Free Christmas Day Feast At New Jersey Restaurant

Dec. 10, 2008 - PRLog -- Langosta Lounge, an oceanfront bar and restaurant in Asbury Park, NJ, announced today it will open its doors on Christmas Day to anyone and everyone in need of a free holiday meal.  

While most restaurants have been busy planning prix-fixe menus and taking holiday reservations, Langosta Lounge’s Marilyn Schlossbach has teamed up with her community ally Pat Sherman and Asbury Park’s Trinity Church to plan a Christmas Day soup kitchen at her Jersey Shore restaurant.  

A sign of the times, Schlossbach and Sherman expect unprecedented turnout on December 25.  On Thanksgiving Day, an estimated 900 people – between sit-down and to-go dinners – were served free meals at Langosta Lounge.  Given the economic climate, the turnout this Christmas is expected to be great.      

In an effort to provide guests with holiday cheer, Schlossbach and Sherman are asking for donations of turkeys, hams and deserts, as well as canned food, toys, hats, gloves and scarves to distribute to guests.  With Langosta Lounge’s spacious interior, organizers and volunteers are able to set up a variety of ‘stations’ throughout the restaurant.  There is a to-go station; a canned-good station; a clothing-station; a toy station; and a dessert station, all of which allow visitors to ‘shop’ for food and clothing at Langosta Lounge.  Most importantly, the restaurant is decorated and set so guests get the experience of going out for a holiday meal – wait staff and all.

“Our Christmas soup kitchen brings people together from all walks of life,” said Marilyn Schlossbach, owner of Langosta Lounge.  “Whether it is volunteering, cooking a turkey, or donating winter coats and clothes, the response to our soup kitchens has been inspiring. The participation and commitment from everyday individuals is what makes our efforts a success, year after year.”

Langosta Lounge’s soup kitchen will be held at 1000 Ocean Ave. in Asbury Park, NJ from noon to 4 p.m. on Christmas Day.  Efforts will include serving sit-down meals as well as delivering food to shelters and homebound residents.  Live music and a special visit from Santa are currently being coordinated.

Schlossbach and Sherman have been producing holiday soup kitchens at Schlossbach’s restaurants for the past three years.  For more information, or to contribute, please call 732-455-3275 or visit www.langostalounge.com.

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New Jersey native Marilyn Schlossbach currently owns four restaurants on the Jersey Shore: Labrador Lounge, a vacation hot spot in Normandy Beach, Pop’s Garage, an authentic Mexican eatery in Normandy Beach and Asbury Park, and the new Langosta Lounge on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. In addition, Schlossbach heads Kitschens Catering and the eco-friendly juice bar Simple Goodness. Inspired by extensive travels and culturally-infused cuisine, the self-taught chef and restaurateur endeavors to enrich the lives of others with inventive dishes, eclectic eateries, charitable organizations and grassroots community outreach. For more information on Marilyn Schlossbach and her restaurants, visit www.langostalounge.com, www.surfmercado.com, www.labardorlounge.com and www.kitschens.com, or call 732-455-3275.