Disclosure: The food/beverages covered in this post were provided to Jersey Bites for free. As always, all views and opinions are the writer’s own.
Crispy edges. Tender inside. Salty like the ocean…in a very good way. That’s what scallop daydreams are made of. But wait—it wasn’t a dream. It was reality and it all happened at Ama Ristorante, an Italian restaurant set on the shores of Sea Bright.
A culinary gem lies among the Ocean Avenue beach clubs. Located in the midst of Driftwood Beach Club is a little Italian oasis. Trust me, and just look for the stairs and dark wood walls. Lush carpets. Extravagant chandeliers. The complete opposite of what you would probably expect a Jersey Shore restaurant to look like. The best part, besides the food and wine list, is the view. Panoramic windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean are just the tip of the iceberg.
The restaurant opened three years ago, and Executive Chef Charles Lesbirel has been cooking up a storm since assuming his current role in the spring of 2014. Lesbirel is no stranger to high profile kitchens. He has honed his skills as the executive chef at Raven and the Peach in Fair Haven, as a chef at David Burke Fromagerie in Rumson, and David Burk & Donatella in New York City. Known for his uncompromising commitment to quality and consistency, Lesbirel goes to great lengths to procure the highest quality local and global seasonal ingredients.
Lesbirel’s passion for freshness and seasonal flavors was on full display when he sent out the beet tartare appetizer as we began our meal on a warm fall evening. Looking for a way to fool the carnivores at your table, this dish exemplifies what Ama Ristorante is trying to achieve, inspiring dishes that break the mold using flavors reminiscent of the season. At least that’s what I got out of it as I took a bite of the cool, earthy beet tartare (yes, it was cold, just like beef tartare), which was highlighted with tangy orange infused crème fraiche and nutty pistachio dust. I would never have put those four things together, but man, oh man… it worked! General Manager Ryan Liepa explained that the beet tartare is the complete opposite of how root vegetables are normally presented (warm). It’s really a fun play and the perfect unexpected fall dish.
The Misto di Terra didn’t disappoint on the seasonal front as well. As my husband noted, it’s the perfect appetizer to order so you can feel a little better about your entrée and dessert choices. Packed with roasted vegetables including agrodolce cipolini onions and salty olives, it was light and the perfect filler for what was yet to come.
For our entrees, we decided, with the urging of our server, Elizabeth (if she’s your server when you go, be sure to ask her about the red bracelet she wears), on the seared scallops with roasted fennel and olive tapenade, and the fettuccine featuring squash blossoms, thinly sliced zucchini, and shaved black truffles. That’s where my scallop daydream began. Four plump day boat scallops, perfectly seasoned and seared. The pasta dish was tasty as well in a light olive oil sauce.
Before I get to the sweet highlight of my meal at Ama Ristorante, I must tell you about the wine selection. This year Ama received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. If you ama (meaning ‘love’ in Latin) wine, Ama can be your mecca. The unique and extensive wine list includes everything from Italian to boutique wines so no matter what dish you order, there’s a complementary wine to accompany it. (Make a note, on Tuesdays all bottles of wine are half off and every Wednesday select wines by the glass are half off. It’s the perfect excuse to try that bottle of wine you’ve been eyeing for the last few months.)
We ended our meal with a house-made strawberry balsamic glaze that accompanied a honey ricotta cake. To get the incredibly thick, almost gelatinous texture of the cake, Lesbirel cooks the cake, and then rewhips it, letting it set more than once. It will stick to your mouth and your ribs, but it’s worth every bite. We paired the ricotta cake with the traditional Tiramisu featuring Kahlua and espresso soaked ladyfingers, which comes in a fair and tasty second on the dessert rankings.
Wine, Tuscan dishes, dreamy desserts, the beach, and absolutely no need to wear a bathing suit: Ama offers the ideal setting for you to enjoy every last bite in your slimming black sweater.
Ama Ristorante
1485 Ocean Avenue
Sea Bright
732-530-9760
Taking a tour of the grounds with Conner in their state-of-the-art tour bus was the highlight of my trip. Conner shares family history about the origins of the cranberry bogs and the town of Whitesbog, which was founded in the 1700s (but is now a part of the Brendan Byrne State Forest). With 28 structures that have been restored, it’s a window into the past of what it was like hundreds of years ago when the iron, glass, and cranberry industries were in full swing.
Legendary baker 
Wine lovers of every varietal (ha!) will enjoy this rare opportunity to sample wines under the direction of New York Times chief wine critic 
James Beard Award-winning author 
“Excellent food.”
When our pasta dishes arrived, that’s when the excellence of Porcini’s magic hit me. The pasta was homemade. All of it! Nowhere on the menu was that even mentioned; yet here they were, surprising our taste buds with homemade treats. There’s just something about homemade pasta that makes what would be a normal dish completely extraordinary. The time, the effort, and let’s be honest, the love that goes into making pasta is transferred directly into the dish. Just one bite of farfalle was like getting a big hug from an Italian grandmother. Except, behind the kitchen door there’s no Italian grandmother.
“This is how we eat at home,” says co-owner Alexandria Mahon when I later spoke with her about what makes Porcini pop. “Simple, really flavorful dinners with candles. We’re a restaurant that’s small and intimate. We want you to feel like you’re dining with us at home.”
Other highlights of the menu include the mushroom fettuccine, crab cakes, and the pork osso buco, which Mahon says on a Saturday night, is not surprising to see on every table.
Junior’s love of cooking started at an early age when he was shucking oysters and clams at Doris and Ed’s in the Highlands at age 15. Working his way through the restaurant business, Junior learned from the best, cooking at Jamian’s Food and Drink, Dive Coastal Bar, Charley’s and the Orange Lawn, and Tennis Club in South Orange.
As for the pièce de résistance—it was everything you would expect an organic, locally raised suckling pig would taste like in the hands of a talented chef. Unlike a lot of “pork dishes,” where the flavor of the sauce does its best to conceal the true pork flavor, Junior presented a pig that tasted just like pork. It was fatty, meaty, and perfectly cooked (not to mention the skin was on point in the crispy department). Brined for 24 hours then smoked for two and a half hours, it finally came together roasting in the oven in… duck fat for another two hours. With a recipe like that, you can bet the meat was full of flavor.
