Our Visit to 3 Flags Grill- A Hidden Gem in Ocean County NJ
Our Visit to 3 Flags Grill, A Hidden Gem in Ocean County, NJ.
What Kind Of Food Does 3 Flags Serve?
Portuguese food is one of our favorite cuisines. We’ve been to Newark’s Iron Bound district, but it’s way too far from Ocean County to make regular visits. Unless we are going to a show at the Prudential Center, we don’t make the trip.
In Monmouth County, we have a favorite place called, Mar Belo, on Broadway in Long Branch. It’s kind of fancy and it has a bar. In the warm months you can choose to dine on the outdoor patio. The food at Mar Belo is outrageously good!
Much closer to home, and not so fancy, is a BYOB place called 3 Flags Grill in Forked River. It’s just a 15 minute ride from where we live.
Where Is 3 Flags Grill?
It’s in a strip mall across the street from Mrs. Walker’s Ice Cream at 121 South Main Street, Forked River, NJ. It’s a small place containing maybe 12 tables with a few outdoor tables should you want to dine al fresco.
This past Friday night we took a ride to meet our friends, Mike & Luisa for dinner. I was all set to order the Paella Valenciana, a simmered combo of clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, lobster, chicken & Portuguese sausage over saffron rice. Instead, I ordered from the specials menu. I got the steak & shrimp for under $40!
I couldn’t believe what showed up at our table! Our server, Kelly, delivered a huge plate with a charcoal grilled Porterhouse steak, topped with a gorgonzola sauce, accompanied by a skewer of 4 jumbo shrimp, a side of sauteed asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes. My friend Mike ordered the same.
My husband ordered Fraldinha Na Brasa- a charcoal grilled marinated skirt steak with Portuguese potatoes and a salad. Our friend Luisa ordered Filet Mignon Chef Style, a decent sized grilled Filet Mignon with sauteed portobello mushrooms topped with melted mozzarella in a Port wine sauce, along with a salad and Portuguese potatoes.
I love the flavor of meat grilled over charcoal, that’s what this place is known for. You should taste the chicken here; you can taste the spices throughout the chicken.
The food here is excellent. I loved my Porterhouse steak, but I loved my husband’s skirt steak better. I should have asked the server what the steak was marinated in because it was out of this world.
For dessert, Mike & Luisa shared a huge banana split, and Bruce and I shared an order of tiramisu that was just ok. I knew I should have ordered the flan.
If you’re planning to go here for dinner, please make a reservation as the tables fill up quickly. They also do a huge takeout business.
In addition to Spanish and Portuguese dishes, 3 flags serves a ton of seafood dishes, Italian food, burgers, and cheesesteaks.
My friend, chef Umberto Turelli loves the Spanish sausage appetizer that comes to your table over a flame. He gives high marks to the garlic shrimp appetizer, and the very tender Cowboy Texano which is a New York Strip steak topped with house demi-glace, chorizo, mushrooms, and spinach with a side of saffron rice.
If you love Spanish -Portuguese food, you should give this place a try.
