3 Flags Grill Brings Portuguese, Spanish, Italian Food To Lacey

LACEY, NJ — If you can't decide where to eat, 3 Flags Grill in Lacey — a new restaurant serving both Portuguese, Spanish and Italian food — may be an ideal choice.

Owners Maximo Primor and Genaro Matilde opened their restaurant at 121 S. Main Street earlier this month, though the plans have been nearly two years in the making.

Primor grew up in Point Pleasant where he worked at the Portuguese restaurant, Europa South and continued to work in restaurants his entire life, while Matilde has lived in Lacey Township for more than 20 years and worked in the local restaurant scene, including at the former Forked River House.

The pair first met years ago working at a Portuguese restaurant together. With their backgrounds in not only Portuguese food, but also Spanish and Italian foods, they decided to open their own restaurant that would give people a choice of the three cuisines.

“I know the typical dishes of Portuguese and Spanish. He knows most of the Italian, so we said ‘Let’s put it together,’” Primor recalled.

The restaurant’s popular dishes include seafood paella, chorizo and roasted chicken Portuguese-style with other Italian classics like chicken sorrento, chicken vesuvio and eggplant rollatini.

“They have a choice to get which meal they want — Portuguese, Spanish or Italian,” Matilde said. “We also have some sandwiches and burgers for people who don’t know anything about Spanish or Portuguese food.”

Though Primor noted that several people have flocked to the restaurant since it opened in search of something new to try.

“I had a customer that came in the other day that said ‘Portuguese and Spanish, they’re not usually to have restaurants here. We have so many good Italian restaurants, but Portuguese and Spanish — not really’ so they were glad to come here," Primor said.

Like many businesses, 3 Flags Grill has also been dealing with staffing shortages.

“Everything is made by the order,” Primor said. “People sometimes say ‘Where’s my food?’ but it’s coming.”

Dishes like paella require fresh ingredients and nearly a half hour to prepare, but Primor asks customers to be patient as he, Matilde and a small staff work to fill orders.

“The first day, we had a line waiting outside. Many people keep calling,” Primor said. “The phone is ringing all the time. In the future we want to add more lines, but we need more people in the kitchen.”

3 Flags Grill is located at 121 S. Main Street in Forked River in the plaza across from Mrs. Walker’s Ice Cream. The restaurant offers dine-in, delivery and take out options.

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