The Ancient Mariner (Mystic, CT)

On our way home from Martha's Vineyard, ABF & I made a side stop in Mystic, Connecticut. I hadn't been here since I was a kid, and I remember it being much bigger (isn't that always the way?) and more.. just.. more! It didn't take us long to walk around, and we were pretty hungry, so we stopped in The Ancient Mariner for an early dinner.

We were early birds, so we got a seat right by the windows, perfect for people-watching.

We both started with chowder, of course! This was delicious but different--a little less thick and creamy, but so fabulously seasoned (thyme, oregano, and who knows what else???) that I didn't miss the regular texture at all. It also had bite-size pieces of red potato that were perfectly cooked--tender but not mushy or mealy. A really different take on it!

I haven't had a lobster roll in a good long while, so that's what I finally settled on (the menu there is massive!) after some hemming & hawing. There was a decent amount of meat in this roll, and it wasn't soaked in dressing. I like my lobstah rolls pretty simple. It was just a little overcooked and chewy, but still tasty.

ABF ordered the bacon cheeseburger. He gave me a bite (such a nice guy) and it was good, but I was happy with my lobstah.

For dessert, ABF had no problem picking the special that day: Irish Soda Bread pudding. I didn't think much of this in print, but ABF kindly shared a bite with me, and it was 'shut-your-mouth' delicious. Wow. This was outstanding. Out. STAND. Ing! So much so that I had two more bites, even though I was saving room for my ice cream later (post here). It came with a whiskey sauce that had just enough bite and sweetness to cap off the dish.

That pudding. Wow. I think ABF is going to have his mom make EXTRA soda bread next St. Patrick's Day so he can try his hand at recreating this!

We had great service through the whole meal, and the food was good. They had good drink specials, too. If you're passing through Mystic, stop in for a good meal--and if that Irish soda bread pudding is there, order it.

The Ancient Mariner

21 West Main Street

Mystic, CT 06340

(860) 536-5200

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Ice Cream Fail (Mystic, CT)

I have a serious affinity for Black Raspberry ice cream. It reminds me of happy, sandy, sunny summer days in Cape Cod and Rhode Island, where our family spent a lot of time as I grew up. If there is a Black Raspberry available, I'm going to POUNCE on that. I'll take that over a sundae (okay, maybe not a Butterfudge at Bliss) any day!

While ABF ordered his Irish Soda Bread pudding (!!!) at The Ancient Mariner (post here!), I was saving room for a stop down the street--- Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, which is literally steps from the drawbridge that goes over the river.

There are a lot a lot a LOT of tempting options to consider there, from amazing flavors to fabulous sundae concoctions, but ABF kept trying to keep me focused on the plain old scoop of black raspberry. The line was out the door and moving quickly, so I didn't ask for a sample like I normally would. I ordered the sugar cone of Black Raspberry and kept moving.

Worst. (Dessert-related) Decision. Ever.

I don't know WHAT is up with this--it had a funny, odd texture, almost like it had melted before and then refrozen, or there was some sort of artificial flavoring. It was hands down the worst black raspberry ice cream I've ever tasted. It was chewy in a most unappetizing way. I took 2 or 3 bites before tossing it in the garbage. I guarantee I have never done that before! Le sigh.

I'm not saying DON'T go to this place, because it obviously had a great reputation and is highly rated by locals and tourists alike--just don't get the black raspberry.

Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream

2 West Main Street

Mystic, CT 06355

(860) 572-7978

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CT: Cocoa Michelle

Jen A & I took a quick trip out of NY to Westport, Connecticut. While the hotel's location and offerings were not quite what we expected, we made the best of it. One of the bright spots on our trip was in the final moments in that town, as we stopped into Cocoa Michelle for a drink and bite to take on the train ride home.

It's a very commuter-friendly spot--it even features a timetable of the weekday train schedule so you know how much time you have to get that coffee/chocolate fix!

The main room has the espresso machines and some take-away treats (sandwiches, yogurt, chocolates), but walk through the middle seating area and there is a whole room dedicated to chocolates that are (almost) too pretty to eat!

It was still pretty early, so we opted for a caffeine fix first--I ordered a sugar-free peppermint latte to go! Jen got sugar-free vanilla. She didn't care for the vanilla flavor, but I was quite happy with my mint!

The woman behind the counter was very friendly and helpful--service was as warm as the coffee!

We also got some chocolates: chocolate ganache for me, and apple pie for Jen (mine's the blue one in the first photo in this post). The ganache was good--rich, warm, satisfying, but OMIGOSH that apple pie chocolate!

If you're looking for a warm drink and tasty bite to take with you on the go (by train or car), Cocoa Michelle is a fabulous place to start!

