A Perfect (Almost) Summer Day In And Around Mystic, Connecticut

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?

Ballo Italian Restaurant And Social Club

Ballo Italian Restaurant and Social Club is a relatively new addition to Mohegan Sun's collection of fine dining establishments. Inspired by San Galgano, a Gothic abbey built in the 12th century and located in the hills of Tuscany, Ballo features high ceilings and grand arches.

When we arrived, we were led under the arches to the back of the restaurant where tables cloaked in white cloths and surrounded by rustic wooden chairs fill the center of the room and cozy booths line one wall.

Our waitress, Krystal, happily greeted us and took our drink orders. I knew I wanted to try the Italian 75, but Jeff was deciding on a white wine. Krystal helped him weed through the choices and brought over a sample of the Cortese Principessa Gavi Perlante, which he liked and ended up ordering.

My drink, the Italian 75, was a fabulous combination of prosecco, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Grand Marnier, and orange. It was like an upscale sangria--winey, fruity, not too sweet, and full of bubbles.

Ballo has an array of salumi and formaggi to choose from, and you can order just one thing, such as prosciutto, for $9. But we looked just underneath the individual selections listed on the menu and noticed that Ballo also offers plates of assorted formaggi and salumi for $24. We opted to try the assagi, which features prosciutto, coppa, sopressata, mortadella, Parmigiano, Taleggio, and boschetto al tartufo.

The cheeses and meats come with bowls of ricotta-stuffed Peppadews and the best roasted tomatoes I have ever had. Seriously. They were so sweet and ripe-tasting. I kept topping pieces of bread with the tomatoes and chunks of Parmigiano. Jeff noted that the prosciutto was some of the best he's ever had. And I can't deny polishing off the whole piece of boschetto al tartufo, which is a mild cheese made from a combination of cow's milk and sheep's milk and studded with pieces of truffle. We enjoyed sampling the assagi offerings, but I definitely think this appetizer is more suited to at least four people--or two people who are just looking for a hearty snack and not having a full dinner. It's a lot of food.

We also ordered the meatballs, with pomodoro sauce and ricotta. Jeff is just drawn to them any time he sees them on a menu. These meatballs were nice and tender, and I thought the ricotta added a little richness. While we were enjoying the meatballs, Jeff looked up and noticed Tim Wakefield walking into the restaurant. He and his wife and a Mohegan Sun representative sat at the table right next to ours. Jeff is a huge fan but wanted to be respectful, so we didn't go over and hound him for pictures and autographs (though he did end up in the background of some of my pictures), but it did add an air of excitement to our evening. Shortly after Wakefield sat down, a huge Parmigiano cheese wheel was rolled over to his table, and a pasta dish was prepared in it for him and his guests. I lamented to Jeff that I hadn't seen that on the menu.

After the remnants of our appetizers were cleared away, the same cheese wheel was rolled over to our table. I whispered to our waitress that we hadn't ordered whatever this was, but she said it's just something special they like to do for special guests. Special guests like us and Tim Wakefield, apparently!

First, they pour some grain alcohol in the wheel and then ignite it so the cheese inside gets all melty.

Then they add in some house made orecchiette and black truffle shavings and toss it all together.

The resulting dish was absolutely incredible. The cheese coated every bit of pasta and small gobs of it got trapped in the hollows of the pasta, creating creamy, salty bites. The black truffles permeated the whole dish, adding their earthy notes. We might have skipped the appetizers had we known this treat was coming.

After indulging in the rich pasta, we got our entrees. Jeff had ordered the bucatini amatriciana with smoked duck and red onion. You could see hearty chunks of duck breast nestled among the thick strands of pasta. I tried just a bite of the house made pasta, knowing I had to save room for my own entree. It was cooked al dente and had a subtle smokiness to it.

For my entree, I went with one of the specials being offered that night: filet mignon with a panzanella salad (consisting of arugula, tomatoes, bread, and Parmesan) and pesto. This was a standout dish. I loved that the steak, cooked to my requested medium-rare was super tender and well seasoned. I also loved that the meat was paired with a flavorful salad rather than heavy sides. This is definitely a dish I can see myself re-creating at home this summer.

We were beyond stuffed at this point, but there's always room for dessert, right? After all the amazing dishes we tried over the course of the evening, we figured leaving without dessert was not an option. Krystal recited the dessert choices for us, and Jeff and I decided to share the flourless chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato. The warm, rich cake with cool, creamy gelato was the perfect ending to our meal.

After 11, Ballo embraces the social club part of its name, so if you like to dance (ballo, in Italian), it might be a good spot to check out late night on Fridays and Saturdays. We aren't big dancers so we didn't stick around for that.

