Another place I keep forgetting about is the Howard Johnsons in Toms River, which is now a Wyndham property. This hotel also houses Christopher's Pub and The Grove Restaurant & Tavern. Looking for a new place to have lunch with Lori after her lab appointment, I found The Grove online. As it turns out, today was officially their first day open for lunch since the pandemic first began. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was their upscale atmosphere.
Lori ordered her standard French Dip, which means that she would be able to give an educated opinion about its quality. Coming with French Fries and pickles, her hand-sliced roast beef was described as being very tender. She did say that the warm roll that it was on was different from most dips that she had ordered in the past, but it worked out very well taste-wise. She asked for a slice of Provolone to be added, which they gracefully complied. The au jus was obviously tasty because I believed she emptied the bowl with her constant dipping.
My Philadelphia Cheese Steak was on the money. The Sauteed Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms flavored the sandwich extremely well in just the right quantity. The American Cheese was melted just enough as not to be a gooey mess. Of course, I always add ketchup to my cheesesteaks! This also came with French Fries and Pickles. The fries were coated and very crispy, which I know is the way some people like them, but as I stated in a previous post, I rather have no coating on my fries. However, the cheesesteak more than made up for this.
The service was great, as we both had a great conversation with the waitress about this restaurant and Christopher's Pub. It appears that they are coming off a busy weekend at the pub between karaoke, djs and a live band. It has been awhile since I was there for entertainment, but it seems like I am going to have to check it out again. There is nothing like good company, drinks, food and live music! The Grove is located at 955 Hooper Avenue in Toms River, New Jersey.
