Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale

 My scale is writing this review note me! Took some family and a friend to lunch here at Fish Tale. Friday noon but the place was deserted! They now have table service which is nice because you don't have to stand in a crowd and wait for your order.

We started with an order of Calamari and Fried Pickles as appetizers. The calamari was good but not enough tentacles for me and the fried pickles are definitely an acquired taste. One Scallop dinner that looked good and plenty, one cod dinner with two slabs of fish that looked fine and two orders of Fried Oysters [one of which mine] were very good and fresh. The oysters were not inundated with a coating so the full oyster taste was evident BUT there was a large piece of shell in mine. Another reviewer felt it was expensive but the cost of seafood now is very high. The service was excellent so the change to table service was a pleasure.

Saybrook Fish House

Hosted a luncheon party for a neighbor's 102nd birthday here at Saybrook Fish House. She truly enjoyed her meal as did I. It has been a  year or two since I have eaten here and most things have not changed. The Early Bird menu was available on Sunday, much to my surprise. The birthday guest had the Salmon with a seafood stuffing. The portion was a good size and she said it tasted great. The amount of wild rice was a bit much for her but she loved the fresh vegetables served family style. I had my old favorite the Petite Bouillabaisse with a lobster claw, mussels, shrimp, fish and bay scallops. It was a little too much involved with fennel, however. They still offer the bread service, the salad with the two dressings and the fruit bowl for dessert. There was a nice gift of ice cream, sauce and whipped cream with a candle for her at the end of the mea.. We had been requested not to sing...good thing! The whipped cream ended up in our nicely brewed coffees. Our server was excellent and made the meal a very nice experience for the birthday celebrant! 

The Blue Lobster

 The Blue Lobster saved me from culinary disaster tonight...great front of the house. I got lost in picking up a pizza at a new place [to be reviewed tomorrow]. So I didn't have any prepared food to take home and I was being waited for. I stopped at the first place I saw and it was the Blue Lobster. I have eaten here many times before and the food is good. Without waiting for a long time I was able to get two orders of Fish and Chips but didn't really want the chips part. Anyway it turns out that I loved the chips but the fish wasn't as crispy as I wanted but it was the travel and not the kitchen. We all got fed and enjoyed our late dinners. Hopefully I can learn how to read a map and/or figure out the GPS but sometimes mistakes turn out to be godsends.

MAX FISH

 Another great meal at Max Fish! Hosted a small birthday luncheon which turned out so well. The Lunch Menu is so varied there is something for everyone.

The birthday boy chose the Blackened Fish Tacos and took one home as they were huge. Filled with Napa slaw, cilantro, lime, guacamole, pico de gallo, mango-habanero, saffron rice, garbanzo beans; the presentation was outstanding and was told it was delicious. Another guest who has a very narrow food choice had the Fish and Chips and deemed it the best she had ever eaten. The freshness of the fish and the delicate batter made for an excellent choice for her. Grilled Hidden Fjord Salmon came out medium as ordered and sat on an array of Fall vegetable rice & grain pilaf, coconut-squash puree, apple salad and a sprinkle of pepitas. Also pronounced super! North Atlantic Haddock a la Plancha sounded wonderful but there was also a special of Mahi-Mahi. So I asked to substitute the Mahi-Mahi for the Haddock and!!! The plate came with a beautiful piece of fish over cheddar cheese grits, sautéed Swiss chard, roasted tomatoes, shrimp gravy, blackened shrimp & Tasso ham. It wasn't my birthday but I won that one. An iced tea, a glass of Pinot Grigio and two Bloody Mary with Tito's [one each] filled out our drink order. Desserts were the wonderful Key Lime Tarts and my scoop of Mango Sorbet.

The place was packed on a Monday lunch and service was a bit slow but we had all afternoon to enjoy. Our server did a great job while handling lots of work. Kudos to her.

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

 Another good meal at Captain Scott's Lobster Dock but just wish it wasn't so far away. The day was overcast and slightly chill and it was a Monday so no one would be here for lunch. NOT! The word is out that this is the place to eat regardless of the weather or time of day.

The special was a Fried Oyster Po'Boy so that was my choice. The oysters were so succulent, the sandwich filling was fresh and the remoulade was just the right spicy. The roll was slightly toasted or a little stale but I certainly enjoyed it. The Onion Rings were super. My dining partner got a cold Lobster Roll and was very pleased with taste, freshness and amount of lobster meat. All in all, a great day out to enjoy the start of summer. I will return soon!

Lenny & Joes Fishtale

Four of us celebrated a neighbor's 101st birthday today at the FISHTALE in Madison which is one of my favorite summertime restaurants. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze. This was to be the best day of the week so the birthday crowd really enjoyed themselves. They have certainly successfully reconfigured the whole place to make it safe. After parking you are assigned a numbered picnic table [sun or shade?] and handed a menu to order from. Then you proceed to the Ordering Kiosk to place your order and pay for the meal. When the food is ready it is brought to your table. Sane, sensible and cooked to perfection.

