Alforno's - Old Saybrook

Alforno Trattoria and Brick Oven Pizza

1654 Boston Post Road
Old Saybrook, CT 06475-1600
(860) 399-4166

Price Guide

$$-$$$

Alforno's has been around for about 20 years now. I first ate there back in 1998 and had a terrific experience. Since then I have dined there on many occasions and have always had wonderful meals. However, the last time I was there, until recently, was two years ago. In my description of this blog I write that the greatest challenge in operating a successful restaurant is consistency. Well, the streak has come to an end. I could not have been more disappointed with my dining experience.

I'm not even sure where to start. When we headed out to dinner I made the comment that I felt guilty going to a "sure thing" for my next review. The restaurant itself is very inviting. The decor is fresh and modern and gives the feel of being in a larger metropolitan area. But, the staff is lacking in providing a welcoming feeling. Often when I sense this I can only think that it is reflective of management. What also bothered me is that most of the staff was either eating near the bar, talking to each other or chewing gum. Only after I took out my notebook did we seem to receive better attention.

Alforno's menu is pretty extensive without being confusing. They have an extensive wine list with prices ranging from $18 to $140 a bottle. They offer many appetizers, six different salads, 16 pasta dishes and many entrees in the Florentine style. With entrees, they offer a small portion and a regular serving with prices ranging from $9 to $22.

Usually, I like to include pictures of everything we ate. However, this time I've chosen not to because it doesn't matter what something looks like if it isn't good. That is the case now.

To start, we ordered two appetizers. Veal Ricotta Meatballs, $6 and Tempura Zucchini Blossoms, $12. I was really looking forward to the meatballs. Well, as nicely formed as they were, they equally lacked flavor and texture. The Tempura was fresh and nicely cooked, but, as what would become the theme, lacked any real flavor.

Next came the entrees. As usual, I tried to be diverse in our choices. We ordered their staple, the Tagliatelle Bolognese, the Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti and finally, a special, Porchetta.

Their Bologneses has always been amazing. However, this serving was so lacking I found it inedible. It is very hard to describe something that just doesn't seem fresh or inspired. A major disappointment at $13 for a small serving.

The Shrimp Scampi was even worse and my wife loves shrimp. While the portion size was excellent for a small, it was pointless. The shrimp were far from being a scampi. Just boiled and boring. Since the scampi is the main attraction to the dish, the rest was hopeless. Bland, bland, bland. Not only was the entree awful but mixed into it were stray pieces of chicken and different types of noodles. Makes you wonder about dedication to quality. $13.

When my Porchetta arrived I saw promise. Porchetta is a Roman roast of pork with fresh herbs, portabello mushrooms, pistachio nuts and shallots. The presentation was excellent but you can't judge a book...... The roast was so overcooked it could not be eaten. If you remember my description of the pork chops at Tiberio's, well this was the opposite. Ugh. $19.50, you have got to be kidding me!

Well, I could not just let this experience go. When the waitress asked how everything was.... I told her. To her credit she listened and seemed to really care. The majority of our meal was taken off the bill. Thank you for that.

I should say that we did not have any pizza. I have heard nice things about their brick oven pizzas and maybe I will go back just to try that. I have also talked to many people about Alforno since this experience as well as reading other reviews. What seems to be consistent is the complaints about lack of seasoning and flavor as well as the service.

Recommendation: Pass and go to Tiberio.

The Black Seal - Essex

The Black Seal - Essex

15 Main Street

Essex, CT 06426

Show Map

Tel. 860.767.0233

Lunch Hours

Mon-Fri

11:30 am – 3:30 pm

Sat & Sun

11:30 am – 4:00 pm

Dinner Hours

Everyday

5:00 pm – Close

Price Guide

$$-$$$

I didn't plan on doing a review on this particular evening. I was out on the Connecticut River with my cousin cruising along on his beautiful 36 foot Sea-Ray. We hit some back channels where, as kids, we use to jump from a rope swing. On returning, my cousin made a drastic swerve and said he just missed an eel pot. Or so we thought. Later, when we were able to open up the throttle, the left engine seemed to bog down. When we returned to the slip we found orange line float up from the left prop. Great. So, with a line hook, we started poking around and was actually able to remove some, but not all. That left only two options. Pay someone to go in the water or do it ourselves. Well, ourselves turned out to be me. With a knife, in I went. Twenty minutes later, submerged in grimy slip water, I was able to free our prop and get a free dinner. Back to Essex we went, tied off at the town slip and walked up to The Black Seal. Yes, we could have gone to The Griswold Inn but the idea of returning to a place I did a fair amount of "college day" drinking seemed cool. And no, I didn't know what to expect of the food.

