Sea Swirl

30 Williams Ave.

Mystic, CT 06355

(860) 536-3452

www.seaswirlofmystic.com

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Date: 7/12/08
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Personally, I think our Web site is fantastic. I really try to give our readers everything from color photos to the nitty gritty of the restaurant bathrooms. However, there is another Web site that my mother frequents that has sent us on many an eating adventure - Roadfood. Together, writers Michael and Jane Stern have traveled the nation in search of the best out-of-the-way spots to grab a meal. With rave reviews about Sea Swirl's delicious seafood, Mom and I just had to take the drive to Connecticut to see what all the fuss was about. Besides, I can't think of a better way to spend a hot summer day than to sit outside on a picnic bench eating at a clam shack. Although it was over an hour away, Mom and I pulled into the parking lot at just around 3:45 p.m.

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Mom had read online that Sea Swirl was housed in an old Carvel Ice Cream stand, which gave the place a very old fashioned feel. Luckily for us, it wasn't too busy. Perhaps everyone was still shopping at Mystic Village or perusing the nearby Seaport or Aquarium. Nevertheless, Mom and I got in line and waited to order. We had already discussed what we were going to get before we arrived (a fish and chip dinner, a side of clam strips, a side of clam fritters, and drinks), so ordering should have been a breeze. Unfortunately, when I got to the window, I realized that I was going to have a little difficulty in relaying my selection. Apparently, the family who owns Sea Swirl is from another country and all the employees have very thick accents. I'm not sure if it was Russian or not, but it sounded very similar. Anyway, as I began to tell the girl my order, we started to have a "what did you say" contest. I didn't know what she was saying, she didn't know what I was saying, etc. Eventually, we were on the same page, although I may have screwed her up when I referred to the clam fritters as "clam cakes." That must be a Massachusetts/Rhode Island thing. Oops. Once the ordering was complete, she quoted me a price:

1 clam fritters - $4.95

1 fish & chip dnr - 12.95

1 s/o strips - 9.80

1 bottle water - 1.25

Subtotal - $28.95

Tax - 1.74

TOTAL = $30.69

Yikes! I wasn't expecting the bill to be so high, but apparently the price of seafood has gone up along with everything else in the world. I paid the cashier and she handed me a receipt and told me that my number was 206. Mom and I found an awesome table that was at the end of a row and right on the main road. We hadn't been waiting long before our number was called. Since Mom already had both legs under the picnic table, I sacrificed myself and went up to the window to retrieve our food. I noticed that there was only one bottle of water on the tray, but when I told the girl that I had ordered two, she found the restaurant's copy of my receipt and told me that I had only paid for one. Annoyed, I brought the food over to my table, plopped it down, grabbed my wallet, and headed back to the ordering window to get my water. After spending another $1.33, I was finally able to sit down and eat - or was I? They had only given us one fork, so I had to wait in the for the third time to get another fork. When I got back to the table, Mom had found the second fork in the bag of clam strips. Now there were three forks. OK, deep breath. "Hey Mom, can you pass me a napkin?" "Hey Laura, where are they?" Uh oh. Getting up a forth time, I trudged over to the window to get some napkins. I was really starting to annoy myself. All I wanted to do was eat!

After we were finally assembled, and all of our utensils were firmly in place, we dug in. The first thing I ate was the cole slaw that came with the fish and chip platter. It was excellent! It had just the right amount of vinegar and mayonnaise, and was very light and tangy. Next, Mom and I split the large piece of fish in half so that we could both try some. It was a good-sized piece of fish, but we both felt that - for the price - there should have been a second piece in that order. However, the taste was great. The fish had fried up nicely, leaving a light, crisp batter on the outside. The inside was white, flaky, and tender. The fries underneath the fish were also very good. They were a little thicker than shoestring, but had the same consistency and taste. Everything was served very hot, including our two side orders. The clam fritters (or "cakes," depending on where you're from) were excellent. The same crispy batter that was on the fish held the fritter together very well. Inside, instead of the clams playing hide and seek inside the dough, each piece was chock full of them. The fritters were nice and fluffy, but very hearty. Now, some people don't really know what a clam strip is. It is basically a strip of clam without that large, chewy belly that you see people gnawing on sometimes. Gross. Mom and I can't handle any kind of chewy bits of food in our mouths, so we figured that clam strips were the way to go. Battered and fried, these strips came highly recommended on Roadfood. Since we'd never had them before, we figured now was as good a time as any. We were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed them. They were sweet, with a meaty filling and crisp coating. As we were ending our meal, I polished off what was left at the bottom of the bag. Delicious! This is definitely something we would get again, but as a dinner plate next time (we only had a small side).

