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Monday, September 1, 2014

Harbour House Review

One of my favorite cuisines is seafood, especially shellfish.  I've never been a big lover of actual fish, but shrimps, scallops, lobster and clams is another story.  I absolutely love them! I would definitely consider pasta with seafood a form of heaven.  Whenever I dine out and seafood is on the menu, you know I'll be partaking.  When's the last time you enjoyed a delicious bowl of steamed clams or jumbo shrimp?



Harbour House is a wonderful restaurant located in Mystic, Connecticut. The property has just undergone an extensive renovation and is back open to delight your taste buds.  The restaurant serves fresh, seasonal, and local cuisine and is next to the Inn at Mystic.  The Inn does weddings and major events and the waterfront surroundings make everything even more beautiful.  If you're looking for a menu that offers you an eclectic mix of tasty options, you're surely in for a real treat.  How about wood fired pizza, a whole raw bar menu, or even sinking your teeth into a juicy gorgonzola-crusted filet of beef? Harbour House features 24 beers on tap along with an impressive list of signature cocktails made with only the freshest ingredients. Come on by and enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner fireside, or even on their newly built waterfront terrace. You'll have a wonderful view while you enjoy delicious eats.



My husband and I were in Mystic for the weekend for our one year wedding anniversary.  What better place to have dinner at than the Harbour House? From the minute we walked in, we were greeted by a friendly hostess staff. The vibe was very warm and welcoming.  The restaurant was very charming and cozy.  We were seated next to a big window with a gorgeous waterfront view and immediately ordered beverages. My husband chose a beer that he absolutely loved that was recommended by the waiter.



Fresh bread and olive oil was brought out next to enjoy while we ordered appetizers.  The bread was fluffy and freshly-baked.  The olive oil was flavorful and the perfect accompaniment to the bread.
So hard to resist you. 

The menu had an impressive list of appetizers and it took us a few moments to choose.  My husband finally settled on the lobster bisque soup, while I chose the Port Side flatbread.  This dish offered house-made pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms.  

Triangle slices of love. 

When the flatbread arrived, I was assuming it would be long rectangular slices, rather than triangle slices like pizza. I was surprised when I saw it.  The appetizer was very big and could be considered a main meal for one person.  Good thing my husband was there to help me eat it! The flatbread tasted woodfired and the thin crust was very crispy with a smoky flavor.  The cheese was piled on thick, which is just how I like it.  The pepperoni and sausage pieces were large and both had a wonderful meaty flavor.  The sauce was extremely flavorful with spices and tied together nicely with all of the other flavors. 

Grab a spoon and try it. 

My husband couldn't stop raving over the lobster bisque.  Not only was the soup beautiful, but it was creamy, thick, and full of large lobster chunks that were succulent. Those chunks were large and in charge!  I don't eat lobster bisque, but apparently most lobster bisques have a lobster flavor rather than actual pieces of the seafood.  He barely left time to breathe or talk before the soup was finished.  I'm sure he placed a new record for someone finishing lobster bisque that quickly.

Our waiter Tim was very attentive throughout the whole meal.  He routinely came back to check on us and make sure we were satisfied with everything. We ordered entrees next, I chose the pasta pappardelle with shrimp, while my husband requested a pasta with scallops dish.

Hello, shrimps!

Jumbo-sized shrimp love.


This dish offered wide ribbons of pasta with jumbo shrimp and chourico.  To accompany the seafood the flavors of white wine, olive oil, garlic, and aged parmigiano reggiano.  What I first noticed when my dish arrived was how big the shrimp were.  They weren't lying when they said jumbo! My husband enjoyed the sausage as I already had sausage in my appetizer and didn't want more.  The wide ribbon pasta was home-made and had a great chewy texture.  The olive oil and garlic flavors were very prevalent and complimented the shrimp well.  The shrimp was perfectly cooked and full of juicy flavor.  I was sad when all the shrimp were gone and wished more would appear! To say I enjoyed the dish was an understatement.  I highly recommend it.  

My husband had a pasta dish with scallops in a veal Bolognese sauce.  The grilled scallops were firm and cooked just right with a blackened, smoky flavor.  My husband said the flavor of the sauce and scallops were outstanding.  He could taste the richness of the veal in the hearty sauce instantly.  The pasta provided the perfect balance of chewiness to balance out the sauce and seafood. 

Look at the size of those scallops!

We were both stuffed at the end of the meal when the waiter mentioned coffee and dessert.  Anybody who knows me knows how much I love dessert, and it's always hard for me to turn it down.  Of course we said yes, and ended up splitting a fantastic chocolate cake.
Chocolate paradise. 

The presentation of this dessert was outstanding.  I love the ribbons of chocolate sauce on the plate. It's such a simple task but it really adds to the dessert.  The cake was the perfect size to share and I loved the round shape of it.  Do you notice the complex layers of the dessert? Each one had a different taste, but everything combined together to create a chocolate explosion in your mouth! The chocolate was cool, creamy and rich and bursting with sweet flavor.  What more could you want out of a dessert? This was truly a chocolate lover's dream.

My husband and I truly enjoyed our experience at the Harbour House and look forward to dining there again one day.  If you're looking for fabulous fresh food with wonderful service, look no further than the Harbour House.  Go ahead and make a reservation today!

*DISCLOSURE* I received a complimentary meal in exchange for this review.  All thoughts are strictly mine.  




1 comment :

  1. Oh wow, looks like you both had an amazing meal! And that dessert? OH MY!! This looks like a fabulous place for such a special occasion like a wedding anniversary. Very nice review!

    ReplyDelete