The Continental at Caesars in Atlantic City. Photo courtesy of www.continentalac.com
I know what you are thinking. Don’t judge too fast though. This past weekend a few of my girlfriends and I needed to get out of the city and go somewhere to have fun and unwind a bit. Atlantic City was a quick four hour drive away and we arrived at the Borgata Hotel & Casino and hit the spa immediately. After a day of massages and relaxing, it was time for drinks and dinner. I made us a reservation at The Continental restaurant which is located within the Pier Shops at Caesars. The Continental, which is a global tapas restaurant that is reminiscent of an upscale 1950′s diner (think Mad Men), is owned by Starr Restaurants which also owns Buddakan next door in addition to 15 other restaurants across Philadelphia and two in New York City. The drink list is massive and inventive, the food is playful and satisfying, and the restaurant itself provides a fun and lively experience.
Me, Jen, Sara, and Julie at The Continental in Atlantic City
We started the evening with drinks at the bar while we were waiting for our table. Our first round of cocktails included three Champagne-O-Rama’s and one Pimm’s Cup cocktail with lime, sparkling wine, and cucumber. Soon after we were taken to our table and started devising an ordering strategy. Given that The Continental specializes in tapas, we decided to order everything for the table and make the meal family style. Our first appetizer to arrive was the buffalo chicken meatballs in a blue cheese cream. Spicy and delicious, we devoured them in about .4 seconds. My favorite was the french onion soup dumplings which were presented in a baking dish with the gruyere cheese browned and crusted over the top just like a crock of french onion soup. The small bites were easy to eat and were packed with flavor. Other favorites included the Rad Na Thai Chicken which had thick wide rice noodles with crisp romaine and chopped peanuts as well as the BBQ chicken quesedilla which seemed basic, but was extra smoky and fantastic.
French Onion Soup Dumplings at The Continental in Atlantic City
BBQ Chicken Quesedilla at The Continental in Atlantic City
In addition to some of the other dishes we ate which included the king crab dumplings, the lobster mac and cheese, and the shanghai vegetable dumplings, I also had the Acai-Pirinha which was one of the best cocktails I have had in a long time. The drink had Veev acai berry spirit with sugar and key limes on the rocks. Loved it. Our meal came to a close at a ridiculously shocking $32.00 per person (we still are not sure how it was so cheap), and we all left feeling incredibly full and happy with our food and drink indulgences. I am not going to pretend that Atlantic City is a food mecca, but for someone who lives in the Washington area that needs a day or two away from town, The Continental is a great option for fun and delicious dining.
The Continental Atlantic City
The Pier Shops at Caesars
One Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401
www.continentalac.com
