Cheap Eats Suggestion for Atlantic City

Even though Atlantic City is the largest chapter in my book, I haven't written about it on the blog for one simple reason: I finished that chapter first. It was the town most open in the winter. A lot of the best things about the shore close up shop in the colder months, so to Atlantic City I went, where most places are open and ready for business. It's interesting walking their Boardwalk (always with a capital B in Atlantic City because their Boardwalk was the original) when a cold wind is slapping you in the face. It's much less crowded, too.

If you've ever been to Atlantic City, you know that it's a town of extremes. You can buy the flashiest Tiffany's diamond at their shop in the Pier Shops at Caesars, (One Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City, 609-345-3100), then walk a few blocks and be in a place you might not want to be in the day, let alone at night.

The same could be said for what you'll find in Atlantic City's 11 casino hotels. On one hand, if you're a regular customer, you'll pay next to nothing or nothing for your room and enjoy a slew of other comps, including free food. If you're not a frequent flier, you might be charged up the wazoo.

If you're the later (or even the former), you might be looking for a good deal on food. You can skip the casino restaurants (except for the take out window at A Dam Good Deli in the Tropicana Casino & Resort) and head to Angelo’s Fairmount Tavern (2300 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City, 609-344-2439). There’s no fuss or muss at this corner tavern, but the food is good and served in larger than life portions. The menu leans toward Italian, of course, and is chock full of seafood, pasta and fried foods. They make their own wine, too, and I can personally tell you -- it's good stuff.

My tip to you if you're looking for savings at the casinos: sign up for one of those frequent customer doo hickeys. Many of the programs work between a few casinos, and they can save you big time in the long run. I wasn't a fan of Atlantic City when I started the book, and in a lot of ways, I'm still iffy about it. But I find myself turning there more often when I'm looking for things to do. That's saying a lot when you considered that I hate gambling. You might get bit by the bug, too. Save yourself some cash in the meantime.

What I'm listening to: Writer's Block by Peter Bjorn and John.