tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74778296227836625442024-02-07T22:13:02.481-08:00Dining Adventures In CT!....eating our way around the state and enjoying it all!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-28805525876410938372013-02-24T11:59:00.002-08:002013-02-24T11:59:20.174-08:002/15/13-Leon's, North Haven, CTTom and I had visited Leon's when it was located on Long Wharf and had an incredible dinner, so we were excited to see that they located closer to us! On a particularly stressful day, we decided to treat ourselves and head out for a nice lunch. The new space (the old Hollywood Video) is large with both classic and modern touches (but what is with the fake ivy on the back corner wall? Just tacky.) All the servers were in classic black and white attire and the head chef could be seen roaming about and visiting with a few tables.<br />
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Water glasses were filled and warm, crusty bread was brought over. For my lunch, I went with the Bucatini all'Amatriciana. Portion size was perfect but I wasn't too thrilled with my choice. The pasta (in the description says it is housemade) was undercooked and crunchy almost at times. The sauce was a little chunkier than I would have preferred but I did appreciate the good amount of pancetta, giving the dish the salty and smoky tones. Tom went with the Chicken Zingara, which was definitely a hit. The whole dish was perfectly cooked and seasoned--loved the subtle fennel sausage and the flavor of the pan sauce that tied everything together.<br />
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The highlight for us was the head chef walking around with tasting plates of Scungilli (conch in a marinara sauce)--very nice to try something off the menu!<br />
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We decided to splurge a bit and get dessert, but to go. I ordered the Biscotti plate, which came in a good sized takeout container. Uhh, where was the biscotti?? I was lucky if there was 6 small chunks of biscotti floating around in this large container. I am almost always tolerant but this looked awful. I sent it back--for $6, I expect a few full-size pieces of biscotti for dunking and enjoying.<br />
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Overall, not a bad experience but also, not great. After having dinner at the Long Wharf location, I expected better. Maybe a few kinks to work out still with the new place.<br />
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<a href="http://www.leonsrestaurant.com/">www.leonsrestaurant.com</a><br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-86028072582875233492012-12-02T17:37:00.001-08:002012-12-02T17:37:27.986-08:0011/30/12-Matthew's Restaurant, Unionville, CTA lovely dining experience!<br />
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Tom and I decided on dinner here before taking in a theatre performance. Finding the restaurant is tricky since it is in an odd location, but follow the signs to the parking lot around the back of the building which will bring you to the restaurant's door. They have a patio, which I'm sure is lovely in warm weather but since it was late November, a table indoors for us. The waitstaff was very attentive, filling water glasses and bringing fresh ciabatta style bread to our table. They have a Louisiana-style grill menu for the specials this month, which is fitting since the owner has roots there. Speaking of, Matthew himself was seen making tableside caesar for another party and was consistently involved in the dining room, checking on customers and helping his staff--always nice to see this.<br />
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For my dinner, I decided to go with the Louisiana mixed grill--herb crusted lamb chop, andouille sausage with house mustard sauce and a petite filet, cajun blackened with a demi glace, all served with chive whipped potatoes and fresh veggies. Wow. This plate had it all! The filet was my favorite--cooked perfectly to my order of medium rare, with a nice flavor from the blackening. The chive whipped potatoes were a perfect accompaniment, and the carrots and asparagus was also a nice touch. Tom went with the NY strip steak--also cooked perfectly to his liking. The steak was very tender and he had a great portion of sauteed spinach and potatoes.<br />
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I wish we weren't full by the end of this delightful meal because I wanted to have those beignets, but maybe another time. Service was professional and very efficient in taking care of the dining room patrons, topping off an excellent experience. Would definitely come back!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-43127107653389550722012-12-02T17:21:00.003-08:002012-12-02T17:21:39.254-08:0011/29/12-Michael's Deli, Cheshire, CTHad some job training near home today, so got to have lunch with the hubby on my break. We decided to check out Michael's Deli. It had a comfortable, homey feel to it with a few tables for the lunch crowd. There are specials posted on their website everyday, so I already had an idea of what I wanted today. We shared the cheeseburger soup--chock full of ground beef and diced tomatoes that gave it a nice, hearty texture and flavor. I had the chicken caesar asiago wrap--not sure where the asiago was since it appeared to have american cheese, so the wrap was average, nothing special. Tom had the Junior's favorite--grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, pesto mayo, provolone cheese and greens--very enjoyable!<br />
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A nice place to stop instead of the usual lunch choices. Business was steady the entire time, which is always a good sign!<br />
