P.J. WHELIHAN'S, Medford Lakes NJ.This restaurant was built on the site of "Settler's Inn", which was destroyed by fire in 1998. The Settler's Inn was a huge log cabin, said to be the largest such structure in existence, and the current P.J.'s has tried to maintain that look and ambience in the new building. They've done a great job. The restaurant is large and beamed, yet has a warm and welcome atmosphere - especially near the two-sided fieldstone fireplace burning warm and toasty on the day of my visit. Several TV's and a big EAGLES sign led me to believe this is a great spot to watch football, especially if you're an Eagle fan!

The menu for this restaurant (there are five other locations in NJ & PA) offered many of the standards: Buffalo wings and shrimp, rangin from "mild" to "suicide", and a variety of appetizers and salads, along with classic sandwiches and entrees. However, items like Hummus with pita bread and Asian style shrimp salad showed interesting creativity in the menu. I finally decided on the Flat Iron Steak, at $13.99. It came exactly as requested - medium rare - with smashed red bliss potatoes and a deliciously crisp medly of steamed veggies. The steak was served over an applewood smoked bacon red wine sauce and dusted with rosemary, and a knife was barely needed to cut this melt-in-your mouth beef! My dining companion chose the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese at $12.99. Normally a light eater, she scarfed up every last morsel of the baked orecchiette (little ears) pasta and lobster pieces blended with fontina and cheddar, and topped with toasted parmesan bread crumbs. It was a perfect meal for a winter day!

Service at P.J.'s is quick, friendly and efficient. I only wish P.J.'s was closer, because it would become a regular for me! I can't wait to return to try their Roadhouse Rack of Ribs, or maybe the Ahi Tuna, or maybe the Crab Cakes....

L.A.'s, Route 72, Manahawkin, is located where the previous "Fabian's" was located. While the decor has remained the same (with the exception of several large screen flat TV's perfect for watching sports or playing NTN),a few things have seemed to improve quite a bit. Immediately, I noticed that the staff seemed genuinely happy to be there, which made us feel very welcome. Both the bartenders and wait staff were attentive.

The "Happy Hour" here runs Monday thru Thursday from 4p.m. to midnight! Domestic pints are $2, and Heinekens are $2 for a 10 oz. pilsner. Appetizer specials are also in effect. A Thursday night bonus is a free "Texas Hold 'em" Poker Tournament starting a 7 p.m., with top winners receiving prizes.

We opted to order dinner at the bar while playing NTN, a popular trivia game available at many restaurants and bars across the U.S. and Canada. I decided on a special, broiled flounder stuffed with crabmeat. The salad arrived promptly, and was fresh and crisp. Happily, L.A.'s offers a honey-lime dressing, my favorite! The aromatic bread was served fresh and warm. When my meal arrived, I noted immediately that the flounder was NOT overcooked, and that the crabmeat was the MAJORITY of the stuffing! Rice pilaf was served molded into a pyramid, and the veggies of the day were thinly sliced summer squash, zuchinni and red peppers, sauteed in a garlic butter. The portion was huge, and I happily took home an entire stuffed filet, some rice and vegetables as well!

My companion ordered a NY strip steak, which arrived looking "too good to eat" delicious. He chose garlic mashed potatoes, and they too looked awesome! Usually a light eater, he finished every bit of the steak. Normally a man of few words when it comes to food, he raved about the tenderness and flavor, so it had to be good!

Pic-a-Lilli Inn, Shamong (Indian Mills), NJ: There's a warm and friendly feeling as you walk through the door at Pic's. Returning from a visit to Batsto, a friend and I decided to stop in one cold Sunday afternoon. Thinking it would be a slow Sunday since it was the week before the Super Bowl, we were surprised to find the bar and many adjacent tables full. We sat at a table across from the bar, where we could still watch TV and play NTN Trivia (an interactive game found in many restaurants and pubs).

We were greeted immediately by a very friendly server, and got our beers, menus and game boxes right away. Of course, we ultimately decided on wings, "spicy" style (there's mild, spicy, hot and smokers) and the "extra" bleu cheese and celery. The latter came first, and as celery goes, it was icy-cold and crisp; the bleu cheese was creamy and mild. Then came the wings! It must be noted that these wings are whole wings, not split in half the way most places serve them, so six wings would be twelve at most other places!

Yes, it goes without saying that their famous wings are delicious! The "spicy" sauce was hot enough to be noticable (though I would have liked to try the "hot") and had a very, very pleasant and subtle sweet back flavor. The wings were freshly cooked; with steamy, moist and tender meat, and a crisp skin. Finger-licking is a must with these red gems! About halfway through, I realized that I was enjoying the flavor so much that I hadn't even bothered to use the bleu cheese!

