This is a place that reminds you food can be an act of care-the kind of place that makes you slow down. The menu reads like a love letter to the region -- Stone Circle Farm spinach, Sickler Farm eggs, Jersey asparagus, local tuna. This isn't farm-to-table as aesthetic. It's farm-to-table as commitment, and you can taste the difference. We started with the picada. The deviled smoked trout egg with trout caviar and micro chive was quietly spectacular -- the kind of dish that makes you stop mid-conversation. The grilled Ludlam oyster with koji BBQ butter and braised collard greens was deeply satisfying, Southern and coastal at once. For mains, the wood-fired grill is the move. The hanger steak (Entraña Gruesa) from Creekstone Farm was everything a steak should be -- robust, tender, properly marbled. Paired with the tallow herbed fries, I had zero regrets. I also got to enjoy king salmon aged 6 days, full of flavor and excellent to share with a table mate. The strawberries with lemon soft cream for dessert were the right ending. Simple. Perfect. In a shore town full of places coasting on location, La Porteña is actually trying. And succeeding. I've been 3 times so far and can't wait to go back. read more

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Wow! This is the first time we haven't sat at the Chef's Table and the food was STILL AMAZING! The asparagus soup was one of the best things I've ever tasted, and my husband and I seek out Michelin star restaurants wherever we travel. The Sea Scallops fish of the day entree was also a rockstar. Between the perfect sear and the accompaniments, it was a delight to the taste buds. The picanha steak was tender and oh so flavorful. And the beef tallow fries.... Transcendent! Cannot recommend La Porteña highly enough. A MUST VISIT if you're staying on the South Jersey Shore. read more

Wonderful new Stone Harbor restaurant. Love the ambiance and decor. Warm welcome by the owner and excellent service by Luke. Fixed price menu with four apps, a main, and dessert. Lots of options for your main with upgrade options and side additions. We really enjoyed Empanada, Gazpacho, and Asparagus with Serrano ham. For mains, I recommend the Iberico Pork (comes with a wonderfully fresh salad and Argentinian fries). The short ribs were different than we expected (not thick cut, tender, and rich, but very thin, bones, and not as tender). The short ribs had good flavor, but not what we would order again. For dessert comes rice pudding, which was nice. read more

La Porteña - Menu page 2 - Seafood Near Me - Stone Harbor, New Jersey

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Food here was great we loved all of the dishes! The atmospheres very cute and we would definitely come back for sure! read more

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Excellent new restaurant in Stone Harbor. Chef Lucas Manteca delivers! Wife Deeana kills it with a great atmosphere. This is a prix fixe menu that costs $90 - an incredible bargain for this area. First came an empanada stuffed with ground beef and spices, a little amuse bouche. Then a salpicon - a little mix of local shrimp and squid, avocado, other vegetables. Next came a watermelon gazpacho with burratta, thai basil pesto and pistachio. Yum! My favorite came next, jamon serrano in little cubes with morel mushroom moussaline, asparagus, bottarga. On to the mains. A choice from a veal chop, different cuts of meat from local farms, and for the vegetarians, homemade gnocchi with lobster. A delightful dessert in a cup, I can't remember what was in it though! This was one of the best meals I've had a long time, even more impressive because it is hard to find a great restaurant in this area that isn't completely overpriced. Highly recommend! read more

Fantastic atmosphere and food. The set menu is exceptionally good Great service and mojo The best restaurant at the Jersey Shore read more

We took an early reservation at La Porteña after hearing good things from some friends. From the start, service was excellent, with a personal touch and very attentive staff. The meal is structured such that the table gets to try the entire "for the table" section of the menu, then everyone selects their entrees. Our table selections were an empanada, ceviche, gazpacho, and a corn dish. All were excellent, taking fresh, high quality ingredients and elevating them to a level I couldn't make at home. The mains were similarly excellent, with steaks cooked on their open fire grill (visible in the open kitchen), and a pork dish that was so tender and perfectly spiced. We will absolutely be back again soon. read more

I can not say enough good things about this place! The food is so delicious! It's truly a culinary experience from appetizers to desert! We have been there twice before with a party of 4 and 6 (everything was fabulous) and last night there were 23 of us and it was perfect! The steaks, scallops, fish....all the amazing apps, one was better than the next!! The empanadas are a fan favorite and I loved the beet gazpacho last night!! Deana and Lucas did it right! The place is beautifully decorated too. Next time I would love to sit at the chefs table!! Highly recommend! read more

Lucas Manteca and Deana Ebner, beginning with Sea Salt in Avalon 20 years ago, continue to elevate South Jersey beach town dining well beyond the typical shore experience. In a remodeled space (formally Marabella's) in Stone Harbor with warm vintage tones, an open kitchen and world music vibes, an excellent staff serves a menu based on Argentinian classics with a modern flourish. Kudos to the entire kitchen team for creating flavors and plates that will captivate your palate and provide the ultimate satisfaction in every bite. Prix fixe and byob, we'll be returning at every opportunity. Highest recommendation. read more

My wife and I own a little place in SH and were very much looking forward to trying this new restaurant. We had an excellent meal. The only issue was our server. I have to say not only was the meal wonderful but the atmosphere is very welcoming. (except our server). The appetizers were all different. For us, the empanadas and the corn chowder were amazing. The chowder had a combination savory/spicy/sweet taste that was different but excellent. We both had the steak, her a 8oz strip and me the ribeye ($15 up charge) with the lobster and blue cheese crust (amazing, $15 up charge). The fries served with the steak were just fantastic. The salad less so bc they left some of the harder bitter ends in with it so you had to work to get them off. Nevertheless I still enjoyed it. I loved the dessert which was different but again very tasty (a cream rhubarb rice pudding). More dessert options would be amazing but again nothing to really complain about. Everyone working in the restaurant was friendly, lively, welcoming (including the owner/mger who came over twice to chat) except our main server. This lady (middle age/blonde/hair tired in a clip) was just not having it. You could tell she didn't want to be there. I asked her questions about the menu. She clearly doesn't know the menu or refused to engage. I had read good things about the pork and asked. She said it's pork loin (like duh, pork), they add salt, pepper and lemon and then grill it. She didn't recommend either why or say anything. Similar answers came from similar questions. There was also a pasta special we overheard that she never told us about. Everyone else in that restaurant was incredible. We will certainly eat there again and encourage others to do so. It's a $95 pre-fixe which is not out of bounds for this area. I hope we get a different server this time. read more

If you are visiting Stone Harbor, LaPortena is your place to go for dinner. What a wonderful addition to our charming Stone Harbor. As you step into the restaurant, a supper-club vibe yet very charming and warm. Deanna greeted us and we were given a choice for our seating. Our waitress guided us through the menus and answered all our questions. The food by Chef Lucas was absolutely fantastic, amazing and delicious. The presentation with each course was outstanding. This Argentinian steakhouse by far is the best , you will not be disappointed. Get the steak, delicious, full of flavor, juicy and tender. We will be back... Deanna, your hospitality and warm welcome is exactly what Stone Harbor needs.. read more