 When we arrived I was surprised to see table cloths laid out. It was busy but not too crowed for 6:30pm. The bar had yet to fill so it was not too noisy. We were greeted, seated, and had our drink orders taken quickly. The menu had a lot to offer as well as specials. However, they did lack New England style clam chowder and instead had Rhode Island style. Which is the clear broth type. I passed on that. While looking over the menu, the cook did send out the French Onion for us to sample. This came in a crock style bowl with melted cheese all over it. It looked great. The three of us enjoyed the soup. My cousin loved it. I thought it was pretty salty but still enjoyed it very much. Our overall consensus was that it could have had more cheese. $5.50.

After the soup, we ordered two other appetizers. The Shrimp Cocktail and the Prince Edward Island Mussels. I was a little disappointed with the shrimp. The six shrimp were fresh, not frozen and came with a nice "Bloody Mary" cocktail sauce. They were cooked nicely, not overcooked, but they could have been bigger. $10.95 The Mussels were excellent. They too were fresh and served in a white wine, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and roasted garlic cream sauce. The portion was large and was excellent for the three of us. $7.95.

Next came the entrees. All three came from the menu. My cousin ordered an interesting dish, Baked Bay Scallop Casserole. I say interesting because scallops have such a great taste on their own that I was surprised to see them offered in a casserole. Baked with the scallops was spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, feta cheese, garlic, white wine, and topped with an herb bread crust. Its side dishes were rice and vegetables. Now, this is tough to review. The first impression was wow. So much flavor. But as I went on, I found that there was just too much flavor. There were a ton of scallops and they were cooked perfectly and had great flavor all on their own. Then my pallet got confused. There was just too much going on to enjoy the scallops. If you do not like sun-dried tomatoes you will hate this. The dish is extremely rich but I would have really enjoyed a more simplified version that complemented the scallops and not over powered them. $19.95.

My wife's entree was the Grilled Salmon with chilpote mango BBQ glaze. It too was served with the rice and vegetables. The Salmon too was cooked nicely but my wife didn't care for the glaze. Again, a case of too much additional flavors hiding the natural flavor. Yet, it was very good. $18.95.

I had the 12oz New York Strip. It was a nice cut and cooked perfectly. It came with the same vegetables and a baked potato. All good. I wish the scallops had been as simple as this. But, I hate it when restaurants serve butter in those little foil wrapped packages. Pet peeve. $22.95

After dinner we ordered coffee and desserts. We got the carrot cake, tiramiso and the turtle cheesecake. All locally made and very good. $5.00 each.  All total for dinner, with drinks, about $140.00.

The Black Seal is an interesting place. I can see how some may not like it. But, for a place that is more known for its after sailing drinking, I was pleasantly surprised at its creativity. Any place can be picked apart but remember, The Black Seal is a couple notches above a tavern. That is a compliment. If I wanted a more formal dinner with an actual chef verses creative cooks, I'd go to The Gris. But, The Black Seal was fun and the food was good. I would not consider it particularly kid friendly so keep that in mind. And if you like to drink and hang out, this a great place for that as well. Also, I saw others who got the burgers and that looked very good as well.

Recommodation: The Seal is an enjoyable place. I would go again.

Tiberio's - Old Saybrook

Tiberio's Restaurant

1395 Boston Post Road

Old Saybrook, CT 06475

(860) 388-2459

Hours

Lunch: Tue.-Fri

11-2pm

Dinner:

Mon.-Thu.

