Hoffman's Ice Cream

I love places that actually live up to the hype surrounding them! And Hoffman's Ice Cream does exactly this. Feel like a kid again and get yourself to this adorable Point Pleasant Beach  ice cream parlor before summer ends. Wait on line with the locals (yes there is a line), order a waffle cone filled with creamy delicious homemade ice cream, and sit outside on the stoop as you lick up the remnants dripping down your elbows. 


I tried the location in Point Pleasant, but I'm told the one in Spring Lake is also delicious. Point Pleasant Beach is only a few minutes further down Main Street from Vic's. It's worth taking the kids here and getting in your last licks (see what I did there?) before it's back to reality.  

Get the Cookie Monster. Blue vanilla ice cream spun on premises with cookie doughp bites and smashed oreos. Life doesn't get much better than this. Fudge Mint, Peanut Butter Nugget and Cookie Dough were all also winners. Hoffman's also does prepared ice cream cakes in the fridge if you want to take it to go. Good luck getting it home in one piece. Yes, it's that good. 

Almost forgot to mention the "Octopus Challenge". 8 scoops in 8 minutes of less, gets you a free t-shirt. As good a reason as any to get down here ASAP. 

Neighborhood: Point Pleasant Beach or Spring Lake, New Jersey

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Everything! Kid-friendly, Date Night, etc 

Hoffman's Ice Cream, 800 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ www.hoffmansicecream.net

Monday Munchies: Moonstruck

For this week's Monday Munchies, I'm going with the tried and true, Moonstruck in Asbury Park. I really like this place and surprisingly it is not predominantly based on outstanding food coming out of the kitchen. Yes, the food is always pretty good and consistent, but it's really a mixture of things that do it for me here.

 I love the atmostphere. Set in an old Victorian style house with 3 floors and beautiful wrap around porches, it's a nice mix of relaxing and romantic. I love it for a special occasion, but then again I've gone with other couples and loved it as well. Sitting outside overlooking the lake, you really feel like you are away for a moment. 



The service here is also great. It's a big place but they definitely get crowded especially weekends in the summer, but they seem to always have everything under control. Even when they quote you a half hour or longer wait time, they give you a beeper, and more times than not, by the time you finish one drink at the bar your table is ready. The waitstaff as a whole seems to be friendly and helpful, and minus the attitude that I sometimes feel as a New Yorker visiting Jersey for the summer. 

I like the food here, I just feel like it's the aforementioned things that keep me returning time and time again. I like going with the seasonal items on the back of the menu. The other night we had a nice refreshing Watermelon Salad with feta and arugula and a whole wheat Margarita with greens on top. The White Bean and Caponata Bruschetta tasty as well. 

 For the mains we got the special white fish of the night, and a Grilled Salmon with lentil couscous. We also got a nice summer spiral shaped Pasta with grape tomatoes eggplant zucchini and fresh mozzarella cheese. Everything was in the above average category. Nothing stuck out for me to say you must order, but then again nothing was a flop either. 

My favorite dish of the night was the Black & White Creme Brûlée. Wow. Not sure what exactly was on the bottom of this, but it was a nice spin on a classic dessert. Now that'll keep me coming back for more.

Neighborhood: Asbury Park, New Jersey

Bite Mark: ***

Good For: Date Night, Out with Friends, Special Occasion 

Moonstruck, 517 Lake Street www.moonstrucknj.com 

Monday Munchies: Toast

I had a really nice experience at the hipster-y cute breakfast / lunch spot called Toast in Asbury Park last weekend. It was pretty much all you could want out of this type of establishment. A little bit nicer than a diner, the service was helpful and friendly, the food came out really quick, and everything that we ordered was pretty tasty. For a place that serves their drinks in mason jars and most of the waitresses sport tattoos, it is pleasantly surprising how friendly everyone was and what a nice, chilled, Jersey shore vibe the whole place was giving off.

After some freshly brewed iced coffee, I went for the gazpacho, one of my all time favorite things to order (especially in the summer). The one they make here is above average. It had a little spice to it and the veggies were diced and whole. Refreshing and perfect for a hot day. Although the breakfast items coming of the kitchen looked really yummy, we opted for some lunch. The Mediterranean Wrap with hummus, seasonal vegetables and sautéed spinach was nice and light. It was served with sweet potato fries that were slightly undercooked, but still a pretty good dish. We also had the Blackened Tuna Salad with mesclun greens, avocado, toasted sesame seeds and honey lime vinaigrette which was delicious and licked clean. 

I enjoyed Toast and will definitely be back here. Ask for the special drinks menu with juices and smoothies that change seasonally. Next time around I'm definitely going for the stuffed french toast. That looked insane. 

This place is a keeper, and good one to know just blocks from the Asbury beach and boardwalk. Get on it. 




Neighborhood: Asbury Park, New Jersey

Bite Mark: ***

Good For: breakfast / lunch, quick bite before the beach, casual, kid-friendly 

Toast, 516 Cookman Ave www.toastasburypark.com 

Jersey Shore, Monday Munchies, & My Kitchen Witch

Starting this week, I'm going to do my best to research, eat, and write up a post on a new restaurant in the Jersey Shore every Monday! Let's call it the Monday Munchies. So here goes...

Week #1 = The Kitchen Witch in Monmouth Beach, NJ 

I've been coming down to the Jersey Shore every summer pretty much my whole life, yet when it comes to eating out here, I am still a little lost. I tend to stick to the tried and true places that I've been frequenting for years, and lose my more adventurous nature that we all know and love in Brooklyn. I guess a few disappointing experiences trying the new "hot spot" (often a 35 min drive away) left me reluctant to venture out. But this summer I've vowed to try some new spots and hopefully find some good ones for my followers!

First stop, My Kitchen Witch Cafe,  in Monmouth Beach, NJ. Some foodie friends that I trust recommended I hit this "secret spot" for some good eats, so last Friday I dragged my reluctant friend on a HOT Friday afternoon.  I really wish I could say that My Kitchen Witch broke that spell (hah), but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be.

The place is cute. It kitschy and whimsical and kid friendly as well. References to witches and potions abound, and the menu sounds yummy. I want to blame my whole experience on the mean waitress. She just wasn't very nice or friendly AT ALL. After waiting ample time to order, she finally came over to inform us that they "ran out of greens" so half the menu was off limits. When asked if they could improvise and perhaps give me the items in the salad without the actual lettuce  my question was returned with a dirty look. I opted for the "famous" Eggs Bene'witch' composed of griddled olive bread topped with lemon artichoke spread, organic arugula and poached eggs served with potatoes. It looks (and sounds) much better than it tasted. Sorry. Not impressed. The eggs were overdone (not gooey how poached eggs are supposed to be), and the bread and spread were a little heavy. We shared the Homemade Biscuits with strawberry butter. Also okay, but a couple bites are enough.  I also got a juice consisting of beets, carrots, celery, etc which was pretty run of the mill, standard juice. 

I don't know. Maybe I was just expecting a WOW. Or maybe I didn't order the right stuff. And please realize this review is soley based on one not so great experience. Never the less, My Kitchen Witch did not leave me feeling like I need to jump on my broomstick and return...

 On to the next.

Neighborhood: Monmouth Beach, New Jersey 

Bite Mark: **

Good For: Breakfast, Kid Friendly 

My Kitchen Witch, 29 Beach Road 732-229-3033  www.mykitchenwitch.com