The Place (CT)

Article by Contributor Bernadette Dostaler

The Place Restaurant is ‘the place’ to be in the summer. This unusual outdoor grilling establishment opened in 1971. All menu items (except desserts, of course) are cooked over an 18-foot fire pit lined with concrete blocks. The fire pit is the center of activity with cooks busily feeding wood to the fire, moving food items onto and off the grilling racks, arranging plates, and delivering orders to the tables.

Although The Place is tucked along busy Route 1, diners are surrounded by trees and woods. Once seated it feels secluded, actually more like a fairyland with red mushroom looking tables and tree stump seats. Diners sit on sawed-off tree stumps or white wire patio chairs. Tabletops are nailed onto tree stumps. All seating is outdoors with some tables under a canopy.   Strings of lights give the seating area a festive air.

We shared the excellent roast clam special as an appetizer. Then we moved on to salmon and rib-eye steak, both perfectly grilled. We also ordered one of my favorite summer foods, roasted corn, served with plenty of butter. 

• 

• 

• 

Seafood menu items include lobster, shrimp, roasted clams, steamers, mussels, salmon, bluefish, and catfish. Steak and chicken are also available.  Two sides are offered, veggiebobs and the aforementioned roasted corn.   We did not try the desserts but the ones we saw looked delicious.  Cheesecake, Mississippi Mud Pie, Key Lime Mousse, Carrot Cake, and Peanut Butter Blitz are $5.95 each. Ice cream is $2.95 and a Hot Fudge Sundae is $4.95.