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by Bob & Tanya Waite
It is a beautiful summer day. Tanya is packing and I am daydreaming about all the things that are on the itinerary for our trip to Ocean Casino Resort. We are starting early for this visit to Ocean in Atlantic City. Our check-in time is 4 p.m. and it is only 10 a.m. and we are just about ready to leave.
Instead of stopping to eat on the way we get some Dunkin’s coffee and a few donuts. It’s funny how our new no sugar, no bread diet get shredded whenever we travel. I always say to Tanya, “We can have a cheat day.” She, colludes with me in our mutual self-deception.
We arrive at Ocean, park, and enter the Casino floor. It is dazzlingly beautiful, with sculptures and large lanterns decorating the ceiling. The machines sparkle and the carpeting is bright, vibrant. Even the hallway to the restroom is aglow with blue lighting. There are clearly marked paths throughout the lobby and directional signs everywhere we look, giving a steady guidance as to where the various eateries and shops can be found.
Also, it is so large. The magnitude of this one floor stuns both of us. Tanya has to take a deep breath and compose herself, and I say to myself, “I hope I don’t get lost.”
Reading our itinerary I see that Ocean is huge. The building itself sits on 20 acres of beachfront property. In the casino there is 135,000 square feet of gaming entertainment with 125 gaming tables and 1937 slot machines.
“Hon,” I say, “we have a few hours until check-in, so let’s check it out.” Tanya replies, “Let’s do it.”
First, we walk around on the casino floor. Tanya sees that I want to play, and she allows me a pittance to feed my favorite, old-fashion machine—just the numbers, bars and stars. She plays a machine that looks like a movie about ancient Egypt and has voices and other sounds coming from it. After about an hour we break even and stop playing.After giving into to a little vice we decide to follow the signs on the paths and explore the floor beyond the casino.
The first place we walk is into the corridor that has the shops, called Shops at The Row. In the hallway are large round sofas that are gray and beige that have a back that extends from the circle and is its own circle. They kind of look like upside down buttons.
The spa, Exhale, that is near the shops, is according to our itinerary “… a 40,000 square-foot spa that provides therapeutic, results-oriented body and skin care services designed to promote ultimate inner and outer wellbeing.”
We leave Shops on the Row and follow the paths to The District, which is a kind of food court and has eateries offering dining options that include Asian cuisine, refreshing salads, grilled bites and traditional deli sandwiches. We want to see the lobby on the 11th floor.
While in the lobby we realize that we still have an hour to kill before check-in. There is a bar, a coffee and treat venue, various rooms and sitting areas, the check-in area and a park. We pick up a couple of lemonades and head for the park.
The park is off the lobby, which is on the 11th floor. It contains three acres of lush landscape and has paved paths that intersect at a decorative bridge. There are firepits and sitting areas and there are comfortable rockers that overview the ocean. We get our seats overlooking the ocean and sip our lemonades. I say, “This is living the life.” Tanya says, “It’s the bomb diggity!” Also we find out that there is often live entertainment held there.
We check in. Our room is on the 47th floor, the second floor down from the very top of the tallest building in Atlantic City. The view is stunning. We sit by the window and look at the ocean, which meets an inlet. We see people that are lying in the sun and swimming in the ocean. There are fishing boats going back to the marina and the lighthouse is in view. We see sailboats, jet skiers, speedboats, a helicopter. Turning our heads southward we can see the amusement pier and its signature Ferris Wheel.
Our room is well appointed with contemporary furniture, a very comfortable king-size bed and a bathroom that has a glass enclosed shower, a his and her sink and a separate room for the toilet.
Times up. We have a reservation at Villain & Saint for dinner. Villain & Saint is a gastropub that rocks. The atmosphere is both rustic, and it is creative with an edge. Bottles line the incandescent lit ceiling and real motorcycles are wall art. It’s furnishings and bar gives an old fashion tavern look. The stage has a band playing rock n’ roll and its appeal is transgenerational.
The menu is casual dining and gastropub. Ocean’s website describes their menu perfectly, “… a carefully curated menu including KFC-Korean Fried Chicken Wings, a wagyu Chef’s Burger as well as seasonal, local shellfish and grilled Hanger Steak, there is something for everyone.”
We look at the menu and see that there is an impressive array of draft and bottled beers. They also have a list of specialty cocktails and make all the regulars. There is also a great wine list.
We order an appetizer to share, Mussels in White Wine with garlic, parsley, cream and lemon. Tanya and I love mussels, so when it comes we both smile. The mussels are perfectly prepared and Tanya has a gleam in her eye that says, “Now, this is good.”
For an entrée I order the 12 oz New York Strip Steak with fingerling potatoes, shiitake mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. Tanya orders the Seared Scallops with couscous risotto and saffron.
The steak is deliciously tender and juicy. The gorgonzola cheese is wonderful as are the fingerling potatoes which make a nice contrast to the steak.
