Escape to an Island Paradise

This past weekend I visited Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville located in the Resorts Hotel and Casino. The exterior of the restaurant turned what would normally be a drab hallway into an island paradise with beach chairs and a giant blender. In between the main dining area and the entrance, booth seating lined the walls and the ceiling hung low to create a tight, comforting space. We sat in the main dining area of the restaurant where the high ceiling opened up the space for plenty of detail. It also led to some outside seating but unfortunately it was too cold. A large model airplane hung above our heads connected to a mural of Florida Keys. A rusted water pipe spanned one entire wall which faced wooden structures on the opposite wall above where people sat. In one of the corners was a tiki bar that looked like it was made out of straw and wood, a cliché image but an enjoyable one nonetheless. All of these things created an immersive environment that made it feel relaxed and happy. However, there was one thing that disturbed my experience at the restaurant – the televisions.

When I looked around the restaurant at the booths I noticed that each and every one contained its own television that projected the same images and videos of Jimmy Buffet and people at his concerts over and over again. I can’t imagine being seated in a booth trying to enjoy a meal and having Jimmy Buffett blasted in my face the entire time. Luckily, in the main dining area, there was only projector that shot the images and videos onto a canvas. I was able to ignore most of the videos and images due to where I was sitting, but that is definitely something to be weary of when visiting the restaurant. Even if you are seated at a booth, it shouldn’t be a problem to ask to be seated out of television range, as the staff is polite and friendly.

            The hostess who sat us was  kind and our waiter was equally if not more so. He quickly asked for our drink orders and brought us the drinks immediately. After bringing us the drinks, he gave us a few minutes to make a final decision on our order which was greatly appreciated. I ordered the appetizer Asiago Crab Dip ($13). The Asiago dip was creamy and had a sweet but sharp taste. While the crab meat was soft, there was not much flavor in it. Mixing the two, as the dish intended, was delicious. The sweet and sharp taste of the dip brightened up the dull crab, making it moist and flavorful. I initially felt that the dish was a little expensive, as it cost almost as much as my entrée, but I enjoyed it regardless.

            I ordered the Cheddar BBQ Burger ($14) which was a simple burger with cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon, however the barbeque aioli turned what would be an ordinary hamburger into something extrordinary. Aioli is a sauce made out of garlic, olive oil, and egg yolks but many variations exist. Some add mustard or lemon juice and many involve mayonnaise. This variation of the sauce combined barbeque sauce with the rest of the ingredients and added flavor to the burger. The smoky bacon and barbeque flavor of the sauce mixed and created a taste that felt like summer cooking. I also had a taste of the Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($17) which was a classic fried chicken dish served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Although this dish did not have anything particularly interesting in it, the crispy fried chicken and creamy mash potatoes made it well worth the price. I also had some of the Seafood Mac & Cheese ($21) which was shrimp and crab with cavatappi pasta, all covered in Boursin cream sauce. The title “Mac & Cheese” is used incorrectly here, as the dish is of a much higher quality than that title entails. Regardless of that, the shrimp and crab was cooked well and the cheesy Boursin cream sauce did create a taste similar to macaroni and cheese. If you’re looking for an island escape here in New Jersey, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Resorts Hotel Casino is worth a visit.

          

Let’s Groove – Classy Clay and DJ Man

       Eight years after the release of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “Let’s Groove” two musicians named Classy Clay and DJ Man sampled “Let’s Groove” in a song of the same name. It appears that neither Classy Clay nor DJ Man ever made it to the top of the ladder of fame, or even began climbing it, and this song shows why. They took the exact chorus (words, vocals, and all) of Earth, Wind and Fire’s song, put it into theirs and somehow managed to make it sound awful. The pieces they stole are muffled and distorted with a terribly basic beat and cowbell thrown on top of it, which we can thank DJ Man for. Between the stolen choruses, Classy Clay comes in with lazy vocals that sound like a rap but lack the speed that makes rap lyrics so captivating. The end result is this amateur of an artist speaking dully into the microphone talking about how good his song is without ever doing anything to make his song appealing. A good song makes the listener realize the value of the music but here Classy Clay simply keeps saying ‘This beat will make you move!” and “You’ll want to dance to this!” He tries to assert value onto the music and that is his fatal mistake. In the background they sample the sounds of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s song – the occasional trumpet and guitar -- but is difficult to hear because of the way DJ Man mixed the sample. It’s also shocking that they weren’t sued by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Maybe it’s because the song failed to gain any popularity or perhaps Earth, Wind, and Fire doesn’t care of other artist’s sample music. Regardless of this, Classy Clay and DJ Man’s “Let’s Groove” is not worth anyone’s time.