The Mainland Kitchen & Pub - Manahawkin, NJ

Where:
151 NJ-72
Manahawkin, NJ
08050

What:
The Classic Cheeseburger

 
Build:
Eight (8) ounce burger patty, Muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato and topped with some type of mayo sauce, all tucked into a toasted sesame brioche bun.

Comments:

I love the atmosphere of The Mainland, it's got a casual up-scale vibe that's never too noisy or too quiet and most importantly, the food is prepared consistently from visit to visit, and always with fresh ingredients. Yes, I know, it's just a burger, but take a look at the photo below. The burgers always taste as good as they look and they are always served at the temperature I order.  (The burger in the photo below was ordered "medium-to-medium-rare").  As for the kicked-up mayo sauce, it complimented the burger perfectly. The burger-to-bun ratio is also a plus and the level of toasting of the bun is always consistent and "just enough".  

I'm not a big fan of French fries because most of the time wherever we're dining, getting fries served hot is always a crapshoot. They are either served warm or cold or they are the same-old basic frozen cut potatoes you'll find just about anywhere. The Mainland however, is serving up fried potatoes that are something different. I don't care whether or not they are a frozen brand, (they most likely are), but it really doesn't matter to me, the coating on these potatoes gives them a twice-fried crispy crunch that doesn't get soggy halfway through your meal. Caution: they are addicting.

Other things to try when the shortened Covid menu goes away and the full menu is back:

- Totchos - Fully loaded tater tots - (I would have named them: "Mary Poppin's Tots, because they're practically perfect in every way).

- Short Rib Grilled Cheese - I've only seen this sandwich occasionally on their "specials" menu, so if you see it, order it, OMG.

- Manahawkin corn chowder - it's hearty, not heavy, and it's delicious.

Although not as good as The Beach Haven Fishery's burger, it still slides easily into home plate with a 10/10 on the BC rating scale. 

My wife ordered the Chicken Tinga Taco's, from the new (shortened) Covid menu - they were "just okay".

One more time...

This is The Mainland's current (shortened) menu during these "covid" times...