s also a favorite of our mom’s who is actually the hamburger aficionado of the family.
These incredible burgers certainly satisfied our need for a cheeseburger, cheeseburger! Did we miss any standouts? Let us know at tastes@tworivertimes.com.

Happy Eating!

Mumford’s Culinary Center

33 Apple St., Tinton Falls. Phone: 732-747-7646

Surf BBQ

132 E. River Road, Rumson. Phone: 732-530-6590

Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten

527 Lake Ave., Asbury Park. Phone: 732-997-8767

B2 Bistro + Bar

141 Shrewsbury Ave., Red Bank. Phone: 732-268-8555

Tori and Sasha Sickles, members of the Sickles Market family, write about food, culinary trends and casual eateries in their monthly column “Two River Tastes.” You can reach them at tastes@tworivertimes.com or follow their food journeys on Instagram @torikaylan and @sasha_ad.
 


This article was first published in the March 2-9, 2017 print edition of The Two River Times.