DrTomG's Profile
Outstanding Dinner at S & P Oyster Company in Mystic, CT
We had dinner last night at the S & P Oyster Company in Mystic, CT My oldest son was home with our future daughter-in –law, and her parents – who my family had not yet met. Two of my other children also joined us and we ended up with a party of nine.
I selected S&P because its menu was very broad and included plenty of non-seafood offerings which, as it turned out were unnecessary as our entire party enjoyed seafood.
S&P does not offer reservations, but call- ahead priority seating as an alternative – which serves the same purpose.
We were seated at a long table on the second deck, which afforded great views.
We started with beers and wine, bread, and a shared appetizers: excellent fried calamari, and excellent spinach and artichoke dip which was done with fresh guacamole rather than cream cheese. Our entrees included seafood pastas, grilled salmon, seafood pastas, and crab cakes.
The service was excellent and very efficient - good teamwork among the staff. The staff was attentive and water glasses were kept filled and used plates removed on time.
The manager frequently passed through the dining room.
All tables in the dining room were filled and the room was quite noisy. I don’t know whether this was a regular Saturday evening crowd or was just a little lively because it was St Patrick’s Day. Prices were moderate.
In summary, S&P provides excellent food and great service at reasonable prices - and we will certainly return.
Dinner at Kit Kat’s Barbeque in Pawcatuck, CT.
My wife and I had dinner a few nights ago at Kit Kat’s Barbeque in Pawcatuck, CT.
The restaurant occupies a storefront in “downtown” Pawcatuck; the smoker resides in the restaurant’s back yard. The interior – while small – is really quite pleasant.
The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team - Tracy and Hilbert Gibbs. Both native New Englanders, Hilbert is a retired Marine and gained his skills in Florida, where he eventually owned a small chain of barbeque joints. Gibbs and his family moved back to New England to be closer to family. The Gibbs are gracious hosts. Hilbert is a real raconteur and certainly enjoys speaking with his patrons. Kit Kat is their daughter’s nickname.
Kit Kats’ menu includes smoked/chopped pork, beef brisket, chicken, and chicken wings. They offer sandwiches, combination plates, and sides.
Sides include homemade baked beans, vinegar-based cole slaw, potato salad, collards, corn bread and corn on the cob. Most of the sides were Hilbert’s grandmother’s recipes. The sides were all very good.
Four sauces are available tableside: sweet & sour, honey mustard, and sweet and tangy. An additional sauce was kept behind the counter and available on request – fiery - hot, but still tasty.
They offer several different platters and bulk packages to bring home.
My wife had the chicken platter; ; I had the beef brisket with onions and banana peppers. Between the two of us, we sampled all the sides, except the corn on the cob, and all the sauces, we were both very satisfied.
We brought a dozen smoked chicken wings with sweet and tangy sauce home for our son, who agreed with our assessment.
Kit Kat's has excellent food in a welcoming atmosphere .We will certainly visit again.
Weeknight Dinner at Al Forno Trattoria [Old Saybrook, CT]
Al Forno has racked up favorable reviews from Zagat, the New York Times, the New London Day, the Hartford Courant, Connecticut Magazine, and the New Haven Register!
The restaurant sits in an older strip mall adjacent to a discount store. We stopped in for dinner last night after an early movie.
The restaurant is deep and narrow with an upscale décor. Tables are arranged close together, so private conversations are impossible.
Business was booming and my impression is that most diners are local regulars.
My wife had penne arrabbiatta, which was well-spiced and enjoyable. I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were made of ground veal and ricotta and were good, although lacking in any spice (ie, perhaps a little bland); the sauce was too thin and also lacked spice. Salads or bread did not accompany meals.
Prices were moderate to pricy, mitigated somewhat by the option to order smaller portions.
We graded our meals as just average. However, their pizzas looked great, so I left Al Forno with buyer’s remorse.
Augie's Branford, CT
Anybody know what the deal is with Augie's? I've seen several positive reviews, but after doing a little research, I'm uncertain that it really exists. Was it ever open? If so, what happened?
Dinner at NuNu’s Bistro in Colchester, CT
My wife and I took houseguests to NuNu’s Bistro in Colchester for dinner last Saturday night. This was our first NuNu’s experience and we selected it on the basis of a review that I recalled reading a few years past.
Nu Nu's is located in a nicely restored 1850 Victorian carriage house on the Colchester Green.
NuNu’s is BYOB with a $2.00 per glass corkage fee; the menu is Sicilian Italian. Bread and salad are included with entrees.
The bread is well below average and served with butter pats. Extra Virgin Olive Oil for dipping is available for $1.95.
We all shared a bowl of imported Italian mixed olives – definitely worth the $5.50 tariff and a good way to kick off dinner.
The menu was very homey and rustic – ie, Sucilian comfort food. Our guests ordered Sicilian top round Veal Cutlet (ie, topped with Italian cheese), and Italian Sausage & Peas -- w/ marinara sauce seasoned with basil and garlic. My wife and I enjoyed shrimp and seafood fra diavololo over penne, which were very nicely seasoned -- a bit hot and spicy. Servings were large and very satisfying. Prices were reasonable.
Although allegedly haunted, we had no paranormal visitors during our visit. The restaurant’s main dining room is on the first floor and a large dining/function room fills the second. A trip upstairs during dinner to view the historic turn-of-the-century stenciling is certainly worthwhile.
Good Food, but Lackadaisical Service at Thai One On in Mystic, CT
My wife and I spent several nights in a hotel through the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. One evening we had dinner at Thai One On in Mystic.
Thai One On is perhaps the largest Asian Restaurant that I’ve ever seen – somewhat evocative of a small gymnasium. The bar is separated from the dining room by a three-quarters high wall, which results in the racket from the bar area spilling out into the dining room. The bar crowd was raucous that evening and a bit distracting to diners.
Although the dining room was empty when we arrived, service was very slow and we had to signal the server in order to place our order. Throughout dinner water glasses were never re-filled unless requested. (when we could get the server’s attention!).
We ordered the vegetarian summer rolls to start and they were quite good, accompanied by a peanut sauce. I had a bowl of Tom Yum Goong , which was quite good and very hot and spicy (their “adventurous” designation) – just as I requested.
We ordered their special noodle dish which was nicely seasoned and a bit hot and spicy, although not packing the heat of the soup.
There are many entrees on the menu that I’d usually want to return to try – but there are many other Thai restaurants in southeast CT where service is much better – and with great food, too.
Anybody Know What's Become of La Cantina Mexican in New London?
We stopped by several weeks ago and a sign on the door said that they were closed for vacation.
We stopped by again a few nights ago for dinner and it looked abandoned - closed. No sign, just dark.
We always enjoyed their tex-mex and will miss them.
Mediocre Dinner at The Grille in Old Lyme, CT
We took the family to The Grille on a really rainy Tuesday night. Open about two months, my wife wanted to give it a try.
We were seated quickly, although the parking lot was jammed when we arrived - turned out to be mostly their bar crowd.
The server brought over a basket of soft bread sticks, which were good, but unremarkable. We ordered the fried calamari as a shared appetizer and it was also fine. We order this starter so frequently that we’ve become the CT shoreline experts on the dish.
My wife and daughter ordered Caesar salads with grilled chicken for entrees. Unfortunately the romaine was very gritty and the salads were sent back. The kitchen replaced the salads without argument and the new salads were without grit. The dressing was jarred and only average.
My son ordered fish and chips and he enjoyed the fish. The fries were soggy.
I ordered pasta with Bolognese sauce and it was fine.We did not order coffee or dessert.
The Grille seems to be focused primarily on the bar business. This spot has been home to a half dozen earlier restaurants which all closed quickly. Maybe The Grille formula (i.e., focus on the booze crowd and serve only average fare from the kitchen) will work.
Business is Booming at Noah’s in Stonington, CT
We had guests in from the Midwest (ex-pat New Englanders) last week and we went to Stonington to poke around and have lunch. The day was beautiful and we enjoyed the shops, homes, and marinas; and finally looped back to Noah’s.
Noah’s lunch business was booming and all tables remained filled throughout our lunch. We were seated quickly and service was good, despite the crowd.
We started with a basket of popovers, which were quite good.
Our guest ordered a big bowl of steamers, which he enjoyed. His partner had the charcoal grilled pizza and finished it all.
My wife enjoyed her Asian salad with pan-seared sea scallops
I started with a cup of RI (ie, clear) chowder and it was briny and first-rate. My entrée was fresh sautéed flounder in panko and it was excellent.
The seafood was local and absolutely fresh.
Noah’s offers an amazing array of desserts and my wife and I shared the peach & nectarine crisp with a scoop of Buck’s French vanilla ice cream. It was excellent.
Noah’s has gotten great reviews in the press and I agree that it is top-notch – one of the best on the CT Shoreline!
Dinner at the Bee and Thistle Inn Old Lyme, CT
My wife and I had dinner on Wednesday evening at the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme, CT
The B&T was built in 1756 and had undergone a stunning restoration with nine rooms for travelers.
The grounds are really beautiful with wonderful gardens and some amazing ancient trees. Sculptures from local galleries and artists dot the landscape. The rear grounds slope to the Lieutenant River
We were seated in a pretty enclosed porch which provided good views of the gardens and grounds.
On Wednesdays the B & T offers a prix fixe menu which is a bargain at $28. Their alacarte Grille menu and a small plates menu are also available.
We opted for prix fixe and my wife stated with a salad of mixed greens with raspberries, candied walnuts, and Great Hill Blue Cheese. I started with heirloom tomato gazpacho made with veg from their garden. The appetizers were accompanied by fresh, warm bread with herbed butter. All in all a great start to dinner.
Entrée choices that evening were summer berry barbequed pork tenderloin with nd grilled asparagus and roasted fingerling potatoes and pan seared salmon nicoise with French Beans, Eggs, Roasted Tomato, a White balsamic dressing.
We both opted for the pork tenderloin and enjoyed our choices.
My wife selected Chocolate Pot de Crème with sugar cookies and whipped cream for dessert. I went with fresh peach fritters with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.
My wife described the evening as “ lovely.” I should mention that service was attentive and friendly throughout dinner.
The B&T will become our first choice for exceptional dining on the southeast CT shoreline.
-----
Bee and Thistle Inn
100 Lyme St, Old Lyme, CT 06371
Good Dinner at Costa's Mexican Grill in Branford, CT
My wife and I had dinner after an early movie on Sunday at Costa's MG&B.
We started with house-prepared chips and salsa, which were good - and then even better after we requested that they punch it up a bit.
Costa's has both a small dining room (ie,15 tables max) and a larger outdoor covered patio wuth a great view of the pretty Indian Neck marsh.
Their menu is broad and includes all the standards.
My wife ordered their veggie burrito, which was really only fair to good.
I ordered the combination fajita - ie, beef, chicken, and shrimp and all the usual acompaniments.
The tortillas arrived fresh and warm.
I graded the fajitas A+; they were excellent.
The portion was quite large, so I shared with my wife.
We both felt that Costa's was worthy a return trip.
Birthday Dinner at Dog Watch Café in Stonington, CT
My daughters treated my wife and me last Sunday evening (ie, my birthday) to dinner at the Dog Watch Café in Stonington. For those not facile with naval terminology, a dog watch is a watch (a period of work duty or a work shift) between 1600 and 2000 (4 p.m. and 8 p.m.) It is split into two, first and last dog watches. Compared to a normal watch, each of these dog watches is curtailed (cur-tailed). DWC is located right on the Dodson Boatyard, so the restaurant’s atmosphere is influenced by sea views and sailors coming in from their boats.
As is now our tradition, we started with a basket of fried calamari for the table, served with chunks of chorizo and pepper rings, the calamari was excellent. I, on the other hand, started with a plate of fresh oysters on the half shell – also excellent and accompanied by good cocktail sauce and some of the most awesomely hot horseradish along the shoreline. The oysters were ultra-fresh and briny and I ate with relish. My daughters shared a large chopped cavatappi salad – which got good grades.
For entrees, my wife enjoyed a Caesar salad, which she’s labeled as the best on the shoreline. I had the seafood fra diavolo, which was chock full of large shrimp, scallops, mussels, and clams. The tomato sauce was spicy and I enjoyed it immensely. I even shared some shrimp with the spouse, whose glances were almost pleading. First daughter ordered roasted cod with double veg (steamed ie, broccoli) and no starch. Her beau enjoyed his open- faced steak sandwich. Second daughter ordered linguini with alfredo sauce. All entrees were deemed excellent and dinner was a success!
We drove to first daughter’s Stonington apartment for birthday raspberry apple pie.
The Dog Watch gets my high grades for atmosphere and food quality.
-----
Dog Watch Cafe
194 Water St, Stonington, CT 06378
Excellent Dinner at the Gentrified SeaHorse Tavern in Noank, CT
My wife and I had dinner last night (ie, Saturday) at the recently reopened SeaHorse Tavern.
The renovation was attractive and comfortable.
As usual, we ate in the bar area, which, in the past, was raucous and funky. Alas, the funky atmosphere was gone, replaced by a much more gentrified ambiance.
We shared a great appetizer of fried calamari, covered by a spicy batter. My wife ordered crabcakes for her entrée and they were outstanding, accompanied by some perfectly cooked jaricots verts, dressed lightly with butter, and some lackluster steak fries.
It turned out to be a calamari night for me and I ordered calamari sautéed in olive oil with pepperoncini and garlic (lots), served over angel hair spaghetti, which was recommended by my daughter. I really enjoyed my entree, but the portion was enormous and much more than I could finish. We did not have dessert.
The SeaHorse in Noank Re-Opens June 22 !
The SeaHorse in Noank reopens Wed, June 22 after a complete renovation and with new ownership and management.
My quest for excellent fish and chips ends on that day.
Terrible Fish and Chips at Yankee Clipper, Niantic, CT
You're correct. Weather has kept us away so far. Also waiting for the return of SeaHorse.
Terrible Fish and Chips at Yankee Clipper, Niantic, CT
My wife and I had the taste for fish and chips last night - ie, the old fashioned batter-dipped and deep-fried kind. Found a menu online offering batter-dipped and we were off to the Yankee Clipper.
We ordered and were served quickly.
Unfortunately, the fish was virtually inedible. The batter crust was super- thick and soggy. The fish inside was certainly not fresh and was probably frozen. The fries were soggy and wet with oil.
Our guess was that the fish had been cooked at some earlier date and frozen - then maybe a quick dip with the fries into a hot oil bath.
So, Yankee Clipper gets four thumbs down and we will never visit again.
Yucch!
Outstanding Lunch at the Turtle Cafe
My wife and I had lunch last week at the newly opened Turtle Cafe in Westbrook, CT. The Turtle is in the spot formerly occupied by the Muffin Corner.
Lunch was superb! I had the vegetarian falafel with cilantro pesto (they also have chicken falafel on the menu. They were moist and nicely spiced - ie, a little "hot& spicy. " My wife enjoyed her Thai chicken wrap which was also seasoned well - a little hot & spicy, too.
The menu is broad and adventurous, and allows for a nice trip through world cuisine.
The rumor is that the chef, Sharma, has been professionally trained.
All four of our thumbs up!
Paul's Pasta - Groton, CT
Just had a great lunch at Paul's Pasta in Groton, CT. Paul's is located in a funky storefront overlooking the Thames River and was a fun place for lunch.
We four all had different entrees - all with absolutely fresh, store-made pastas. We started wuth a bowl of great marinated vegetables - and then on to the main events, which ranged from lasagna, to diablo mac and cheese, a chicken and pasta dish, and shrimp primavera.
Paul's also has a great dessert menu and portions allowed for sharing.
Pasta salads and a variety of fresh pastas are available retail.
Highly recommended!
-----
Paul's Pasta Shop
223 Thames St, Groton, CT 06340
ARREZZIO HORSERADISH
I recently had some arrezzio horseradish with fresh oysters (brand name per the server) and it was outstandingly hot.. Does anybody know who in southeastern ct carries this product?
The Sea Horse Tavern, Noank, CT
Does anybodt know whether the Sea Horse has reopened yet.
BANH MI
There have been several chowhounds looking for BANH MI in Southern New England.
The food reviewrs at today's Hartford Advocate reviewed MINI SAIGON at 2014 Park Street in Hartford. They were very positive and noted that the restaurant served a very respectable BANH MI.
Bad Day at Mill Rock - Unsatisfactory Dinner at SOM SIAM EAST in OLD SAYBROOK, CT
My wife and I stopped at Som Siam East Thai Restaurant in Old Saybrook for dinner last night. The restaurant is way way at the end of a crazy access road, so make certain you come armed with a compass to get out.
The dining room was very nicely done.
I started dinner with Tom Kha Gai soup. The broth was good, but the soup was filled to overflowing with raw vegetable chunks. I gave the soup a C-.
My wife ordered pad thai, but was mistakenly served a dish wrapped in aluminum foil.. The kitchen replaced the foil wrapped mystery item with pad thai - which she enjoyed.
I ordered a red curry with beef, but was mistakenly served a chicken curry. Again the kitchen replaced the incorrect entree with my beef curry.
Note that we both had punctuated our orders by pointing to the dish on the menu. Uncertain why we received incorrect arders nevertheless.
A word of caution: Dishes labeled with "one red pepper" are not mildly spiced. Mine was very very hot. Hotter than I routinely order.
A nice touch at the end was a small serving of tapioca - served on the house.
I suggest that yoy skip this restaurant unless you're interested in a little excitement and surprise.
-----
Som Siam East Thai Restaurant
45 Mill Rock Rd E, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Great Dinner at On the Waterfront Cafe in New London, CT
My wife and I had dinner last night with several family members at On the Waterfront in New London, CT.
The restaurant had a fairly broad menu of fresh seafood and italian classics.
Our dinners were well-prepared and very reasonably priced. Amongst the seven of us we explored a large part of the menu. Nobody was disappointed and we all left full. We will certainly return.
-----
On the Waterfront Cafe
250 Pequot Ave, New London, CT 06320
Website/Blog similar to Gizmodo but for food
What is the origin of slashfood.com? I just came across it today and it looks interesting. Is it legit?
Has anybody tried Baja's Mexican Restaurant in Orange, CT?
We ate there last night and, in retrospect, I wish that I had posted this question in advance of trying it out.
I thought that I had adequately researched Baja's; - Read lots of reviews on the usual internet sites. It was even third best mexican on the New Haven Advocate's annual survey.
Well, cutting to the chase, their highly touted salsa bar wasn't "great" by any stretch of the imagination. Their homemade chips were overly thick and like lead.
Our entrees were soggy and mediocre. Overly salted and pricy, too
Nevertheless the place seemed pretty crowded for a Wednesday evening.
We won't be back.
-----
Baja's Authentic Mexican Restaurant
63 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477
Plain yellow corn in CT???
Don't know where you're coming from, but, my family really loves the wonderful yellow corn from Scott's Yankee Farmer at 436 Boston Post Road in East Lyme. The farm store has a variety of vegetables and fruit. You can also pick your own fruit at their nearby orchard.
Asian Markets Along the Southeastern CT Shoreline
Looking for an Asian super market along the Southeastern CT Shoreline. Need to re-stock the pantry.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Movie and then Dinner at the Main Street Grille in Niantic, CT
My wife and I went to an early movie and then walked across the street to the Main Street Grille in Niantic, CT. The movie - "City Island" - was great and so was our subsequent dinner at the Main Street Grille. The Grille is the reincarnation of Constantines, which wasdestroyed in a fire a few years ago.
The decor was lovely and looked like a nice medium-sized neighborhood bistro. Business was booming early Saturday evening and we had a 30 minute wait, which we spent browsing in the used bookstore across the street.
We returned and were seated. The atmosphere was kind of festive and a little bit noisy; every table was full. The menu was broad and we both had seafood.
All in all a good place and I'm certain that we'll be back again.
-----
Main Street Grille
369 Main St, Agawam, MA 01001
Unfulfilled Expectations at Stella D'Oro
My wife and I went to Stella D'Oro in Old Saybrook, Ct for the first time Saturday nightbefore a Tom Rush concert at The Kate.
We had high expectations because we'd heard good things - even on this board! To start off we had mussels in a spicy marinara sauce. These were some of the largest mussels I've ever seen - so they were mega tough. However, the bread was indeed outstanding. My salad was pretty wet from water, so the dressing was pretty diluted. My wife's was fine.
Our entrees included shrimp fra diavolo (wife); and she really enjoyed it. Mine was lasagna and it was average at best. Prices were reasonable.
Overall, Stella D'Oro was disappointing.
Six Flags New England. THE FOOD STINKS! Any tips or suggestions?
Perhaps the real problem lies in unrealistic expectations - ie, one shouldn't expect haute cuisine at an amusement park.