Instead, after dinner we wandered around the casino taking in the sights and walking off our dinner. The first time I ever went to Mohegan, I felt like I was at Disney World. There's constant noise and lights and things grabbing your attention in every direction. This time, it reminded me of being on a cruise ship, with a never-ending flow of people, stretches of high-end shops, and restaurant options around every corner. The Chihuly sculpture by the falls was my favorite thing to look at.

Courtesy of Mohegan Sun

We hit the gaming floor for a little bit. Jeff played Blackjack, and I watched, trying to learn the nuances of betting on the game. I wish I could say we came home with a big win, but you win some and you lose some. At least we had a good time.

Courtesy of Mohegan Sun

Mohegan Sun was kind enough to put us up for the night in addition to covering $120 of our food and beverage expenses, so after an incredible dinner and a little gambling, we headed upstairs to bed. It was definitely great to stay right there and not have to worry about driving back home that night.

I remember coming here with friends and staying over about 6 or 7 years ago. We were all in love with the gorgeous iridescent tiles in the bathroom. I was happy to see they were still there.

We had an amazing dinner, a great evening at the casino, and a comfortable stay at the hotel. As most of you know, we're in the midst of wedding planning and house hunting, so it was really nice to have the chance to get away from it all for the night.

Mohegan Sun covered our room and $120 of our food and beverage expenses, but the opinions expressed on this blog are my own.

Do you enjoy going to the casino?

Girls' Weekend In Cambridge, Part 2

After lounging by the pool all afternoon, we got cleaned up and had about an hour before our dinner at The Blue Room. We went back to ArtBar for some pre-dinner cocktails, but it was packed and we couldn't even find a spot to squeeze in at the bar. We decided that since it was such a beautiful day, we would wander over to the The Blue Room and stop along the way for drinks.

As we strolled down 3rd Street, we saw Abigail's and grabbed five seats at the bar. I had gone to Abigail's for dinner a while back and was happy to return. We all ordered drinks and then noticed fresh oysters being shucked right behind the bar. Being oyster lovers, we couldn't resist, and we ordered 10 Wellfleet oysters to share. I loved the briny Wellfleet oysters, especially with a splash of the accompanying mignonette.

It was getting close to our reservation time, so we left Abigail's and continued strolling into Kendall Square until we arrived at The Blue Room, one of my favorite restaurants.

I used to enjoy the lunch grill at The Blue Room on a weekly basis when I worked in the area, so I already knew how fabulous the patio was, but it was such a different experience sitting out there for dinner, with warm lighting and the setting sun.

The awesome folks at The Blue Room knew we were there celebrating three upcoming weddings, so they sent us out glasses of cava rosado and gougeres shortly after we were seated.

As we drank the bubbly and nibbled on the cheesy puffs, we perused the menu and decided to share a couple of appetizers and each get our own entrees.

Once again, the chef had a little surprise for us: some blood sausage. While the name is not the most inviting, the sausages were amazing -- flavorful with a fatty, unctuous quality one expects from a good sausage. And to go with them, The Blue Room also sent out some rose. They described the pink Txakoli as being mineral-y and wanted us to make sure to try it with the blood sausage. I loved the combination.

Next I tried the wood-grilled octopus and squid appetizer we ordered. This came with red onion agrodolce, black olive oil, aioli, and fingerling potato chips. This was another stellar dish, with a nice combination of flavors and textures.

We also got the "One Perfect Cheese." Who can resist? This came with rhubarb jam and lightly oiled toasts.

Another surprise from the kitchen arrived after we had consumed our appetizers. This time we were treated to bowls of cool tomato-basil soup. I was in heaven. This is the sort of soup I could live off of all summer long. It was so smooth and rich-tasting with bright basil notes.

For my entree, I chose the Berkshire pork duet. I'm on a huge pork kick (I'm even having Berkshire pork as one of our wedding meal choices), so I tend to order it often. (It's my quest to convince people that pork chop does not mean dry, tough, flat slabs of meat.) Blue Room's pork duet features smoked loin, confit belly, cheesy grits, and braised Treviso. The loin was plated on top of the cheesy grits, and I happily ate them together. The pork belly featured a crisp crust, so crisp I could barely cut through it, but breaking a piece off was totally worth it.

Full as we were, it seemed like it would be a shame to not try at least one dessert, so we all decided we could squeeze in a few bites of chocolate terrine (with salted pistachios, rosemary ice cream, and olive oil caramel) and ordered one to share. It definitely would have been wrong to leave without trying this rich, luscious dessert.

And just for those last inches of space in our stomachs, the pastry chef had a little something extra for us: a dessert sampler featuring a parfait, lemon panna cotta, and house-made sorbets.

We could not have asked for better weather, a better table, or a better dining experience. Thanks to everyone at The Blue Room for making the night extra special and treating us to some delicious bites and spectacular wines.