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<a href="http://www.michaelsdelicheshire.com/">www.michaelsdelicheshire.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-91711325191874241412012-11-26T17:42:00.003-08:002012-11-26T17:42:37.795-08:0011/23/12-Spicy Green Bean, Glastonbury, CTTom and I headed out to lunch with Jill and Cory. I've been talking about wanting to go back here since a Yelp event a few months ago, so I'm glad we finally made the time. Even though it was pretty busy when we arrived, we got a nice big table by the window.<br />
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Jill and I both got the "Big Bangin Monster Steak and Cheese"--and it was all of that and more. Real steak, cooked up perfectly with a great spice blend that gave it an amazing peppery flavor, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato on a hefty roll, served with fries (regular for me, sweet potato for Jill). The steak sandwich was delish and was the envy of Tom--but where was the mayo? There could have been more cheese, too--there was a barely there sprinkling of cheddar melted atop the steak. These two things didn't stop me from enjoying this sandwich. I want another one right now, just thinking about it.<br />
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Cory and Tom had burgers--Cory's all-American burger must have been good, since it was inhaled. Tom went with the Chimi burger, which had the house chimichurri sauce on it--but where was the sauce?? A very, very light coating of chimi sauce was found upon opening up the burger, but it really couldn't be tasted because there definitely wasn't enough of it. Tom also ordered a roast beef sandwich to go, and he had the same problem again--he ordered it with a garlic mayo and it was barely there. It seemed that maybe the kitchen just does a small squirt in the middle of the burger/sandwich and doesn't layer it out to the sides of the meat and bread--we all love creative condiments, so let them shine! Next time I will be sure to order an additional side of the sauce to meet my particular taste.<br />
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Oh and the fries were incredibly good! I don't know how they make or season them, but they are damn tasty and addicting! The sweet potato ones were ok, nothing special, especially in comparison to the regular fries.<br />
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Service was friendly (and even hooked us up with cookies because of the Yelp check-in!) and we were all stuffed by the end of lunch. We will definitely return!<br />
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<a href="http://www.spicygreenbean.com/">www.spicygreenbean.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-74983587513567528282012-11-26T17:05:00.003-08:002012-11-26T17:05:54.250-08:0011/13/12-Saybrook Fish House, Rocky Hill, CTTom and I headed to Saybrook Fish House for dinner this evening and from the minute you walk in the door, you can tell this place has been around for quite some time. This place definitely has a worn-in feel to it with a steady stream of regular neighborhood customers--if my grandfather was alive, he would come here. Even though we were probably the youngest couple in there, we didn't feel uncomfortable. We were brought a large bread basket, with a few different varieties to choose from (even those cellophane-wrapped breadsticks that no one has seen since the early 90's). Then a family-style salad was brought to the table. I am a bit of a purist when it comes to my salad, so I didn't care for the large piles of sliced veggies, but this did make it easier to pick off the ones you didn't like. For an appetizer, we had Rhode Island style calamari--nice and spicy, just the way we like it and the calamari was cooked perfectly.<br />
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For entrees, I had the special swordfish--blackened, served with asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. No complaints for my dish! The fish was cut thick and had a nice, blackened taste to it and the potatoes were nice and garlicky. Tom had a special Louisiana style pasta dish, with shrimp, chicken, clams, mussels in a spicy red sauce--very filling dish that yielded leftovers for the next day.<br />
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We were stuffed by this point, so dessert wasn't an option. However, they give you a free fruit bowl and they offer to wrap it so you can bring it home. This was impressive, with 2 large strawberries, melon slices, pineapple, canteloupe, an orange and an apple.<br />
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You definitely get a lot of food here and we had a good experience--however, I still felt like it was overpriced. It would have felt far too pricey for us had we not had a groupon, so I don't anticipate returning anytime soon. If you are looking for a place to dine with the grandparents, this is it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.saybrookfishhouserestaurants.com/">www.saybrookfishhouserestaurants.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-87177801350303394572012-11-18T20:54:00.002-08:002012-11-18T20:54:39.543-08:0011/8/12-Burton's Grill, South Windsor, CTTom and I were in the area on business and was looking for a place to get a nice lunch. We decided to try out Burton's in Evergreen Walk, a definite power suit kind of place. We were brought some warm rolls and our beverages and we decided to start with the Philly spring rolls--really interesting take on a philly cheesesteak, I loved the gooey, melty cheese coating the thinly sliced steak inside the roll--the spicy ketchup dipping sauce did nothing for me, but Tom enjoyed it!<br />
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For my lunch, I went with the California chicken sandwich--bronzed chicken breast, cure 81 ham, chipotle mayonnaise, avocado cream and pepper jack cheese on griddled ciabatta, hand cut french fries--the concept was a good idea but I felt that the avocado cream and the chipotle mayo pretty much canceled each other out. Tom had the Mediterranean chicken--pan seared chicken breast topped with sun-dried tomatoes,<br />
