Down at the Boondocks

Let’s see, it has to have been about 12 or 13 years ago now when I heard a wee knock on my front door here in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. The knock was so timid that I had to peak out the window to be sure someone was really there. Seeing a figure there I swung open the door and lo and behold there standing on my front stoop was a young woman with the map of Ireland on her lovely freckled face and red hair crowning all this glorious sprinkling of the Emerald Isle. No sooner had I opened the door than out of her mouth pops, “I’m Kelly McMurray and I want to go to Ireland and run the Dublin Marathon.” 

“Please, come right in,” says I.

At the time I was working training runners and taking teams to various locations to run, almost always, their very first marathon. Once in the door I knew I had a winner here – her enthusiasm was spilling over onto the living room rug. I recall thinking to myself: ‘If only I could bottle this energy.’ I learned that Kelly had a juice bar over in Red Bank just around the corner from the Wall Street Pub. Her excitement about the juice bar was on a par with her enthusiasm about the marathon – over the moon!

I sat in my living room listening to this bundle of energy and said nary a word. When she came up for air I explained the team concept, the training schedule, etc. Kelly McMurray was in. Six months later the team traveled to Dublin, Ireland and along with Kelly we all ran the marathon. This was my second Dublin Marathon and it was, as every marathon a great thrill but nothing beats the pump you get running your first marathon and, as many of our team had Irish roots as does Kelly, it was a ‘double dip’ of a high.

I saw Kelly on and off for several years socially and then our paths took different routes. In 2009 I heard that there was a new eatery opening down at the Irwin Marina in Marine Park right where the Navesink Café used to be. A few weeks later I said to the better half, “Let’s go check this place out – I love sitting at the Marina, what have we got to lose?”

As we pulled into Marine Park an entire new façade over to the right caught our eyes – there it was ‘The Boondocks Fishery‘ in glowing red and ‘festive’ was oozing out from the place even from where we were in the car. In we go and there, in the hustle and bustle of this very busy eatery, was none other than the likes of Kelly McMurray (going now by ‘Kelly Ryan’ I was later to learn). Why, she was running a marathon that night – going here and there; into the kitchen; out again; over to this table and that and back for another quick run to the kitchen; off to greet quests as they entered. She spotted us and came running over. Thrilled to see her we were in awe with all that she had done with this establishment. After much jumping up and down and crazy Irish celebration we took our seats at a table like the real adults that we sometimes try to imitate. Glancing at the menu which we grabbed at the counter and took to our table we were in ’Fish Lovers Heaven’. The better half was all over the blackened tuna bites and the lobster roll and that was just for starters. At the end of the night they could have literally ‘rolled’ us outta there.

The fried scallops (you can get them blackened also) just happen to be my favorite, served with cole slaw and the best damn fries you’re ever gonna meet. Mussels Marinara or steamers are on top of the better half’s list yet just about every Tuesday night in the summer for the last three years we are devotee’s of the ‘Two-for-One’ Lobster Night which comes with corn and potatoes. Also, for those meat eaters there is BBQ Baby Back ribs to die for; a man-size half-pound burger; chicken kabobs; and a special treat for all no matter your choice of fish or meat – sweet potato fries. Specials pop up – i.e. – grilled swordfish served over rice with pineapple sauce. Oh hell, I could go on and on but – you go and tell me what YOU think. Two things to remember when you come – it is BYO and cash only (yes, there is an ATM).

I figure we have brought probably 50 or more people to the Boondocks on different occasions over the last three summers and NO ONE has gone away not raving about the joint. This of course makes us look very good, especially with friends that are from out of town, some as far away as Colorado. We have friends from Philadelphia that we used to see maybe every two to three years. Since introducing them to the Boondocks we can’t get rid of them. We like to be the good guys in providing splendid cuisine but the plan was not to become the Shrewsbury Hotel with shuttle service to the Boondocks.

The grandchildren love this place and look forward to the first visit of the season each year. They love watching the resident family of ducks that appear at water’s edge right where the boat slips are. This year there were 12 baby ducks in the spring and there are now 12 let’s say ‘teenage ducks’ swimming around and checking out the guests at the Boondocks. Kelly opens in mid to late May depending on the weather and goes until the weekend after Labor Day (again depending on the weather).

Kelly has managed to add something new each year – this year it is the stage for the live entertainment on several nights of the week. Last week we had the pleasure of listening to Gary Phillips croon away with palm branches swaying next to him – close your eyes and you’re in Key West or St. Maarten. Or – the best of all possibilities – Red Bank, New Jersey just in from the Jersey Shore and - you are about to look west and witness the most magnificent sunset you have ever seen.

While performing last week Gary sang a song by a compatriot of his who is currently playing down in Florida, Scott Kirby. We really loved this song. The song is titled ‘Lucky Enough’. The words repeated at the end of the chorus are - ‘If you’re lucky enough to live by the water, you’re lucky enough by me’. And we’re lucky enough to have the Boondocks here by the water – just how lucky can we be?

C.M. McLoughlin, a writer and editor from New Jersey and New York, can be reached at mcloughlin43@gmail.com.