Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Recession Dining
We've just completed a round of research on "cheap eats" in Connecticut for the March issue of Connecticut Magazine. Good timing. If economic forecasts prove correct, we'll all be looking for deals when we go out to eat. The article will include free buffets, half-price wine deals, early-bird specials and so on, but my favorites tend to be the places that are no-frills cheap all the time. Here's a sneak preview on a couple. The Cypress in Middletown has been in the same family since it was opened in 1936. You don't go there looking for anything fancy, but the dinner entree prices tend to fall just above and below the $10 mark. You can get a roast turkey dinner for $9.99 and corned beef on Thursdays for the same price. Meatloaf is $8.99, scallops $11.99. You get the idea: It's a trip back into time. The other time trip is Charcoal Chef in Woodbury, which opened up more than 50 years ago and hasn't changed much since (it's from the knotty pine school of roadside eateries). Here, the beef is grilled over charcoal and you can find worthy old favorites such as cube steak and ground beef for around $10 including potato and salad. Locals also love Charcoal Chef for the very grown-up drinks it serves.
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I lived in Durham CT for 10 years, a stones' throw from the Cypress on Rte.17. Intially upon moving to Durham my family dined at the Cypress on 2 occasions and was unimpressed and had not returned. Upon reading the March issue of Connecticut Magazine "Cheap Eats" I decided that perhaps we had misjudged the Cypress. After all, CT Magazine was recommending the Cypress. WELL, after our visit this afternoon, it only confirmed our previous decision about the Cypress. Myself, my husband and daughter stopped in this Sunday at 1:10 p.m. for lunch. We placed our order for a steamed cheeseburger $5.00, a chicken buffalo wrap $6.99 and a specialty "Nancy's" Tuna sandwich $7.99, an large order of fries to be shared and an order of coffee for one. This order was placed at 1:15 p.m. The cheese burger and order of fries arrived first at 1:47 pm. The cheeseburger was average size and accompanied with potato chips. Next to arrive 5 minutes later was my daughter's wrap that was small in size, had little to no chicken and consisted of 3/4 iceburg lettuce. Mind you,
my husband is nearly finished with the cheeseburger. Five minutes after the arrival of the wrap, out
comes my speciality tuna sandwich. My husband has finished his meal at this point and my daughter in half way complete with her meal. My tuna sandwich is on a large roll with little to no tuna, lots
of lettuce and a few decent tomatoes. Upon entry into the Cypress there were 4 tables occupied, us being the fifth table, for a total of approx.11 customers. I count 6 employees over the 45 minute wait time for sandwiches. Well my husband and daughter finished their meals and had to wait for me. It would of been nice to dine together. I am writing for a number of reasons. The meal and service were so bad that I felt compelled to write a comment in hopes that others are warned about the Cypress. I am hard pressed to think that anyone from CT magazine took the time to dine at the Cypress. When I read the article for "Cheap Eats" perhaps my mistake was thinking...cheap eats equaled quality service, dining together, a bit of food on the plate, thus a good bargain for dining. Perhaps the article mean just what it said, no frills.....no service, long wait, poor quality food for under $10.00 bucks. I say, MEH, Connecticut Magazine messed up on this recommendation. Stay away from the Cypress.....we will.
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