goat cheese and provolone, served over spinach risotto, finished with a delicate lemon butter sauce--the risotto was nicely done and a good accompaniment to the chicken.<br />
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Service was prompt and efficient, always a plus at lunchtime. It was a bit pricey for lunch but we left satisfied with our choice.<br />
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<a href="http://www.burtonsgrill.com/">www.burtonsgrill.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-12221415061243012552012-11-04T12:54:00.002-08:002012-11-04T12:54:20.188-08:0011/3/12-McLadden's Irish Publick House, West Hartford, CTTom and I headed out for the night in one of my favorite towns to dine in--West Hartford--and decided to try something a bit different. McLadden's was hopping when we got there, with a large crowd of people in the bar area and quite a few more waiting for tables. We were seated after about a 20 minute wait. I like the feel of this place--dark, wooden seating area with the signature Guinness harp towards the back of the room, beer taps mounted onto shelves along the walls and a stage area for live bands. I've never been to Ireland, but this is what I hope a traditional Irish bar looks like.<br />
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To start, we shared a bowl of the French Onion soup. Our waitress told us that so many bowls of that soup had been ordered tonight alone. Maybe it was the chill in the air that got people craving some warmth in their souls or patrons just know how good this soup is, either way, it was a great choice. The onions were cooked perfectly and just melted as they hit your tongue. The Gruyere and provolone topping a crostini gave the soup that bite that hits you in the back of your mouth, while the beefy broth melded all the flavors together.<br />
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For entrees, Tom went with the corned beef and cabbage. The portion size was excellent and adding some mustard to the mix really made the dish for him. I am not a big fan of corned beef myself (contrary to my red hair and fair complexion, I am not Irish in the least) but the few bites I stole were pretty good. I decided on Bangers and Mash for myself--the Irish sausages had that distinct flavor that I expected, but it was the three onion gravy that really ramped up the flavor in this dish. The potatoes were fluffy and plentiful and also benefited from the gravy.<br />
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We were quite full by the end of this evening and we overall had a good experience. I would definitely come back--maybe next time to hang out at the bar and enjoy my own crock of french onion soup!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mcladdens.com/">www.mcladdens.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-54276712382871269122012-10-16T20:20:00.002-07:002012-10-16T20:20:46.730-07:0010/13/12-Sandpiper Restaurant, East Haven, CTStarving after a long day, Tom and I headed out to get dinner. I've been wanting to go out for seafood for a while now (I just don't feel like I got to it enough this summer), so we took a short drive down to Cosey Beach. This restaurant is in a prime location with a bright, clean interior. We waited about 20 minutes before being seated in a booth by the window.<br />
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I decided to deviate from my normal choices for dinner and went with the broiled cajun swordfish, served with a a side salad and french fries. The fish may have been a tiny touch overcooked but I could completely overlook that because the overall portion and taste was excellent--Tom agrees, as he stole more than one bite from my plate! Tom went with one of the night's specials--fried shrimp and clamstrips, served over french fries. He said the clam strips were average and comparable to most places and also said that the shrimp may also have been a tiny bit overcooked, but the portion size was nice.<br />
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Overall, we had a nice dinner. Service was prompt and the owner/manager could be seen walking around checking on patrons. A perfectly good place to stop in and feed that need for seafood!<br />
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<a href="http://www.sandpipereasthaven.com/">www.sandpipereasthaven.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-23135935687375608582012-10-16T19:18:00.002-07:002012-10-16T19:18:36.590-07:0010/6/12-Sakura Garden, Glastonbury, CTTom and I came here for my birthday dinner. When we arrived, we opted to go with regular seating versus hibachi tables and was brought to a lovely, modern dining room. You could watch the sushi chefs at work nearby, which was neat.<br />
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For appetizer, we got the beef negimaki, which looked like sushi! Thin beef strips that were rolled around a bunch of scallions and coated in teryaki sauce--really interesting, nicely plated and pretty tasty! Tom was excited to order sushi, so he got an eel roll and a shrimp tempura roll--he enjoyed both and voiced that he could definitely eat another roll. Instead I let him finish my entree, which was Yaki Soba. My noodles were ok, but not very exciting. I felt that they lacked in flavor and I've definitely had better.<br />