fish and chip platter

clam fritters

clam strips

The prices at Sea Swirl are a little high. I don't know if it is the price of seafood, or because it is in Connecticut, but everything was almost $10 or over. There were a lot of things that said "market value," but I noticed that almost all the dinner plates were between $10-16, and side orders were just around $10. They definitely offered a great deal of seafood including whole belly clams, oysters, extra large gulf shrimp, sea scallops, chowders, seafood salad, lobster salad, and codfish. They also have sandwiches, assorted American appetizers (jalapeno poppers, buffalo wings, etc.), and hamburgers and hot dogs. Sea Swirl also serves ice cream, which Mom read was very tasty. Of course, as full as we were, we just had to try some. This led to one of the biggest meltdowns any almost-30-year-old has ever had.

On the Sea Swirl Web site, Mom told me that they had dips for the cones. One of the dips was toasted coconut. I could picture it in my mind. A big ice cream cone with all these little brown flakes of yummy coconut all over it. I never get my cone dipped, but I figured I would splurge for some coconut. I asked Mom what she wanted. Not shockingly, she asked for a small cup of some sort of coffee flavor. Yawn. I spotted banana on the list, so when I found myself back at the ordering window, I ordered her a cup of espresso, and myself a cone of banana - with a coconut dip. The total came to $4.55, bringing my grand total for the day to $36.57. A little high, but we did have a lot of food, so it wasn't too bad. It could have been worse. I waited in line behind a pushy woman with two large, panting dogs, and a baby carriage complete with screaming baby to get these cool treats. The cashier handed me Mom's cup, and then my cone - without the coconut pieces. "I asked for a coconut dip," I said. "Um ... ok," she replied. I watched her dip my ice cream in what looked like a hot vat of oil. The cone, which had a nice swirly top to it, was now a big, mushy mess. When she handed it back to me wrapped in a paper towel, it had a glistening sheen to it. Through the shiny pieces, I saw some bits of coconut. I also saw that half of the ice cream had melted away. Why did I think that they were going to dip the cone in actual coconut? Was this a foolish thought? Nonetheless, I stepped over the screaming brat, big dogs, and pompous lady to get back to Mom. Mom had a great time with her ice cream. She said that it had a deep coffee flavor, and was very smooth and creamy. Although the serving was a bit small, it would be worth getting again.

the ice cream, or the calm before the storm

Poor me. I can't even tell this story without getting mad all over again. Are you sitting down? When I took my first lick of the cone, the coconut coating moved, and took all of the ice cream with it. I had melted ice cream ALL over my hand - and I was paralyzed. I could barely even hold the cone, and was too messy to grab my camera. I had to eat it so fast that I barely tasted any. However, what I did taste was excellent! It had a great banana flavor and the coconut dip was quite sweet. Unfortunately, the ice cream wasn't the only thing that was melting down. I was fuming because now I was sitting in the sun, on a hot day, covered in dairy. Anyone that knows me knows that dairy scares the Hell out of me. I love it, but I can't take it when people leave milk on the counter or dirty ice cream bowls in the sink. Dairy products come with an expiration date, and that really makes me nervous! All I could think of was that my hand was now expiring in the hot sun. GROSS! I started yelling about my hand, then yelling at Mom for just being there, and then finally washing my hand with various wet naps and the antibacterial hand wash that I keep in my purse. I also threw some of my bottled water over my hand to rinse off the ice cream, but to no avail. I felt filthy, and I could think of nothing more than to get the Hell out of there and wash my hand. Yes, I was overly dramatic, but GROSS! Ice cream on your hands? Eww.

After stomping back to my car in a huff and leaving Mom to clean up the messy, ice cream filled tray (sorry, Mom), we sped out of the parking lot. We were headed for Foxwoods, but all I could think about was washing my hands under some hot, soapy water. We will definitely be visiting Sea Swirl again, but I'm going to stay away from any type of ice cream cone with a dip. The seafood was excellent and well worth the trip. The service wasn't that great (they were a little on the cocky side), the tables were situated right behind the ordering window which made for a crowded space, and the prices were a bit high, but the taste of the food made up for it. I could really pig out on a bag of those yummy clam strips, and I'm sure if you visit Sea Swirl, you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you bring plenty of wet naps.

Sea Swirl is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Columbus Day.

PS - We lost at Foxwoods, but we found this awesome new progressive Wheel of Fortune slot machine (only a nickel). It is in the center of one of the rooms at the Rainmaker entrance, and it was fantastic! Lots of fun, and you actually get to sit at a giant wheel. I wish we would have spotted this earlier in the day!

