After many shared appetizers of calamari, rice balls, and mozzarella sticks among my family and I, I took a deep breath and decided the show must go on.  Our oversized entrées were greeted with wide eyes and tight belts.

I opted for the Perciatelli Amatriciana which consisted of pancetta, onion, tomato and pecorino, I even added shrimp which made me beyond ecstatic. Ultimately the food won and I brought my leftovers home which made for a great late night snack.

My mother dubbed her dish “deliciousioso.”  Her choice of Scarpriello consisted of pan seared organic chicken breast, sweet Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, and a Parmigianino dusted fingerling potato…and she’s still raving about it today.

There was no room left for some sweet  dessert but I can assure you I will be back to try some Tiramisu and ice cream.  So if you’re looking for a fancy, scenic and authentic Italian night out, make sure you visit Sirena Ristorante.  You can also check out their full lunch, dinner and wine list online so you can think about your meal the whole drive there.

Want to see what awaits you before you make the trip?  That’s easy with their virtual tour of the bar, deck and dining area. Sirena’s is known to have a wait on the weekends so make sure you make reservations.  Happy eating everyone!

The view from our table on the Shrimp Box's patio: sunset beyond some of Point Pleasant's commercial fishing fleet. Pretty sweet.

Point Pleasant Beach seafood staple the Shrimp Box’s Web site brags that this Inlet Drive restaurant overlooks nothing but the harbor. A casual Tuesday night dinner with friends very much proved this to be the case. We hit up the Shrimp Box on a recommendation from my cousin’s neighbor. He had eaten there every night this week and loved it. He seemed to be quite serious about this, so we took his word and pedaled over from my cousin’s house. (and then rode bikes to Martell’s Tiki Bar, but that’s another story for another time.)

The three of us sat right down at a table on the Box’s patio and were treated to a spectacular sunset over the water. Not 20 feet away, some of Point’s commercial fishing boats are tied up, so you know the fish has got to be fresh. Friendly young servers flit around clad in t-shirts that urge you to “drink outside the Box” and a seasonal bar has set up shop beneath a canopy.

Dusk at the entrance to the Shrimp Box's patio - Outside the Box, where, yes you can think, drink and eat.

We split a coconut shrimp appetizer, which was awesomely coconut-y and accompanied by a tangy orange dipping sauce. The shrimp were massive and impressively butterflied. The spicy sauce was a nice touch with the sweetness of the coconut coating.

My cousin, in poor form, ordered a chicken sandwich, which she liked enough to wrap up and take for lunch the next day. Our other dining companion ordered the sauteed – not fried – crab cake and raved about it. I ordered the fish and chips and was thoroughly satisfied with my decision. My mind fails to recall exactly what type of fish it was, but it was white,  flaky and beer-battered – just as fish and chips should be. (One gripe: the side of green beans were too dark-green-looking and I, being a new green bean fan, was not having it. I’m fairly crazy though, so don’t let this deter you from enjoying vegetables at the Shrimp Box.)

Everything we ate was exceptionally fresh and the casual dockside setting was the perfect backdrop to our ladies’ night. After three entrees, one appetizer, two glasses of wine and a beer, the damage was just $62 – insanely reasonable for the Shore in July. While all the neighboring seafood restaurants - like Red’s, Spike’s and the Wharfside - are excellent, the Shrimp Box definitely deserves a visit. Before 6 p.m. on a weekday or Sunday and 5 p.m. on a Saturday, you can snag a sunset dinner: entree, beverage, chowder or a trip to the salad bar, potato, veggie and dessert for $12-16. Not too shabby at all.

The Shrimp Box is located at 75 Inlet Drive, Point Pleasant Beach. For more information, call 732-899-1637
or visit www.theshrimpbox.com.

Soft shell crabs are a rare appearance at Red's. 3 year old crabs are not.

The wife and I were racking our brains for a quick spot to grab dinner with our kids on the way down the shore a recent Friday night… Spike’s? Too crowded. Patio Bar? More fun sans children. Hmm, how about Red’s?

Tucked away around the outer edge of the inlet away from the crowds, plus counter service (read eat and split at your own pace in case the fit hits the shan) Red’s Lobster Pot seemed to be a good choice with a 3 year old awaking from a car nap and a restless 2 year old that refuses to nap. Throw in outdoor seating on a rare sunny day in this beast of a June we’ve had, and B.Y.O.B., and the choice was easily made.

We hadn’t been to Red’s in a while and had to actually Google the location, which also brought up a useful Tommy Eats review. You’d be hard pressed to find a better overview of Red’s than his, and it appears absolutely nothing has changed there since his Sept. 2006 post.

There’s a small indoor restaurant of about 12 tables that, even on a quiet pre-4th of July weekend had a wait time, as the friendly hostess pointed out. Word to the wise, they don’t take tables bigger than four inside, and you should probably think about going somewhere else with a bigger party.

Biggest differentiator is probably the pasta-leaning menu inside, fried fish and fries heavy menu outside, tough it looks like Red can mix it up. There’s was a delicious looking blackened Mako bites over salad that we regretted not ordering, and an Asian Squid Salad on the menu. Both indoor and outdoor have their own separate collection of specials.