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We opted to skip dessert, as I had some awesome cupcakes waiting for us at home. We had an overall OK experience and if we came here again, we'd go for the hibachi.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sakuragardencuisine.com/">www.sakuragardencuisine.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-49915886869358112462012-10-07T21:20:00.002-07:002012-10-07T21:21:59.584-07:0010/5/12-Namaste India, Southington, CT<span style="font-family: inherit;">Growing up in this neck of the woods, I sometimes feel like I've eaten at every place in town. Maybe, maybe not, but I sometimes get the sense that my options are limited and my family and friends choose to eat at the same joints over and over. Consistency is comfortable but I am always on the hunt for something new. We've been meaning to get to this place sooner, so when plans deemed that Tom and I would both be in Southington for dinner, there was no better time to give this place a shot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to dinner around 530pm and there was only one other table filled in the restaurant. The restaurant was tastefully adorned with culturally appropriate decorations and was a comfortable atmosphere. We were quickly seated, glasses filled and papadum and its accompaniments were brought over. For appetizer we tried the <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Jhinga Manchurian--crispy shrimp in hot cilantro garlic sauce. I can't say that I got the cilantro flavor--the sauce was more reminiscent of a bbq type sauce and although it was mild to our tastebuds, it was still very good. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For dinners, I went with Chicken Curry and Tom had the Lamb Saag. My curry was very good, nice and flavorful--next time, I will definitely kick the heat up from mild. The chicken was nicely cooked and the portion size was great, leaving me with leftovers. The lamb saag was not exactly as we might have pictured it--the spinach was pureed and coated the lamb chunks. The flavor was surprisingly good and the lamb was a good match, with the Indian spice blend shining though. A large bowl of Basmati rice was also placed on the table for us to share and we also got a side of garlic naan, which of course, was excellent. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, we had a very nice dinner. It is nice to finally see an Indian restaurant in town and it seemed that the citizens of Southington appreciate it too from the steady stream of phone calls and takeout orders during our dinner. We would definitely visit again!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.namasteindiact.com/">www.namasteindiact.com</a></span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-33281124605063308492012-09-23T18:24:00.001-07:002012-09-23T18:24:23.209-07:009/22/12-Burger Baby, Hartford, CTTom and I took a drive up to Hartford to try one of the newer burger places to see how it held up to our favorites. Easy parking right next door is nice so you don't have to walk too far. We got there on the early side of things, expecting it to be busy on a Saturday night. Shockingly, this place was pretty dead--never a good sign. A lone waitress in the dining room yelled over that she'd be with us in a minute--what, no hostess? Odd, but okay. She seated us quickly, then came back a few minutes later to get our drink order.<br />
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The one thing I have been looking forward to in coming here were the duckfat fries. We haven't had duckfat fries since being in Portland, Maine and falling in love with them at the restaurant Duckfat. So, I'm sure the disappointment on my face was quite evident when our waitress said they were out of them. On a Saturday night? Sigh. She did try to push the truffle fries, but I stuck with the regular to go along with the Burger Baby Deluxe--american cheese, house made pickles, country fried bacon and a housemade sauce. I ordered my burger medium--it was bordering medium-well/well done when it arrived on my plate, making the burger almost dry. The bun was nice and sufficient for the size of my burger and I was a big fan of the country fried bacon, never having that before but unfortunately, there was very little of the housemade sauce (which looked similar to the sauce on a big mac). The fries were fresh cut but heavy on the oil, leaving them soggy.<br />
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Tom had the Wagyu burger and the truffle fries. He liked the taste of his burger, however, his was overcooked from his order of medium-rare. The black truffle aioli had a prominent taste and was a different flavor. The truffle fries were soggy as well (maybe this is more expected since they have the truffle oil coating them?)<br />
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As we were finishing our meals, a chef had wandered out from the back to wave to a friend. This friend expressed her disappointment in there not being duckfat fries that night; he replied that the machine was actually clogged/broken and they had just fixed it, so they could now serve the duckfat fries. Tom and I were surprised to hear that--not sure why our waitress just didn't tell us that in the first place, instead of saying they didn't have them.<br />
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Overall, not impressed at all. We felt that other burger places in the area offer much more in the areas of creativity, quality and taste--not to mention, value. The burgers here are a bit overpriced. Service was friendly but we were kind of off put by the white lie, and I felt bad that she was handling a lot of tables by herself. This place had potential but falls way short. With the stiff competition of great burger joints in the area (West Hartford, Glastonbury, Manchester), I'd say we're not returning.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-27237260724206525072012-09-18T20:34:00.000-07:002012-09-18T20:34:00.329-07:009/14/12-Salute, Hartford, CTI realize I was just here. I very rarely make a return visit so quickly to a restaurant that I like but I couldn't wait! After a great first experience, I had high expectations for my second visit. This time, I went with Kim and Jen--Kim actually knows one of the owners, so she was very excited to hear that I had a great first visit just a few weeks ago. I made reservations, which was a must on a busy Friday night. We were seated outside by one of the owners and he continually checked on us throughout the meal to make sure we weren't too chilly--he even offered to bring us chef's coats if we did get cold!<br />
