A two-part visit to AC

Prelude:
Since we live about 2 hours from AC, my wife and I usually limit our visits to day trips. Drive down in the AM, have lunch when we get there, spend a few hours playing craps, a drink at one of the bars, then head home The only problem is that we never stick around in AC for dinner because I don't want to drive a couple hours after a good meal and a bottle of wine. So when I got an offer from Borgota for a comped room I figured it was an opportunity to stay over-night and have dinner at a restaurant I have being wanting to try for a while: Dock's Oyster Bar. I made reservations at Borgota for last Wednesday with a dinner reservation at Dock's for 6:00 PM that night

Part 1:
We got to Borgota around 3:30. This was the first time we had been there on a weekday. Compared to the weekend scene, the table games seemed to have about 60% of the action we normally saw. The slots however were almost entirely deserted. After checking in we decided to put off any gambling for the moment and instead go straight to Dock's for Happy Hour before having dinner. Got a couple seats at the bar and ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell (only $1 each for Happy hour) and some drinks. Somehow I got into a conversation with the bartender (Dimitri) about various bourbons, gins, and vodkas. Next thing i know, he's pouring us samples of 4 bourbons and 1 gin to try. All on the house. Needless to say we left him a big tip. We were definitely feeling no pain when we finally moved from the bar to a table for a lobster dinner. The lobsters were good but next time we go back we'll skip the big dinner and just hang out at the bar for Happy Hour, pigging out on the oysters.
After dinner it was back to the Borgota and I hit the craps table. I was a little bit up at first but after about 40 minutes I was down $20. Since I just wasn't feeling any positive energy at the tables I decided quit for the night, get some Ben & Jerry's, and then go to bed.
The next morning we decided to head back home right after breakfast. After all, our primary goal for this particular trip was visiting the restaurant rather than gambling. We checked out around 8:30 and were home by 10:30 AM. And it was about 15 minutes after that when I realized that we had left my laptop in the hotel room. Apparently we each thought that the other had packed it. I immediately called the hotel and somebody from Lost and Found was sent up to the room and retrieved the laptop. They called me back to let me know that they had found it and to ask if I wanted them to Fed-Ex it to me or if they should hold it until I could come by to get it. I told them I would be down Saturday to pick it up.

Part 2:
On Saturday we drove back down to AC with the primary goal being to pick-up the laptop. Gambling wasn't a big priority but my wife figured that as long as we were there I might as well play some craps, even if it was just for a short break before turning around and driving back. We got to the casino around noon, retrieved the laptop from security, and by about 12:30 I was at a $10 table. My wife wasn't in the mood to do any gambling so she figured she would just hang out near by while I played craps for 20 minutes or so.
I bought in for $260 and about 5 minutes later it was my turn to shoot. After about 15 rolls I started to get the feeling something unusual was going on. After I had been shooting for about 45 minutes I was damn sure something memorable was happening. I was standing right by the spot where the Borgota's craps tables have a blurb commemorating Pat Demauro's 4 hour and 18 minute streak and after I had been going an hour I started thinking of that and wondering if I could last that long without having to pee. In then end, it was 90 minutes before I finally sevened out! I would love to say I won a ton of money but I'm not a big better. Mainly it was $10 on pass with 1X or 2x odds. Occasionally I made come bets with similar odds or placed 6 & 8 for $12 each. In the end I was $120 up. I've had sessions were I've won a lot more but even though it wasn't a big payday, I got a real rush from the streak. Prior to this the longest I've ever gone was about 12 rolls. Forgetting that laptop turned out to be one of the best mistakes I've ever made.

Thanks for the story, you write very well. Lucky you got the laptop back because there is no guarantee with hotels. I love the idea of lobster but although I enjoy it I always walk away thinking I would have rather had crab legs or a good steak for the same price. I think it’s the allure of lobster that gets me.

Quote: PokerGrinder

Thanks for the story, you write very well. Lucky you got the laptop back because there is no guarantee with hotels. I love the idea of lobster but although I enjoy it I always walk away thinking I would have rather had crab legs or a good steak for the same price. I think it’s the allure of lobster that gets me.

