Oh, What a Night – the Final Chapter

The last (but some of the best!) reviews from the Imagine Long Branch Masquerade kickoff party:

Branches Catering

Branches Catering in West Long Branch brought their fabulous mashed potato bar to the Masquerade party.  Looking at the mashed potato bar made my head spin thinking of all the delicious combinations I could make!  First, you have a choice of either mashed Yukon Gold or mashed sweet potatoes, both of which are creamy, smooth perfection.  Then comes the big decision – selecting from all of the possible toppings, including caramelized onions, mushrooms, sour cream, crumbled bacon, salsa, and diced scallions.  I opted for the Yukon Gold potatoes, topped with crumbled bleu cheese and rich, brown mushroom gravy.  The warm, rich gravy softened the bleu cheese, and the two became one rich, creamy delicious topping for my potatoes.  I only wish the mashed potato bar was not exclusive to catered events…maybe Branches should open a small location that serves this delicious treat to the general public? 

Nip-N-Tuck Bar & Grill

Nip-N-Tuck brought fried chicken bites and BBQ pulled pork to the Masquerade.  As I explained in my prior post, my husband is one of the owners of the Nip-N-Tuck.  I have to admit, I was not so excited about the chicken bites (chicken fingers/nuggets/bites are not one of my favorites), but the Nip-N-Tuck’s pulled pork was amazing!  Moist, tender pork, cooked slowly until it pulls apart and shreds perfectly, slathered with tangy, smoky barbeque sauce.  Since this was a tasting event, the pulled pork was served in small cups on its own, but at the Nip-N-Tuck, it is usually served as a special, on a roll with or without coleslaw, and accompanied by a side of sweet potato fries.  There are not too many barbeque places in this area, but that is okay – you can satisfy your craving for good BBQ pulled pork at the Nip-N-Tuck!

Surf Taco

I have been to Surf Taco in West End on many occasions, and am a big fan of their “coastal cuisine.”  Lucky for me, they brought their chicken enchiladas to the Masquerade, which is a menu item I had not tried before.  Like the rest of Surf Taco’s menu, the enchiladas were fresh and delicious.  Shredded chicken and cheese were wrapped in tortillas and topped with roasted red pepper sauce and melted jack and cheddar cheese.  The roasted red pepper sauce was sweet and spicy, and the roasted red peppers gave it a delicious distinction from other enchilada sauces.  I will definitely keep the enchiladas in mind the next time I am eating at Surf Taco!

Well, that’s it – the end of my culinary tour of the offerings at the Imagine Long Branch Masquerade.  I had a great time at this unique event, and relished the opportunity to eat my way through the delicious offerings from the local restaurants and food vendors.  Keep your eyes posted on this blog and the Imagine Long Branch 2nd Saturdays website for news about upcoming 2nd Saturdays events!

Tags: Events, Food, Long Branch, Reviews