![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2011\/09\/p1000681.jpg\" "\\"One")
One night a friend of a friend took us out on his boat down in the inland waterways near Mantoloking, NJ. Things have changed, but it’s still as beautiful as ever.<\/p><\/div>The Jersey Shore was an ideal place to be growing up in America in the 1970’s.\u00a0 I was free to ride my bike to school, walk all over town, and play hide and seek on the roofs of the empty summer homes that were only inhabited 3-4 months a year.<\/p>\n
While visiting back here, I think about the freedom I had compared to my own kids, now growing up on the west coast in Southern California in a different time and place altogether.\u00a0 We rode our bikes everywhere.\u00a0 Now, my kids ride bikes, but I take them to the beach, or the park to do so.\u00a0 Things sure are different.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n
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This isn’t my small town bridge, it’s up the rails a piece. I just happend to take this picture on my way home one evening as the darkening skies started to bring down a little rain.<\/p><\/div>I have been working back here in NYC and staying with some friends and family, commuting into the city and passing many landmarks that bring back all sorts of memories.\u00a0 There’s the railroad bridge that crosses Sea Girt Lake, where I remember playing endlessly on these very railroad tracks, on the bridge, and under the bridge.\u00a0 We would lay pennies on the tracks, throw rocks into the lake, try to set crab traps, build rock walkways, fish, build forts, etc.\u00a0 As I roll over the same bridge now, in my adulthood, I remembered as clear as if I were that ten year old boy lowering a fishing pole, or laying a crab trap down from between the railroad tracks into the water.\u00a0 My friend Richard and I once were startled when the sound of a train horn came bearing down on us.\u00a0 You never saw two kids drop what they were doing so fast and escape to the “safety” of the rocky slope just off the edge of the bridge.\u00a0 Our trap had fallen into the water — gone.\u00a0 As we settled into our safe position, panting, we peered down the tracks awaiting the rushing train, and watched as a fire truck rolled across the railroad tracks and continued down the road.\u00a0 No train.\u00a0 No dramatic swooshing rumbling rush. What a let down! And now, we didn’t have our crab trap.\u00a0 I wonder what we would have done with any crab if we had even caught one? (End of memory riff…)<\/p>\n
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Here’s the sign you’re looking for and there are no words necessary here.<\/p><\/div>Now I’m back in New York.\u00a0 What a great city.\u00a0 I can hardly process it all.\u00a0 Imagine what we could do here on a Pizza Quest?!\u00a0 We could literally set up shop and start questing and likely never leave this town.\u00a0 The pizza is spectacular.\u00a0 The food is amazing.\u00a0 The variety and flow of it all is breathtaking.\u00a0 To refer back to an article I wrote recently, I guess I can’t help but to keep my eyes out for those “chalkboard” signs that will lead me to something new, amazing, or different.\u00a0 There are so many here, literally, on every corner.<\/p>\n
One of my favorite new joints in New York has to be The Spotted Pig.\u00a0 I was meeting a friend for dinner and got there a little early to be seated, but the downstairs bar was full.\u00a0 So, I wandered upstairs and found a couple of seats at the bar. I ordered my first Old Speckled Hen and asked for a menu while I waited for my friend to show up.\u00a0 The bartender said, “As soon as I get it, it’s yours!”\u00a0 He was waiting for the daily printing of the menu.\u00a0 This is evidence of part of the magic of this place.\u00a0 I’ve been here multiple times during my trips to NY.\u00a0 The menu is always changing.\u00a0 I love that they are literally waiting for the final menu as they are already opening service for dinner.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
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The end of my first Hen – sad only in that it’s almost gone, but a happy occasion as one was surely to follow.<\/p><\/div>Everything on the menu is familiar, comforting, but also challenging and slightly different.\u00a0 The dishes are simple, but explosive with flavor.\u00a0 I sent a text to a friend (Dave Wilson – who has shot most of our videos on Pizza Quest and is a fellow foodie), who I knew would be thoroughly jealous that I was here.\u00a0 He shot a text back saying, “Get the Deviled Egg, the Mussels, and the Crispy Pigs Ear!”\u00a0 I snapped a photo of my Old Speckled Hen, knowing this back-lit glistening beer would really set him over the top, and sent that off.\u00a0 Just then, I got another text, “I was just going to tell you to have an Old Speckled Hen for me!”\u00a0 <\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2011\/09\/p1000731.jpg\" "\\"The")
The second floor bar window that let in the setting sunlight as the day came to a close…<\/p><\/div>My friend Steve got there and by now there was no way I was leaving this bar stool — no need to get a table.\u00a0 There’s something about this place that makes me really feel at home.\u00a0 It’s more like having a beer and some great food in your friend’s basement bar, than being out at a restaurant.\u00a0 The only caveat to that is that there is one MAD Chef in this kitchen pushing the experience beyond sustenance and into the realm of experiential and memorable.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
So, in Dave’s honor, having never had a fried crispy pig’s ear in my life, I decided that if it was on this menu it was not only
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2011\/09\/p1000749.jpg\" "\\"My")
My first pigs ear and a fine one at that. The endive salad with lemon vinegrette went fabulously with this fried ear o the pig.<\/p><\/div> going to be good, but great.\u00a0 My friend looked on in horror as I continued my order. I added the Steamed Mussels with Prosciutto, Cava and Samphire.\u00a0 The pig’s ear was accompanied by a small endive salad with a lemon caper dressing.\u00a0 Now Steve felt pressured; he’s not the most adventurous eater.\u00a0 So, he took a leap and ordered the Char Grilled Burger with Roquefort and Shoestrings!\u00a0 I’ve had it before — it’s really good.\u00a0 We shared the Deviled Egg appetizer followed by another round of Hens and, as a follow up, because we didn’t get enough Deviled Egg the first round, we went for round two.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2011\/09\/p1000741.jpg\" "\\"Round")
Round 2!<\/p><\/div>This isn’t a review of the food, or this restaurant.\u00a0 I am just sharing the experience as a way to further explore our journey here on Pizza Quest.\u00a0 We are intrigued by the passion it takes to bring memorable food to the table.\u00a0 Our focus is on pizza, but the elements are similar across the board.\u00a0 It requires a balance of passion, dedication, taste, vision, with perhaps a dash of insanity.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
As I write this, I can sort back through my visits here and recall the welcoming feeling and satisfaction I have experienced every time I come here.\u00a0 This sometimes comes
![](\"https:\/\/www.fornobravo.com\/pizzaquest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2011\/09\/p1000755.jpg\" "\\"You")