DINING AROUND With Gina Rose April 03, 2006

Salt Creek Grille
4 Bingham Avenue,
Rumson, NJ 07760
732-933-9272
www.saltcreekgrille.com

On a cool winters night, or a warm summer afternoon, the Salt Creek Grille is more than appealing.  Located in Rumson New Jersey, right on the Navesink River and five minutes from the quaint town of Red Bank, this restaurant is in the perfect location.  For couples looking for a romantic evening on the town, or families looking for great food and service, the Salt Creek Grille is a must see.

With two other restaurants in Dana Point and Valencia California, the New Jersey location does the job of making you feel as if you were in another atmosphere.  Founders Tim McCune and Pete Truxaw both have lived out their dreams of opening an American Grille that appealed to everyone.  Executive chef at the New Jersey restaurant, Richard Deutsch makes his dishes identical to the delectable descriptions given in the menu.

Upon our arrival my dining companion and I were greeted with a warm breeze from the outdoor fire as couples gathered around with their cocktails awaiting their dinner tables.  This certainly helped pass the time, as you were able to admire the beautiful surroundings and keep pleasantly warm.  If you are more the indoor type, the fairly large bar and televisions would definitely keep you occupied as you also looked out upon the water.

Our table was in an intimate setting with candles and perfect ambiance while we overlooked the Navesink River to our right.  We both started off with cocktails that were delightful.  A sample of three different breads, calamata olive, multi-grain, and sourdough with calamatta olive butter, were brought out for us to enjoy while we decided on our choices.  For our appetizer, we decided on the Jumbo Shrimp, stuffed with horseradish and wrapped in bacon, accompanied with a chipotle honey sauce for dipping.  The sweetness of the sauce complimented the subtle, yet noticeable, spiciness that was given off by the horseradish in the shrimp.  I would definitely recommend this dish even as an entree.

Our server Sharon was extremely helpful in her knowledge of each dish.  We were both torn as to what we wanted and she really steered us in the right direction.   At a practical price, I opted for the Mesquite Grilled Baby Back Ribs, which were prepared slow-roasted so the meat fell right off the bone.  They were brushed with a tangy BBQ sauce and served with southwest coleslaw and salt creek fries.  The flavor was excellent!  My dining companion decided to try a “Salt Creek Specialty”, the King Salmon Steak with a crab, shrimp, and artichoke stuffing topped off with an herb butter sauce.  He alternated the citrus herb rice for their horseradish mashed potatoes and garlic spinach on the side.  The salmon was so tender his fork went right through it and the mashed potatoes were flavored like nothing he had sampled before, just exquisite!

 After we unwound a bit from dinner the Salt Creeks signature dessert was brought to us (you must order it while you are eating your dinner because it is baked fresh on the premises).  I must say it certainly was, death by chocolate! It was so unbelievable and tasty, my boyfriend and I were content enough to fall asleep right there at the table once we had made our way through it.