New London Memories

Five years ago today, we were off on a much-needed weekend trip. (We were supposed to write about this a long time ago, but even though so many of our memories have faded, better late than never.) It had been a long summer with zero visits to the beach, and we were just craving some sun and sand so it would really feel like summer. We went to New London, Connecticut, which was close to Mystic if we wanted to go to the seaport, close to the Rhode Island border if we decided we wanted to investigate their beaches instead, and someplace with reasonably affordable, last-minute hotel availability. (It was a very last-minute getaway.)

We started our first day by exploring the area of New London near our hotel and, of course, checking out some of the local food spots. Our research first led us to Kamp Dog, a spot walking distance from our hotel, known for their hot dogs (but which also served burgers and other treats), especially their namesake Kamp Dog with dynamite (a meat sauce), cheese, and raw onions. Considering it was the name of the place, we had to get that. Each hot dog was made by Hummel Bros, "Connecticut's #1 hot dog" according to the sign at the restaurant, and served on a toasty grilled bun. When it arrived, we saw that it was pretty much a chili cheese dog, but an excellent version of one. The hot dogs had a crisp snap to them, the sauce was meaty and tasty, and the cheese and onions just brought it all together. Great start to our trip.

Our next stop before beach time was a place called Fred's Shanty, "famous since 1972" according to their signs, for fried seafood. While we wanted a weekend getaway to get in some beach time, we have to admit that one of the reasons we went up to New England instead of the mid-Atlantic was fried clams. We hadn't had fried clams in a while, and we couldn't stop thinking about clam strips. Fred's Shanty had clam strips, whole belly clams, clam chowder, scallops, and more seafood, and was exactly what you would imagine from a New England seafood shack on the waterfront. We ordered a bunch of things for lunch (although it was only two hours after hot dogs, so we only had so much stomach space), and then grabbed some seating with a view of the marina, and it was just what we were looking for from our weekend getaway.

We shared the clam strip dinner, which came with sides of creamy cole slaw and fries, and also another side of onion rings. We were so happy with everything we got. Sitting outside in the sun, listening to the water and the rocking sailboats, feeling the breeze coming in off the water, eating clam strips and fries and onion rings, that was just such a classic summer meal for us, and we loved the whole experience.

With our bellies full of hot dogs, clams, and more, it was time to head to the beach for the rest of the afternoon!