I used to be the same way but now if I want a special meal it is always crab. To me a good steak dinner is nice but it is a lot more common than me getting crab. Sadly, my wife is so allergic to shellfish that she can't even sit at the table if I am eating it.

I definitely prefer a good medium-rare NY strip steak over a lobster but, like DRich, I would go with the less common choice when eating out. That's when I want something I'm not likely to get at home. Since my wife is an exceptional cook that rules out a lot. A few times a year she does lobster at home since they're not that hard to boil. If I have something in a restaurant that I really like she tries to reverse-engineer the recipe so she can do it at home. The one thing that she won't try at home is shucking oysters so we're always on the lookout for a good raw bar. Dock's is definitely going on our list.
As to crab legs, I ate a lot of those when I lived in Alaska in the late 70s. Another favourite when I was there was the pink shrimp. I remember there was a restaurant we used to go to that served as a shrimp cocktail what was just a big bowl stuffed with the little buggers. Wasn't too expensive either since it was local and didn't have to be shipped in from the Lower 48 like pretty much everything else you ate up there.

I love all seafood and fish but I’ve never understood the draw to oysters. I’ve tried them a couple times and they are just slimy creatures to me.

Quote: PokerGrinder

Thanks for the story, you write very well. Lucky you got the laptop back because there is no guarantee with hotels.

I gotta say I was really impressed by the staff at the Borgota. They followed up ASAP and then called me back. We were thinking that the next time we did an overnight in AC we might check out Hard Rock or Ocean but now I'm not so sure. Good service like that is hard to come by.

Quote: PokerGrinder

I love all seafood and fish but I’ve never understood the draw to oysters. I’ve tried them a couple times and they are just slimy creatures to me.

This from a guy who travels all over the world eating all sorts of street food of dubious provenance? You should give them a try. Oysters are sort of like single malt scotch... depending on where they are from the taste can really vary. Next time you stop by AC we'll go to Dock's, get an assortment, and you'll see what I mean.

I’m down to try them again with you TB. I have had them multiple times though and didn’t see the attraction.

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m down to try them again with you TB. I have had them multiple times though and didn’t see the attraction.

The rare time (did so recently) I order the seafood tower I do eat the oysters, but they are not the main attraction. Some spicy cocktail sauce and you forget they are slimy filter feeders.

Next time you have pork chops or bacon will you be thinking about what those critters eat?

Quote: TumblingBones

Next time you have pork chops or bacon will you be thinking about what those critters eat?

I won't. But when I was being raised (Jewish) we were taught that bottom feeders (catfish, clams, oysters) were dirty and unfit for consumption. Bacon is too good for me to think about anything other than if it is cooked well enough. I need it extra crispy.

Quote: SOOPOO

I won't. But when I was being raised (Jewish) we were taught that bottom feeders (catfish, clams, oysters) were dirty and unfit for consumption. Bacon is too good for me to think about anything other than if it is cooked well enough. I need it extra crispy.

Ah!!! Fellow Jew! Shabbat Shalom Mr Soopoo!

I’m a bad Jew... I always tell people when they ask how bad I tell them I have yet to go to a synagogue on Shabbat and eat a bacon cheeseburger. So there’s that lol. I had a bar mitzvah and a bris (not in that order lol) but that’s as Jewish as I get.

Quote: SOOPOO

I won't. But when I was being raised (Jewish) we were taught that bottom feeders (catfish, clams, oysters) were dirty and unfit for consumption. Bacon is too good for me to think about anything other than if it is cooked well enough. I need it extra crispy.

I think once someone tries bacon, they are then hooked. I couldn't imagine not eating bacon. Today I bought some smoked pork chops from the meat market, they smell and taste like bacon but are cut at 1.5 inches thick.

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m down to try them again with you TB. I have had them multiple times though and didn’t see the attraction.

You need to time your next trip to SE USA for September or October. Go to Charleston, and sign up for a Low Country boil. It will be outdoors in a field, it will be AYCE, and they will serve steamed oysters with sauces and a Sausage/shrimp/corn on the cob/new potato boil in Old Bay that they just dump on paper in the middle of the table. They keep it coming until you explode.

Big steamer pots over propane everywhere. You'll want to bring your own oyster knife and a leather work glove for your other hand. All fresh caught, insanely good.

