Quick overnight trip to get to a few Triple D places in South Jersey (Atlantic City)

Last year I made an overnight trip to try to some places in the Atlantic City, NJ area.  Since that time Guy visited a few more.  I decided to make a quick overnight trip to try these places.  On my last trip I stayed in Atlantic City and the traffic going home was awful especially in the area near the Delaware Memorial Bridge, so on this trip I got an overnight place in Elkton, MD at the Maryland and Delaware border. 

I left work a few hours early and drove the entre way in a heavy and steady rainfall and despite the weather traffic wasn't too bad!  The GPS wanted me to go north on the New Jersey Turnpike to the Atlantic City Expressway but taking the more rural and non-toll US 40 seemed a better drive.  It is a pretty cool drive past the Cow Town Rodeo and through the town of Elmer where the Kountry Kitchen restaurant boasts they have "Good Vittles"! 

I drove to a small town just west of Atlantic City called Pleasantville.  My first stop was along Main Street and it took me a few laps to find a parking spot and luckily it was right in front of the restaurant.  "Sam's Rialto Grill and Bar" is a Pleasantville institution.  As I walked in there is a big bar on one side of the place and a dining room on the other.  I took a seat at a booth in the back of the dining room and looked over the menu. 

Sam's Rialto Bar and Grill in Pleasantville, NJ

Sam's dining room

I really like it when the restaurants highlight the dishes that were featured on Triple D, which Sam's does.  I chose the Chicken and Waffles dish.  They make all their meals to order so it took a little tome for the meal to get to me and it was worth it!  I chose the two dark meat plate with a classic waffle.  The chicken was scorching hot but delicious, crispy fried and moist inside.  The waffle was  not the huge Belgian style but like mom used to make when I was growing up and came with a scoop of butter and a small container of syrup.  The butter melted right into the waffle.

Sam's Classic Chicken and Waffle plate

As I was finishing up I chatted a bit with my server to tell her about my travels and to get someone to sign y book.  She told me the owner was not in but she had been working there for over 25 years and would like be the one to sign and I thought that was great!  After signing she asked if I wanted to get my picture taken by the Guy poster and just before I saw they had a small Guy tribute wall and that seemed like a better place.  The wall had a cartoon chicken and the "Guy Ate Here" painting.

Sam's Rialto Bar and Grill's Guy Tribute Wall

Me at Sam's

Guy's Tribute Wall

I headed out for the 15 minute drive from Pleasantville to Atlantic City and my second stop.  "Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House" is not in the casino area of Atlantic City but on a barrier island just outside the city in a residential area.  The place wasn't too busy on this Thursday afternoon but they were getting ready for a busy night.

Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House in Atlantic City, NJ

They specialize in beers on tap.  They had at lest a dozen different beers, ales and ciders on tap.  Vagabond has a lot of decorative and neon signs with the names of beers they feature. 

One of the beer signs at Vagabond

I took a seat at the big bar in the middle f the dining area and looked over the menu with Triple D icons to let you know what Guy had on his visit. 

Vagabond's menu featuring the Triple D items

I noticed that one of the appetizers was featured on the show so I chose the Tequila Shrimp Bangers.  As I waited one of the owners came over and I watched as he was mixing some of the beers to create new drinks to feature.  It was interesting to watch because he was not only trying the mixes but seeing how each looked in different glasses for the best presentation.

My food arrived and it was four huge shrimp breaded, fried and butterflied and covered in a semi-spicy sauce.  It was really good!  After finishing the owner came over to sign my book.  We talked few minutes about his place and they mix tasting he as doing.

Vagabond's Tequila Shrimp Bangers

I headed out for my last stop on this short trip and the 25 minute drive to Ocean City, NJ.  As I entered Ocean City over a huge causeway bridge I could see a huge difference between Atlantic City and Ocean City.  In Atlantic City if you get just a block or two away from the casinos and Boardwalk it is really run down but I was impressed with Ocean City, it was very clean, definitely a family oriented place. 

I arrived at "Piccini Wood Fired Brick Oven Pizza" and it reminded me of a pizza place I visited in this area last year as both were built in old donut shops.  I was seated at a small table in the front part of the restaurant and as I looked over the menu I must tell you that I love these NJ places, all of them had the Triple D icons on the menus.  I chose the Crab Pizza, which is a white sauce covered pizza with Old Bay and Lump Crab as the topping.  I was thinking about getting the Cheeseburger Pizza, which was featured on the show but there something about it that was off putting so I chose what I knew I'd like.  I noticed that for groups of kids you can get the "Make your Own" pizza.  A group next to me got this, they brought each person their own crust on a Pizza Piel and brought out the sauce and toppings and each kid made their own which seemed very cool.

Piccini Wood Fired Brick Oven Pizza in Ocean City, NJ

My Crab Pizza came out and it was really good.  There was a lot of lump crab on the pizza and the sauce didn't overpower the crab.

My Piccini Crab Pizza

I chatted with my server about my travels and she led me back to the kitchen area where I met both of the owners to sign my book.  The one owner who was working the pasta station was too busy to really talk but Billy, the pizza chef, told me about the restaurant and Guy's visit.  We took a couple of pictures in front of two brick ovens.  He told me that they were not as hot as usual as they were about 525 degrees "on the deck" but on many occasions the ovens are over 600 degrees. He said that in the winter it's not so bad but can be pretty bad during the heat of summer.

Real Brick Oven n the back!

Me and Billy, Piccini's Pizza Chef

I really enjoy Piccini's and found the staff to be very friendly.  It seemed to be a very popular local place, they were doing a really good takeout business and most of the tables were filled throughout my visit.  I headed out to start the trip back to m hotel and then home with my Triple D count at 494.  500 is not too far off!