5-9:30pm
Fri.&Sat.
5-10:30pm

Sun. 4-9pm

Price Guide

$$-$$$

Finding a restaurant that can satisfy with food, atmosphere and service is extremely difficult. Sometimes one aspect can make-up for a short coming. But, to be able to put it all together, is rare. I have been to many Italian restaurants in my day. Many are "cookie cutter" places that don't really offer anything unique or that show little inspiration from the region of Italy they claim to be from. But at Tiberio's you will find true contemporary cuisine influenced by the regions of Naples and Tuscany.

Before getting to the food, Tiberio's offers a very comfortable dining space. You are not hit with loud cliche music playing. The dining room is stylish and the lighting goes unnoticed. Which is great. Not too bright, not too dark. The staff is attentive, calm, polite and professionally charming. When tables were cleared, I did not hear any clanging or banging of dishes or glasses. All in all, very peaceful. It may seem unusual to mention aspects like this but I think it is important for a restaurant to have a great aura about it. I want to feel comfortable and I want to peacefully anticipate my meal. Tiberio's atmosphere will let you sit back, relax and enjoy.

When we arrived, I introduced myself to one of the owners and told her why I was there. At times I don't do this. But, I did so because I wanted to sample as much food as I could and asked if the chef would send over samples of what he thought we might want to try. Which he did. Repeatedly. I had to be careful not to fill up too quickly.

Tiberio's menu is simple yet complex. They don't overwhelm you with too many dishes yet each dish, whether an entree or appetizer, is complex with it's ingredients, seasoning and sophisticated flavors. Before I get to what we had for dinner let me comment on three of the samplings the chef sent to our table. The first caught me off-guard. Unless you live in the Mediterranean, you wouldn't normally have what arrived. In front of me was served a Polipo Condito, or, Octopus Salad. I never would have tried this. But, being a blogger.... Anyway, The salad was served cold with thinly sliced pieces of octopus marinated in a vinaigrette and mixed with greens. Ummmm, what to expect? What I found was octopus has very little flavor of its own. The center of the tentacles have a nice texture and are not chewy. The natural flavor actually comes from the outer skin and is quite nice except for.... the texture.  For me, it is a little slimy or fatty. If you don't like that texture you won't like this salad. If it is not a problem for you, it is really amazing. Everything in this salad was extremely fresh. In case you were wondering, the octopus comes from Portugal not the Long Island Sound.  $11.00

Polipo Condito



The second sampling to arrive was The Risotta ai Quattro Formaggio e Asparagi. Which is risotto with four cheeses and asparagus. No mystery here but I was once again pleased with how fresh everything was. The risotto was cooked perfectly, the cheeses mixed nicely with the strength of flavor belonging to the Gorgonzola, and the asparagus was terrific. As an entree this dish is $20.00

Risotta ai Quattro Formaggio e Asparagi

Unfortunately, for our third sample, I forgot to take a picture. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry because it was awesome. The chef prepared three large scallops which were cooked to perfection. The scallops don't usually come alone but are included in a shrimp and scallop entree.

During all this gorging, we did order the appetizer special, Piedina. Piedina is a cold dish consisting of creamy ricotta cheese spread on flat bread with roasted red peppers and topped with prosciuttto. Very nice way to set-up your palette. Again, I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture. It looked so amazing; we just dug right in.

Our salads came next. After the three samplings and the Piedina I wasn't going to take up much room with my salad but I did have a enough bites to report....fresh, crisp and a unique blueberry dressing.

Now, it is time for the main course. We ordered three different dishes. One from the fish section, one from the meat section and finally mine from the pasta section.

