Clementine's Cafe, Avon by the Sea, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
Clementine's Cafe
306 Main St
Avon By The Sea, NJ
Clementine's Cafe: Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Creole/Cajun
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: Well-executed menu prepared with fresh ingredients. Some are shipped in from New Orleans
Service: Friendly and attentive, though a little offbeat.
Ambiance/Decor: Seasonally changing "cutesy & fun "
Overall Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from no stars = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate - High
Dress: Casual
Recommended For: For diners who enjoy Creole/Cajun food with a funky ambiance.
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer a simple traditional style menu with a low key ambiance
Recommended dishes: When available, The Cajun Rib Eye, seasoned and grilled over mashed potatoes; The Blackened Tuna, on top of mashed potatoes; and The Fried Catfish, lightly seasoned and golden fried served with mashed potatoes and hush puppies
Liquor: BYOB
Clementine's Cafe is a popular Creole/Cajun restaurant serving up very good New Orleans-style dishes with unique ambiance
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with a dining area that features polished wood floors, soft lighting, and a seasonally changing "cutesy & fun " decor that borders on tacky with cluttered knickknacks and tables set with plastic tablecloths and plastic cups.
The "Cutesy, Funky" ambiance can be a bit overwhelming for some upscale diners. As you enter, you are greeted at the door by co-owner Michael with a warm and welcoming feeling of entering his home.
Wait staff attire is an eyesore, oftentimes dressed in tacky shirts and pants/shorts.
Despite the " cutesy & fun" decor, the dining patrons are dressed in more upscale casual and in line with the food quality.
During the warmer months, there is outdoor dining on more charming sidewalk tables and chairs.
Co-owner/Chef and Louisiana native Bobby Johnson uses the finest, fresh ingredients, some of which are shipped in from New Orleans to provide an authentic, full-flavored French Creole style of cooking. Portion sizes are huge
For authentic New Orleans Bread pudding enthusiasts, try the Bread pudding smothered in a rum, pecan, and raisin sauce. it's out of the ordinary and not easily found in other NJ restaurants.
The service is warm and attentive, though a little offbeat.
(updated: September 2024)
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