Our order consisted of a Fried Whole Belly Clam Roll [mine], a Fried Shrimp Roll and two Fried Scallop Rolls. All of which were announced delicious but of course mine was the best with a succulent load of fresh whole belly clams. I augmented the order with an order of Sweet Potato Fries which were thick and sweet. Also added a single order of Onion Rings which are my number one favorite. This was huge and believe or not was not completely finished! The coffees warmed up the shade under the roof but my lemonade hit the spot.

oysters, anchovies, scallops...

 Had a rather nice lunch today at Max Fish and enjoyed the day, the company and the food!

Started with a dozen Otter Cove Oysters to split and they were succulent. I prefer the mignonette to dip and he the spicy red so we didn't have to fight at all. 

Then split a Caesar Salad with anchovies. This was a good way to follow the 'sea' theme and begin the main course. The salad was fresh and crunchy with a good portion of grated cheese.

But onto the Scallops a la Plancha! They were perfectly cooked for me; seared on the outside, sweet and juicy on the inside. This was accompanied by a Spring Vegetable Couscous and decorated with a delicious [I want a jar of this] Charred Spring Onion Hummus. That was cure an exquisite plate of food with nothing to follow me home.

Split [again] a Key Lime Tart which was definitely large enough to satisfy anyone and sweet and tart. A great ending to a great meal.

Good Friday Lunch

 Stopped into the Blue Lobster for a Good Friday lunch of Fish and Chips. They were out one employee and the person in charge was doing an amazing job of taking orders on the phone and from the hungry crowd. Food was great with very little wait but as the time wore on there was a 45 minute wait. This did not deter most from waiting for their meal.

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

 First full day of Spring and a drive to New London took us to Captain Scott's in New London. What a beautiful day and what a tasty lunch! Only one couple in front of us so ordering was fast and easy. The only difficult part was what to choose from their extensive menu. One of the specials of the day was a Salmon BLT but still being in a cast made this not a good choice. I opted for the Sea Scallops which were fried to perfection and accompanied by great fries and the ubiquitous coleslaw. Our table also had a Fried Oyster Roll, Lobster Bisque and half a dozen Clam Fritters. All in all this was a very successful day.

Brunch at Max Fish

 Brunch today at Max Fish was wonderful and lent a placid ending to a busy week. The carafe of Bloody Mary elixir started us on a culinary wonderland. My Lobster Croque Madame on sourdough bread with bacon, arugula, lobster mornay, sherry field greens and a perfect sunny side up egg was better than any I have eaten anywhere including Paris. There was not a morsel left on my plate when I finished even though the amount of succulent lobster was amazing. Of course there was room for dessert so I had the Cinnamon Creme Brulée with cocoanut macaroons and then coffee. The day was made even brighter with our server, she was outstanding. Even leaving my new scarf on the seat and then receiving a voicemail saying they are holding it for me showed what separates a good restaurant from the rest. Kudos to all involved!

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

Birthday lunch at Captain Scott's Lobster Dock was a great success. A beautiful day's drive to a great lunch helped me to celebrate my birthday [month]. Found a parking spot right away and stood in a short line socially-distanced with lobster stencils to help distancing. My order of a fried Oyster Roll with Onion Rings and a locally branded Lemonade was perfect. The oysters were perfectly breaded and lightly fried and the onion rings were juicy and sweet. There was an open picnic table with a great view which made the day even more appealing.

J's Crab Shack

Quick dinner tonight after watching the 2020 Oscar Nominated Live Action Documentaries at Real Art Ways. So ran into the Crab Shack, my old favorite, at seven pm before they closed at 8. Had six Oysters on the Half Shell and a Shrimp Cocktail and a Mango drink. This is my go-to quick dinner out and it was just as good as ever. The seafood is always fresh from their fish market and the sauce is just right. Enjoyed.

bloginfo: Link goes to FaceBook as their website link seems broken.

BRIZO [reported closed]

Brizo is a relatively new restaurant in Rocky Hill and has recently started serving lunch. The room has a definite nautical look in crisp blue and white with light wood tables. We went there on a Tuesday night early but too late for Happy Hour. Chose from the Small Plates section of the menu and had a very nice early dinner.

Started with a glass of Provençal Rosé to complement the Baby Iceberg Salad. They use Arethusa Farms Bleu Cheese and serve with a Buttermilk Bleu Cheese dressing. It was excellent and since there were two little heads of lettuce, one came home for lunch the following day.

Then onto the Meats and Cheeses, a familiar charcuterie, with a nice selection arranged beautifully and enough for two. We finished this one.

I loved the Roasted Oysters, four to a serving, coated with breadcrumbs and sitting in a pond of Arugula Butter and some Bacon. My dining partner wanted a more 'oystery' taste to the dish so I got to eat three.