The fish entree was Branzino al Forno. Which is also known as a  Mediterranean seabass or in Northern Italy, as spigola. It is an extremely popular fish and light on bones that are easily removed. At Tiberio's it is filleted and pan cooked with garlic herbs, tomato and white wine. It is also prepared with the skin intact on one side. So be prepared as you use your fork or flip the fish over. As for the taste: Just wonderful. Perfectly cooked with great texture. If you like our white fish you'll love this. $24.00

Branzin al Forno

From the meat section came Misto di Carne. This actually had three different meats. A New York Strip, a Pork Chop and Sausage. All grilled and served with roasted potatoes and an Italian Vegetable Salsa. What struck me most about this dish was the pork chop. Yes, I said the pork chop. Unbelievable. I am so incredibly picking about meats. But this was mouth watering. The chop was quite thick, close to an inch and a half, yet, so tender. I mean, this chop was perfect. The seasonings on all three pieces were terrific and included one of my favorites, rosemary. Also, the potatoes were really great. I hate to come on too strong but these guys know what they are doing. The only drawback for me was the sausage. I don't mean the flavor. The sausage had some grissel and I just don't care for that. But if you love pork and a New York Strip, you can just nibble on the sausage. $26.00.

                                                                        Mistro di Carne

The final dish was from the pasta side. I had the Gnochetti al Filetto di Pomodori. Which is potato gnocchi with tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil. If you are a fan of gnocchi, then you know how bad it can be. These are homemade and perfectly tender and well cooked. I can't rave about it only because it is not one of my favorite dishes. So why did I order it? I really wanted the Misto di Carne but also wanted to try something someone else might be curious about. My guest thought it was great. So, if you like gnocchi, you will love it. $18.00

                                                    Gnochetti al Filetto di Pomodori

I should also mention that between our samplings and salads we enjoyed their fresh bread which is served with two spreads and olive oil. The spreads are super but save room for your entrees. Tiberio's servings are generous.

We also ordered coffee, cappuccino and dessert. I had the Tarimisu, very good but not as sweet as what you may be use. My guest had the Chocolate Souffle. While the taste was great, I wouldn't call it a true souffle. It was a little on the dense side. Coffee was good but the cappuccino was quite strong. I'm not going to knock it because if you like European coffee, you would think it was perfect.

Tiberio's also offers a great wine list and some unique cocktails. I had an Italian beer, Peroni, very nice $4.50. All in all our bill for three people came to $128.52 not including the tip.

Tiberio's is an exceptional restaurant and we are very lucky to have them on the Shoreline. Please, go and enjoy their wonderful creations.

Recommendation: What are you waiting for?? Get there.



The Rio Cafe - Old Saybrook

The Rio Cafe

American\ Brazilian Food

162 Main Street

Old Saybrook, CT. 06475

(860) 388-9706

Hours:

Tues - Sun: 

7:00 am - 4:00 pm

Price Guide - $$

The Rio Cafe has become a new hot spot for Main Street Old Saybrook. It has attracted many new customers for its unique breakfast and lunch menu. However, many American diners tend to stay away from ethnic food that they have little or no experience with. But fear not. Rio's menu offers plenty of traditional American fare as well as Italian and Brazilian staples.

With my two guests, we went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Once again I have to start this review with a disclaimer. My wife is Brazilian, and, yes, we know the owners. Luckily, I had already eaten here many times and knew how to approach their unique offerings. Plus, my wife and her mother have educated me about Brazilian food and have taught me how to cook it as well. Unlike many other Brazilian restaurants, such as a couple I have been to in Bridgeport and in Framingham, Massachusetts, Rio offers much more than just a buffet style service.

Throughout the breakfast and sandwich menu you will find the expected meals. But they do have some interesting Brazilian dishes. On the breakfast menu is the Acai Bowl. It is made from the Acai berry from Brazil and is extremely healthy. This puree is then combined with bananas, strawberries and granola. But, it is not sickly sweet. You could say it is in kind to raspberries but not as tart.

On the sandwich menu you will find two sandwiches with Brazilian names. The Cheese Picanaha and the Cheese Frango. The first is beef and Picanaha means "from the rump of the cow". The second is chicken and Frango means, yes, chicken. But it also means, in soccer vernacular, "easy goal". Also for lunch is the Brazilian Style Buffet. Here they offer several styles of salads and fruits as well as two to three different hot entrees.

In order it give you a good representation of their lunch, we ordered many things. First, we sampled three sandwiches. The first was a special order that my wife would have in Brazil. Basically, it was a simple egg and cheese sandwich with tomato, lettuce and mayo on a nice bulky bun. This is a very traditional sandwich in Brazil.

