There’s so much going on this month that my usual column format of focusing on one amazing thing per week is out the frosty windows.
This week, I’ll tackle a great outdoor experience at Borgata and Essl’s getting a complete makeover, but first I want to remind everyone of something very near and dear to my heart.
My first official business as sole Executive Director of the MBCA Foundation is to help some kids this holiday season with Stock the Sleigh, a joint initiative with Atlantic County Toys for Kids that will stock lots of stockings this Christmas for some Atlantic City kids in need.
We have already shopped at Wal-Mart for more than $3,000 in toys thanks to initial funds generated by the George Norcross/Senator Vince Polistina discussion, in which both participants donated $25,000 and $5,000, respectively, with AtlantiCare donating an additional $5,000. Most of that money will be used to build a pocket park at the corner of North Carolina and Pacific avenues in Atlantic City, but we wanted to use some of those funds for this great cause.
You can drop off toys at WOND Radio and Longport Media Studios at 1601 New Road, Linwood, TD Bank branches in Atlantic City, Ocean City, and Northfield, or Essl’s and Il Porcellino in Egg Harbor Township.
But, why do that when you can bring them yourself and have fun while doing it?
Come to the Byrdcage in Atlantic City 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, bring a new, unwrapped toy or a monetary donation and help local families this holiday season Enjoy complimentary, creative holiday appetizers, a cash bar, and that warm, fuzzy feeling of doing something great for your community.
All toys will be distributed by Atlantic County Toys for Kids — and members of the MBCA — to make sure every child gets a little holiday magic.
If you can’t drop off a toy or make the party, email me at scronick@comcast.net to make a donation, and I will personally shop for toys with every dollar donated.
Let’s make sure every sleigh is stocked and every child smiles this holiday season. From all of us at MBCA and Atlantic County Toys for Kids — happy holidays!
For more information, go to MBCANJ.com or email scronick@comcast.net.
Essl’s gets a facelift
When it comes to legendary breakfast and lunch spots in South Jersey, it doesn’t get bigger than Essl’s in West Atlantic City.
And thanks to Carey Hettmannspeger, who took over the historic spot in 2018, the legend continues to positively grow.
Since resurrecting Essl’s, which has existed since 1972, Hettmannsperger has grown the place for being the home of the Messl sandwich with breakfast meat, egg, cheese and homefries on a kaiser roll, to an all-around great food spot that excels in catering private parties and weddings unlike anyone else in South Jersey.
Now, Essl’s has undergone a complete transformation — inside and out — to make the place all her own without losing its cozy, intimate reputation.
The transformation actually started when Hettmannsperger and her husband Bobby first bought the place.
“It was a good, cozy place, but it definitely needed a lot of work,” Carey Hettmannsperger said. “But we didn’t do all that right away. We did what was important, and that was the kitchen. And we just kept expanding and expanding and getting everything up to code and functioning well. And then last year I decided to make a full-on renovation to save the building. It was falling apart. The building is almost 100 years old. So yeah, new floors, new ceiling, new walls, new exterior. I got an awning up. We just put a lot of love into it. It was more than freshening the place up.”
The place is a complete departure from what Essl’s looks like. Gone are the old newspaper clippings and baseball references that once adorned the yellowish walls.
Now, Essl’s is bright and clean with framed artwork of “old Atlantic City” donated by a customer, including the Diving Horse from the Steel Pier and other historic moments pictured in postcards and more.
A new door and windows replace ones that were “barely hanging in there,” and the outside of the building is bright white.
“The building was once hit by a car in the 1980s,” Bobby said. “It went right through it.”
“So, we’re trying to make it the best we can, but it’s not going to be square and sure and perfect. It’s a little imperfect in a good way,” Carey said.
One thing that remains the same is the mosaic tile on the counter. In fact, it has been cleaned and refurbished so that it pops more than ever.
“Those mosaics are from the Essls who did all the Convention Center mosaics,” said Bobby, noting that the mural also features a corn maze and a floral pattern. “That sailboat that’s on there … that’s the sailboat that’s in the convention center. The tiles are pieces, like one by one, and it looks like they put it together like a puzzle. So, there’s some history there. There is a story behind it. You also see a few houses down that road that have the same.”
Also gone is the Dugout in the Essl’s Dugout name. Carey is changing the name to Essl’s Family Restaurant.
“We’re just not sports fans, but we wanted to give customers something to look at that everyone can enjoy, even if they aren’t into baseball,” Carey said. “We think it looks really nice.”
It does. And while the facelift is a reason to check out Essl’s, the main reason will always be the food. And Essl’s does not disappoint. But, do me a favor: Try something other than a Messl. There is some really good food being prepared here — all from scratch, all made in house.
The beauty of Essl’s is that you can get an omelet at 1 p.m. and a turkey club at 8 a.m., as the whole menu is available all day.
My new favorites include any of the homemade soups including the cheeseburger soup, the breakfast quesadilla with homemade salsa, cinnamon swirl pancakes made with homemade cinnamon butter that is crispy on one side and soft on the other, the steak and eggs breakfast bowl made with a New York strip steak, the sausage gravy and biscuits and a killer Reuben.
“The good part is we source locally for both here and our other spot, Il Porcellino,” Bobby said. “It’s not like we’re buying from big chains and stuff like that. We use a local produce company. We use a local meat distributor. Our turkey breast is roasted fresh in-house. Our eye rounds are roasted fresh in-house. So, you know, we’re supporting our local businesses as well, which is great.”
Don’t believe me that Essl’s is great? Ask the Daily Mail, which recently named Essl’s as the No. 1 hole in the wall breakfast spot in New Jersey.