Raw bars, most of them, can't come close to how good the fresh-steamed ones are.

You all are killing me with all this talk about steak, lobster, crab, oysters, bacon, sausage, corn, etc!

I look forward to my next vacation in April!

Crab, oysters, bacon, sausage? Sounds like the makings for some Jambalaya! We've been using a couple recipes we found in Emeril Lagasse's "Real and Rustic" cookbook. Some folks like a cold beer with it but we always go with a pitcher of Sangria.

I surprisingly enough had the best jambalaya of my life in Seattle. A woman from New Orleans had moved up there after Katrina. I found her by accident but it was so damn good. Before anyone says I don’t know good jambalaya until I’ve been to Louisiana, I have spent quite a bit of time in both Biloxi and New Orleans.

<thread drift>

Aside from making your own bacon, the best store-bought bacon I’ve found is Wrights brand bacon, at Sams Club, 3lbs for about $15. They have hickory, applewood, and pecan smoked. All are excellent, shut your eyes and pick one.

</thread drift>

Nice short trip. I, too, take interest in strange happenings like buying in low and running it up, or playing soft and watching it all go sideways. Often, when I’m done for the afternoon and waiting for Mrs Mosca to finish up so we can dine, I play pai gow poker, because you can play a while and pretty much break even with all the pushes. But I’ll always remember once, coincidentally also at the Borgata, dropping about $250 at pgp. Lost almost every hand.

I'm pretty much inclined to just stick with craps but maybe one of these days I'll branch out and try PGP as it seems to have a lot of fans on this forum. I've always just considered it an "odd but popular table game" (OBPTG) which to me are games like PGP, Spanish 21, Caribbean Stud Poker, etc. In other words, pretty much everything other than the "basic table games" consisting of BJ, baccarat, craps, and roulette or the Asian games (Sic-Bo and Pai Gao Tiles). At the Borgota the craps tables are next to the OBPTG section but other than occasionally grabbing a chair from one of the empty tables I've never really paid them any attention. They definitely have their fans. While I was in the middle of my hot streak I overhead a guy saying he wasn't really in to playing craps but was killing time while for a seat to open up at one of the Spanish-21 tables.

Quote: TumblingBones

I'm pretty much inclined to just stick with craps but maybe one of these days I'll branch out and try PGP as it seems to have a lot of fans on this forum. I've always just considered it an "odd but popular table game" (OBPTG) which to me are games like PGP, Spanish 21, Caribbean Stud Poker, etc. In other words, pretty much everything other than the "basic table games" consisting of BJ, baccarat, craps, and roulette or the Asian games (Sic-Bo and Pai Gao Tiles). At the Borgota the craps tables are next to the OBPTG section but other than occasionally grabbing a chair from one of the empty tables I've never really paid them any attention. They definitely have their fans. While I was in the middle of my hot streak I overhead a guy saying he wasn't really in to playing craps but was killing time while for a seat to open up at one of the Spanish-21 tables.

I am not a stickler for perfection but since you enjoyed the trip the name of the casino is BorgAta, not BorgOta.

I dont know why that keeps bothering me (maybe I am a stickler. A closet stickler)

Quote: darkoz

I am not a stickler for perfection but since you enjoyed the trip the name of the casino is BorgAta, not BorgOta.

I dont know why that keeps bothering me (maybe I am a stickler. A closet stickler)

Nothing wrong with being a stickler. As someone who has on more than one occasion given people grief for writing "exspresso" instead of "espresso" I deserved that for not being more careful myself.

Quote: TumblingBones

I'm pretty much inclined to just stick with craps but maybe one of these days I'll branch out and try PGP as it seems to have a lot of fans on this forum. I've always just considered it an "odd but popular table game" (OBPTG) which to me are games like PGP, Spanish 21, Caribbean Stud Poker, etc. In other words, pretty much everything other than the "basic table games" consisting of BJ, baccarat, craps, and roulette or the Asian games (Sic-Bo and Pai Gao Tiles). At the Borgota the craps tables are next to the OBPTG section but other than occasionally grabbing a chair from one of the empty tables I've never really paid them any attention. They definitely have their fans. While I was in the middle of my hot streak I overhead a guy saying he wasn't really in to playing craps but was killing time while for a seat to open up at one of the Spanish-21 tables.

