Looking for a place to have a nice lunch with my better half, I thought of The Office Restaurant & Lounge, which has been a staple of Toms River, New Jersey, for over 30 years. Located at 820 Main Street off Route 37, this is the place that I always forget about but never disappoints when I remember they are here. If you are a sushi fan, this is the place for you. We are not fans of sushi (although I don't mind a Philadelphia Roll) but their menu is very eclectic.
My date had the French Dip Roast Beef with au jus, which is one of her favorites. The roast beef was beautifully cooked and I could tell by her smile that it was definitely up to par. French Fries came as a side with Pickle Chips. I am not a fan of the way some restaurants prepare their fries lately but I could tell that I would have liked these because they weren't overly coated to make them very crispy. When Burger King started doing this to their fries, I stopped ordering them.
I had the Japanese Style Curry lunch special, which I started off with a bowl of Miso Soup. I guess all those trips to Hibachi Steak Houses has turned me on to this soup variety. My main course was unbelievable as the Shrimp Tempura that accented the top of my meal was cooked very light and flaky. The curry sauce was flavored by the shredded chili pepper and scallions which blended well over the rice. This was just the right portion for lunch and I highly recommend the dish.
We had to have dessert, which consisted of cheese cake and tiramisu for us. The cheese cake was very light and perfect for my lunch guest. I haven't had tiramisu in quite some time and to tell you I was in heaven would be an understatement! We do have to make it back here for dinner some time. I was very interested in the choices offered while I was checking out the menu. If you are in the area, check them out at www.theofficelounge.net . If I was a professional food critic, they would receive five spoons from me with that being the highest rating.