California Grill
13308 Long Beach Boulevard
Long Beach Township, NJ 08008
My fiancé and I were alone one weekend in LBI and since we got down there pretty
late on Friday evening, we decided to run out and grab some dinner at a
restaurant instead of cooking for the evening. We usually eat at a rotation of
the same places with my family, so we decided to try a place we had never been
before. The California Grill is one of the restaurants also run by the same
family that runs Stefano's, a favorite of mine.
They
are famous for their clam chowder, so my fiancé and I ordered a bowl of it to
split, and I ordered a meatball parmigiana sandwich for my dinner. The menu was
traditional for a little Italian joint doing quick food, and it was much more
casual than their upscale seafood restaurant Stefano's.
I
knew the chowder would be good because it is the recipe that they use when they
go up to the world championships of clam chowder in Rhode Island and they have
won first prize each year for the past three years. The chowder is simply
unmatched. I have had chowder in Boston and Rhode Island, but never anything
even remotely close to this. Its thick, but not too thick. Its creamy, but not
too heavy. Best of all, it is loaded with clams. You really need to try it as
soon as possible because it will change your life.
We
should have ordered a cup of the clam chodwer and not a bowl because I was
pretty full after my half of the bowl. I wanted to at least try my sandwich, so
I was glad to see that it was cut in half when it arrived to the table. The
Italian roll it was served on was toasted nicely, leaving each bite crunchy as
can be. The meatballs were large and definitely homemade. They were very tasty,
full of meat, and definitely not much filler. The spices were great inside of
it, and the melted cheese and sauce combined on top made for a pretty tasty
meatball parm sandwich.
Two
and a half pints for California Grill. The price point is really good, and the
quality of the food is up to the level that I expect from the people that run
one of the best restaurants that I have ever been to. Its definitely worth a
visit if you are looking for a quick bite, or simply a good meal at a great
price point. Check it out and let me know what you think! Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment