Freehold’s iPlay America hits another high score with The Bistro

By:  | November 25, 2024 |  Dining | 

By Ryan Loughlin

A trip to iPlay America in Freehold can include any number of fun activities, from a simple afternoon spent playing video games to an exhilarating race around their indoor go-kart track. iPlay has managed to successfully bring the beachfront boardwalk vibe to the suburbs, and after a full day of play, you are bound to work up an appetite. And though classic boardwalk treats such as pretzels, funnel cakes and cotton candy are available to grab and go, those in the mood for a sit-down meal can look forward to a new dining experience - The Bistro.

Located in the space that formerly housed The Loaded Spoon, The Bistro is a casual bar and restaurant that recently opened and offers a little something for everyone. Visually speaking, The Bistro pops with eye-catching décor, with bold colors, striking wall art and a modern vibe that occasionally manages to also channel elements of an old-school diner, with its use of neon signs and milkshake mixing machines on full display.

There is a full bar area where one can order from a long list of wines, beers, cocktails and mocktails, including a full list of “smokeshows” which feature dry ice to enhance the visuals of the drink. We sampled the “Fall in Love,” a tasty mocktail consisting of apple, cinnamon and orange cider with fresh apples and orange that managed to be the perfect thirst quencher for a late fall evening.

The food

The menu at The Bistro covers a tremendous amount of ground, which makes sense for a place that often serves large groups and families with a slew of picky eaters in tow. Appetizers run the gamut from modern staples like wings, chicken tenders and sliders to the burrata caprese salad, a cheese-lover’s dream served with tomatoes, basil, olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper. Asian flavors can be found here as well, with pot stickers and shrimp tempura rounding things out.

Soups and salads are plentiful, while main courses are as varied as the apps, with everything from burgers and pizzas to sandwiches, pastas, cheesesteaks and even a full lineup of poke bowls showing up on the all-day menu. In addition to those, popular entrees like baby back ribs, chicken francese, grilled salmon, filet mignon and chicken parmesan are also available.

For our main entrees we opted for the chicken parmesan – a hefty plate consisting of a pair of breaded cutlets in a zesty marinara sauce topped with mozzarella and served with a side of spaghetti; and the Hawaiian Burger, an 8-ounce all-beef patty topped with a ring of grilled pineapple and an onion ring, along with lettuce, American cheese and mayo. Both were satisfying and generously proportioned, with the chicken parm easily being enough food for two meals.

Those looking to feed the kids will be pleased to find one of the more extensive kids menus we have seen, boasting 10 different kid-approved options, with the usual suspects like chicken tenders, mac and cheese and mozzarella sticks making appearances, along with less common choices like wings, quesadillas and nachos, just to name a few.

Sweet endings

Just about every restaurant on the planet offers dessert in some form, but The Bistro at iPlay takes the idea and cranks it up several notches, with some truly exciting and decadently sweet selections. We counted over 30 options on the dessert menu alone, meaning anyone with even the slightest hint of a sweet tooth is sure to be tempted by at least one of their offerings.

Their milkshake game is about as strong as it gets here, and yes, they feature the over-the-top style shakes that are loaded with everything but the kitchen sink. For example, the Brooklynite shake is available with either a vanilla or chocolate ice cream base, which is then crowned with a chocolate chip cookie, fudge brownie, Stroopwafels, chocolate-dipped marshmallows, Pocky sticks, malt balls, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. It’s nearly the equivalent of blending up the entire contents of a trick or treat bag into one drinkable dessert.

The army of signature sundaes, shakes, floats and a variety of heavily dressed and frosted cookies made choosing just one dessert a daunting task. We were feeling a bit full but managed to save enough room to split a Frozen White Hot Chocolate, a lovely blend of white hot chocolate cocoa mix blended up with ice and white chocolate shavings which made for the perfect sweet finale to our meal.

The deals

Those looking to save a few bucks on a meal at The Bistro will be pleased to know that some truly great deals are available for those who do their homework. Sunday nights feature a $60 pasta and salad deal that serves 4 and comes with garlic bread, a choice of caesar or house salad, and a choice of four pasta options served family-style. Monday is $10 pizza night, Wednesday is $12 burger night, while Thursday is $10 wing night – a deal which gets you six wings tossed in the sauce of your choice. Mondays and Wednesdays also feature $2 off draft beers and $5 house wines. Happy Hour runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday at the bar only and features a full menu of apps for $8 each along with $2 off draft beers, $5 wines, $6 house cocktails and $9 select specialty cocktails.

The Bistro at iPlay America is located at 108 Schanck Road in Freehold. Go to TheBistroNJ.com for more info.