This week, the SEMGeeks PPC team decided to check out a few local eateries around the Belmar and Asbury Park area. Each day, we decided to choose a new, unique lunch location to experience what the local area has to offer. From five star Italian restaurants to quick, grab-and-go snack shacks, the Jersey Shore lends itself to delectable dining spots serving up tasty dishes for tourists and year round residents alike. This is the first time we’ve been to any of these establishments, so take a look at our reviews of the eateries we visited on the “SEMGeeks Jersey Shore Food Tour!”
MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos
To kick off our food tour, we decided to head over to Asbury Park and check out MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos. This is a local hot spot, predominantly known for its variety of tacos and wings. With a comfortable atmosphere and convenient locations on Cookman Avenue and the Boardwalk, MOGO is a favorite for those looking for a quick, late night bite after spending a few hours at the bar with friends.
Upon arriving, we ordered a careful mix of tacos that consisted of pork, chicken, and steak. We also decided to order some wings while we were there to complete our lunchtime spread. We went with the soy ginger wings and hot wings.
The MOGO tacos were a delicious and unique spin on the classic taco, and the wings were outstanding; definitely worthy of the cult following they have formed around the area.
The next stop on our list was The Speakeatery in Asbury Park. We tried a few sandwiches including North of the Mason (pork roll and egg topped off with 5 cheese mac-n-cheese) and South of the Mason (pulled pork with their homemade BBQ sauce topped off with 5 cheese mac-n-cheese). Along with these, we also tried The Bootlegger which is a buttermilk soaked, southern fried boneless pork chop smothered in sausage gravy and sandwiched between a homemade buttermilk biscuit.
We thoroughly enjoyed everything we tried. Each option on the menu offered something unique and special that we never had experienced or saw before. From sandwiches, to salads, to soups, and more, there is a little something for everyone!
Next on the list was BBQ. We decided to take a walk over to Jersey Shore BBQ and get a taste of some of their award winning dishes.
We decided to order brisket sandwiches. We went with the sliced brisket and the burnt ends brisket sandwiches. Personally, I love burnt ends because they really capture all of the flavor of the meat and the smoker, but both sandwiches were delicious. You also get free chips and pico while you wait for your food, which is a nice touch that you don’t just get anywhere. You can’t go wrong with brisket sandwiches, and this was no exception: they were delicious.
Source: cielitolindomexicanfood.com
We couldn’t go on a food tour and not stop by an authentic Mexican restaurant along the way. So we headed over to Cielito Lindo, which is a local spot and a favorite around the office here as well.
We went with some classic Mexican tacos. We got a few different meats like “carnitas,” “chorizo,” “al pastor,” and “lengua.” Now, the lengua isn’t for everyone, but if you give it a try you might finding yourself liking it. Needless to say, the tacos were delicious, and when tacos are paired with a nice and cold Agua de Horchata, you really can’t go wrong.
The last stop on our food tour was Hoagitos, a small restaurant with locations in both Belmar and Asbury Park that looks to blend fast food convenience with high quality food.
We tried the grilled chicken sliders, as well as the meatball sandwich. Both of these were fantastic options that we would recommend to anyone. Hoagitos has an array of other options as well, including roast beef, brisket, and veggie selections.
Overall, Hoagitos was certainly able to deliver on their mission to offer great food at a fast food pace; everything was delicious.
This “SEMGeeks Jersey Shore Food Tour” opened our eyes to just some of the amazing restaurants that exist in our local area. We would personally recommend any of the five restaurants listed above if you ever find yourself in the area and are looking for a quick bite. This was so successful and fun, we will likely be looking to do another food tour in the future!
