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.
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