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With lots to catch up on, we ordered a wine bottle special and the garlic cheese bread to get the evening started. The garlic cheese bread is easily one of my favorite things on the planet--hot, gooey but not overpowering garlic flavor, just perfect. On to our entrees! Jen had the Diver scallops over shrimp fried rice and soy butter--the rice had great flavor to it and the scallops were a good size and nicely seared. Kim had the Grilled salmon with a side of potato lasagna and sauteed spinach--I grabbed a bite of the potato lasagna, which was very tasty (and I am not typically a fan of scalloped potatoes!). I had the Rose Pasta, which was sweet sausage, mushrooms and spinach in a tomato cream sauce served with four cheese tortellini--so creamy and heavenly, there was no way I was finishing this dish! The only thing to note is there was barely any spinach in the dish, otherwise, it was delicious. Tom had my leftovers as soon as I got home and he licked the container he thought it was so good!<br />
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To top off our experience, we had the chocolate lava cake for dessert--I am glad we all had our own because no one wanted to share once we had that chocolaty first bite! The three of us had a great night and agreed that this is great place to go on a date night or a girl's night; needless to say, plans are in the works for a return visit. What really sets this experience apart from other recent dining experiences is the service--our table was visited by all three owners of the restaurant. Although Kim may have known one of the owners, we were treated with the same courtesy and attentiveness as any other table--this care and passion was evident as you could see the different managers talking to other tables, ensuring a great evening. It is so nice to see a management staff that really cares about the customer and giving them a great dining experience.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-42710356104384365832012-09-09T19:15:00.000-07:002012-09-09T19:15:45.599-07:009/7/12-Colony Grill, Avon, CTOut with Jill & Cory tonight to try this pizza joint that has made its way north from Stamford. I have been to the original Stamford location and I love it. This new incarnation, however, it completely different. The interior is spacious, clean and modern, versus the wooden, worn-down Irish feel that Stamford has. I was absolutely delighted that while we were waiting for our booth to be ready, the owner came over to greet us and tell us about the restaurant, specials and what to expect. He also highlighted the additional menu options that Stamford does not have, such as buffalo wings.<br />
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When we were seated, we waited a few minutes for a server to come over. A girl came over, only to find out that we weren't her table and she told us how the new hostess was "running them ragged", but graciously took our drink order and offered to find our server--very nice of her. Our actual server came over, confirmed the drink order and took our food order. We decided to start with the chili covered nachos--nice flavor on the chili, decent serving size. I let everyone know that the pizzas were one size and we should plan to get a few since they are thin crust. We went with: sausage and hot oil; bacon; meatball. Of course, the sausage/hot oil is and was my favorite, with that signature oil giving the pizza a little bit of a kick. The bacon and meatball were also good, no complaints here.<br />
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Another thing to note--after noticing that we were emptying our glasses faster than she could refill them, our server brought us pitchers--really nice touch, appreciated by all of us.<br />
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Overall, the four of us had a nice evening and although Colony can't replace my love for New Haven pizza, it is a decent replacement when in the Stamford or Avon area!<br />
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<a href="http://www.colonygrill.com/">www.colonygrill.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-11711393612357521602012-08-31T17:54:00.002-07:002012-08-31T17:54:40.264-07:008/26/12-The Cookhouse, New Milford, CTTom and I were out in this neck of the woods for a wedding and before heading home the next day, we decided to stop here for lunch. This really has been the summer of BBQ joints for us and as this summer season comes to a close, this was a great way to top it off. This place is wooden and rustic feeling, with a slight smell of the smokers in the air.<br />
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Thanks to Jason M.'s review, I knew exactly what I was going to order--the Fat Tommy Flatboy--pulled chicken, pulled pork, pepperjack cheese, caramelized onions and "comeback sauce", all on a flatbread that reminded me of a tougher cousin of a pancake. The sandwich was amazing and every item worked well together. I also had the sweet potato fries on the side, nice and crispy. Tom went with the beef brisket platter--very nice portion size and the brisket had a great flavor with a perfect smoke ring on the meat. His dish came with honey and brown sugar glazed carrots and french fries. The bbq sauce on the table was also pretty tasty and accompanied the meat nicely.<br />
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Overall, an excellent experience--I can see why this place is consistently rated best BBQ in the state. It is in a nice area, with a lovely scenic drive in the Rt 7/Rt. 67 area--you won't regret the trip!<br />
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<a href="http://www.thecookhouse.com/">www.thecookhouse.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-330306178690221512012-08-26T12:27:00.001-07:002012-08-26T12:27:13.414-07:008/23/12-Salute, Hartford, CT<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Stopped by here for a bite before the Yelp Helps event and had a good, solid experience. The owner makes you feel like family the minute you step in the door, as if you had been there a million times. He checked to see if we parked at the garage next door or if we walked because they validate parking at 50%! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">We were quickly seated and water glasses filled. We tried the "almost-famous" garlic cheese bread--nice and crusty on the outside, draped with chopped garlic and cheesy goodness--definitely worth trying. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">For meals, Tom went with the Pasta a la Vodka--the feta cheese gave it a distinct, salty taste but it wasn't overpowering. The sauce had a nice consistency and the dish was nicely presented. I had the meatball salad--perfection! Two huge meatballs adorned my plate of salad that was lightly dressed with balsamic dressing. It is funny how tomato sauce covered meatballs work with salad--the sauce gives a nice balance to the natural acidity of the balsamic dressing. I love the chunks of fresh mozz and the parmesan shaved tableside for you over the salad. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">At that point, we were full but not overly stuffed, as we still had some "light bites" to look forward to at the event. To round out our experience, our waiter gave us a bag of housemade biscotti to-go and it was delicious later on the next day. I should also mention how awesome the staff is, chasing me up the street when I left my phone at the table--so thankful they caught me! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Well worth the visit if you're in downtown Hartford. The ambiance is casual with a romantic, classy vibe and our overall experience was great!</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, 'Lucida Grande', 'Bitstream Vera Sans', verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.salutect.com/">www.salutect.com</a></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-23432008922778685792012-08-19T18:33:00.001-07:002012-08-19T18:33:09.239-07:008/17/12-Apricot's, Farmington, CTFor all they hype about Apricot's, the building looks so rundown from the road, you would think you were dining at a shack! Turn into the parking lot and go up the stairs inside, and it is totally different. We were greeted by the host, who explained that he could seat us inside or outside on the deck and if we wanted to eat under the tent by the river, we could walk down there and see if a table was available. We chose the deck, as it still had the view, but was private for us since no one else was out there. They really have a great location with the river running behind the place and this really adds to the experience.<br />
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Warm bread and butter was brought to us--both kinds of bread were delicious. The summer lunch menu was varied and made it hard to choose, but the turkey burger really got my attention, so I went with that. This was probably one of the better turkey burgers I've ever had--it was huge, juicy and really had great flavor to it. Definitely handmade, the burger was served on a portugese muffin with smoked gouda, caramelized onions and a side of scallion mayo--what an amazing combo, all components really worked well and complimented each other! I also got sweet potato fries, which were crispy and perfectly done. The burger was so huge I couldn't finish it! Tom also went with a burger, the Grilled bacon and bleu burger, his usual choice in a burger, with a side caesar salad. He was disappointed in the side salad, as it didn't have shaved parmesan or croutons as caesar typically has. His burger was also huge and impossible to finish, but he found his burger to be a bit on the dry side--he added some of the scallion mayo to his burger too since we both were pleasantly surprised by it.<br />
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With how heavy those burgers were, we both wish we made different lunch choices, but that just means we'll have to come back another time. A lovely al fresco summer lunch!<br />
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<a href="http://www.apricotsrestaurant.com/">www.apricotsrestaurant.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-19574311472093053542012-08-19T18:13:00.002-07:002012-08-19T18:13:49.199-07:008/15/12-K.T.Baxter's, Wallingford, CTWe've been here once before and decided to give it another go. It was relatively dead for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, with only a few tables and seats at the bar filled. One waitress seemed to be doing everything for the room and she seemed a bit overwhelmed and busy, but she took care of us in a timely fashion. We both ordered specials--Tom had the Cajun burger, while I had the soup of the day and a grilled turkey, cheddar and bacon. Tom felt his burger was probably a premade, frozen, average burger--nothing exciting. My sandwich was dry and crusty and definitely could have used some mayo or other sauce to make it easier to swallow. The soup was a sausage minestrone--not bad. Both of our meals came with fries (the uniform kind) and a pickle.<br />
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Overall, nothing exciting and not much of a reason for us to come back, especially when there are so many other choices nearby.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-90720627991081191722012-08-05T18:32:00.000-07:002012-08-05T18:32:03.933-07:008/4/12-Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic, CT<br />
After hearing about this restaurant/brewery for some time now, we finally got out this way to stop in. What a beautiful space! I would never have thought a restaurant would work so well in an old post office, but they really pull it off while keeping a lot of the old charms.<br />
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Service was very friendly and helpful. I am not a beer person, but the waitress brought over two samples for me to try and I ended up going with their Cream Ale--smooth and light. Tom went with the Workingman's Wheat, and he enjoyed that.<br />
