Larimar, Spring Lake, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
Larimar
1311 Third Ave
Spring Lake, NJ
(732) 359-6700
Website
Larimar: Restaurant Summary
Fare: Modern European
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: High end, A creative, well executed menu using fresh, quality ingredients.
Service: Service is professional, well trained, attentive and friendly. The wait staff clad in suits and ties.
Ambiance: Upscale, modern look with an exposed brick wall , and an elegant touch of formality
Overall Rating: 3 Stars --- Spring Lakes best fine dining restaurant
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Low - Moderate
Dress: Business Casual. No sorts, t-shirts, or beach attire
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy high end fine dining in an attractive, elegant setting
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer casual style family dining with a traditional American menu
Recommended dishes: When available, The Scottish Salmon with charred leek, baby fennel, pickled mushroom, lotus root crisp, espelette pepper vanilla saffron fume; The Filet Wellington with roasted white asparagus, mushrooms, prosciutto, foie gras espuma; and The Whole Roasted Bronzino with cannelloni beans, marinated red peppers, lemon confit, salmoriglio.
Liquor: BYOB
Restaurant Review
Larimar is a fine dining, upscale restaurant with an elegant touch of formality in an era when restaurants are downsizing to casual, industrial chic ambiance. Larimar is popular with couples celebrating a romantic occasion and for small groups out to enjoy a special high end, fine dining experience.
Larimar restaurant fits in perfectly with Spring lake, an upscale Jersey shore community with huge Victorian houses, manicured lawns, tree-lined streets, flower filled parks, and a well managed beach that's never been corrupted by honky tonk.
The restaurant is family owned and operated by the Paulus Family, brothers John and Bobby Paulus and their parents, Irv and Karen. They bring with them extemsive high end restaurant experience having worked at Jean-Georges, Sushisamba and L'Impero in NYC, and Due Marie in New Brunswick.
The entrance to the restaurant opens into the attractive small bar area with an exposed brick wall background and seating for 8. There are two small tables, and a sofa-style seating area for four more.
The host at the entrance to the dining room approaches guests with a welcoming greeting as he relieves diners of the BYOB wines and arranges to have them carefully taken to your table.
The 64 seat dining room decor has a simplistic, elegant feel to it with tones of blue, gray, and white fitted with blue leather chairs and comfortable tufted, banquettes. There is a touch of informality with an exposed brick wall, though it's fits in nicely with the tray ceiling and white draperies hanging over the large windows looking out onto the street. Tables are set with white linen on a flooring of patterned blue carpeting.
The dining room ambiance is enhanced by soft jazz music playing in the background and excellent acoustics making quiet conversation easily attainable.
While overseen by the Paulis family, the kitchen is run by chef Tony Palangi who applies his creative culinary skills with meticulousness in preparing an excellent modern European menu, drawing on influences from his mother, and in working in restaurants in Charleston and the Florida Keys.
Many of the items are house made, including the bread, pasta, and dessert
The Larimar restaurant is open six days/week; for Lunch - Tuesday to Saturday starting at 12:00 pm; For Dinner - Tuesday thru Sunday starting at 5:00 pm. Closed Monday
They are also open on Thanksgiving serving a special prix fixe Thanksgiving menu.
Larimar is not recommended for children.
(updated: November, 2019)
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