Cocoa Michelle
54 Railroad Place
Westport, CT 06880-5912
(203) 221-0020

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CT: Eramosa-- Breakfast

We still had a credit leftover from dinner the night before at Eramosa, so Jen A & I decided to start the day with a healthy breakfast.

We shared the homemade cinnamon scone--it was a good size and tasty, but not out of this world. I could have skipped this part, but it was fine.

The granola jumped out at both of us--plain yogurt, homemade granola, dried golden raisins and cranberries. It looked gorgeous, and I ignored my normal temptation to separate all of my food items from each other and just mashed it all together. Good move. It was tangy, crunchy, chewy, sweet but not too sweet, and all-around scrumptious.

They also offered milk to go with our granola--the milk AND yogurt combo struck me as a bit odd, but I figured it was a great chance to bone up on some extra calcium.

We used up the rest of our dining credit and paid another $14 (including a good tip)--we definitely got our money's worth on this deal.

On a completely non-food-related note, how much do you love this table? It's a re-purposed door and I LOVE IT.

Now overall, our trip to Westport was not quite the waterside getaway I felt they advertised it to be, but the food at Eramosa was pretty darn good, so if you already happen to be in Westport, drop by and have a bite.

Eramosa at the Westport Inn
1595 Post Rd E Westport, CT 06880
(203) 259-5236

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CT: Eramosa

My friend Jen A & I took an overnight trip out to Westport, CT for some get-out-of NYC time. We bought a Travelzoo deal at the Westport Inn, and a main draw to this deal was the $100 dollar credit to their on-site restaurant, Eramosa.

The restaurant is literally right inside the wide hotel lobby, to the right of the spacious, fireside seating area. It's almost more of a bar area with some tables, with the open layout making it feel less 'restaurant-y.'

We each ordered a glass of white wine, reasonably priced at $9 a glass. It was a Ribbonwood Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It was delicious and light.

We shared an app of spicy maple-roasted shrimp with bacon and jalapenos--very good! The smell of maple syrup is not my favorite, though, so as soon as I'd had a few bites of this dish, I wanted it to go away. I just cannot handle that smell for more than 5 minutes or so (walking into an IHOP is a version of olfactory torture for me).

We also shared a app of spicy macaroni and cheese, and what we received was an entrée-sized crock of cheesy, melty, comfort-y deliciousness. This was honestly enough for 3, but we managed to take care of it on our own.

We shared the main dish, as we certainly weren't starving at this point. We split the baked salmon with tomatoes and arugula. I don't know what it is, but salmon + tomatoes just does not work for me. Somehow it always ends up tasting metallic to me. I love salmon (LOVE) and I love tomatoes, but please do not put them together. The salmon was delicious and soft and not dried out, but I just wasn't wowed by this part of the meal.

Did you think we were done yet?? Silly you. We shared a slice of chocolate cake, and it had more layers than I've ever seen on a cake! It was dark, rich, and that icing was intense, but it was so good. I also had some peppermint tea (they had a great tea selection), hoping that would help speed up the digestive process.

Despite what felt like a voluminous buffet of food, we still had money left over on our $100 credit! Stay tuned for breakfast!

Eramosa at the Westport Inn
1595 Post Rd E Westport, CT 06880
(203) 259-5236

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Connecticut Cookout

My friends Beth and her husband T invited a group of us out to their CT home last weekend. It's about an hour outside of the city, and last-minute drama at work almost led me to cancel, but I soldiered through and made it there..and I'm so glad I did!

T made salmon burgers and regular burgers (notice the dimple in the burger, a classic Bobby Flay technique!), plus veggie skewers. I love, love, loooooove zucchini, so this was all A+ in my book.

We also had potato salad that was darn near as good as my Mom's! YUMMMMM! Chunks of red onion, a tangy vinegary-ness to it, oh man, was this good--I had two spoonfuls! It was a perfect complement to the juicy, cheesy burger that was cooked just right. Yummm! Summer is delicious.

But the star of the cookout, surely, was the specialty drink, The Breezy Reese (click on the link for the youtube how-to). It's a drink their friends made in their honor, with a taste of New Hampshire in a glass. You know I'm a sucker for New England, what with my roots being there and all, but even non-Yankees can appreciate this drink! Ruby red grapefruit vodka is a key ingredient, as well as cranberry soda. Beth was kind enough to be the bartender while T worked the grill. And I was kind enough not to have her make too many of these for me. ;)

It was a gorgeous night, and we enjoyed sitting in the backyard, visiting for a while. Then we moved the party in for a cutthroat few rounds of CatchPhrase before we all crashed for the night. All in all, a fantastic night of fun with friends. Next time, no work delays! I'll have to get there while there is still daylight, so I can see more of your lovely town. Thanks again, my Connecticut friends!