In order to escape from the overwhelming thralls of students and their families congregated on campus, my family and I hopped in our car and travelled to Mystic, a fifteen minute drive from Conn’s campus. Prior to Fall Weekend, I had made a reservation for an early dinner at Bravo Bravo. My mom and I arrived on the dot, and I realized that perhaps the reservation was not necessary as there were only three other parties in the restaurant (granted it was only five o’clock). On the other hand, in a matter of minutes the restaurant began to fill up with Conn students and their families, along with other patrons.
Upon entering, I was soothed by the simple wood tables and chairs and small mirrors along all of the walls around the space accompanied with three small lit candles on top of each mirror. We settled down at a table in the back corner by the windows, a perfect view of the happenings of a busy town. Our waitress came by and poured us water, without a smile I might add. She introduced the specials for that night and after an intense debate, my mom and I decided on the ricotta tartine, angel hair pasta with shrimp, and the grilled salmon. We were promptly served warm, soft yet crispy bread with dipping oil, a spicy bean spread, and various olives. The bread and platter were so good we realized we perhaps did not need to order an appetizer. Ashley Drummey ‘21 who went to Bravo Bravo with her family as well, also enjoyed the bread and bean dip.
Our taste buds were relieved, however, when the tartine arrived. A single piece of toasted bread topped with whipped ricotta cheese, arugula, prosciutto, figs, and honey was the perfect appetizer to split between two people. The ingredients went perfect together, although perhaps a fig spread would have been better because when I bit into a large chunk of fig its sweet flavor distracted from the other delicious tastes within this dish. Although my mom and I did not order a salad, a few members of Drummey’s party did and said that it was their favorite part of their meal.
Grilled salmon, angel hair pasta with shrimp. Image courtesy of Elizabeth Berry.
Not too long afterwards, our entrees arrived. The angel hair pasta with shrimp, feta cheese, scallions, and marinara was placed in front of me while the grilled salmon in front of my mom. I hungrily slurped some pasta into my mouth and bit into one of the shrimp. While I enjoyed the sauce and unique addition of feta cheese, the texture of the shrimp was not for me, so my mom dutifully switched with me. I took my first bite of salmon and immediately a smile appeared on my face. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the squash below was equally delicious. In addition, this dish was garnished with caramelized brussel sprouts and yellow raisins. While these are some of my favorite foods, the sweetness of the sauce it was cooked in was just a bit too overwhelming, and by the time I had finished my taste buds were in a frenzy. Drummey ordered the pasta bolognese which she explained had a rich and creamy sauce. She enjoyed her meal, but said that “the pasta was good, but nothing amazing.”
Based off that description you might have assumed we would not indulge in a dessert, but you would be mistaken. My mom and I decided to split a light dessert, which resulted in the selection of affogato. We had originally planned to order the pumpkin gelato (a perfect fall treat), but our waitress, who at this point in the evening began to smile and talk with us in a welcoming tone, advised us against this choice as it was not the usual concoction by the chef. A perfect amount of time after finishing our entree, our dessert arrived and we promptly took pictures of the dish’s beautiful presentation. Malted ice cream, with espresso cream, cocoa nibs, and florentines overwhelmed our taste buds as we scooped the delicious combination into our mouths under five minutes. While I enjoyed the florentines, I felt that they were a bit too nutty. Perhaps, the addition of espresso or cocoa within the mix would have improved the overall flavor.
Overall, our meal was delicious and certainly a real retreat from Harris. I would definitely come back for the bread and fresh fish, but Bravo Bravo did not have an everlasting effect on me. It is certainly a happening place in Mystic, but while the dishes were fabulous in presentation and (for the most part) taste, it was not completely revolutionary. While Drummey stated that she would go back again, I am not positive I would follow suit. Then again, I will be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and boring salads once again, which aren’t revolutionary in themselves either. •
