New Jersey Restaurant Review
Mahogany Grille
142 Main Street
Manasquan, Monmouth County, New Jersey
(732) 292-1300
By The Artful Diner
Special to New Jersey Online
November 11, 2002
The Artful Diner reviewed the Mahogany Grille in June 2007. Go to latest review.
True to its namesake, rich, dark wood is very much in evidence, both in the stylish bar area and in the chic dining room accented with hanging Tiffany-style lamps and cushy patterned chairs and banquettes. This lovely eatery burst onto the Jersey Shore dining scene in the summer of '01 like a culinary comet... and the brightness of its cuisine, in the capable hands of executive chef Christopher Ross, shows no signs of abating.
If Mr. Ross has a magnum opus, it is surely his outstanding appetizer of incomparably crisp spring rolls ($9.00). On one occasion, the four miniature vertical towers are filled with shredded vegetables and duck confit and arranged around an epicenter of shaved daikon sprinkled with black sesame seeds; a sensuous sea of Thai cranberry sauce provides a provocatively pungent consummating touch. On another visit, the spring rolls are stocked with shredded steamed summer vegetables and accompanied by an exotic citrus-soy dipping sauce and tangy cucumber salad. Both are incredibly delicious, exhibiting just the proper combinations of colors, tastes, and textures.
The grilled antipasto ($8.00) -- layers of eggplant, zucchini, and peppers surrounded by a kalamata olive tapenade -- is another excellent choice. The steamed littleneck clams ($11.00) swimming in a miso-scallion broth are also good, albeit inordinately chewy. The broth isn't bad either -- although, I must confess that I've sampled infinitely more exciting versions recently -- just make sure you ingest a slice of scallion with every bite (sip) in order to savor its possibilities to the full.
If your starter preferences do gravitate toward denizens of the deep, I would heartily recommend both the jumbo shrimp martini ($11.00) accompanied by classic cocktail sauce and the jumbo lump cab cake kissed by tomato-lime coulis and splash of jalapeño oil.
Entrées -- evenly divided among meat, fish, and fowl -- are absolutely first-rate. The scallops ($25.00), for example, are perfectly pan seared and set in a circle around a sumptuous sauté of shiitake mushrooms and crunchy haricots verts. Potato crisps top off the proceedings, along with a marvelous grilled tomato vinaigrette.
Other piscatorial candidates include a corn-encrusted salmon ($22.00) and pristine pan-seared halibut filet ($23.00). The former is pillowed on a hash of arugula and fingerling potatoes and finished with a lovely lemon-thyme beurre blanc; the latter reclines on a seabed of warm field greens, is crowned with matchstick potatoes, and consummated with a tumultuously flavorful tomato-olive sauce
The grilled veal paillards ($30.00) are extraordinarily tender medallions layered with a variety of grilled garden vegetables and accompanied by a sprinkling of horseradish pommes frites. A heady red wine syrup brings the presentation to a colorful and harmonious crescendo.
When it comes to fowl, the roasted duck breast ($26.00) is truly memorable and certainly one of the chef's finest efforts. Delicate melt-in-your-mouth, medium-rare slices arrive in the complementary company of a crisp moo shoo pancake basket filled with a warm salad of duck confit, carrots, yellow peppers, scallions, and red onion. The chaperone is a delightfully perky plum sauce.
Included with your entrée is a good but not terribly exciting house salad of mixed greens tossed with a roasted shallot-white balsamic vinaigrette. What is terribly exhilarating, however, are a number of the vegetable sides... sautéed mushrooms ($5.00), homemade fries ($5.00), asparagus and haricots verts ($6.00). But if you really want to delve into decadence, order yourself up a bountiful mound of Gorgonzola mashed potatoes ($5.00)... Definitely worth the fin.
Desserts feature an excellent caramel cheesecake ($8.00) garnished with a dollop of white chocolate ice cream, caramel sauce, touch of crème anglaise, and biscotti. The Key lime pie tart ($5.00) is also quite good -- just the right color and consistency -- sporting a terrific crumbly graham cracker crust, smattering of strawberries, and berry drizzle. The only semi-disappointment was the yellow layer cake with white chocolate icing and lemon filling ($6.00), which, rightly or wrongly, struck me as faintly reminiscent of something that might well have emerged fully assembled from the frozen food section at Pepperidge Farm.
The Mahogany Grille does not accept reservations; and since it is exceedingly popular, your best bet is to arrive early. The restaurant begins serving dinner at 5:00 p.m. (4:00 p.m. on Sundays)... but the bar opens at 4:00 p.m. daily. If you plan to dine on a madcap Saturday evening, my advice would be to put in an appearance at about 4:45 p.m.; this stratagem will afford you ample opportunity to spend a few leisurely moments perusing (and sampling) the reasonably priced wine list before the hungry hordes descend in earnest.
The 2000 Pinot Gris from Oregon's King Estate ($7.75 per glass) is an excellent way to perk up your appetite for the good things to come... ditto the 2000 Laboure-Roi Pouilly-Fuisse ($8.00). In the red wine department, the 2000 Estancia Pinot Noir is exceedingly light and velvety on the palate. If you're contemplating a bottle to enjoy with your meal, I would suggest a very nice 1999 Clos Du Bois "Reserve" Chardonnay ($23.00) or the always reliable 2000 Rosemount Shiraz ($26.00).
Although located on the Jersey Shore, the Mahogany Grille is a restaurant that is worthy of a gastronomic pilgrimage during any season of the year. It is a sure winner.
Cuisine: Eclectic/Fusion
Hours: Dinner: Mon - Thurs, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Sun, 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Credit Cards: All major
Attire: Smart Casual
Smoking: Smoking is permitted at the bar only.
Reservations: Not accepted
Parking: Lot behind the restaurant; ample street parking
Alcohol: License
Price: Expensive
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
