French bar and bistro opens at Jersey Shore

If your idea of the perfect Jersey Shore dinner involves a little less boardwalk pizza and a little more French Riviera, there’s a new place that might be for you.

Marée, a French coastal-inspired bistro and bar, has officially opened in downtown Spring Lake, according to NJ.com, bringing a menu built around fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients and a laid-back coastal vibe. The restaurant takes its name from the French word for “tide,” which seems fitting just a few blocks from the Atlantic. Also, now I know exactly four French words. Oui, monsieur, mademoiselle and marée.

Now here’s what I first thought. Even for a nicer town like Spring Lake, isn’t a French bistro a bit too high class and formal for the casual atmosphere of the Jersey Shore?

But the owners say the idea is to blend the elegance of a French seaside bistro with the relaxed feel of the Jersey Shore. In fact, their website invites, “Come as you are, and leave feeling a little better than when you arrived.”

In other words, don’t expect anything stuffy. Their goal is a place where you can enjoy a delicious meal, sip a cocktail or a glass of wine, and feel just as comfortable in shorts after a day at the beach as you would dressed up for date night. Knowing that made me immediately more comfortable trying them.

The menu focuses on what’s fresh and in season, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The restaurant also offers craft cocktails, an extensive wine selection and plans to host special dinners and tasting events throughout the year.

Let’s be honest, New Jersey has no shortage of Italian restaurants, seafood shacks and burger joints. But a French bistro isn’t something you stumble across every day, especially at the shore. If they can deliver on that relaxed atmosphere and the food is high-end, this could end up being one of the more interesting new restaurant openings of the summer.

Marée is located at 1123 Third Ave. in Spring Lake.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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