More of this Feature • Part 1: Manasquan, New Jersey • Part 2: Manasquan, New Jersey continued
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Elsewhere on the Web • Manasquan, NJ

WHAT TO DO
A walk down Main Street is a favorite pastime of boaters. Here’s why.

• Main Street’s Algonquin Arts Theatre (732) 528-9211 presents a year-round schedule of music, drama, and film.

• You’ll find needlepoint to Louis XIV furniture at the Eclectic Mix (732) 223-7170 and perhaps that antique knickknack. Also check out the offerings at the Main Street Art Gallery Phone: (732) 223-1268 and the Eagle Glass Studio/Cain Gallery (732) 528-8696.

• With 150 wreck sites in his cadre of diving opportunities, Capt. Steve Nagiewicz (732) 477-8404 will make your visit an adventurous one. Nagiewicz’s Diversion II dive boat is regarded as one of the best operations in the area.

• Manasquan Beach (732) 223-2514 has 12 lifeguard stations and a flag system designating swimming, rafting, and surfing areas. The recreational beach has a volleyball court, and Tuesday evenings in summer are for league play. The inlet beach has some of the finest surfing on the East Coast, and even if you don’t hang ten yourself, you won’t be disappointed at the show the locals put on. Daily beach passes are five dollars.

• U.S.C.G.-licensed Shore Catch Guide Service (732) 528-1861 offers saltwater fly-fishing from the beach in a 4x4 or aboard its custom-rigged Parker 21-foot center console boat. Guides Jim Freda, Shell Caris, and Darin Muly, along with captains Brian Pasch and Gene Quigley, will give you a day to remember.

EATERIES
You can find any kind of cuisine in and around Manasquan. Here’s a sampling.

• Go for the gumbo at the Bayou Café (732) 223-6678 and you won’t be disappointed. Other dishes include crawfish etoufee, jambalaya, crab cakes, Bayou chicken, and blackened shrimp or filet mignon. And don’t worry about how hot you order it, as the volunteer fire department is close by.

• Maria’s Colonial Inn (732) 223-2033 serves Italian specialties and house favorites family style. I suggest you order the thin-crust pizza as an appetizer for the table before you even look at the menu. Harpoon Willys (732) 223-8880 is a favorite with the locals. Seafood, steaks, and pasta are featured. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait.

• Besides good food and professional service, the big draw at O’Neill’s Bar & Grill (732) 528-5666 is Jim O’Neill, who runs his establishment with an “open arms” attitude. It’s no wonder the place is always crowded, especially since reservations are not accepted. Start with the fresh, warm crab dip or roasted clams before diving into a bowl of New England clam chowder. Have a Caesar salad next, and then choose from meat, fish, fowl, or pasta. The wine list is extensive, and there is dancing to live music.

• Hands down, Giamano’s (732) 775-4275, in nearby Bradley Beach, is one of my all-time favorite Shore places. Chef Stefan Manno’s Chicken Scarpriello is superb, the pastas are wonderful—notably the bolognese—and the daily specials are, well, always special. Don’t pass up the sautéed portabello mushroom appetizer, and order the hot sauce with the calamari. Make reservations well in advance, especially on the weekends, and don’t forget Grandma Manno’s homemade ricotta cheesecake for dessert.

• My other favorite Bradley Beach haunt is Vic’s (732) 774-8225, where the thin-crust pizza may just be the best you’ve ever had and the pasta fagioli is unforgettable. While I have difficulty accepting the fact that Vic’s stopped making its own birch beer soda, I must admit the IBC bottled root beer is not bad.

If you’ve enjoyed your cruise to Manasquan or have visited someplace you’d like PMY to mention in this column, drop us a line at Cruising, Power & Motoryacht, 260 Madison Ave., 8th Fl., New York, NY 10016. Fax: (917) 256-2282. e-mail: kkreisler@primediasi.com. No phone calls, please.

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