Desserts, though not made in the restaurant, were quite enticing. She chose the Chocolate Raspberry Bomb. This looked elegant and delicious but I didn't get a bite [probably my payback for the extra oyster!].

blognote: It is reported that this restaurant has closed [10/19]

Saybrook Fish House

An old favorite, hers, was our destination. She was looking to duplicate the Lobster Roll she had for lunch here at Saybrook Fish House. I was along for the ride as this is not my favorite restaurant but with the Early Bird Dinner Menu, I did just fine. The bread basket was good as usual, the family served/sized salad was fresh and a lot went home. The two dressings: Champagne Vinaigrette and Creamy Garlic were the standard and mix well. She got her lobster roll and it looked quite good. I opted for the Petite Bouillabaisse from the Early Bird Menu. This had a decent amount of seafood in it with the baby scallops, some fish, a clam and mussel or two and a large Lobster claw. The broth is a little too much fennel for me. 

MAX FISH

Another excellent brunch today with the famous Bloody Mary Bar. Had the Clam Chowder and the Lobster Scramble. Both were wonderful. Great service.

August 20, 2018

Lunch on the terrace on a beautiful sunny day. Visitor from Florida so started with a cup of New England Clam Chowder which was superb. She wanted Cod and when I asked why she said she missed all her favorite cold water fish! The plate looked a bit pale with the broiled cod, mashed potatoes [her choice] and a grilled lemon. Needed a bit of parsley or something green to color up the plate. I had the Scallop lunch special. Six small scallops nicely broiled on top of a summer succotash and a watermelon salad. Very tasty this was! Finished with her Creme Brulée [little too brulée for my taste] and an icy scoop of Peach Sorbet with Lavender. Nice service!

August 9, 2017

Another great meal at Max Fish today. I was feted by a lovely lady and it turned out to be a delightful afternoon. Amuse Bouche of Smoked Salmon Bruschetta was very tasty. She ordered eight oysters [4 pairs] and I had a tasting lesson on the difference between East and West Coast oysters. Thought I preferred West Coast but decided I liked the Rhode Island best.

For the lunch I ordered a cup of the soup of the day: Corn and Jalapeño Bisque and it was very good. Accompanied this with the Grilled Octopus and this blew me away; the best grilled octopus yet! Finished with a naughty three scoop dish of Creasmsicle Gelato [and cookie].

July 9, 2017

Wonderful Brunch today at Max Fish to send off a family member back home to Tampa. There are no pictures of the food as everything was so good it got attacked at it reached the table. As much as I would like to share the pictures with you...just go there and see for yourself! From the pomegranate shooters and beignets to start to the fabulous desserts we were all in heaven.

Three of us made good use of the Bloody Mary Bar [$10 for the first, $3 for the next one]. Mine was perfect with the added Spanish anchovies and the Shrimp was great. I had the best Steak and Eggs [$18] ever with perfectly cooked steak and super poached eggs and can't forget that gravy. Ended with a cup of strong coffee and a dish of strawberry/rhubarb sorbet [$7].

Others dined very happily on Crab Benedict [$16], Cobb Salad with Chicken [15]. The Fish Special [$16] was Haddock with Achiote Rice and Vegetable Hash. Desserts also included a magnificently rich S'mores plate [$8], Tiramisu Gelato [$7] and a Key Lime Tart [$8]. What a meal, what a family!

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock is where it is at for seafood! Informal but the food is great. The prices are very for the quality and quantity you get. Parking is available and easily acceptable. Order at the counter and find a seat on the deck overlooking the water and the flotilla of small and large craft.

Saybrook Fish House

Early Bird Dinner tonight at Saybrook Fish House for my monthly neighbor dinner. She had the stuffed Salmon [$16] and I had the Petit Bouillabaise [$18]. Of course all of this came with a great salad with their two famous dressings: Champagne Vinaigrette and Creamy Garlic [great to mix them]. Decent bread before and fresh fruit plate after.

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

Lunch here today at Scott's Lobster Dock in New London. 

Nice view from the deck of many fishing and pleasure boats. Not too many people here for late lunch so the service was quite speedy. I had a hot lobster roll with coleslaw [$14.50] 6 clam fritters [$5] Hosmer tangerine seltzer [$2]. 

The lobster was fresh and sweet. A little difficult to find but the search was worth it.

Crab Shack

Go here often but then don't blog it. Sort of like my home away from seafood home! Go to the Crab Shack and enjoy the best seafood ever with no excuses. Had that Lobster Roll urge coming on summer-strong so went to visit and came home happy!

Just a beautiful Portuguese roll filled with scrumptious lobster and lots of it. Had two coleslaw with no French fries [diet LOL]. Now that's a lobster roll [$14.95].

The Blue Oar

Went back to the Blue Oar again today and had the same thing as last time. Still as delicious and the same price! This time the roll was toasted and I added a side of coleslaw [$2.50] which came out as potato salad but it was so good I was pleased with the mistake. It rained a drop or two but no damage...especially with the Sauvignon Blanc we took with us.

9/12/14
Gorgeous day for a drive to the river, so had lunch at the Blue Oar. Not too far if you take the right route which I did this time. 

Had a Crab Cake Sandwich [$9.95] with lots of crab and not too much cake. Came on a hard roll [should have had it toasted] with lettuce, tomato, pickle and a little cup of red pepper aioli sauce. Very good!