The Bonney Read Chowder House
Image by flickr4jazz
The Texas A&M Aggie Ring was telling me about a new Chowder House in Downtown, Asbury Park, New Jersey named the “Bonney Read.”
“We need to drive over today for happy hour and some shellfish!” said Aggie Ring. “Sure!” I replied. Who am I to argue with an Aggie Ring?
Aggie Ring and I started out with several exotic cocktails. The first was the “Black Beard” which was comprised of Prairie Organic Gin, rosemary thyme simple syrup, and macerated blackberries (ouch!). It was excellent, but then any drink with good gin usually is.
The next drink we tried was the “Smashing Pumpkin.” It was made from Sugar Island Spiced Rum, fresh pumpkin puree, vanilla-infused simple syrup and nutmeg. It was good too, but it was like drinking a pumpkin pie made from a drunk pumpkin.
We started off with a bowl of “Jersey Green” Clam Chowder made with green peppers, fennel, sausage, and plenty of clams! “Jersey Green” Chowder puts Manhattan and New England chowders to shame.
When the freshly shucked shellfish arrived from the raw bar, Aggie Ring jumped right into the middle of the raw local New Jersey clams. “I like to eat clam!” shouted out Aggie Ring. After devouring the clam, Aggie Ring went on to consume a dozen East Coast raw oysters. I believe at least one selection was from Maryland.
The larger variety were fresh and delicious and didn’t have that slimy taste you sometimes get with raw oysters. The smaller ones were fantastic! Aggie Ring said, “They taste like the sea! They are incredible!” Aggie Ring likes eating raw oysters almost as much as he likes eating the clam. Aggie Ring says, “As long as they don’t taste ‘fishy’ they’re fresh and safe to eat!”
Aggie Ring then said, “I think I can eat a bit more. Let’s try the Chorizo & Clam Fritters with the saffron aioli and chives!” Well, Aggie Ring was wrong about that call. We were already so full that we only managed to finish four of them. They were quite good. On the way home Aggie Ring told me that he’d never had clams and chorizo at the same time. “Don’t talk while you’re driving!” I admonished the Aggie Ring.
Aggie Ring says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!"