We were already sold on the dockside counter, which is one of those shore places that on one hand looks like it could use an update (and maybe a good power-washing) but really, what would they change? The reddish-orange hue of the picnic and built in tables? Nah, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I steam, you steam, we all steam for steamed clams. YUM.

We ordered a pot of steamers ($13), fish ‘n chips for the kids to split ($20), fried scallops for the lady ($26 or so), which were juicy and just sort of briny enough and very fresh. Everything was top notch. I was full on going in for the lobster roll after reading Tommy’s review in the car, but my mind was quickly changed by the appearance of soft shell crabs with cajun seasoning on the speicals. The cashier/order taker assured me these are rarely available, sealing the deal (despite the $29 price tag). They were among the best I’ve ever had, and a true early summer treat as I believe our season for them is short.

Soft shell crab primer: Epicurious says ’soft-shell crabs are really blue crabs that have recently molted and are in the process of growing their new shells. This allows the crustacean to be eaten whole, shell and all.’ Had I thought about all the molting would I have ordered differently? Probably not.

Belly full of Sam Smiths IPA and fried goodness, we hung back for a few minutes and checked out the fishing boats, listened to the band rocking some cover tunes across the water at the Patio Bar, and annoyed other diners by letting our kids run amok around the lower seating area. Recalling the $86 bill, and looking at the menu, I’m thinking the next stop there will be for the much cheaper lunch, but it was well worth it!

Red’s Lobster Pot is located at 57 Inlet Drive : Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. For more information call 732.295.6622

All's well that ends well. The fishing boats coming in for the evening is a fun treat for the kids.

Hemingway's Cafe is looking for some ballers tonight

Behemoth Seaside Heights bar/club Hemingway’s Cafe will host its second anniversary party and handout VIPs to all those who came out to celebrate tonight . VIP cards are mainly useful on Saturdays, when cover jumps to $10 after 11 p.m. and this valuable piece of plastic lets you jump the line that will snake from the door down to the corner.

Last year’s VIP giveaway featured one complimentary drink and passed appetizers (and they were all delicious – it helps if you’re friends with the waitresses and they come straight to you when they pick up a new tray from the kitchen).

Hem’s boasts a monstrous dancefloor so be ready to bop along to hip-hop and techno remixes. During the week, four massive pool tables fill it. It’s a pretty clubby atmosphere  – lots of tiny dresses and sky-high heels. More guys than not are wearing Ed Hardy t-shirts. If you’re up to the challenge, you can stay and fist-pump until 4 a.m.

The windows and walls along the two front bars completely open up and create a nice patio feel and provide a front-row seat to gawk at the tricked-out, pimped-up sports cars and SUVs that parade along the Boulevard every weekend.

Last Friday, they offered a Coors Light special – $2 bottles. Friday happy hour features $2 drafts, $7 martinis and $5 appetizers.

The food is pretty tasty too – awesome brick oven pizzas and sushi (really, really good shrimp tempura rolls!). The sushi bar stays open til 1 a.m. if the booze munchies give you a craving for unagi. Hemingway’s decor is pretty swanky overall with high ceilings and dark wood but the dining room is bright and tropical.

Hemingway’s Cafe is located at 612 Boulevard, Seaside Heights. For more information, visit them online at www.hemingwaysnj.com or call 732-830-1255.

Located on the corner of 10th and Central Avenues, The 3 C’s has been serving up classic breakfast and lunch fare for almost two decades. The owner, Gail, brings a passion for not just food, but for making customers feel welcomed, entertained, and most importantly, full.

Besides the excellent breakfast and lunch offerings at this year-round haunt, this is the place if you’re interested in other “dishes,” i.e. local news, politics, and fishing.

Gail and her dedicated and hardworking crew are colorful and will keep you awake, even though the bottomless cup of coffee will help with that task. This luncheonette is known for its onion and green pepper home fries, waffles topped with fruit, and generous egg platter sizes.

Now, during the Summer of 2009, The 3 C’s may add to its local legend with something else: dinner.

In small barrier island towns, word travels fast, and it’s even faster if you hear it directly from the source. During a bike ride, I happened to see Gail walking her dog along the Barnegat Bay, and I stopped to ask about The 3 C’s.

As a luncheonette (meaning that she is up before dawn to serve patrons), I was somewhat surprised to hear that dinner service is on tap for the summer, considering the long days.

However, as a smart businesswoman, she apparently senses an opportunity.

According to Gail, especially during these recessionary times, people want tasty, wholesome meals at a fair price. Among other meal offerings, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, she is serving homemade baby back ribs, crab cakes, and steak–all fresh. I’m wondering if she will offer her famous onion and green pepper home fries as a side.

She has invited me for a dinner tasting, and I will certainly take her up on the offer soon and review my experience.

Is the dinner as good as the breakfast/lunch offerings? Stay tuned!

The 3 C’s Luncheonette is located at 1001 SW Central Ave Seaside Park, NJ 08752. Outdoor seating is available.