The “New” Butcher’s Block Is Simply Amazing

I laugh at times when people say there are not enough choices of restaurants at the Jersey Shore because there are plenty.  Sometimes depending on where you live it might require a bit of a drive but for most of us there are great places to dine and some wonderful choices when it comes to searching for something special.  Take for example The Butcher’s Block which is a stone’s throw from the train station in Long Branch.

I’ve been fortunate to eat here thanks to a relationship we have with our Shore Sports Network.  We celebrated my wife’s birthday there last January and a month later the restaurant closed for a massive renovation, including the installation of a bar as they now have a liquor license.  You should know it’s not just a restaurant as the D’Ambrisi family goes back more than four decades in the butcher “business.” While the restaurant was being renovated they still did a brisk business of fresh cuts of meat from the butcher in what they call “Block Boxes.”

Well the renovation is almost complete and the plan is to open to the public in February.  However with a little luck and the fact my wife wanted to go there with our children for a recent milestone birthday we are able to secure a spot there on Saturday night.  They are basically testing out items for the new menu and we ordered from the list of options provided…which was still more than enough.  The food was as delicious as ever as my rib-eye streak was cooked to perfection.  However it is the newly refurbished inside which has taken this awesome dining experience to another level and makes for a rather unforgettable evening.

A little side note.  When we first entered our host took us on a tour and talked about all the changes. As we were getting ready to leave we learned that he was Andrew Mandeville who I remember quite well from his days playing football at Raritan High School and later Monmouth University where he began a friendship with teammate Tommy D’Ambrisi who is the owner of “The Block.”

Bottom line…I can never go too far without a sports connection.