Overall, Pic's is a comfortable place with the best in comfort food. People of all ages and walks of life stop in here, from "down for the day" tourists to die-hard locals. It's not fancy, but who needs - or wants - fancy when you're enjoying the hospitality - and the best wings - of the Pinelands? My only disappointment was myself! Each time I stop in, I get the wings. One of these days, I am going to try one of the many other offerings on the menu, like the "Creamy Crab Soup", "Broiled Seafood Combination", or "Buffalo Chicken Salad!"

MANGONE'S, Manahawkin NJ. I had been here years before, and remembered the food as very good, but service less than adequate. When we walked in on a Saturday night, we were greeted by the hostess, who imformed us it would be only a five minute wait. Once seated in the small, bustling but intimate dining room, we were approached almost immediately by a young lady who opened our wine for us. The table was set with a mini-loaf of delicious Italian bread, parmesan cheese and rosemary-infused olive oil. Since it was 9:30PM by then, we immediately went for the warm, aromatic bread, drizzled it with the oil, a touch of salt and parmesan - delicious! We were also presented with two bruschetta-topped pieces of crisp bread. In just a few minutes, we were greeted by our server, one of the nicest - and sincere - people I've ever encountered in a restaurant! The restaurant was full, but she still took time to read the specials, and never once rushed us. My date surprisingly chose one of the specials: Pork Osso Bucco with root vegetables over risotto. For a change, I was the traditionalist and ordered eggplant parmigiana, and he was about to taste risotto for the first time!

Before our meal, we were given a large bowl of salad to share. It had been lightly dressed with gently seasoned oil and vinegar. Our server told us we were welcome to more if we so wished, and if I didn't have dinner coming, I would have! Dinners arrived hot and nicely presented, especially the Osso Bucco - the shank was upright, surrounded by mounds of veggies over the creamy risotto. My date is not one to rave, but he thoroughly enjoyed as much as he could of this meal! My eggplant parmigiana was superb as well. I was afraid it might be over-breaded or greasy, but this large portion was done perfectly and not over-breaded or fried ; I could taste the distinct flavor of the soft, sweet eggplant. It was covered with a flavorful, fresh marinara and topped with - what else - creamy mozzerella. The side of linguini was perfectly cooked; and yes, the portions of both meals were large enough that we each had a meal for the next day!

Aside from the wonderful food, what I like most about MANGONE'S is the warm, friendly atmosphere. Although they do offer pizza, this is NOT a traditional "pizza parlor." The lights are dimmed, soft Italian music plays in the background and everyone seemed, well, happy. Several times during the evening, what I presumed to be the owners of MANGONE'S walked about and chatted quietly with their guests, asking if all was ok. It's little things like this that will keep me and plenty of others coming back to MANGONE'S, especially in this economic climate where a night out is more special than it used to be.

Serpico's (formerly Spiaggia E Luna), Barnegat. I live in Barnegat and have seen this great location in the historic distric of town have several owners throughout the years. Spiaggia E Luna has been open almost a year, so when Valentine's Day 2010 arrived, and my date asked me where I wanted to eat, I chose this spot. It was the right choice! We brought our own wine, since they are awaiting a license. A very nice bar is located in a corner of the restaurant, separated from the diners with frosted glass dividers.

The staff was wonderful right from the start! Our waiter Joe came over as soon as we were seated and immediately opened our bottle and poured. He returned with hot, crusty Italian bread with infused oil for dipping. After perusing the menu, we decided to share the baked clams for starters. I'm not a big fan of breadcrumbs, but this was fantastic! No shortcuts here - the buttery taste was delicious and the parmesan cheese gave them a special touch. Next came the salad, which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially the light lemon vinigrette with which it was dressed.

For our main course, my date chose the 14 ounce strip steak, accompanied with mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and gravy. Athough I did not taste it it looked beautifully done, juicy and tasteful, with a minimum of fat. He thoroughly enjoyed it, and in fact couldn't even finish it!

I ordered one of the Valentine's Day specials, the Chilean Sea Bass - one of my favorites! I've ordered it at many restaurants, but I think Spiaggia E Luna's has surpassed them all! The perfectly-cooked fish was served on a bed of flavorful risotto and asparagus, and topped with a raspberry coulee and whole raspberries which, when eaten with the Sea Bass, was a most magnificent concoction!

Do I recommend this place? Oh yes! I hope to eat here often! I look forward to returning, and wonder why I waited so long to go in the first place!

