By Steve Cooper
The Foodie Foursome
Steve Cooper
The 7 Seas, a family-owned and run restaurant, has been serving the Milford area since 1965 and is actually the longest continuously running restaurant downtown. The location had several restaurants prior to that dating back to the 1940s. It is on the bend that feeds New Haven Avenue into Daniel Street.
The deep tones of the décor, antiques and divided dining area and bar are warm and welcoming – and a step back in time. Richard Smith took over the restaurant after serving in the Navy from 1966-69 when he rebranded the restaurant “The 7 Seas.” It has been voted Best Neighborhood Restaurant three times by Connecticut Magazine, and definitely oozes that vibe.
Its award-winning lobster rolls, seafood and steaks have been the mainstay that not only attracts locals but notables such as Paul Newman, John Legend, Dan Patrick and Richard Blumenthal. Even the famous “ShaNaNa” had dinner there before their gig at the Milford Performance Center.
On this evening Cindy and I were joined by friends Judy and Decelle. Our opening salvo definitely reflected one of the eatery’s sayings, “So fresh it slept in the ocean last night.” We started with stuffed clams, crabcakes, fried calamari and a quesadilla. Since our dinners have taken on the form of a chef’s tasting, our choices allow the four of us to try different dishes and the ability to reflect on them for discussion. We generally like to try the classics as well as something new or original, and cover dishes that reflect the variety of offerings at each establishment.
The stuffed clams featured a casino-style presentation stuffed with fresh chunks of clam, Parmesan cheese, bacon, peppers and garlic. They had a nice texture and had multiple layers of flavor. The fried calamari were perfectly prepared with a delicate coating, fresh and tender, and served with marinara sauce. The crabcakes had a light breading with a soft crab filling, creating a nice addition to our appetizers. Our last selection, the quesadilla, was two flour tortillas stuffed with fresh lobster chunks, cheddar and jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, onions, green peppers and real bacon bits. This was one of the best quesadillas we have had in quite some time.
The management, waitstaff and kitchen were friendly and spot-on in their timing and service. Before our entrees were served we had two of the featured soups. One was the 7 Seas chowder, which was a creamy New England-style clam chowder. It was not just creamy, but flavorful with nice-sized pieces of clam. The same can also be said of their lobster bisque; it had sizable chunks of lobster meat.
We started our entrées off with the ribeye steak and the broiled scrod with crabmeat. The ribeye was quite sizable, tender, juicy and perfectly charbroiled to our desired temperature. It was served with a baked potato and fresh green beans. The broiled scrod was as fresh as it was delicately prepared and topped with a mixture of crabmeat, breadcrumbs and Romano cheese. The mixture took on a patty-like consistency and was beautifully browned and caramelized with nice crisp edges. It was also served with a side of green beans and baked potato.
Our last two entrees were definitely worthy of bragging rights. One of their top selections and most recommended dishes is their fish and chips. The four, healthy pieces of tender, sweet breaded cod was perfectly fried, showcasing a thin crust with a scrumptious crunch as you bite into the flaky, fresh fish. Served with a side of seasoned steak fries and coleslaw, this is worth the price of admission.
For our last entrée item, we wanted to try something completely different. We were not disappointed. The “peachtree chicken” was a fresh boneless chicken breast sautéed with peach slices, walnuts and glazed with peachtree schnapps. Served with potato and vegetables, this chef’s creation is bathed in simplicity yet is an incredibly tasty chicken dish and one of my favorites of the evening.
We finished the evening with a chocolate cake and a limoncello cake. The chocolate cake had a richness to the frosting and soft cake that was still able to keep its structure. While I am not a personal fan of limoncello as a drink, this cake had a smooth and inviting lemony taste that was hard to put down. There is a reason this small but quaint local treasure has been part of the area’s culinary destinations for 50-plus years.
7 Seas is located at 16 New Haven Ave. For reservations call 203-877-7327. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m.
Steve Cooper is a local, national and international award-winning photographer, culinary influencer and executive director of the Milford Performance Center. Contact him at 203-723-3672.