09/03/08

Throwback to the 70's, F o o d P o i s o n i n g Galore, Avoid!

by CTMomCritic

Due to my inability to cook seafood well, I'm always on the lookout for a solid, family-friendly fish joint. The odd architecture and bold signage of this place always piqued my curiosity. And I will always have a fondness for it, even as I sip Gatorade and nurse myself back from food poi son ing hell.

We tried it a couple of years ago, and the food was fine. The service lacked a little, but I enjoyed the kitschy decor. It's not Red Lobster, and it's not Saybrook Fish House. I think the people at Chowder aim to be nothing more than a good seafood value with a quirky, family-friendly environment.

Unfortunately, my recent second try has left me with a lesser opinion. The food tasted pretty good, and still a good value, but the service was slow and inattentive. Add to that the past 48 hours of nau sea, vo mit ing, and diarr hea, and well... I think it's safe to say we won't return. The three of us who ate lobster: Violently ill. The fourth who had none: Totally healthy.

Disappointing.

• Pros: Avoidable.
• Cons: Illness.

08/18/08

Chowder Slop (If this is the Best Seafood in Connecticut I'm Moving)

by ntuitive1

When I first moved to Connecticut from New York, I had high hopes for this restaurant. Having grown up remembering the legendary "Clam Box" in Cos Cob (I hear there was one in Wethersfield too), and having eaten great seafood all my life in New York (like the Bronx's City Island), I was primed for a great experience. Well, that was not to be the case. To be fair, I gave this place a few tries. If not for the fact that friends from this area seem to love it I would probably have never gone back. And speaking of that, I don't get its popularity. Surely it's resting on some outdated reputation because I find it hard to believe that natives of a New England state could have such horrid taste in seafood. As a New Yorker, the mind boggles. After living around here for 8 years, though, it has become painfully clear as to why this is the case. Despite being in New England, this area is woefully void of good old fashioned New England style seafood. Even New York has more! Unless one gets to the shore, one is likely to forget what good seafood tastes like, unless one frequents higher priced restaurants. And judging from the clientele at this restaurant, many of whom look like they just crawled out from under a rock, I doubt they have ever had that pleasure. I'm sorry if that sounds superior of me, but you have to consider the source when you see some of these reviews. Anyone who thinks this is good seafood doesn't know good seafood, period.

Ditto on the dirt and outdated decor, too. I'm amazed at what people in this area will rave about as great while dissing other, much better (and cleaner) restaurants. If the dining room and rest rooms are that dirty, just imagine the kitchen!

• Pros: none
• Cons: filthy, noisy, horrible clientele, mediocre food and service

07/12/07

Filthy restroooms

by swt0910

We put our name on the list for a table but never got a chance to sample the food that we have heard about for so long. While waiting, my husband and I decided to visit the restrooms. They were so filthy we coudn't use them so we assumed that the rest of the establishment couldn't have been much cleaner. The restrooms were on par (in terms of cleanliness) with porta-johns you find at an outdoor concert. This is no way to run a business let alone a restaurant!

• Pros: None
• Cons: Restroom filthy we thought we were using the facilities in the NYC subway system