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On to the food! The nachos should really come with a disclaimer, or at the very least, a suggestion that you should have 4 people or so with you. The plate was absolutely monstrous! We made this suggestion to our waitress--and then she told us that a man had come in last week and ate the whole thing by himself (gross, believe me).<br />
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I didn't want to even think about more food when our sandwiches arrived. I had the Beer Tap Beef Sandwich (thin sliced steak, swiss and balsamic-beer glazed onion)--I felt that the sandwich was a bit on the dry side and it could have used either a sauce or au jus on the side. Tom had the Brooklyn Buffalo Chicken Wrap--the wrap was so messy, with the sauce dribbling out the bottom.. It would have been better if the chicken was breaded so the hot sauce could stick to it. Both sandwiches came with huge steak fries in your choice of flavors.<br />
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Overall, decent bar food and house brewed beer. I am sure this is the hot spot to be on the weekend or at happy hour and can see why it is so popular!<br />
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<a href="http://www.willibrew.com/">www.willibrew.com</a><br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-51391073582158771272012-07-29T20:23:00.003-07:002012-07-29T20:23:27.068-07:007/27/12-Liquid Lunch, Milford, CTHubby and I headed out for lunch today and I am glad we came here. Liquid Lunch has 5-8 soup choices everyday, so you're bound to find something you like. Tom and I both had the soup and half sandwich combo, which was perfectly portioned. Tom went with the clam chowder (as they were out of the french onion by 1pm) and the half Portland (turkey, apple coleslaw and sharp cheddar). I have never really cared for clam chowder, but this one wasn't bad at all and the sandwich had a nice tang to it. I went with the cheeseburger soup (as they were out of the buffalo chicken) and the half Martha's Vineyard (grilled chicken, cranberry sauce, bbq sauce, pepperjack cheese and caramelized onions)--sandwich was messy but super tasty and the soup was decent--pieces of meat were tiny and the broth was very oily, however the flavor was nice.<br />
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Overall, a nice, quick lunch with lots of options, plenty of seating and friendly staff. Worth a stop!<br />
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<a href="http://www.liquidlunchct.homestead.com/">www.liquidlunchct.homestead.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-59228199166495774412012-07-25T07:11:00.002-07:002012-07-25T07:11:17.541-07:007/20/12-Black Eyed Sally's, Hartford, CTWhat a cool place to hang out.<br />
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I've been here on a few occasions, but apparently Tom has never been. So, on a rainy Friday in Hartford we stopped in to get some Southern food. The ambiance is very cool, with paintings of blues artists on the walls and the sound checks of a musician who is going to hit the stage later in the evening.<br />
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The menu has every Southern dish you might be craving (for us, that's pretty much everything!). We decided to start with fried okra and pickle chips--hot, lightly fried with a "Tennessee tartar" sauce for dipping--this disappeared fast! I never had either of these things fried before, but I would definitely have them again. For entrees, Tom had BBQ Beef Brisket platter, which came with coleslaw, red beans and rice and he ordered an additional side of garlicky green beans. The brisket came atop texas white toast and was a great portion. It wasn't fall-apart tender, but it wasn't tough either and had a nice smoky flavor. I went with the Southern Fried Chicken, which came with collard greens and mac n cheese. The chicken was out of sight--four pieces fried to perfection, nice and juicy on the inside yet crispy and a nice hint of spice on the outside. The mac and cheese was incredibly creamy and the collard were good (but not as good as the ones we make!)<br />
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We were too stuffed to even consider dessert, but we had a great meal! Can't wait to go back!<br />
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<a href="http://www.blackeyedsallys.com/">www.blackeyedsallys.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-79582955567814257542012-07-19T21:02:00.001-07:002012-07-19T21:02:59.339-07:007/19/12-Bricco Trattoria, Glastonbury, CTOut to dinner tonight with a lovely friend from school, Kim. I was a fan of the restaurant that formerly occupied this space (Sauce) and hoped that this would be just as nice--and it is. Classy, upscale interior, friendly staff and great food. I was able to make a reservation via OpenTable (which I love) and was seated immediately upon arrival.<br />
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Kim had a draft beer to start, while I went with the bellini--perfectly balanced, not too sweet. Bread came to the table--soft and warm, seasoned, with a bowl of olives in olive oil. On to our entrees--Kim had the fresh potato gnocchi, which she enjoyed while I had the fresh cavatelli napolitano with braised pork sugo--the pasta was perfectly done, served with a nice amount of the braised pork, which was super tender and really added to the overall flavor of the dish.<br />
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To finish our evening, we went with the warm Valhrona chocolate cake. I was excited to try this, since Valhrona is my current favorite chocolate thanks to a chocolate tasting I did a few months ago. This was rich and chocolaty, not at all like the traditional cake I thought it would be and would definitely satiate any need for chocolate.<br />
