Now all we needed was a bunch of Harley guys with loud mufflers to cruise on by… Yup, that happened. I also ordered some fries I think, but that’s not important.ĭespite the crowds, our wait wasn’t too long at all, and we took a seat next to Route 1. The menu of fried seafood is fairly extensive, but we stuck with what Roadfood told us to stick to: Fried clams. The parking lot is a mess and the main roads it’s on are not pedestrian friendly. I won’t harp on the location too much, but if you’ve got a little kid, you better be wary. Yes, I know they are the same thing more or less. (Another picky thing, it’s not really on the ocean, but rather in a stagnant inlet – though technically I do think Mystic fronts the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Long Island Sound. Times change as critics become more critical as they gain credibility. Sea Swirl also offers irresistibly downscale clam shack atmosphere, with picnic tables sandwiched between Route 1 and an auto supply store and its best seats providing a view of the restaurants storage area and such scenic wonders as giant drums of Eat-It-All Twinkle Cote ice cream topping. In the more recent book Stern writes:Īt the Sea Swirl, you want to call the fried clams debonair they feel so fine and lithe when you heft them from their cardboard container. Among your dining companions will be seagulls who apparently can find nothing good to scavenge at Mystic Seaport and so hover in the air above Sea Swirl, hoping to dive-bomb for any unattended French fries or pieces of fried clam. The view from some picnic tables also includes a good perspective on whatever automobiles are cruising back and forth along Route One, which can be an inspiring sight on weekend evenings. It isn’t gourmet ice cream, but it has an ingenuous cheap-eats charm perfectly in keeping with the democratic spirit of Sea Swirl.Īs for atmosphere, it is quite literal, for you can smell the ocean and flood tide to the side and back of the restaurant.
#Sea swirl mystic full#
Some locals think of Sea Swirl as an ice cream place first, and there is a full menu of ice cream desserts, from cones to jumbo sundaes. For the fish frowner, there are hamburgers which look pretty darn good (but which we’ve yet to sample). Beyond clams, Sea Swirl serves a full roster of expertly-fried seafood, including scallops, shrimps, and oysters. With a side of fries and a soft drink, they are a fine summer meal. They are ocean-sweet with a salty snap to the meat inside their brittle crust. But for many years now, it has sustained a deserved reputation as one of the finest places this side of Ipswich to eat fried clams, especially the whole-belly variety. We stopped by for lunch after another typical CTMQ Saturday of a winery and a museum, with appetites that demanded to be sated.Ī former Carvel stand on Route One east of Mystic, Sea Swirl might seem like an unlikely place to find four-star food. But no matter, the Swirl gets so many accolades from such luminaries as The New York Times, Esquire and Rachel Ray (ahem), that location should certainly not be a deterrent. That means nothing except that the outdoor “dining area” is right next to a busy road – Route 1 in Sea Swirl’s case. The Sea Swirl is the second Roadfood joint that occupies a former Carvel roadside stand ( The Ridgefield Ice Cream Shop is the other). Stern also took some liberties 10 years ago in his online review that he sort of corrected in his “Eat Before You Die” book some eight years later. Well, this is my website and I’m taking the minor liberty of switching to the fried clam strips away from the whole belly clams. I mention this off the bat because Roadfood says that the Sea Swirl’s whole bellies are THE way to go here. I love clams: Steamers, littlenecks, cherrystones and even fried clam strips. Also, there is ONE thing from the sea I can think of that I just hate: Whole Belly Clams. However, fried seafood is definitely at the bottom of my list. As anyone who knows me knows, I love seafood. You may find this surprising, so sit tight.
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