3 minute read
Asbury Park Press
This summer, Waterman's Tavern in Brielle closed its doors — but it wasn't the end.
Renovations began, and in early November, a new concept opened in its place: Whiskey Lounge. To find out what's new, we checked in with owner Larry Grafas of Higgins Restaurant Group.
Why did you decide to renovate and rename the restaurant?
We decided to rebrand because we saw an opportunity to give the customers what they had been asking for. We saw the difficulties certain customers were having with the cost of gas prices going up, so we wanted to create an environment where we could still serve good comfort food at a reasonable cost.
While there are great restaurants in the area, a lot of them focus on fine dining, and we wanted to create an atmosphere that was more in line with what the customers wanted — and needed — during this time. And in doing that, we’ve created a place where our guests can feel comfortable coming in for either a burger or a filet mignon.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
What changes have been made to the restaurant?
We did a lot of exterior changes, including recoloring the facade of the building and replacing the side entrance completely with a new staircase. Inside, we finalized the mural of the inlet that encompasses the tavern — It incorporates boats belonging to slipholders of Hoffman’s Marina.
We also replaced all of the furniture and the lighting inside the tavern to give it a more trendy and inviting feel and reopened the bar grill so guests can watch their meals being prepared.
More:Mugsy’s Mercantile from Chef Meg LaManna opens in Point Pleasant Beach
Has the menu changed?
Waterman’s Tavern was a place where you could either order a pizza or a dry-aged steak. We’ve still kept that aspect, but now we’re incorporating more comfort food into the menu.
We now offer specialty grilled cheese sandwiches, artisanal pizzas, double-stacked smash burgers and creative sandwiches in addition to the more “fine-dining” entrees on the menu, like our dry-aged steaks, seafood and chicken selections.
More:MrBeast Burger is coming to town, thanks to Manasquan's Blend on Main
Why focus on whiskey?
You don’t realize how many people love whiskey until you open a whiskey bar. Whiskey is something that can be fun and exciting to cook with in addition to just enjoying the standard drink.
We’ve incorporated whiskey into our burgers that now have whiskey-caramelized onions, into our desserts that are topped with whiskey-infused whipped cream, and our appetizers, like our whiskey-glazed bacon — just a hint so not to be overpowering, but enough to get that subtle flavor across your plate.
We also get to be creative with our cocktails as well. We have about 10 signature whiskey, bourbon and scotch cocktails that vary from sweet to spicy, like our whiskey lemonade or the classic Boulevardier.
More:Spicy's in Point Pleasant Beach serves Mexican fare, 'elevated' margaritas
Which whiskey is your favorite?
We actually have more than 75 different whiskey, bourbon and scotch varieties at the moment, and will soon have more than 90. I’m not a big drinker, but I do enjoy the flavor of the Japanese whiskeys, which will be coming into the bar shortly.
Prior to coming up with this concept, I never really tasted a lot of whiskey, so in the coming weeks we’ll be offering “whiskey flights” for any guest that simply wants a variety of whiskeys to taste, or maybe someone doesn’t know what type of whiskey they like. This gives them the opportunity to try a few and decide what type of whiskey they enjoy.
Go: Whiskey Lounge is open for dinner; 403 Higgins Ave. in Brielle; 732-722-8978, whiskeyloungebriellenj.com.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to [email protected].