Atlantic City Country Club, Atlantic City, NJ USA

Ordered at the Taproom in the Atlantic City Country Club, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, just 15 minutes from the strip.

My first real trip to Atlantic City, I was extremely excited to see a destination so many people have spoken about, but I had never experienced. While I had a general understanding of AC, my only recently acquired knowledge came from Al Roker of The Today Show, portraying it as a place that was seemingly leveled during Hurricane Sandy nearly a year ago…. And after 5 minutes of walking down the Atlantic City Boardwalk, I realized Al Roker couldn’t have been further from the truth… but that’s another story! All in all, Atlantic City was in full-swing operation, and nothing but impressive… some properties more than others, but again, that’s another story!

This story is about a club sandwich.

We were in Atlantic City for business, and only had one lunch available between our morning presentation and afternoon meetings.  2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch. We were extended an invitation by Charles of the Atlantic City Country Club, just a quick 15 minute drive from the boardwalk. Easy enough! And even though it was already October, the weather was gorgeous; a perfect day to head to one of America’s top golf courses steeped in history.

My fingers were crossed there’d be a club sandwich on the menu… I had called room service at my hotel the night prior, and was disappointed to hear the wait for their club was nearly an hour, so I was praying, literally, that the Atlantic City Country Club would deliver me satisfaction in the form of comfort food.

Excitement washed over me as I saw not only did they have a Club Sandwich on the menu, but it was labeled as “classic” – a fitting appellation for a location with such history. We ordered and while waiting, got to learn firsthand about the club’s lengthy history, involving many famous name, including Arnold Palmer, and facts, such as this was the spot the term “birdie” was first coined. Super cool!

And just as we were learning about the many national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association at the Atlantic City Country Club, my Classic Club Sandwich arrived. My eyes darted from the convivially crispy curly fries to the perfectly layered classic club, contemplating which to try first.

I picked up a quarter and took my first bite of the club: delicious. Ripe and juicy tomato (I would later be educated on the “Jersey Tomato,” a simple yet lovely tomato grown locally). Moist and flavorful turkey (which I found out later was roasted and sliced on property – was surprised I didn’t see that selling point on the menu!).  Crispy bacon to match the crunchy fresh lettuce. A marble rye that added subtle flavor, and a thin coating of mayo to further moisten… almost unnecessary with such delicious main ingredients. This was definitely a classic club sandwich in more ways than one! And the fries… were just what I needed to top this meal off.

Normally I whip out my cellphone during lunches, and as rude as it might be, I try my best to write down my thoughts while dining. But alas, that is indeed rude, and enthralled in conversation, I enjoyed each bite of this club sandwich while taking mental notes.

With the spare time in between lunch and afternoon meetings, we got a tour of Atlantic City Country Club, which was just fantastic… a truly peaceful setting with the downtown and main strip in the near distance… while I’m (admittedly) not a golfer, I grew up on country clubs small and large, and this was an enjoyable experience I will not soon forget.

Location