Many readers may remember the childhood rhyme:
Engine, engine number nine
Going down Chicago line
If the engine jumps the track
Will I get my money back?
Well, Engine Room,
a casual offshoot of popular Oyster Club located in the remodeled Riverwalk space in Mystic, never goes off track and no one ever wants his or her money back.
The hostess will try to find a seat for everyone.
The restaurant draws tremendously well, filling most of its appealing dining spaces much of the time.
Dan Meiser, known to many for his days at Firebox, is a hands-on owner.
Our waitress brings us waters,
a glass of white wine
and a bottle of red.
We start off with some wonderful snacks, including spiced nuts,
deviled eggs
and caramel popcorn with bacon.
The bacon is surprisingly effective, countering the sweetness beautifully. Everything’s better with bacon, I guess.
Starters prove as much fun as snacks, including chicken liver pâté,
brisket on a biscuit,
a half avocado with slow roasted bacon
and Caesar salad topped with anchovies.
Mains also delight us, including two of Connecticut’s best (dry-aged) burgers,
the fries made from scratch,
crispy fried chicken leg in a Bourbon BBQ sauce,
and slow-roasted, prime grade New York strip,
which here you see sliced open.
Desserts were great too,
my favorites being the steamed lemon tart with toasted coconut,
and monkey bread with Bourbon caramel sauce.
After dinner, we discussed our delightful dining experience with the chef.
Engine Room, 14 Holmes Street, Mystic, 860-415-8117, www.engineroomct.com