OYSTER CREEK INN, Leeds Point NJ: My first visit to Oyster Creek Inn was on a sunny but cold and windy afternoon after a morning at Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, which is just a few minutes away. We were hungry, so didn't want to wait for the free buffet being offered halfway through the Daytona 500 NASCAR race (more about that later). We started with six Clams Casino, offered at $1.00 each. Plump clams were topped with diced peppers, tomatoes, bacon and onion and topped with a touch of mozzarella, then gently broiled. They were delicious! Just their aroma made others at the "boat-bar" order them as well! The Seared Scallops ($11), topped with with gorganzola and carmalized onions, drizzled with a balsamic reduction and served on bruschetta couldn't have been cooked more perfectly. The scallops were big and sweet and the flavors were perfect together! The Crispy Bourbon Shrimp ($9) held its own - and then some! The thick bourbon sauce was lip-smacking good and the shrimp, although not breaded and fried, had a wonderful crispy snap to them!

THEN there was the halftime buffet served at the bar! First came the broccoli-and-cheese and pepperoni-and-cheese breads, followed by crispy-hot battered onion rings, jalepeno poppers, and breaded chicken tenders (all white meat) with a mustard dipping sauce. All this was all compliments of Oyster Creek Inn! I wanted to save room for the appetizer "Parmesan Encrusted Crabcake" ($10) and was glad I did...this beautifully-plated bit of heaven was loaded with lump crab, and though I suppose there had to be "something" to hold it together, I didn't notice it as I savored the sweet crabmeat adorned with julienne strips of sweet red pepper and capers, all over a light butter sauce. Heavenly.

Everyone at the bar was friendly and sociable. The very nice lady sitting next to me recommended the crabcake and I'm glad she did! She also said that this place is real busy during the summer months, and I can understand why; even on this cold February afternoon, the dining room was full! The scenery alone is worth the visit to this very unpretentious restaurant. It's located at the edge of the beautiful coastal wetlands on the Oyster Creek. It's not fancy, and that makes it all the more alluring. The food makes it one of, if not the best seafood restaurant at which I've eaten. Period.

I also must add that Jason, the Manager and bartender this Sunday afternoon, couldn't have been nicer or more attentive. He did tell me that Oyster Creek Inn is family-owned and run, and the love and pride in this restaurant is quite apparent. If you enjoy seafood as much as I do, make it a point to visit Oyster Creek Inn soon - preferably before the summer throngs arrive. Off-season, they're open Thursday through Sunday.

Shamong Diner, 7 Willow Grove Road (on Route 206), Shamong, NJ: I had driven past this small diner many, many times but always en route to somewhere else. One evening, a friend who lives in the area invited me to dine with her, so I got my chance! As soon as we walked in and sat down, a friendly server came over and greeted us with a broad smile. Ahh, life is wonderful out here! We got our big glass of ice water with lemon immediately, and we perused the extensive menu. When our waitress (also very friendly with a big smile - that's soo important!) arrived for our order, my friend decided on the "Pine Barrens Salad," a bed of mixed greens topped with a very generous portion of dried cranberries, dried cherries, and walnuts, accompanied by the house balsamic dressing. It was huge enough for a "take home" box, and my friend raved about the freshness and good taste. (I would have liked to see goat cheese or feta as an option, but that's just me!) My choice was a beef and lamb gyro with a side of cole slaw. It arrived fresh and hot, with loads of Tzatziki and Feta, lettuce, onion and tomatos. A few seconds later, owner Manny came out of the kitchen to see how we liked our meal - a very nice touch! He was as pleasant as could be and made me feel like I was a guest at his home.

Once dinner was done, my friend couldn't wait for the softserve custard! She and the waitress both convinced me to try a small dish, and I'm glad I did...from the twenty-six exciting flavors, such as German Chocolate, Black Raspberry and Amaretto, I chose "expresso." It was creamy and flavorful, and I somehow ate the entire bowlful!

So, the next time you're on Route 206, about 6 miles south of Route 70 and 11 miles north of Route 30 in Hammonton, and you're hankerin' for good eats, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, stop at the Shamong Diner! Oh, and be sure to say hello to Manny from Cathy at PineyPower!

MISCELLANEOUS READER COMMENTS ON AREA RESTAURANTS

Pinelands Eateries: Good food at the Lower Bank Inn. Hedger House Pub has a magnificent bar with music, and horseshoes. Two top chefs at Half Way House (Mayo's) in Chatsworth are drawing a lot of folks.Matt's on the Mullica (seasonal) in Green Bank has top hoagies and river deck . . . Joe Shay

"I am very pleased to say that Spiaggia E Luna in Barnegat is fantastic!  Finally . . . a great restaurant has moved into that location which has changed ownership many times in the last 10 years.  Every meal I’ve had at Spiagggia is excellent. In my opinion, a friendly staff and ones who are attentive to their customers is just as important as good food and Spiaggia’s staff exceeds those standards.  I highly recommend that you visit this restaurant."... Lorraine (Barnegat)

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