I had a busy weekend at Monmouth Park and decided to have an early dinner at Blu Grotto. For those of you who don't know, Blu Grotto is an upscale restaurant on the grounds of Monmouth Park Racetrack -- very nice, upscale, nice menu and overall, a very nice experience. From the bar, to the main dining room, to the rotunda style room, to the outside lounge, upper deck, beer garden, patio, all throughout -- the color blue theme -- everything contributes to a very nice place. Upscale, but casual.
We sat at the bar, filled with TV monitors showing races from across the country, and only a few steps from a self-serv betting terminal, and had a drink. Excellent selection of craft beers, cocktails, specials, etc. We then went outside and sat on the upper deck. It was very nice. We then walked downstairs, sat outside, listened to the live band, and continued to relax. All very nice. We then went back inside and decided to have dinner in the bar. The menu is upscale -- octopus, Asian-Thai calamari, oysters, pasta dishes, steak, fish, and on and on. Check out the menu on their website.
Special note goes to the grilled octopus, the Asian-Thai calamari, and the short-rib meatballs. The chef sent out a special of small lamb meatballs, elegantly garnished and with a garlic-yogurt stye sauce.
In short, very nice! Very good food, very good ambiance and environment, and a very nice experience. An excellent addition to Monmouth Park. You don't have to go to the racetrack and spend a day at the races -- just go to the restaurant. However, for someone like me, it's a great way and a great place to end a great day at the races.
