By DON STINE
The new Asbury Festhalle and Biergarten restaurant is having a soft-opening for a few days this week in anticipation of its grand opening, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7.
“We are having an invitation-only, soft opening for three days. We will then regroup and see what needs to be improved and fixed,” co-owner Jennifer Lampert said.
She said the restaurant will then have another soft opening, inviting only local residents and workers before its Feb. 7 grand opening.
“We will have a ribbon-cutting, music and should be in full swing by then,” she said.
Restaurateur Andy Ivanov, owner of Pilsener Haus in Hoboken and Radegast in Brooklyn, and several partners are opening the Asbury Park restaurant, at 527 Lake Ave., on the corner of Lake Avenue and Press Plaza.
The beer garden, which will have a European flair, overlooks Wesley Lake and will serve about 25 tap beers and about 50 different bottled beers.
The cuisine will be central Austro-Hungarian and the decorative theme drawn primarily from the 1910s to 30s. Music will be low-key, including jazz.
“It is really beautiful and we are really, really proud and excited to share it with everyone,” Lampert said.
The restaurant has a capacity of 260 patrons, with seating for about 115. A rooftop restaurant is also planned.
“The menu will include many traditional Eastern-European traditional dishes but also some with a more modern German cuisine. And the prices are fantastic- I have to say!” she said.
Prices range from $6 to $21 for a salmon dinner.
“You can get a full meal for $12,” Lampert said.
The property, which was vacant for many years, formerly featured the department store, Lerner’s, in some of the space.