Tanya says her scallops are scrumptious. They are tender, perfectly cooked without being overcooked. “Oh yeah,” she says, “I like these.”
The general manager, Gazi Moin, visits our table. He is serious about the menu and the beverages. Many of the creations there are his own, including the desserts. And he would not let us leave without a dessert.
For dessert we order the Taking Back Sundae, which has warm monkey bread, butter pecan ice cream, bourbon caramel ice cream, whipped cream and spiced candied walnuts. We plan on splitting it. However, Gazi, has the waiter bring us two desserts. Besides the Taking Back Sundae, we also get Lava Lava Island, this death-to-diets creation includes chocolate lava cake, Nutella ganache, salted caramel pretzel ice cream, Ferrero Rocher, whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
We eat as much of these devilishly delightful desserts as possible. They are just too good. Rich and sublime, the combinations of flavors swirl in our mouths even though our overfilled tummies are saying, “Stop!”
Tanya and I, over satiated, leave busting at the seams. I say, “We can’t go back to the room.” Tanya agrees, saying, “We have to work this off.” So we take a walk around the large casino and we play the slots with the money we still have from breaking even earlier today. This time we come out a little ahead.
Back in our room we settle down and watch some tv. Soon we both crash hard.
It’s morning and I run down into the lobby to buy coffee. I want a large cup and a morning snack before going to our reserved daybed at The Cabanas at Ocean.
Our reservation for The Cabanas is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We leave our room around10:30. On our way we see the connected indoor and outdoor pool. There are children swimming, playing and, of course, screaming the sounds of fun.
We are given towels and taken to The Cabanas. The Cabanas offer “… stunning ocean views and a private poolside experience.” There are actually 13 cabanas and some daybeds and cocoons. Also there are two private pools and a jacuzzi. The Cabanas themselves are actually rooms with curtains and have furniture including a sofa bed, table and chairs, a tv, coffee table, and a counter. Outside the cabanas are comfortable, adjustable cushioned lounge chairs that can be used for sunning and relaxing with a cocktail.
We have a daybed, which is outside by the overlook to the ocean. There is room for the both of us and we can adjust the back individually.
We start our time with sunning. Getting fidgety and hot, I want to go into the pool. Tanya is fine just lying there in the sun. I say, “Come on Hon, let’s get wet.” She says, “Ok.” I go into the pool quickly, but Tanya kind of steps slowly into the water. I see great potential for mischief.
Once in I can’t help swimming under water and grabbing her legs. I can’t hear her hollering at me but when I come up I see a couple of people laughing. She splashes me. I go under again and try to tickle her feet. She attempts to get away from me, and we frolic that way for about an hour. Then our appetites start to call us.
A very nice young waitress, Shaniyah, approaches us and asks us if we want anything. And we both order a bottle of water and a Cabana Burger that comes with chips. It hits the spot.
After sunning ourselves a little while longer, we ease ourselves into the jacuzzi. There we meet a couple who are getting married in October. They are so lovestruck, we decide to leave them alone and go back to sunbathing.
After spending four hours in the mid-July sun, I am beginning to get a little burnt. We both decide to go back to the room and relax, because we have a dinner reservation for American Cut.
American Cut’s manager, Randy Richardson, seats us at a table. He talks to us a few minutes and I find out he once lived in Yardley—small world.
Tanya likes the ambience and comfortable seating at this upscale fine dining establishment. There is an eagle sculpture when entering, and the lighting is done with classic shaded lamps and artsy ceiling lighting. Although, it is dim enough for celebrating that special night.
American Cut has wine that ranges from very costly imported to moderately priced domestic. A wall of glass displays many bottles of wine and the list is long. There is also an a la carte raw bar where you can order East Coast Oyster, West Coast Oyster, Shrimp, Crab Cocktail. Caviar is also on the raw bar menu.
Tanya and I decide to order appetizers instead of from the raw bar. We order the Seared Crab Cake with smoked onion remoulade and Charleston slaw and the 10 oz Wagyu Meatball in sauce and parmesan cheese.
The meatball is incredible, full of life, fulfilling and just so tasty. It rivals the meatballs my Italian mother used to make. The crab cake is also delightful and at least 90 percent crab. It comes with Charleston slaw that keeps the palate fresh while eating.
We both order steak. I order the 10 oz Ribeye Filet and Tanya orders the Filet Mignon. Both steaks are aged cuts, as are all their steaks and chops. Cutting the steak is so easy that I feel like I am cutting through a brick of silky soft tofu. It is deliciously spiced and as good or better than anything I ate in Omaha. Tanya has the same experience. This time we adamantly refuse dessert. Our cheat day has already been expanded to two days.
Back in our room, we relax and watch television. I read for a while and we go to sleep. The morning is sunny and clear and we check out around noon. As we leave Atlantic City we realize that we never left Ocean the whole time we were there. There is too much to do right at the Ocean Casino Resort. The next time we go, we will visit some the many night life venues available. We haven’t even scratched the surface in our exploration of the resort. We must return.