Dining experience for OC 2006

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 09:44

Boardwalker

Rochester, NY

Joined: 08/29/2006

Sand Dollars: 29

I have been coming to OC for 25 years, our eating experience for the week of August 19, 2006. We stayed in the Excalibur on 132nd street.

Sat- Take out from JR's: Long Drive (9 hours with a couple of stops for the kids) Just got some ribs and wings, The ribs were excellent, the wings were tasty but tiny (not like back home - Rochester, NY). One glitch when I phoned in the order they said 15 minutes, got there and waited another 15 minutes.

Sun- RISTORANTE ANTIPASTA - Ok saw it on the Food channel, saw some reviews on this board. My thought was order an Italian classic. The food tasted good, but what a rip off! I have never been to an Italian restaurant where you order veal parm or chicken parm that does not come with pasta! So my wife and I order the pasta ( 4.00 additional charge ) and when we were served I ask where are the vegetables that come with the meal? - Oh the pasta replaces the vegetables. The pasta was on very small plate, the veal was one small piece in a pool of sauce on a large plate. Very disappointing!
My sister ordered the swordfish; it comes with a lemon caper sauce. She asked if it was possible to have the dish without capers, sure what she got was a thin piece of pan fried swordfish with NO SAUCE! Everyone at the table skipped dessert and went home hungry. (4 adults $120 for the food +30 for drinks )

Mon- Embers - always a stop for us. We got the buffet. The crab legs, raw oysters and prime rib were excellent. The steamed clams, tuna and some other baked fish? Were like rubber. It was good overall, I always concentrate on the legs!.

Tue- Blue OX - My wife and I had heard a lot about this place and were not disappointed. It was our best meal of the week. What the salad and vegetables are included in the price of the steak? What a deal! Yes it is a bit pricy but they don't nickel and dime you. The steaks were excellent. I had the cowboy cut and my wife had the strip. We were stuffed! and had leftovers.

Wed- Pizza Hut on 132nd street -- What can you say the kids like it? ( all and all one of the better hut's)

Thur- Jrs sit down, Huge thunderstorm, flash flood and Jr's was across the street. I had crab cakes, very good. Most everyone had ribs or Chicken everyone liked the food. The place is a little run-down and the bathrooms were dirty.

Fri- Leftovers

Never got to one of my favorite places -The Sharks Cove.

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 10:02

NY-MD

Sunburnt

Joined: 01/30/2004

Sand Dollars: 1005

Thowes:

Thanks for taking the time to post your reviews.

I am sure this might help someone planning their visit to OC with some dining options.

Sorry to hear about the meal you had at Antipasto as it has always gotten good reviews here. I have never eaten there so you are the first to give it less then a rave review. Food for thought.

The Blue Ox is another new place I have not visited. I went over the menu but now I might have to pay it s visit after your positive words.

Glad to hear you had a good time with the food for the most part what about the rest of your visit.

Sounds like you had some weather problems but what about your free time how did you use that up.

Thanks again for your post.

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 11:48

Thowes

Boardwalker

Rochester, NY

Joined: 08/29/2006

Sand Dollars: 29

Really we had great weather the entire week, just that one storm for 2 hours on Thursday.

We have a 3 year old and 5 year old, so we spent alot of time on the beach and pool. My mother & sister and her family stayed in another condo in the same building. So we did get to go out a few nights. Went to Secrets twice (my wife and I had alot of fun, did some dancing to a couple of rock bands).

We got to the board walk, and miniature golf(3 times- my son just loves it), also I got a few early morning runs in. My wife went to the outlets in Rehoboth for a whole day.

It was one of our better weeks in OC.

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 13:58

OCtheBeach.com

Sunburnt

Ocean City and Baltimore

Joined: 07/30/2006

Sand Dollars: 186

Thanks for posting. Love to hear it - about people having a good time in Ocean City. That's what it's all about. :)

I, too, find it a bit odd about your poor experience at Ristorante Antipasti. We were at the one at 116th Street 3 weeks ago and it was splendid.

But, I know these glitches can happen, the one time we went to the Blue Ox, the food was very poor - a tasteless Filet and a grizzly NY Strip. But we will go back and give it one more try.

Not surprised about the bathroom cleanliness, or LACK thereof, at JR's. If the bathrooms are dirty, let's hope they spend that time cleaning the kitchen. :confused:

I certainly agree about the Pizza Hut on 132 being one of the better ones.

Here's hoping your next visit to OC is another great one. You ARE planning to return next year, aren't you?
...

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 16:02

Thowes

Boardwalker

Rochester, NY

Joined: 08/29/2006

Sand Dollars: 29

I am pretty sure the Antipasta place on 116th is a different owner--

We went to Fausto's RISTORANTE ANTIPASTA on 31st street. I believe it's the only location.

We will be going back to OC for years to come!

