Red Hen Restaurant

My husband and I went there last night for a belated Valentine’s Dinner. We called and made last minute reservations. We asked about a special place to sit and the window table was saved for us. The waitress, Brianna (I think), was amazing. She was very accommodating to my husband and I. We had the Harissa Shrimp tacos — OMG they were perfect. My Husband then had the strip steak which was cooked perfectly. He got butternut squash — roasted perfectly. I got the Cod — this bisque it was served on was very tasty. Price was just what we anticipated. Love the décor, simple and comfortable. We just had a Great time, Thanks, Sarah & Ron.

I love this place, it is romatic, high end cuisine and the best part are the list of cocktails.. my husband beg me to go there ! :)

Cute dining spot in Old Saybrook. A pleasant barkeep tends a separate ‘lounge’ area. She pours from a primo selection of very good wines by the glass. I ordered three small plates, two with sufficient ‘heat’ although I did not expect quite the ‘sting’. 1] ample grilled eggplant slice with spicy red sauce*. 2] rare char crusted steak slices served with a few green leafs which, although yummy, seemed pricey for the portion. 3] a happy hour spicy fish taco served with jalapeño in a fresh & flaky ‘flap’, as if phyllo dough based. Locals must flock to this bistro. I too find charm in sleek sparse décor. The experience [with two delicious pours of a good Italian wine] exceeded $ 50. Rather expensive for a solo diner on a modest budget. The ‘bite’ of their culinary talents lasted a long while. I’m of an age where I’d rather not the burn; nevertheless, I like this space. Fresh ingredients please their patrons. For newbies who are not used to ‘heat’, please inquire about the level of spice before ordering. Enjoy your meal and the charm of a lovely CT village.
*I was going to order the tiny meatballs but was told they were very spicy, so I chose the eggplant, which turned out to be very spicy for me.

Hmm. This was interesting. The food was good, but it was pricier for the amount of food we got — at least for tapas. The shrimp tapas came with 4 shrimp, I would have at least expected 5 or 6. The bowl of tiny meatballs was fantastic and not tiny at all and the clams and mussels in the tomato saffron broth was delicious! The cod was pretty pricey for $ 25 bucks and I don’t think it was big enough for that much money. Overall, food was great and delicious and it was a cute place.

I think you know that I don’t write bad reviews. If I’m not enamored, I just don’t write anything at all. Which brings me to my story. I ate at The Red Hen the day after opening, and while the food was fine, the space and staff needed some fine tuning. I finally headed back last week for dinner with a friend. First up, see Mary at the bar for her fresh concoctions. I tried the Gigi: grapefruit vodka, ginger liqueur and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. So zingy, so zesty… and goes down so easy! Donna had prosecco with homemade shrub (a word to love): a preserve of rhubarb and strawberry with a hint of balsamic.
This time, the dining room was buzzy; full of families, couples and girls’ nights out. Make a meal of the menu of small plates or choose a hefty entrée with a slightly Latin touch: my grilled pork steak with chimichurri, avocado and arugula salad and fried plaintains was interesting and delicious. On Tuesdays, Gigi (and all martinis) are half price, Wednesdays it’s half price wine by the glass and Sundays kids eat free with a paying adult. And if you’re heading to The Kate (conveniently right next door!) take 10% off your bill.

By chance I drove past The Red Hen and decided it looked like an interesting place to dine. With a choice of sidewalk dining or inside dining we ate inside. The interior is creative with subtle lighting and nicely spaced tables providing plenty of room. Not in a drinking mood, my partner and I ordered soda which was a large amount with additional carafes of soda brought to refill our glasses.
Our server Marcie was a total delight. Her charm and lovely way she described menu selections brought the menu to life. I ordered the Cacio e Pepe. It consisted of linguini, a poached egg, roasted garlic baby spinach crisp prosciutto and parmesan cheese. As described by Marcie «It was like getting a hug from the inside.» The large dish was just delicious and the poached egg was done to perfection. Swirling the yoke with the other ingredients was just incredible. I was too full to order dessert but I will return again to this unique dining experience.