... and yes, I finally got to wash my hand. Hooray!

Jamms Restaurant

Jamms Restaurant

8 Coogan Blvd.

Mystic, CT 06355

(860) 536-2683

www.visitconnecticut.com/jamms

After visiting Clyde's, I drove back to the Mystic Village area to start our next adventure - finding a place to have lunch. Since Mom is a smarty pants, she had previously done some research on a local Connecticut favorite - Jamms Restaurant. The menu looked really good, so all we had to do is find the place. Thankfully, it is located right behind Mystic Village and right up the street from the Steak Loft.

I pulled into the large parking lot of Jamms at around 4:30 p.m. There were only a few cars in the parking lot, but the restaurant seemed quite large so I was sure that the establishment did some serious business. Mom and I walked up the few stairs past the outside dining area and into the lobby. We were greeted by a young hostess, who later turned out to be our waitress. She asked us if we would like a table or booth, and we chose a booth by a large window. The waitress placed two pleather-covered menus on the table and left us to choose what we wanted.

The menu at Jamms is small, but the options are varied. Appetizers range from a shrimp cocktail for $2.50 to a platter of oysters on the half shell for $10.95. Their children's menu features dishes like Jamms Boboli pizza, Kidfish (baked or fried), and a Kidsteak for $12.95, which is a six ounce charbroiled top sirloin. Jamms has soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, seafood, steaks, poultry, and desserts, with featured items such as the duckling, the native New England lobster, the steak and shrimp combo, and the seafood stew. Also, Jamms advertises a large Sunday brunch which includes dishes like the breakfast burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, jalapeno bacon, cheddar and Jack cheeses, green peppers, and onions, topped with salsa and sour cream, and served with home fries or fresh fruit; the quiche; and the California omelet with spicy jalapeno bacon, Jack cheese, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and salsa. The omelet is topped with guacamole, sour cream, and sliced jalapenos on request. Liquor is also served at Jamms and spirited Jamaican, Mexican, Spanish, Kioki, and Irish coffees flavored with alcohol are available. All sandwiches are served with half-sour pickle and chips, and you can substitute the chips for fries for only $1. Jamms also has daily specials, and the sign outside boasts that all food and beverages are served from 11:30 a.m. to midnight everyday. The Sunday brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The waitress returned to take our drink order. Mom and I both chose Diet Cokes. When she returned with our beverages, which arrived in glasses, we were ready to order. Mom ordered the fish and chips ($10.95), while I ordered the Cajun chicken and Jack cheese quesadilla ($8.95). I almost added a baked onion soup to my order, but opted not to in case the quesadilla was on the large side. As the polite waitress took away our menus, Mom and I started to scope out the interior.

The interior of Jamms is quite cozy. It definitely has the feel of an older family restaurant as opposed to the craziness of a chain like TGI Friday's or Applebee's. When you first walk in, you will notice a carpeted staircase. I'm assuming this leads to the large banquet area, where groups of 20 or more are given a special rate. The place is ensconced in dark woods, maroon booths, and framed posters of various works of art. Small curtain toppers on the large windows allow patrons to overlook the picturesque Mystic Village. The silverware was wrapped in cloth napkins resting on white plates at each wooden table. There is a small bar area to the right of the entrance, and all the waitstaff were wearing white collared shirts with the Jamms logo in red - a nice touch. All in all, the restaurant was very clean, and the low lights and dark decor gave it a pub-like feel.

The view from the window overlooking the back of Mystic Village and Aquarium.

We hadn't been waiting long when the waitress brought out our dishes. Mom's fish and chips was a good sized portion and served nice and hot. The fish was very well done and the fries were tasty. The only downfall was that it was a bit on the greasy side. However, Mom said the taste of the white, flaky fish was quite delicious.

My Cajun chicken and Jack cheese quesadilla was quite tasty. Consisting of tender chicken, tangy cheese, and fresh tomato and scallion, this dish was accompanied by three small cups of salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Although the quesadilla shell was a bit crispy, this type of meal is one of my favorites and the Jamms version did not disappoint. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Our waitress returned to clear our plates and to bring the bill. We told her that our meals were delicious, and she let us know that she would inform the kitchen staff. Our bill came to:

2 Diet Cokes - $3.90

Fish & chips - 10.95

Quesadilla - 8.95

Subtotal - $23.80

Tax - 1.43

TOTAL = $25.23

We left $30.50 on the table, including 20% tip, and headed for the ladies' room. Both sets of restrooms (men's and women's) were set behind a frosted glass door. The bathroom was clean and organized, although the sink seemed to be built incorrectly as the faucet was set quite a bit back from the rest of the sink.