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Overall, a lovely evening out. Would definitely return!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-83160070515470664152012-07-14T06:33:00.004-07:002012-07-14T06:33:48.976-07:007/13/12-Mike's Deli, Old Saybrook, CTTom and I grabbed some lunch before hitting the sand after his cousin recommended this place. Great deli!<br />
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This place is tiny, with no real semblance of order, but it all seemed to work out in the end. Tom had a salami grinder with all his favorite toppings, while I went with the house smoked turkey with my favorite toppings. There are a ton of choices for sandwiches, along with daily specials, soups and sides. The sandwich is huge, with enough stuff on the bread that it is bursting out the sides. The bread is nice and soft, but I wish it was a bit heartier and larger to better hold the contents of the sandwich. Otherwise, this stop made for a nice lunch on the sand--we'll definitely be back on our way to the beach in the future!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mikesmeatsanddeli.com/">www.mikesmeatsanddeli.com</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-40392380372137504942012-07-08T19:37:00.002-07:002012-07-08T19:39:21.943-07:007/6/12-Pasta Cosi, Branford, CTTom and I headed out for dinner at Pasta Cosi, located in the cute downtown green area of Branford--such a nice quiet area compared to Rt.1! We had reservations, so we were seated right away and water glasses filled. The ambiance is nice for a date night and with only a handful of tables, it was cozy without being cramped.<br />
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I started with a glass of the house Pinot Grigio and Tom had a beer and a bread basket was brought over. I love good Italian bread, but this stuff was so hard, it surpassed the limits of the word "crusty". This was one breadbasket we definitely did not want refills on.<br />
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Hoping that things would turn around, our appetizer arrived--fried mozzarella. The mozz was definitely fresh (in the two odd-shaped pieces we got), but plating and portions were way off-balance. We asked for both of the sauces they had available on the menu for this item--lemon caper raddichio and marinara. The lemon caper came in a large ramekin, taking over half of the dish, with the marinara taking up another quarter, leaving the two mozz pieces in the rest of the plate. Plating issue aside, the flavor of the sauces worked nicely with the mozz and was enjoyable.<br />
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For my entree, I had the Amatriciana--pasta with a sauce of diced onion, pancetta, bacon, garlic, wine and red pepper, with sliced sausage on top. I loved the slightly smoky flavor to the sauce but I wish the pieces of pancetta and bacon were more plentiful and visible; otherwise, I enjoyed this dish and the housemade pasta. Tom went with his go-to pasta dish--clams in white sauce. He noted how filling the dish was, related to the housemade pasta but he also commented that the clams were a bit overdone. Overall, it was a nice meal but it didn't stand out enough for us to become one of our go-to Italian joints, or even for us to likely return to.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-82374171405912869242012-07-08T18:12:00.001-07:002012-07-08T18:12:30.937-07:007/5/12-Fiore, Middletown, CTMet Jen for lunch today before she starts her new job! We met halfway in Middletown and neither of us has been to Fiore, so we gave their lunch menu a shot. We were immediately seated upon entering in the small dining room, which definitely could use some updating and redecorating. Water glasses were filled and garlic knots were brought over--holy garlic! They were so good and garlicky, it was a good thing I wasn't on a first date! The menu consisted of a large selection of traditional Italian dishes and all are very reasonably priced. Jen went with the shrimp scampi--nice portion of pasta, done to al dente, with large, perfectly cooked shrimp (only one shrimp wasn't properly deveined). I had the veal francaise, which came with 2 pieces of veal, served with a bright lemon-butter-caper sauce and broccoli on the side--veal was good, not overdone and a great portion for lunch. Lunch also came with house salads, which was a nice addition.<br />
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In all, we both had a lovely meal and a great time catching up, as always. Would definitely return for lunch again!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477829622783662544.post-4207586035327034282012-07-01T18:51:00.005-07:002012-07-01T18:51:57.100-07:006/30/12-Skipper's Seafood Restaurant, Niantic, CTTom and I perused the Niantic Arts Festival this morning and decided to grab some lunch on the way out. We were definitely thinking seafood, just not sure where, when Tom spotted this joint as we drove by. We quickly turned around and headed in.<br />
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We placed our orders at the counter, then headed back outside and grabbed a table under the awning so we could enjoy the view of the Niantic bay. Ten or so minutes later, our order was ready. I got a lobster roll (hot, of course) with drawn butter and a side of potato chips and coleslaw. I am so happy to report that this lobster roll was one of the best I've had--chock full of good sized lobster chunks, on a buttered and toasted New England style hot dog bun, I was a happy camper after having this! Tom had the clam strips dinner, which came with fries and coleslaw--he commented that the clam strips were among the best he's had, not too oily or heavy tasting, but light and fresh; I tried them and enjoyed them as well. The french fries were nice and crispy and Tom enjoyed the coleslaw, noting that the cabbage was perfectly done for his taste and the flavor was right on. We would definitely come back next time we're in the area!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14244413389481879758noreply@blogger.com0