by Chrysa Smith

Ah. Nothing better in winter than getting a hit of the beach while it’s 20 degrees– and you don’t feel a thing. Especially when the pleasure is multiplied by fine ocean side dining.

So in the midst of winter, I always like to take a trip to the beach. It’s just my ‘happy place’ no matter what the time of year. This time, the trip was to Atlantic City and I decided to try a new restaurant—one that promised both good food and good view of the Atlantic Ocean. And so it was.

From the minute Mark and I stepped into the Atlantic Grill, we were soothed by a calm atmosphere, wall of windows facing the ocean and wonderful attention. We were seated facing the water and I could just feel the ‘aahh’ wave splash over me as my shoulders eased like a crest upon the sand.

Linen tablecloths set a semi-formal atmosphere and the menu offered a wonderful selection of seafood that aficionados crave in their usual landlubbing haunts. I had the local flounder encrusted with pretzels—believe that? It was deliciously fresh with a little crunch. Mark had a seafood pot—with scallops, shrimp, clams and mussels in a saffron broth—delicious.

One thing that always sits well with me in a seafood restaurant is that you can order not only the featured entrees and specials, but an assortment of fresh fish served grilled, baked or broiled. This tells me that the kitchen is proud to do a simple dish, where the freshness of the fish is key. It also tells me that they know their stuff—willing to prep something tasty, most any way possible.

The fete de complete came with dessert—an orange cheesecake concoction with paper thin ginger crisps. It was like a lighter than air sorbet that captured both flavors quite nicely.

The Atlantic Grill is located in Caesar’s on the boardwalk—-the same casino that brings us Mia; another excellent selection that I reviewed sometime ago. (Click here to see that review.)The restaurant also has locations in New York City.

For more information: http://www.caesarsac.com/casinos/caesars-atlantic-city/restaurants-dining/atlantic-grill-detail.html