The Weird and The Wacky Meet

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Shell Station is Fresh

Shell Station is not a gas station.  It's a quaint little seafood restaurant located in the Stratford train station.  They specialize in fish, but also have delicious steaks, sushi, and pastas.

                 The most impressive thing about Shell Station is the freshness of their fish.  They take extreme advantage of being close to the coast, serving up many local delicacies like oysters and crab.  One of their signature dishes is their crab cake.  These are composed of delicious hunks of perfectly spiced crab-meat held together with the bare minimum of bread crumbs.  Each bite is a little bit of heaven.

                 Their sushi bar, which contains the freshest of fish, showcases their superior ingredients with the fewest distractions.  I have to admit that this is the best sushi I've had in Connecticut.  The Maki (sushi rolls) are inventive, combining ingredients that I never thought would work in a sushi roll, like thinly sliced lemon wedges.  The Lemon Splash roll combines fresh salmon, avocado and those lemon wedges in quite a delicious little package.  Their spicy tuna or crab Maki also bridges the gap between spicy and hot, making something that is sharp enough to be interesting, but doesn't overwhelm the subtle flavor of the raw fish.

                 Entrees range from $9.95 to $18.00, and include something to please just about everyone.  My vegetarian friends love the pasta at Shell Station, and they are all picky eaters.   I strongly recommend checking out the specials before ordering because you can experience the best fish of the day.  Specials are priced in the range of the entrees, so you won't be shocked when you get the bill.

                 There are several traditional appetizers available, including raw oysters and clams casino.  These range in price from $2.95 to $6.95 and are definitely worth trying.  The clam chowder is especially good.  It's rich and creamy and very delicately spiced, with big chunks of clam.

                 The decor is quaint with French provincial accents, featuring a large aquarium and half a dozen paintings with maritime themes.  The servers are quite knowledgeable about - and proud of - the cuisine, and will gladly discuss the menu with the customers.  They are friendly and competent, but leisurely, so don't come in and expect to have a quick bite.

                 Shell Station is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  On Sundays, they serve dinner from noon to 9:00 p.m.  There is limited seating, so make sure you call ahead for reservations, especially on weekends.

                 Shell Station makes a fine restaurant for a nice family outing, or an intimate date, but what really shines is the food.

Rating: 4.5

 

Copyright 2003

Not the original graphic

By Amanda Evans

Original Publishing Date: 11/06/03