My friends had dancing on the brain, so we headed over to Moksa to check out the back room, called Naga. Even though we arrived well after 10 p.m., the space was pretty empty and we were able to have a  fun dance party on our own for a little bit before it began filling up. We danced the night away, watched some talented breakdancers, and laughed a whole lot.

A quick cab ride later, and we were back at the Royal Sonesta, curled up in our comfy beds.

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The next morning we ventured back to the patio at ArtBar for brunch. While I'm very much a dessert person, it may come as a surprise to find out I'm mostly a savory breakfast person, so I'm often choosing between eggs Benedict, poached eggs and hash, or an egg sandwich. (That's not to say I won't steal a bite of someone else's pancake.) Of course ArtBar had all three on the menu, but I knew right away that I was going for the egg sandwich.

The egg sandwich at ArtBar is actually called a breakfast BLT and comes with fruitwood bacon, arugula, vine ripe tomatoes, basil aioli, and a fried egg on sourdough toast. Done and done.

While I remembered to tell Michelle to choose the sweet potato tots to go with her burger, I didn't realize my sandwich came with a side, so I ended up with the French fries, which were also really good and hit the spot after a brief dip in some ketchup.

For our last treat of the weekend, ArtBar sent us out some mimosas to enjoy with our brunch.

This was truly a fabulous weekend. I was surrounded by amazing friends, generous people, and incredible food. To anyone visiting the area or looking for a staycation, I highly recommend staying at the Royal Sonesta, eating at ArtBar and The Blue Room, swinging by Abigail's for oysters, and dancing the night away at Naga.

Girls' Weekend In Cambridge, Part 1

This year is just filled with weddings... and with weddings come lots of commitments -- showers, bachelorette parties, and of course, with my own wedding all the appointments with various vendors, dress fittings, and more. It's hard to fit in everything that goes along with a wedding. It was understandable, then, that two of my friends who are also getting married this year will not be able to attend my bachelorette party, and I won't be able to attend theirs. Scheduling is just super tight. So the three of us, along with two other close friends, decided to do a mini bachelorette party/girls' weekend.

After tossing around some ideas, Michelle, Alicia, Meghan, Daisy, and I ended up booking a suite at the Royal Sonesta (they gave us a small discount but we paid for the room), making reservations for dinner at The Blue Room, and making reservations for brunch the next morning at ArtBar. Other than that, we left the weekend unscheduled.

We met around noon on Saturday and checked in. Then we headed up to the 9th floor to drop off our bags, and as soon as I saw the name plate outside our door (Artist Suite), I realized we had been upgraded. Instead of just an executive suite, we got to stay in one of the premiere suites. It was exciting to walk in and see the spacious two-room, two-bathroom suite decked out with artwork and a stunning view of Boston.

We tore ourselves away from the view and headed down to ArtBar to have some lunch. It was busy, but we somehow snagged a table on the patio, which is beautifully decked out with orange placemats and orange and beige umbrellas, contrasting with dark wood tables.

I'd been to ArtBar for dinner a few times but was always a little jealous that I was never in the area at lunchtime. Deciding to take full advantage of this lunchtime visit, I ordered the 1/2 sandwich of the day and soup of the day, which came with a choice of fries or a salad. I went with the salad, which ended up being a great choice -- with its grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, mixed greens, and balsamic dressing.

My plate arrived featuring a chicken Caesar wrap, a small bowl of salad, and a small bowl of eggplant-tomato soup. The wrap was so fresh, with crunchy romaine, perfectly moist chicken, and just the right amount of Caesar dressing. The soup and salad were light and tasty accompaniments.

Just as we were finishing eating, ArtBar sent over some champagne. The bubbly was just the thing to kick off our weekend together.



When we got back to our room, with the intention of changing into bathing suits and heading down to the pool, we saw that a tower of cheeses, meats, fruit, and bread had been delivered, along with some specially made bottles of Corpse Reviver #2. Our treats were accompanied by a card from Amanda (Royal Sonesta's Web media manager) and Troy (food and beverage manager), thanking us for choosing to celebrate with them and explaining that the Corpse Reviver's intended purpose was to serve as an eye opener or "hair of the dog" -- just in case.

Even though we had just had lunch, we couldn't help digging into the tower, and it provided us with plenty to snack on that day. (I kept going back for pieces of goat cheddar.) We ended up popping open a bottle of bubbly (or two) to go with our snacks, and needless to say, we did not head to the pool for another couple of hours.

We spent the early evening lounging at the pool, mostly enjoying the hot tub, and then headed back upstairs to get ready for dinner and some pre-dinner drinks. (It was such a blessing to have two bathrooms for the five of us to use to get ready!)

To be continued...