The Avenue

I had the opportunity to eat at this french restaurant for my fathers birthday. Located on the new promenade boardwalk in Long Branch, New Jersey, the main dining floor is surrounded by towering windows leading to extremely high ceilings with hanging chandeliers in the center. A fireplace marks the center of the far wall, which almost seems out of place because of the very urbanized loyal customers, almost manhattanite decor(besides the high ceilings of course).
Regardless of my scrupulous observance, the meal and the company I enjoyed were definately memorable.

I had two dishes which I would have never imagined eating five years ago.

My appetizer was handmade Veal Cheek Ravioli's with roasted butternut sqush. I was so amazed by the flavor of the veal cheek stuffing inside the ravioli. Better than the most perfect short rib I have tasted(or as I interpret as perfect to this point in my palate's experience). The butternut squash complimented this by adding a smoother texture to the shredded texture of the ravioli filling.

My entree was braised wild boar. This was less than great but still ambitious. Whether it was ambitious for the chef to put it on the menu or for me to order it at a table filled with females, I am not sure. I truely am a sucker for papperdelle pasta and the braised wild boar was listed on the menu with one of my worst temptations (its pathetic, most peoples are chocolate). Unfortunately, the pasta was the best part of this dish. The meat resembled a cross between the flavor of a pot roast and the texture of a poorly executed beef bourginon. I was disappointed but I still managed to search the entire plate for that unique wild boar flavor I had anticipated, but didn't find. Maybe I was just hungry.