Jan 15
Snail Beastman
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Iraq
seen from Brazil
seen from Ireland
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from Malaysia
seen from Brazil
seen from United States
Snail Beastman
In conclusion, The Whelk is a land of contrasts
meqsarian, On the Internet, nobody knows you're a whelk
The NYT: always in a state of restrained panic
The NYT always has to be in a state of restrained panic, two Pino Grises away from shaking thier head and muttering " I just dont't UNDERSTAND" in response to nothing. The actual topic doesn't really matter, the the encroaching fear that sells.
posted by The Whelk to Metafilter at 14:34 on June 21, 2013
The diet from the dawn of time
I just keep to the simple ways of my people that have sustained us since the dawn of time, leeching calories and nutrients from cocktails and the ambient environment around brunch buffets.
posted to Metafilter by The Whelk at 23:18 on June 1, 2013
The Whelk, Westport, CT
Search the foodie blogs (or the New York Times for that matter!) and you'll find that much has been written about The Whelk, a new venture from Bill Taibe. With his time at Napa & Co and his other area restaurant Le Farm marking him as a rising star, for our bet The Whelk is really where his talents have fully come together. While The Whelk is definitely a must-visit for anyone who considers themselves a dining connoisseur we were very curious to find out if it is a place you could bring a younger audience.
FOOD: The Whelk represents Taibe's unique take on the venerable New England seafood restaurant. The seasonal menu features an array of one-of-kind items as crab fondue, squid ink cavatelli and naturally whelk which is sort of a locally sourced sea snail. The raw bar is extensive, while there we heartily enjoyed a plate of Copps Island oysters (locally sourced from Long Island Sound). There are options for the non-adventurous eater such as roasted flounder, steak and even a couple of burger options. That said overall we found the cuisine is a bit too sophisticated for young palates, especially for children under the age of 7 or 8. Our son loves fish so some of the more simple options (the fresh salmon for instance) played well but certainly don't come here expecting fried fish and fries (note that there is no children's menu). All of the dishes we sampled had a lovely depth and complexity of flavor to them and we fear this might be lost with the younger crowd especially if your little one is a fickle eater. Check out the menu online before you go to determine if the dishes will suit your family.
DECOR: The restaurant is very well designed with a feel somewhere between a french country home and a high-end yacht. It is on the small size so private table seating is limited; you need to call ahead to get a booking if you are planning on bringing kids. There's also a long communal table which can be fun but only for older children who would be comfortable with bar stool seating.
KID-FRIENDLY: To be very upfront, we know The Whelk isn't pitched as any sort of family restaurant. It is a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience which seems open to having kids present. There's no children's menu so check out the menus on the website to make sure the cuisine is something your kids will eat. Also, when we there there weren't any high chairs but our waitress told us that some were on order. Keep in mind the bar scene can get lively later in the evening so it is better to go early (try to secure a table between 5 and 6) as once you get past 7ish, the lights get dimmer and the noise levels get louder. By the time we reached dessert around 7:30 or so the table next to us was occupied by a bunch of young-20 somethings enjoying a girls cocktail night out. It is up to you how comfortable you are bringing children into that kind of atmosphere. This isn't a place where you'd feel comfortable if your child decided to throw a tantrum or run about. Overall our recommendation is that The Whelk is for smaller families with slightly older children (7+) who can handle the food and respect the other diners.
SERVICE: The service we experienced was top-notch. In addition to being very knowledgeable about the menu (a must at a restaurant featuring dishes as unique as The Whelk's), the waitress was very friendly and joked around with our son throughout the meal. While there wasn't a children's menu she did check with the chef to see if he could come up with something simple for our son; they did offer up a simple grilled fish or chicken filet without the more extreme spices.
COST: Considering the level of the preparation and freshness of the ingredients the cost for the meal wasn't out of the question. That said this restaurant will damage the wallet much more than your typical New England fish'n'chips or friend clam belly mainstay.
For more information on The Whelk and to view a menu visit http://www.thewhelkwestport.com/