Red Bank
With accolades from AAA, The New York Times, Zagat, Gayot, and more, Restaurant Nicholas by chef Nicholas Harary and his wife, Melissa, made good on a promise to "redefine modern fine dining absent of the big city." Then they pivoted to Barrel & Roost, going from white tablecloths to the feel of a modern farmhouse with a new menu of made-from-scratch food, including bourbon-braised suckling pig and a butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster pot pie.
Reviewer rave: "We avoided going here for years because we perceived it as pretentious and probably overrated. We went last night for a special occasion, and found it to be a restaurant with high quality, imaginative, and perfectly designed and prepared food, with professional service, and with very nice decor. Evidently, it has undergone a transition, with prices much closer to normal than we expected. Looking forward to another visit soon." — AFamilyAdventurer on TripAdvisor
