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The wife and I went out to the Chowder Pot III in Branford, CT for dinner. We were joined by my mother. I have worked at this restaurant in the past, so maybe my opinion is a bit biased. But, I do have to say these few things before I get into the food. First, this is one of the cleanest kitchens I’ve worked in. Granted I did not work too many Friday/Saturday dinner shifts when the kitchen was the busiest. Second, the wait staff here always seems friendly, although not too swift. And third, you get what you pay for. The prices may be a tad high, but you get extremely generous portions. Some dishes are almost “family style”.
Now to the best part of eating out, the food. Every sit down meal at the Chowder Pot III starts off with a loaf of freshly baked honey bread. These loaves are baked fresh every day (from what I remember). They are glazed with a sticky honey butter that is to die for. They should give you a side to dip your bread in rather than butter.
We skipped appetizers and went straight to dinner. My mother got the fried clam strip platter. In case you can’t tell, that’s just a gigantic plate of clam strips. These clams are not your run of the mill prefab frozen clam strips. They are freshly breaded and fried to order. As are the oysters, whole bellies, etc… And of course, the baked potato and vegetable medley for sides.
The wife got her usual chicken teriyaki. We don’t go to this restaurant often, and she claims this to be the best chicken teriyaki in town, so when we go, she gets it. You get two large breasts of chicken grilled to perfection and topped with a sweet and salty teriyaki sauce, fresh green onions, and an orange garnish. And, the same sides as Mom. The chicken was perfectly cooked with no pink in the center, yet was still extremely juicy and tender. I don’t think they make the sauce in house, but it is 10x better than anything you can buy in the store. It is thick, more like a glaze than a watery sauce.
As for my dish, I went with the Cajun catfish. This dish was awesome. The catfish was nice and fresh. They pan sear it on the bottom of a cast iron skillet which gives it a unique flavor, almost like fire grilling, but doesn’t fall apart. Chowder Pot uses a house blend of dry spices mixed with a touch of oil to create almost a paste. They slather the Cajun paste on the fish and then cook. Due to the high temperature of the cast iron, the spices form a crust on the fish, yet seal in the natural juices so the fish doesn’t dry out. The more you chew it, the more flavor bursts into your mouth.
I also got the same sides. The potato was your run of the mill potato. Nothing special. The vegetable medley, while good in flavor (can’t go wrong with butter), was over cooked. The vegetables were soggy and had little consistency to them. And, I didn’t get any broccoli.
Over all, a good experience. I realize that these pictures make the presentation look slightly unappealing. Up close and in person the plating of these dishes are more appetizing. Chowder Pot III in Branford, CT is a great place fora nice sit down seafood meal. They can accommodate large parties, and even have live music a few nights a week. To me, it’s a good “once in a while” place.