Fwiw, and I applaud you having your own term for it.

Nearly everyone I know, including pit personnel, call those "Carnival" games. Nearly every card game that's not Blackjack is Carnival, including in some places, mini-bacc.

Baccarat and PGP kind of overlap. They're both "Carnival" but in a lot of places they're broken out instead as "Asian" games. That, in my experience, has been when there's enough site-specfic interest that the casino has enough tables to have a separate Asian pit.

But Carnival games, starting with Caribbean Stud, usually have a starting bet or ante, then have at least one decision point along the way, requiring more money or fold and forfeit your ante.

If you notice, all of the traditional games (craps, roulette, big six, etc) require an initial bet, then something happens that you win or lose. Blackjack included, because splitting or doubling down is optional, not required to finish or win the hand.

Asian games fall into that more traditional mode - PGT, PGP, baccarat, Asian poker, Chinese poker are all 1 bet, then make your best hand from the deal. But as I said, in a lot of casinos, they offer those games in the Carnival pit.

Carnival (most popular table games)
Caribbean Stud
Let it ride
Crazy 4
Ultimate Texas Hold'em
3 card poker
Texas hold-em bonus
Deuces Wild
High Card Flush
Mississippi Stud
a hundred others with smaller distribution

All FWIW.

Thanks for the explanation. I had never heard the term "Carnival game" before nor noticed the betting pattern.

At Borgata, PGP is in the Asian games, and it is also over by the restaurant we like, Old Homestead. Usually it is like watching paint dry. It can get streaky, but not usually, which is why I play it to pass time.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Fwiw, and I applaud you having your own term for it.

Nearly everyone I know, including pit personnel, call those "Carnival" games. Nearly every card game that's not Blackjack is Carnival, including in some places, mini-bacc.

Baccarat and PGP kind of overlap. They're both "Carnival" but in a lot of places they're broken out instead as "Asian" games. That, in my experience, has been when there's enough site-specfic interest that the casino has enough tables to have a separate Asian pit.

But Carnival games, starting with Caribbean Stud, usually have a starting bet or ante, then have at least one decision point along the way, requiring more money or fold and forfeit your ante.

If you notice, all of the traditional games (craps, roulette, big six, etc) require an initial bet, then something happens that you win or lose. Blackjack included, because splitting or doubling down is optional, not required to finish or win the hand.

Asian games fall into that more traditional mode - PGT, PGP, baccarat, Asian poker, Chinese poker are all 1 bet, then make your best hand from the deal. But as I said, in a lot of casinos, they offer those games in the Carnival pit.

Carnival (most popular table games)
Caribbean Stud
Let it ride
Crazy 4
Ultimate Texas Hold'em
3 card poker
Texas hold-em bonus
Deuces Wild
High Card Flush
Mississippi Stud
a hundred others with smaller distribution

All FWIW.

I would agree with what you said. Except that I look at 3 card poker as sort of an in-between. Most of the casinos I go to have many more tables for that than for any individual carnival game. But if you use that betting pattern to determine carnival game than I guess it qualifies

Quote: Mosca

At Borgata, PGP is in the Asian games, and it is also over by the restaurant we like, Old Homestead. Usually it is like watching paint dry. It can get streaky, but not usually, which is why I play it to pass time.

We haven't tried Homestead yet but we did eat several years ago at Bobby Flay's. It was, in our opinion, OK but the food was nothing exceptional, especially give the prices. In general I've found that the upscale casino restaurants charge about 50-60% more than a comparable place outside the casino. That's one reason I was interested in checking out Dock's this past trip. Next up on my list is the Knife and Fork. If you've been there and have an opinion on how it compares to Homestead or Flay's I would be interested to hear your take.

Quote: TumblingBones

We haven't tried Homestead yet but we did eat several years ago at Bobby Flay's. It was, in our opinion, OK but the food was nothing exceptional, especially give the prices. In general I've found that the upscale casino restaurants charge about 50-60% more than a comparable place outside the casino. That's one reason I was interested in checking out Dock's this past trip. Next up on my list is the Knife and Fork. If you've been there and have an opinion on how it compares to Homestead or Flay's I would be interested to hear your take.

