For those of you who might still not know despite all of the years of mentioning Aura on SoBros Network podcasts, I married a Jersey girl. Over the course of our nearly 14 years together, I’ve spent my fair share of time in the Garden State. Aura and I were recently up visiting family for the Memorial Day holiday. It just so happened to coincide with our third wedding anniversary. It’s hard to fathom how quickly the time flies, but I digress. These trips are fun, and they always go by so quickly. But, it occurred to my wife and I that in all of these years and all of these visits, we’d never done a true date night in New Jersey…just the two of us…doing something new…with nowhere else to be. I was told when we got up there that we actually had dinner reservations at Nicholas Barrel & Roost on the night of our third wedding anniversary. So, this was a big box for us to check off of our list. And, it certainly helped my indecisiveness in regard to planning the night!
When we arrived at the restaurant, I was taken aback by the ambience. Lit like a charming New York City steakhouse, buzzing with the murmur of the deep conversations that a good meal can bring out among friends and the type of laughter aided by your libation of choice, it felt like a destination…as if this was the place to be in New Jersey that evening. Yet, the farmhouse style interior comforted me – I’m from Nashville, after all. Something about it felt a little like home. At our table, we were greeted by a familiar face, Nahum. Nahum happened to have married into the same family I did. I’m not sure if a brother-in-law-in-law is an actual thing, but I guess if it were, that would be us…brother-in-law-in-laws. Regardless, his title at Nicholas Barrel & Roost is ‘Server.’ The man’s expertise is evident from one conversation with him. I’ve been listening to food, wine, and gin recommendations from him for going on 12 years at this point. It is absolutely a credit to the dining experience to have that sort of knowledge on hand.
We started with drinks. My wife ordered the spicy kiwi margarita. I decided to treat myself with a bourbon flight that featured three bourbons from “The Nicholas Barrel Reserve,” a list of bourbons you can only get at the restaurant or online. The flight featured 1oz pours of exclusive offerings from Bulleit Bourbon, Jeffersons Very Old, and Old Forrester. The Bulleit was my favorite…easily the smoothest without sacrificing any flavor. I picked up on hints of vanilla and caramel in the aroma, and it went down the hatch dangerously. The Jeffersons Very Old brought forth butter pecan notes, and while it was smooth, it was a step up in terms of its punch. The Old Forrester was the most stout of the bunch – it’s enough to put some hair on your chest. I told Nahum that I felt like the Old Forrester was trying to hurt me. Maybe that was just the measure of the man I am – I did feel compelled to hit the gym after trying it. Regardless, they’re all best enjoyed neat…no need to water these bad boys down with melting ice.
Though we had an incredibly strong tip that the fried cheese curds are the appetizer to go with, we followed Nahum’s recommendation of the Vermont cheddar beer cheese, topped with crumbled bacon and scallions. It was served with potato wedges. I’m a sucker for a good potato wedge, and these were some of the best I’ve had. With a baked, fluffy interior and a crispy exterior, they were cooked to the perfect texture. A coating of seasoning added a little zip to the flavor, and it was perfectly balanced out by the rich creamy flavor of the beer cheese. I probably could’ve thrown in the towel at the appetizer – maybe even called for a second order and gone home happy, but alas, we had entrees to order.
Aura went with the seared gulf shrimp saffron risotto. Of course, if I was going to write about the evening, I’d have to try a bite, I told her. It was for the sake of journalism here! Plump shrimp that seem to burst upon that initial bite, a risotto that grounds the flavor and provides a smooth texture to the experience, with the slightest hints of lemon and parmesan…it was like taking in a beautiful painting at an art museum…tasting how the ingredients combined to make for a masterpiece. Myself? I went with the Gobetti pasta…a pasta dish comprised of pulled short rib ragout, garlic and herb olive oil, and shaved pecorino. I’d also received a trustworthy tip that the short rib was fantastic. So, when I read that they offered a dish with short rib -and- pasta? Game over. My mind was made up immediately. The bites of short rib melted like butter in my mouth. With each spoonful, the flavor seemed to seep out and spread across my palate…a savory, hearty dish that warmed the spirit as much as it satiated my appetite.
With drinks, appetizers, and main entrees in the books, it was time for dessert. And, from the moment I laid eyes on the words ‘banana bourbon toffee cake’ on the menu, I knew what my choice would be. Thankfully, Aura agreed. We wouldn’t have to rock, paper, scissors it at the dining room table to determine who got to pick dessert. I can sit here and try all day, and I don’t believe I’ll think of a dessert I’ve ever had that I enjoyed more. From the rich sauce that drowned the cake, the sticky goodness of a coating of toffee over everything, and the ice cream that softened the flavor just when it was threatening to become too decadent, it was a complete dessert. Factor in that it was paired with a port of Nahum’s choosing, and it was the perfect bow to tie on our meal. If only it were still acceptable in 2025 to pull out a pipe and smoke tobacco in a restaurant, I would’ve packed one up and probably fallen asleep at the table.
A good meal for a special occasion means much more than simply eating good food. It’s a big part of it – don’t get me wrong. But, it’s more than that, too. It’s the ability to slow down. It’s the gratitude of good company and conversations that nourish the soul. It’s the chance to leave the worries of the real world behind, if only for a couple of hours. I left Nicholas Barrel & Roost with a relaxed buzz (don’t worry – I wasn’t driving) and a full belly. That was all well and good, but where this restaurant really excelled was in the care of the service and the quality of the environment. I didn’t just feel satisfied. I felt restored. For a guy that works a lot and typically runs pretty hot, that’s important to me. It was one of the best meals I’ve had in quite a long time.
For more on Nicholas Barrel & Roost, check out their website here. It’s a shame I don’t have a “New Jersey restaurant power rankings” on the site the way I do for Nashville. Nicholas Barrel & Roost would surely top that list. If you ever catch yourself in the Red Bank area, I can’t recommend stopping by enough. 10/10.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, third on Football & Other F Words, co-host of The Hot Read Podcast, analyst for Stacking The Inbox, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, the NFL Draft, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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