After we left the casino on Sunday morning, we headed to Mystic to meet up with a friend who was in the area visiting his family for the weekend. He mentioned he knew a good breakfast spot, and that was all I needed to hear.
The place, Kitchen Little, has been around for a little more than 30 years, but it used to be in a different location in a much smaller building. It recently moved to the Mystic River Marina and can accommodate many more diners. But even though it's a little off the beaten path now and the restaurant is much bigger, we still had to wait in line for about 20 minutes for a table. Clearly, people know about this place.
Once we were seated, we took a few minutes to look over the menu before our coffees arrived and we placed our orders. Not long after, our waitress delivered our food. Our friend ordered his usual, the #9, which is baby spinach, mushrooms, and cream cheese scrambled with two eggs; topped with melted American cheese; and served with toast. It looked delicious!
Jeff usually goes with a traditional breakfast (bacon, eggs, and toast) or pancakes, and this time he opted for pancakes, with a side of bacon. The buttermilk pancakes arrived topped with cinnamon, sugar, and butter. He cleaned his plate, so they were obviously really good.
I went with the #12: scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, onions, and peppers with a hint of garlic smothered in Monterey Jack cheese and served over red potatoes with rye toast. I always worry a little about ordering scrambled eggs at restaurants because I hate wet eggs, but these were cooked well. The array of fillings made the dish super-flavorful, and the potatoes underneath were soft and well seasoned. I'd definitely go back next time we're in the area.
After breakfast we were lucky enough to join our friend and his family on their boat. We cruised around Fishers Island Sound, taking in the sights (such as Fishers Island, Watch Hill, and some daring jet skiers), chatting, and getting some sun.
Something about being in the sun and out on a boat gave me an intense craving for fried clams, so even though we really needed to hit the road after we left the boat, I convinced Jeff to make a quick stop. Our friend's dad recommended Sea Swirl for the best fried clams around, so that's where we headed.
Jeff, who's not a fan of clams, got an ice cream sundae, which was what he worked up a craving for on the boat outing...
... and our friend and I both got whole belly clam rolls. The clams were tender, nicely battered, hot, and crisp. It was just what I wanted and truly hit the spot.
It's not even summer yet, but I already feel like I got to enjoy one perfect summer day. I look forward to many more!
Have you had any great "summer" days yet?