“I just found out, and I’m just in shock,” Carey said.
One of the most interesting things is that Essl’s doesn’t fry anything. They don’t even have a fryer.
“It’s all done on a skillet or on a hot plate,” Carey said. “So, while we aren’t a healthy food place, there are healthy alternatives. And you know your food isn’t in fryer oil.”
So, where is Essl’s headed in the future?
Outdoors, that’s where!
“Hopefully, in the spring, I have a very small outdoor dining spot behind the restaurant,” Carey said. “I love the idea of like three or four tables in a little garden setting going on.”
Sounds good to me!
Essl’s is located at 7001 Black Horse Pike, Pleasantville. Call 609-646-0637 or go to EsslsRestaurant.com
Hit the Moondeck
Last week I mentioned six places to go check out for the holidays, so here’s No. 7: Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
The good news is that while there are some holiday-centric stuff that goes with the season, their main attraction — the awesome Moondeck — goes through the end of February, so you can put it off if you have too much to do this holiday season.
But, I strongly urge you to make reservations because the five stunning “chalets” on the pool deck adjacent to the Sunroom in its MGM Tower sell out quickly.
Once again, Borgata’s Sunroom patio has been transformed into a cozy outdoor retreat. “Moondeck: Winter Experience Presented by FIJI Water” is offered Fridays and Saturdays — and New Year’s Eve — from 4:40 to 9:30 p.m. through February. Each reservation guarantees a chalet for one hour and 45 minutes, and there is a $300 minimum spend per chalet.
This seasonal favorite invites guests to gather under twinkling lights and enjoy crisp winter evenings by the fire.
“It’s just a very cool, cozy vibe inside the chalets,” said Director of Food and Beverage Robert McIntosh. “They are totally see-through, so you can look at the stars, look at the skyline of the building and the beautiful lights that we have out there across the pool deck. There’s Christmas trees. It’s all lit up. It’s just very festive and a great place to hang out.”
The chalets on Moondeck accommodate up to six people and feature really cool, eclectic furniture with your own cozy little fireplace, a bluetooth JBL speaker to play Christmas tunes or whatever you desire, and a modern touchpad system to make it easy to order your food and specialty cocktails.
“It’s a very cool system, plus we also give you a walkie-talkie so you are in constant communication with your dedicated server,” McIntosh said. “Whether you’re a couple or you’ve got six friends — which is the max — it’s just an awesome experience. I love it.”
There are some great specialty cocktails, a full bar menu and food options. When making your reservation, you can pre-order large plates to share with your group.
“There are items like a full charcuterie board, a hummus board, an artisan cheese board, a s’mores tin if you’re interested in a nice dessert board,” McIntosh said. “We want our guests to really enjoy some really cool, fun stuff to eat and drink while they’re out there.”
Some of those “really cool” specialty cocktails include the Moondeck Hot Cocoa, a build-your-own experience with homemade cocoa, whipped cream and toppings such as graham crackers, caramel and chocolate paired with choice of spirit from Jameson to Patron. Then there’s the Polar Espresso Martini, available as a tree of six, which is certainly an Instagrammable moment.
“If you pre-order the food, it will be there so you can start munching right away,” McIntosh said. “People really get a kick out of the Polar Espresso Martini. And the hot chocolate is really popular. Everything goes with hot chocolate. I think people really dig that whole winter vibe out there. We’ve got some snowflakes falling out there, and you’re all nice and cozy in your little chalet. You feel exclusive out there. It’s very private, intimate … just a great place to hang out.”
If you want to experience the Borgata holiday fun without a chalet, you can certainly do that as every restaurant and bar is shaking up a signature holiday cocktail. The signature cocktails include: Holiday Lemon Thyme at Angeline by Michael Symon, White Christmas Margarita at American Bar & Grille, Winter Whisper Martini at B-Prime Steakhouse, Pumpkin Spice at Old Homestead Steak House, Candy Cane at Lobby Bar, White Christmas at B Bar, Coastal Christmas at Sunroom and Holiday Sangria at The Metropolitan.
“A lot of people wind up doing a little bar crawl around the entire property trying a different Christmas cocktail all along the way,” McIntosh said. “My favorite is the Old Homestead Pumpkin Spice. You can’t go wrong with Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Pumpkin Rumchata, Kahlua, a little pumpkin spice offering a cozy, classic pumpkin pie flavor and a festive rim with some graham cracker and star anise. I can’t get enough pumpkin pie.”
My choice would be the Holiday Lemon Thyme with thyme-infused syrup with fresh lemon juice. It’s got a great fresh citrus taste and is one of those hits where people come back every year looking forward to having that holiday cocktail on the menu.
Other Borgata holiday happenings include:
- Christmas in Concert returns to Borgata’s Music Box with select performances through 24. Created by renowned producer Allen Valentine, the show immerses audiences in the magic of the season with breathtaking performances of Christmas classics sung by eight vocalists in tandem with a live band, including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Run Run Rudolph” and all the festive classics that capture the heart of the season. With spectacular visuals, stunning costumes and vibrant choreography, Christmas in Concert offers something for everyone. Tickets start at $26.
- Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra at The Music Box 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, where the Grammy Award-winning artist performs timeless Sinatra favorites and holiday standards alongside a live band.
- Borgata Buffet will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and amp up the offerings with lamb with mint sauce, sea bass scampi, holiday ham and prime rib. For Christmas Day brunch, check out the cornbread waffles.
For reservations and more information, go to TheBorgata.com
Scott Cronick is an award-winning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – “Off The Press with Scott Cronick” – 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.