I ordered two additional sandwiches. The first, a Margahrita Panini. This was an all vegetable sandwich with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and olive oil and balsamic. All the ingredients were extremely fresh. A great summer time lunch. $7.95

Margahrita Panini

The second sandwich was the Grilled Pastrami and Swiss on Rye with spicy Mustard. The pastrami was very lean, not over cooked and melted in my mouth. They also have the Ruben. I highly recommend either. $8.95

Grilled Pastrami and Swiss on Rye

My second guest and I both helped ourselves to the buffet. As usual, everything was fresh. A staple to the buffet is the Salpicao. Pronounced: sow-pee-cow, but soft on the "w". Don't say cow as we know it. More like co-oh. This side dish is great. It is made with shredded chicken, raisins, shredded carrots, mayo and potato sticks. If you are scared to make it, order it to go for your next cookout. People will ask about it.

We also each had the two lunch entrees. Short ribs with mandioca. Mandioca is like a root or yucca which has the texture of a potato but is sweeter; more like a yam. The meat was tender and swam in a wonderful juice. It was great over white rice. The second entree was a Brazilian staple which I am sure you have heard of; Feijoada. fez-wa-da. This is an interesting dish. It is comprised of both pork and beef and cooked with black beans and spices. You may want to sample a small serving first. It can be pretty strong. Buffet, $6.95 lb or $8.95lb for just meat.

Feijoada

For dessert, yes, I still had some room left, I had a slice of the Flan. I love flan. Brazilians call it pudding, pronounced, pud-ging. Awesome.

Rio also has a nice selection of, from Brazil, Brazilian drinks. They range from several juices to a nice, but different, Brazilian soda, which is what I had because I have had it before and enjoy it.  They also have Coke products.

Rio is a great experience and the menu is diverse enough to make anyone happy. They also have outdoor seating to enjoy the sunshine and foot traffic of Main Street. You can find Rio on Facebook to see more pictures of their food.

Recommendation: Go!

The Cuckoo's Nest - Old Saybrook

Cuckoo’s Nest Mexican Food

1712 Boston Post Rd

Old Saybrook, CT 06475

Call for reservations and info: 860-399-9060

Open 7 days a week, year round:

Monday-Thursday 11:30 - 9:30

Friday-Saturday 11:30 - 11:00

Sunday 11:00 - 9:00

Price Guide: $$ - $$$

I have been to the Cuckoo's Nest many, many times over the years. Actually, I go at least three times a month. Does this automatically mean I think it is outstanding? No, but I enjoy quite a bit about this restaurant. First, this is a place to go and have fun. When busy, which is often, especially in the summer, it is noisy. It is also family friendly, has a busy bar, active wait staff and jovial guests. If you need to unwind with a quiet meal, come early...like before 6pm.

Secondly, this is not solely a Mexican restaurant. Some of the Nest's best dishes are Creole in the New Orleans style. But, in keeping with the Mexican theme, their margaritas are outstanding. And, while it may seem "girlie", I love their frozen strawberry margaritas...with salt on the rim. About $7.

For our dinner I chose to go early. With two guests, I wanted to sample as much as possible for the review. Now, I must say that I know the chef. At a previous dinner, he had an amazing appetizer on the daily specials menu. It was not on the menu this evening but.... he was working so I asked him to the table. The owner was also at our table when the chef arrived and I complimented him on the aforementioned appetizer. Much to my delight, the chef agreed to make this special dish.

Churrasquinho Brasileiro

Brazilian Grill

This appetizer is truly amazing. I'm not sure of the cut of beef, but it was as tender as filet. I like my beef slightly pink in the middle and this was perfect. The skewered beef was tastefully seasoned with fennel seeds and other spices. To top it off, it was served over a mixed green salad tossed in a vinaigrette dressing. Honestly... amazing.

For dinner, one of my guests ordered from the Mexican Dinners and Combos section, I, from the House Speciality section, and my second guest.... once again something that was not on the menu, though it was until recently. My first guest ordered the Chimichanga Grande, $15.95.