Old Homestead is our favorite restaurant in the US. Not that there aren’t better restaurants; we’ve eaten at better steakhouses, let alone better restaurants. We just really look forward to going to Old Homestead. I get the Sherry Brothers strip steak, she gets the lobster tail. Good service, good food.

Haven’t been to Dock’s. Haven’t been to Knife and Fork. In the Borg, we’ve been to OH, Wolfgang Puck’s, and Angeline. Wolfgang’s is good, but we haven’t been there in a long time. Angeline was forgettable.

Again in the Borg, Metropolitan is the only morning sit down option when the buffet is closed. We don’t care for it, in a “How can you screw up breakfast?” way. Jeez, people, it’s bacon, eggs, toast, and potatoes. Let me back there, I’ll show you.

The food court in the basement by the poker room is pretty good for semi-fast food.

I’m a carnie game player, because I play for the thrills. I will pay edge for variance. Borg has Criss Cross, which combines lots of action with slow game play. So even when I’m having a rough session I get decent table time.

Quote: Mosca

Old Homestead is our favorite restaurant in the US. Not that there aren’t better restaurants; we’ve eaten at better steakhouses, let alone better restaurants. We just really look forward to going to Old Homestead. I get the Sherry Brothers strip steak, she gets the lobster tail. Good service, good food.

Haven’t been to Dock’s. Haven’t been to Knife and Fork. In the Borg, we’ve been to OH, Wolfgang Puck’s, and Angeline. Wolfgang’s is good, but we haven’t been there in a long time. Angeline was forgettable.

Again in the Borg, Metropolitan is the only morning sit down option when the buffet is closed. We don’t care for it, in a “How can you screw up breakfast?” way. Jeez, people, it’s bacon, eggs, toast, and potatoes. Let me back there, I’ll show you.

The food court in the basement by the poker room is pretty good for semi-fast food.

I’m a carnie game player, because I play for the thrills. I will pay edge for variance. Borg has Criss Cross, which combines lots of action with slow game play. So even when I’m having a rough session I get decent table time.

OH is my favorite restaurant in AC also. Have probably eaten there 25-30 times and never had a bad meal or bad service

Quote: michael99000

I would agree with what you said. Except that I look at 3 card poker as sort of an in-between. Most of the casinos I go to have many more tables for that than for any individual carnival game. But if you use that betting pattern to determine carnival game than I guess it qualifies

I always thought of carnival games as any licensed/proprietary game. So I'd count 3CP as carnival, and bacc/roulette/craps/BJ/PGT/Big 6 Wheel/etc as non-carnival. FWIW. It doesn't really matter in the end.

Reminds me of the time I went to AC about 7 years ago for a day trip and ended up staying the weekend. Was up over $250 and decided to call it a day after 6 hours of playing without eating. I left the table at 4 10 PM and sauntered over to Resorts where the 4 30 PM bus to Port Authority was scheduled to arrive.

Somehow between the walk from Taj Mahal to Resorts I lost my return bus ticket, which was as small as a movie theater ticket stub. I frantically back tracked all along the boardwalk in hopes of finding it, but to no avail. So I went to the ticket agent at Resorts and asked for a One-Way ticket. He informed me, they don't sell One-way tickets for THAT bus company(who shall remain nameless) and I needed to go to Taj to buy the ticket. I couldn't believe my ears and ran back to Taj to pay $39 for a one-way ticket. Only to return and see the bus pulling away down the street!

I was so upset and kept asking the bus attendant at Resorts to please call the driver and ask him to turn back. He refused and said "He can't, once they leave, they are GONE!" It would be another 4 hours until the next bus arrives at Taj and I was pretty upset about having to wait around all that time.

So I decided to kill time by watching some seniors play dollar slots at Taj. One old person kept hitting like crazy on this particular Blazing 7's Machine and cashed out with over $1400. After they left, I figured I'd try my luck and hoped to just hit for $200. Much to my surprise, after about $70 coin-in, the machine hit for the Progressive Jackpot of $1028 and I enjoyed a great dinner with another $920 profit! Ended up staying the night and watching football the next day!