Beach Tavern

2965

Seafood lovers who live at the Jersey Shore are blessed with an abundance of seafood restaurants and fish markets, many featuring local fish and shellfish; and those who reside in the Two River area, even more so. Of the numerous dining options, some stand out by virtue of their location, menu or other amenities.

Beach Tavern in Monmouth Beach occupies a prime site next to the Channel Club, sitting on a bank of the Shrewsbury River. There is a new chef onboard, Jairo Novo, who has revised the original menu and added a wide variety of Japanese dishes to take full advantage of the plentiful seafood to be had. There are options for “landlubbers” on the new menu, but clearly seafood is king here. We were eager to try the new menu and decided it would be a good night for takeout and sampling it at home, eliminating the need to “dress to impress” and setting the timing of our dinner to our own pacing. 

From the extensive Appetizer section of the menu, we chose Fried Cauliflower ($16), plated with crispy onions, ranch dressing and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds for contrast. The very ample portion was a good mix of flavors and textures and would also make a good side dish to be shared.

A tender, juicy octopus tentacle, shared the plate with a puree of Kalamata olives and purple potato slices. Bob Sacks

Mediterranean Octopus ($24), arrived with diced Kalamata olives, pickled onion, arugula, purple potato chips and a saffron aioli dressing. The good-sized tentacle was cooked to a nice char on the outside, without being chewy or tough, and was nicely flavorful. 

The New England Clam Chowder ($12), with clams, bacon, potatoes and thyme, had a creamy white wine broth that was tasty but not too thick, as is often the case elsewhere. There was a good balance of the flavors of the cream, bacon and wine, so the taste of the clams was preserved. 

Taro Tuna Tacos ($18) was a delicious change of pace. The tortillas, uniquely created from crispy taro roots instead of the usual corn, were filled with diced sushi-grade spicy tuna, mixed with avocado crema and Pico de Gallo (a fresh salsa made from chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeno or serrano peppers, salt, lime juice and cilantro). These were a delicious change of pace. Recommended. 

A not-often-seen Shrimp Ceviche ($20) combined chunks of marinated shrimp with pieces of citrus, pickled onion, mango, avocado, cilantro and corn kernels. The pleasantly crunchy shrimp were clearly discernible in the mix of other ingredients; served with a side of crispy plantain chips.  

Clam Pizza ($22), a 10-inch pie topped with leeks, garlic, parsley, and lemon, had a nice, chewy crust that was crispy but not overdone. I was very happy with that crust, but disappointed by the scarcity of clams which were meant to be the star of the toppings; inexplicably, clams were few and far between, barely discernable. Next time, I’ll opt for the Fungi Pizza ($20), with fontina cheese, mushrooms and spinach, which sounds like it would marry well with that enjoyable crust.

The menu has a section named From the Valley of the Sea, which lists a varied and generous selection of seafood entrees. We chose Grouper Santorini ($34), so named as it was dressed with a Greek tzatziki sauce (a creamy, white sauce made of drained Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and spices), and was plated with chickpeas, risotto, beetroot and arugula salad. The large portion of fish had been lightly floured and seared, and was properly moist and tender. 

Beach Halibut, perfectly moist, was plated with a tasty corn chowder and fingerling potatoes. Bob Sacks

From the same section of the menu, the Halibut ($38) arrived with a corn chowder and fingerling potatoes. The good-sized portion of gently seared fish was nicely complemented by the corn-based sauce.  

The vast menu also offered Towers of Seafood, raw shellfish, various salads, pastas, grilled beef and pork selections, chicken dishes, burgers and sandwiches, a kids’ menu and even an eggplant parmigiana! Add in the full-service bar and, truly, the restaurant has something for everyone.

“But wait,” you say. That’s not enough? You really like Japanese food, too, such as sushi, sashimi and hand rolls? Fear not, there is an entire menu devoted solely to that cuisine as well. Although it looked inviting and intriguing, we limited ourselves to a single appetizer selection to add to our already large number of dinner choices. Yellow Tail Carpaccio ($18) offered thin slices of perfectly fresh yellowtail served with strips of mango, microgreens and sprinkled with tobiko (flying fish roe) for color, in a light, tangy dressing. If this is indicative of the level of the Japanese dishes, a return visit is merited to allow us to order exclusively from this other menu. 

Whether you choose to eat inside, outside by the water, do takeout, or even arrive by boat to dock and dine, they can accommodate your every wish. If you are enjoying your meal with a diverse group of diners, you need not worry about everyone finding something to eat as there are numerous seafood offerings which take full advantage of the very special seashore location, as well as many alternatives for those folks who aren’t enamored of produce from the sea. The humble name, Beach Tavern, as well as its casual and relaxed setting, does not prepare one for the high level of attention that goes into the care and feeding of its guests.

Beach Tavern
33 West Street
Monmouth Beach
732-870-8999
beachtavern.net

Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.