Chimichanga Grande with Chicken



The difference between an Enchilada and a Chimichanga is how the tortilla is prepared. Enchilada - soft. Chimichanga - crispy. This one was perfectly crispy. The chicken was mostly white meat and pulled apart not chunks; with mild seasoning. Very nice. It's side dish was Spanish Rice. My guest liked it very much. Me, not a big fan of Spanish Rice... anywhere. A great plus, the meal came hot, as did all of our dinners. You may say: duh but wait until I tell you about Aspen in Old Saybrook. One thing to remember about this entree is:  it is large. Hence the grande. My guest took half home and said it reheated well in the toaster oven.

My second guest ordered off the menu, Shrimp Creole, $20.95. Previously it was under the House Specialty section.

The Shrimp Creole



Unlike the shrimp we had at The Back Porch, the Nest's shrimp was cooked perfectly. Again the dinner arrived hot and was a large serving of six good sized shrimp. The sauce was a classic New Orleans style. It was mild to slightly spicy and definitely not overpowering. A bonus with this dish is that the shells of the tail were completely removed. I hate assuming they have been removed only to have to pull it out of my mouth.

Finally, I ordered from the House Specialty section and one of my favorite dishes, The Cajun Steak. $24.95. I would also recommend the Blackened Whitefish.

The Cajun Steak

One of my favorite aspects of a grilled steak is the crispy edges. I mean I really like that and really expect it when I go to a good restaurant. The Nest never disappoints when it comes to my steak. This a great entree. The cut is always wonderful and also cooked the way I like it. But, I am very detailed when I explain my preferences to a server. And you should be too. I really don't know what constitutes Cajun spices, but whatever they use it is awesome. You will find yourself soaking up every bit of juice on your plate with each bite you cut. On the menu this entree offers a baked potato. However, I love their mashed potatoes and gravy. If you don't live for the baked, give the mashed a try. When I am feeling guilty, I order a side of broccoli.

Because of the amazing appetizer and the size of our dinners we passed on coffee and desserts. But, having been there before, the coffee is fine and so are the desserts. I don't often say much about coffee and desserts because I am very picky about good coffee and what could be called a great dessert. If I don't trash it, it is good.

Recommendation: Go, enjoy and try some different things.



The Back Porch in Old Saybrook

The Back Porch
142 Ferry Rd # 5
Old Saybrook, CT 06475-1440
(860) 510-0282
www.backporcholdsaybrook.com/


Price Guide: $$$

This was my first visit to the Back Porch and the day was perfect for an outdoor lunch on their spacious deck. We were greeted promptly and seated quickly. Our waitress was delightful and attentive. Our drinks came quickly and we placed our orders. I chose the Crab Cake sandwich special; my guests had a burger and baked stuffed shrimp.

The burger was cooked perfectly to my guest's desire. However, the bun was over sized for the burger and the cheese was a typical processed yellow cheese that did little for the overall taste. The burger was $11 but with the cheese and bacon, it came to $13. Ummm...

The baked stuffed shrimp was a little better. There were four good sized shrimp but a bit overcooked. The stuffing, which included crab, was uninspired and gummy. I could not find the crab. The dish came with tasteless rice and limp green beans. At $24, it was well over priced.

My special, and I say special only because that is what it was billed as, was inedible. The crab cake appeared to be a frozen patty rather than a hand formed thick patty of crab meat. It mostly resembled a tofu chicken patty that you throw into the microwave. The sandwich was over slathered with a sauce and served, like the burger, on a bun way too big for the crab cake. Two bites and I sent it away. Our waitress, Rebecca, was great about me sending the crab cake back and took it off my bill. That saved me $16. And yes, I tipped her well. I finished my guest's shrimp - out of hunger.

Regardless of the quality of the lunch, we chose to have coffee and dessert. Coffee was fine and the desserts were ok but nothing special. Our overall bill for three people with drinks, coffee and dessert came to $88.

Overall, I was very disappointed. The Back Porch has excellent atmosphere. Especially if you are pulling into the dock and want to sit around the open fire pit for drinks. The BP is kid friendly.

I will go back one more time for dinner to see how that fairs. But, thus far, I would not recommend what we had for lunch.

Recommendation: I need to go again. But, for now,  cool for drinks.