Drew's Bayshore Bistro:
A Keyport, NJ Restaurant Review

Drew's Bayshore Bistro is one of the top restaurants in Northeast Monmouth County. It serves the best New Orleans-influenced dishes. Chef/owner Andrew Arcane is adept at serving creative servings of Louisiana Gulf Coast style cooking made with locally sourced produce.

Chef Araneo, a Keyport native, received his formal culinary education at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. He later honed his skills at several area noteworthy restaurants including Joe and Maggie's in Long Branch and Whispers in Spring Lake. Chef Araneo was also a 2010 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for best Mid-Atlantic chef.

The creative dishes are also prepared using locally sourced, farm-to-table ingredients, The well-executed, creative menu features a mix of meat and fish dishes, with daily specials.

The dining experience starts off on a positive note with an excellent serving of bread, presented hot with just the right amount of crust.

The Voodoo Shrimp appetizer, prepared Gulf shrimp in a spicy Worcestershire cream sauce served over jalapeño cornbread appetizer, and The Pork Du Jou entree with slight variations served nightly are two of Chef Araneo's signature dishes.

The interior, with seating for 60, is tastefully decorated with soft lighting, dark wood tables, beige walls adorned with photographs of the Bayshore area and New Orleans, cantina-style tile floors, and several large windows that overlook Keyport harbor in the distance.

The service is friendly, attentive, and unpretentious.

(Updated September 2024)