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 16:33

DeanM

Sunburnt

Joined: 07/02/2005

Sand Dollars: 669

Thowes wrote:

I am pretty sure the Antipasta place on 116th is a different owner--

We went to Fausto's RISTORANTE ANTIPASTA on 31st street. I believe it's the only location.

We will be going back to OC for years to come!

Nope, same owners for both locations....

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 17:46

mink66

Sunburnt

Ocean Pines, MD

Joined: 06/13/2006

Sand Dollars: 486

I too find your experience at Antipasti a surprise. I have been there 4 or 5 times and everytime the food and service was superb.

And, like octhebeach.com, my one experience at the Blue Ox was absolutely horrible...tasteless food and unattentive service. It will be a long time before I go back to the Blue Ox.

Thu, 09/07/2006 - 18:23

DeanM

Sunburnt

Joined: 07/02/2005

Sand Dollars: 669

mink66 wrote:

I too find your experience at Antipasti a surprise. I have been there 4 or 5 times and everytime the food and service was superb.

mink66, my only experience at Antipasti was this past July, and anybody who bothered to read my restaurant review thread knows I gave Antipasti a flaming good review. I still stand by opinion that this was the best dinning experience of our trip, and I would go as far as to say it was the best meal I've had since the Captain's Table closed. That being said I could see where someone may take issue with the portions in this restaurant. My kids all ate the dinner portions of the pasta, and their plates wiped clean at the end of the meal, I don't think they were still hungry, but there was nothing to put in a doggie bag. Now I do atribute a lot of that to the quality of the food they were served too. I always order some appetizers when I go to dinner, and between the appetizers, the meal, and desert I was was completely filled up, as was my wife and kids, but if you just got the dinner, and you were a big eater, I could see you having room for more... but I still would not ever say this place was a rip off, but that's just me. I would (and do) highly recomend this restaurant to anyone & everyone.

Fri, 09/08/2006 - 09:31

mink66

Sunburnt

Ocean Pines, MD

Joined: 06/13/2006

Sand Dollars: 486

DeanM wrote:

That being said I could see where someone may take issue with the portions in this restaurant. My kids all ate the dinner portions of the pasta, and their plates wiped clean at the end of the meal, I don't think they were still hungry, but there was nothing to put in a doggie bag.

DeanM,

I agree that portions will not be as large as we are used to getting in a traditional American restaurant with food overflowing the dinner plate. Antipasti is as close to a true "European" dining experience as you can get which means small portions, but many courses. The traditional Italian meal involves appetizers, perhaps a salad or soup, then a pasta dish, THEN a meat dish with one small side dish, then dessert, then coffee/caupicino/espresso or an after dinner drink.

If you eat all that you will definitely be stuffed by the end of the meal.

However, if you expect to walk into Antipasti and be able to order an all you can eat pasta bowl like at an Olive Garden restaurant (Americanized Italian) with bottomless salad bowl and all the breadsticks you can eat for $16.95 you will be sorely disappointed.

Everyone should keep this in mind when visiting Antipasti. It's not a traditional American-style restaurant experience.

Fri, 09/08/2006 - 10:42

DeanM

Sunburnt

Joined: 07/02/2005

Sand Dollars: 669

mink66 wrote:

The traditional Italian meal involves appetizers, perhaps a salad or soup, then a pasta dish, THEN a meat dish with one small side dish, then dessert, then coffee/caupicino/espresso or an after dinner drink.

If you eat all that you will definitely be stuffed by the end of the meal.

However, if you expect to walk into Antipasti and be able to order an all you can eat pasta bowl like at an Olive Garden restaurant (Americanized Italian) with bottomless salad bowl and all the breadsticks you can eat for $16.95 you will be sorely disappointed.

YES! EXACTLY!!! That is what I was trying to say... when I go to a place such as this, it's a forgone conclusion, that we will be ordering soup/salad, along with multiple appetizers, the main dish (obviously), and dessert. I already know this before I make my reservation, but I think that some people look at a menu like this, see the price and figure they must be getting tons of food for the cost of it, so they don't need to bother ordering anything additional - big mistake! Not only are they going to leave hungry, but they are missing the real true dinning experience that this kind of restaurant offers. In a restaurant of this caliber the meal should be an event.

Fri, 09/08/2006 - 11:10

#10

Thowes

Boardwalker

Rochester, NY

Joined: 08/29/2006

Sand Dollars: 29

Taking all of the following into account; atmosphere, quality, quanity and service Antipasti was not worth the price.

$22 dollars for a small chicken breast on a plate of sauce is a Rip-off.

I have been to many fine restaurants with 5 and 6 course dinners and understand the "event" idea.

Of course everyone has their own opinion :)

Maybe we are just spoiled in upstate NY with many fine Mom & Pop Italian resturants.

P.S. I dislike the olive garden, but I did try it once and never went back.

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