Bistro Iberia — Restaurant in Highlands

Seriously have no idea what everyone is raving about here. We came away terribly disappointed. Way overpriced for what you get, food was bland and grossly overcooked (the rice on my paella was a big ball of mush) - the presentation was nice but that’s about it. They had live music tonight too. Why? No idea as it was overkill in such a small place I couldn’t have a conversation with my wife and the volume in the place went through the roof with 30+ people all trying to talk over the music. Nice idea, lousy execution. Foodie, non foodie this place would be a great add to the restaurants in the area but I strongly recommend you pass it by. Want authentic Iberian (Portuguese Spanish)? Spend a few more minutes in the car drive to Long Branch and eat to your hearts content for half the price. Don’t waste your money. We won’t be back.

Response to owners reply: thanks for the reply. If you noticed I didn’t criticize your server and or their attentiveness. We appreciated you moving me from the table literally on the guitarists lap to one further away. The music as mentioned (albeit a nice concept) just made the experience worse as the ability to converse was eliminated and we were not the only ones who commented as such. Should I have asked your server to please have him stop playing? My “scathing” review of your establishment is about the food itself and the prices you charge for said food. While our appetizer was disappointing in that it lacked flavor we remained hopeful for our entree (which btw was presented beautifully - also as I mentioned) which was even more disappointing in that the rice in my paella was a giant gelatinous blob of mush. Perhaps I should have told my server my appetizer and entree lacked any flavor and substance however I chose to just get the meal over with vs making a scene. No one is perfect however both dishes missed by such a large margin I believe you should know what you are serving when you do so. Perhaps you can take this insight and improve your establishment rather than suggesting I be more...

This was our first time dining at this new (5 weeks young) restaurant but it won’t be our last! There were two stars that shined bright tonight: the food, and the head server Michael. The food was inventive and beautifully presented. We started with the complimentary olives, roasted garlic, caper berries, olive oil, and bread. The quality of the olive oil was very good and the roasted garlic was creamy and complimented the bread perfectly. The pitted olives were large and had a mild brine to them. Our first course consisted of the grilled octopus and the watermelon, feta, and iberico ham. The octopus had a nice char which gave it a rich flavor. The sweetness of the watermelon complemented the saltiness of the feta and ham. The feta had a rich flavor. It was obviously of high quality. The entrees were all superb. I did not taste the swordfish but our friend really enjoyed it. It was served over kale, garlic confit, clams, chorizo, fennel, and potato in a rich broth. Two of us had the honey lavender roasted duck breast, which was served with brussels sprouts, mushroom, leeks, sunchokes, and tomato. It was tender and was a huge hit. The fourth entree consisted of a duo of perfectly cooked and seasoned pistachio crusted double lamb chops. It came with a flavorful pearled couscous with dried fruit and exotic spices. I could taste the Moorish influences. We ended the meal on a high note with two desserts: a fall spiced crème brûlée and a rich deep chocolate flourless cake topped with crystallized orange with fresh strawberries and blueberries. The service was sublime. Michael was passionate about making sure we all were happy with every aspect of the food and service. I enjoyed his personality and appreciated his recommendations. We look forward to our next Bistro Iberia experience! Highly...

My companion and I were treated to a grand experience from the time we walked into the restaurant. We were initially greeted by our server, Omar, who was outgoing, friendly and professional. Steve, the chef, came along before the menu selections were made and greeted us. He explained his creative twists to the Spanish and Portuguese dishes. He was also very personable and professional. Our selections were each "out-of-this-world". The kale soup was thick and hearty, which included beans and chorizo. The seasonings were perfect to my palette. The lobster crepe was inceredibly light and again, the seasonings were superb. The mushroom varieties served over the top were extremely tasty and wonderful. My entree was the pork Secreto, which consisted of cut strips of pork which were moist, tender and with its own unique preparation and seasonings. The cornbread was cast iron skillet cooked and resulted in a wonderful crispness and once again its own personality showed in the incredible flavors. The pumpkin cheesecake, which I cannot adequately describe, except to say it was large, thick and very light with a very different texture from traditional cheesecakes was a fantastic ending to the meal. It had caramelized (I believe) pecans on top and its own crustless "crust". I want to commend the Chef Extraordinaire, Steve. His talents and creativity are a true gift and his devotion to his craft and the restaurant are clearly evident. Omar, our server, deserves accolades as well. He was excellent and added to the rich ambiance of our dining experience, which also included table linens and softly playing music, indigenous to the Spanish regions. Thank you to each of you and kudos to Mike Papetti, the owner, who was not there at the time. You have a treasure with this restaurant and your...