OT - Best Fried Seafood in CT

[ctchamps]

End of May heading to CT and we were looking forward to revisiting Dinos. Seems they've gone downhill.
So what can people recommend? Thanks in advance.

 

[nomar]

End of May heading to CT and we were looking forward to revisiting Dinos. Seems they've gone downhill.
So what can people recommend? Thanks in advance.

It's been a LONG time, but when I was a kid, Jimmies of Savin Rock was the be-all, end-all. My guess is that the nostalgia is better than the taste.

 

[August_West]

Fish Tale. Madison/Westbrook/New Haven. King of the region for good reason.
Clam Castle Madison
Johnny Ad's - Saybrook

For Gluttony the Seafood Platter at Bills Seafood

 

[8893]

Fish Tale. Madison/Westbrook/New Haven. King of the region for good reason.
Clam Castle Madison
Johnny Ad's - Saybrook

For Gluttony the Seafood Platter at Bills Seafood

Nailed it. Agree on all, and have a slight preference for Johnny Ad's and Clam Castle.

Only thing I would add is that I have heard mixed reviews of late re the Fish Tale in New Haven.

 

[August_West]

Whole Bellies, right OP?

I want some whole Bellies right now.

 

[ctchamps]

Fish Tale. Madison/Westbrook/New Haven. King of the region for good reason.
Clam Castle Madison
Johnny Ad's - Saybrook

For Gluttony the Seafood Platter at Bills Seafood

I knew Lenny and Joe growing up. Sadly Mrs. Fleud and I didn't care for the taste of the fried food at Fish Tale. Maybe if we put ketchup on it?

Anyways based on the recommendations of you and @8893 in the dog thread I think we'll try Clam Castle or Johnny Ad's.

Anything in the Southington area?

 

[August_West]

Nailed it. Agree on all, and have a slight preference for Johnny Ad's and Clam Castle.

Only thing I would add is that I have heard mixed reviews of late re the Fish Tale in New Haven.

Only went to New Haven once right when they opened. And I actually like the counter service Madison one better than the Sit down Westbrook one. They move such vast amounts of stuff through there daily its always fresh as .

 

[ctchamps]

Whole Bellies, right OP?

I want some whole Bellies right now.

Whole bellies and fried jumbo shrimp!!!

 

[August_West]

I knew Lenny and Joe growing up. Sadly Mrs. Fleud and I didn't care for the taste of the fried food at Fish Tale. Maybe if we put ketchup on it?

Anyways based on the recommendations of you and @8893 in the dog thread I think we'll try Clam Castle or Johnny Ad's.

Anything in the Southington area?

Maybe the peanut oil?

 

[ctchamps]

Maybe the peanut oil?

Most likely.

 

[8893]

Only went to New Haven once right when they opened. And I actually like the counter service Madison one better than the Sit down Westbrook one. They move such vast amounts of stuff through there daily its always fresh as .

We also prefer the Madison one to the others. Eating outdoors with the BYOB rules, and even though only our youngest might still be interested in the carousel, I still like that it's there. Always a great scene. I always make a note to listen for the numbers they are calling when I'm leaving and compare to the number we had. It is amazing how much food they move there.

 

[David 76]

Sand Castle in East Haven is pretty good.

My favorite was Cap'n Nick's originally in Branford then East Haven (other than Jimmy's of Savin Rock, which died when it franchised). Cap'N Nicks resurfaced as Dockside in Branford for a while.

Not a fan of Clam Castle that existed for decades while I worked in Madison. Very different. Haven't tried the new one yet. Which one you reviewing 8893?

 

[8893]

Not a fan of Clam Castle that existed for decades while I worked in Madison. Very different. Haven't tried the new one yet. Which one you reviewing 8893?

The new one only. Actually never went there prior to Donahue's buying it. They have done a very good job there imo. One of very few places where our whole family is happy, given the breadth of their menu (some very good daily specials, too). Also very reasonably priced imo.

 

[David 76]

We also prefer the Madison one to the others. Eating outdoors with the BYOB rules, and even though only our youngest might still be interested in the carousel, I still like that it's there. Always a great scene. I always make a note to listen for the numbers they are calling when I'm leaving and compare to the number we had. It is amazing how much food they move there.

The owners of both Lenny & Joe's do a lot of good. For example, all those carousel dollars go to different community groups. They were good to us.

 

[ARIDE]

End of May heading to CT and we were looking forward to revisiting Dinos. Seems they've gone downhill.
So what can people recommend? Thanks in advance.

DINOS IS THE BEST..CHANGED BATTER FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT THEN WENT BACK..GREAT SCALLOPS!!

 

[ARIDE]

It's been a LONG time, but when I was a kid, Jimmies of Savin Rock was the be-all, end-all. My guess is that the nostalgia is better than the taste.

DOWN HILL!!

 

[David 76]

The new one only. Actually never went there prior to Donahue's buying it. They have done a very good job there imo. One of very few places where our whole family is happy, given the breadth of their menu (some very good daily specials, too). Also very reasonably priced imo.