It was nice to get away from the busy Mystic Village area, and Jamms provided us with both comfort and a delicious meal. Finding this restaurant was a pleasant surprise, and both Mom and I are looking forward to our next visit to Connecticut and to Jamms.

B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill

129 North Stonington Road
Mystic, CT 06355

(860) 536-3354

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Visiting Clyde's is the perfect way to kick off the start of the fall season, even though Mom and I made the trip a day early. At only an hour and 15 minutes away from Fall River, and only a few miles up the road from Mystic Village, driving to Clyde's was a breeze. We pulled into the gravel covered parking area at around 3:15 p.m.

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There are three separate buildings at Clyde's. One building is a knickknack shop that sells Clyde's T-shirts and assorted country crafts. The second building is a general store type market that sells all of the homemade goodies that Clyde's is known for. The third, and most interesting building, is the apple mill. Inside the small white barn is a working apple press, and the best time to catch the press in action would be to visit in the October and November months. With free admission, curious customers can watch firsthand how Clyde's famous apple cider is made, along with their apple jams, jellies, and butters.

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Since Clyde's was not pressing on this day, Mom and I got a chance to check out the inside of the mill without the stress of a large crowd. We saw all the old fashioned jugs hanging on hooks across the ceiling, an old cashier's desk complete with an telephone from the early 20th century, and the various tools and mechanisms used to keep the press running. The dark wood of the mill made it extra authentic, and the smell of previously pressed apples was pleasantly intoxicating.

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As Mom and I made our way to the store, we saw a wine tasting seminar that was taking place on the porch. We also stopped and checked out the large crates of apples waiting to be purchased, along with several rows of brightly colored floral arrangements and pumpkins. Inside the store, although we had to push our way through the crowd, we checked out all of the homemade jams, jellies, preserves, butters, spreads, and other condiments. Clyde's also has homemade infused oils, wines, and sweet and hard ciders, along with a appetizing list of freshly baked goodies such as pumpkin bread, apple cider cinnamon sugar donuts, cookies, and apple turnovers and tarts. Free samples of the different spreads and biscotti were available for people to try. Clyde's also carries pies from Connecticut's famous Stott Brothers. The pies were $16 each, but each pie was humongous and seemed to be well worth the price. We purchased:

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Quart of sweet cider - $2.50

2 apple turnovers - 3.00

6 apple cider cinnamon sugar donuts - 2.50

pumpkin bread - 4.00

sweet Vidalia onion relish - 3.98

pumpkin butter - 3.98

TOTAL = $19.96

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Although there was a slight mishap with our bag of donuts (the girl forgot to put them in our bag), it was quickly corrected. Mom and I also took a quick peek around the knickknack shop. Here we spotted the adorable T-shirts that read "I got my apples at Clyde's." They also sell custom shot glasses and a variety of New England specialty crafts. On our way out, we caught a glimpse of some customers eating their delicious baked goods at tables on the porch of the general store.

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This was the second time that Mom and I had visited Clyde's, and on both occasions the apple press was not running. If you definitely want to check that out, make sure you call ahead to see if they are pressing. Either way, everyone should definitely stop by Clyde's and get a sample of their tasty treats. It is places like these that make New England a special place to visit, and to live.

Mystic Pizza II

At the Rotary of Routes 2 & 184
North Stonington, CT 06359
(860) 599-3111

One day, coming back from losing all our money at Foxwoods, Laura and I scraped enough money together to stop at the famous Mystic Pizza (well, its sequel). The place was very busy, and it's also a lot smaller than I thought. We went into the crowded dining room and were squeezed into a back table. Although we could have been more comfortable, the food was great. We had an extra cheese pizza with an order of fries, and some sodas. They came out very hot, and very tasty. We'd definitely stop here again.

Foxwoods Festival Buffet

In Foxwoods Resort Casino
39 Norwich-Westerly Road
Ledyard, CT 06339

www.foxwoods.com

I love this buffet! It's huge. You can get Chinese, Italian, Mexican, German, American, BBQ, etc., etc. Surprisingly, for a buffet this big that handles many people, everything is usually hot and delicious. We've gone here when we went to gamble our money away at Foxwoods, and we'd go even more if it wasn't so outrageously busy all the time. Sometimes that line is so long that it really stops us from going in. The price is a little steeper than most buffets (they're assuming you've won at the slots), but it's also a much bigger buffet than most. If you manage to get in on a day when the line is not too bad, go, and I think you'll enjoy yourself.