My faith is restored!

 

[August_West]

We also prefer the Madison one to the others. Eating outdoors with the BYOB rules, and even though only our youngest might still be interested in the carousel, I still like that it's there. Always a great scene. I always make a note to listen for the numbers they are calling when I'm leaving and compare to the number we had. It is amazing how much food they move there.

My daugther lived on that Carousel in her formative years (at that time we lived down the street right over Clinton line) during the summer we would be there 5 times a week at her request. Many times not even to eat. Just some carousel rides and maybe an ice cream. That ride taught her patience. Being an only child she initially threw fits when she wasnt the one grabbing the ring. She learned a life lesson quickly. Thanks Fish Tale!

Westbrook has some decent dishes you cant get Madison. For example I love the Scampi casserole they do in Westbrook. They broil shrimp with crumbled ritz crackers a metric ton of butter and garlic. Its awesome. Sometimes they have a lobster scampi mix that is incredible as well. But for fried, yeah, madison. (not that westbrooks is really any different, its not, its just a change of pace since Im always eating fried in Madison)

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Captain Scott's in New London. Usually a long line but worth it.

 

[1999.2004.2011]

It's been a LONG time, but when I was a kid, Jimmies of Savin Rock was the be-all, end-all. My guess is that the nostalgia is better than the taste.

I live in the New Haven area and went to both Jimmies and Lenny & Joe's last summer, which were both pretty good. I went to Jimmies all the time as a little kid, so the nostalgia factor is obviously there

 

[ctchamps]

DINOS IS THE BEST..CHANGED BATTER FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT THEN WENT BACK..GREAT SCALLOPS!!

That's good to hear! When's the last time you ate there?
Anyone else been there recently.

 

[ctchamps]

It's been a LONG time, but when I was a kid, Jimmies of Savin Rock was the be-all, end-all. My guess is that the nostalgia is better than the taste.

Those were the days. Savin Rock, withJimmies and Phyllis's restaurants. People had loyalty to one or the other. Jimmies was king of the hot dogs for me bar none!! As someone mentioned in the hot dog thread the hot dog guy at the outside counter was incredible. I loved watching him cut up groups of hotdogs and shift them on the hot plate, load them on the buns, add up the order and take money. He was the Seph Curry of hot dog vending.

I was a lousy eater growing up. My two exotic foods initially were chow mien and hot dogs. That started to change and I developed a taste for fried whole belly clams. Ended up liking Phyllis's clams better but the family preferred Jimmy's so we rarely ate at Phyllis's.

Speaking of chow mien can the foodies on this site direct me to a good Chinese restaurant in CT.

 

[nomar]

Those were the days. Savin Rock, withJimmies and Phyllis's restaurants. People had loyalty to one or the other. Jimmies was king of the hot dogs for me bar none!! As someone mentioned in the hot dog thread the hot dog guy at the outside counter was incredible. I loved watching him cut up groups of hotdogs and shift them on the hot plate, load them on the buns, add up the order and take money. He was the Seph Curry of hot dog vending.

I was a lousy eater growing up. My two exotic foods initially were chow mien and hot dogs. That started to change and I developed a taste for fried whole belly clams. Ended up liking Phyllis's clams better but the family preferred Jimmy's so we rarely ate at Phyllis's.

Speaking of chow mien can the foodies on this site direct me to a good Chinese restaurant in CT.

I was always a fried shrimp guy as a kid. Still my favorite, even after I got into clams and oysters.

Also, the lobster rolls. Growing up, I had no idea that for a lot of (most?) people, lobster rolls involve mayo rather than butter!

There was a Jimmies in a mall parking lot -- I can't remember where, maybe Hamden -- that my grandfather and I went to a couple times. Food was fine but it just wasn't the same thing as going to the boardwalk.

 

[ctchamps]

I was always a fried shrimp guy as a kid. Still my favorite, even after I got into clams and oysters.

Also, the lobster rolls. Growing up, I had no idea that for a lot of (most?) people, lobster rolls involve mayo rather than butter!

There was a Jimmies in a mall parking lot -- I can't remember where, maybe Hamden -- that my grandfather and I went to a couple times. Food was fine but it just wasn't the same thing as going to the boardwalk.

Forgot about those lobster rolls. When I read what you wrote I actually experienced tasting them again. They were my favorites. Why did I forget them. Because when I started to like them was when I hit that teenage growth phase and I had a voluminous appetite. We didn't have a lot of discretionary income to spend going out. I could easily have eaten five or six of those lobster rolls, and after eating one it was a matter of feeling deprived vs. enjoying the one I ate so the money was plunked on hot dogs.

Best dang lobster rolls ever. The butter is still melting in my mouth dang you.

And the satellite Jimmies was horrible.

 

[BUConn10]

Only 1 answer to this question:

Maine Fish Market in Windsor Locks