Bites Nearby: Old Grist Mill Tavern

Last week Amy and I decided to try the The  in Seekonk. I’ve driven by this place a lot and always been curious. From the road it doesn’t look like much, and it was pretty easy to pass by. Finally, my curiosity (and the need for the next column) got the best of me, and we decided to give it a shot.

Driving from the street around to the entrance in the back transforms the property drastically. The building sits next to a small lake and waterfall. The building itself was built in 1745 and the waterfall originally ground the grain grown by local farmers. Surrounding the building, the lake edge is nicely landscaped, and apparently there are duck to feed if the weather’s nice. 

The layout is funky and chopped up, but it works with the theme of the restaurant originally being a grain mill. We were greeted at the door, and the trip to the table took a winding path back to a remote corner. Along the walk, I saw numerous tables with the ability to watch the waterfall, take in the landscaped surroundings, or look out over the lake. It’s a shame we didn’t eat there in daylight. It would have been better. 

Our waitress was much more friendly and energetic than our greeting at the front door, and we started to look over the menu. Amy saw reference to the salad bar first. She said something about it, and I immediately thought “Sweet, I haven’t been to a place with a salad bar in ages.” My next thought was that someone needs to bring an overhauled and updated salad bar back into restaurant fashion. I hoped this was it. The menu was simple and to the point. Amy went with the prime rib, and I went for the sirloin and stuffed shrimp combo. Both came with the salad bar. I also got some chowder, and Amy ordered the French onion soup. 

By this time I’m getting excited about the upcoming trip to the salad bar. The salad bar was nice, and has probably been sporting the same exact choices for the better part of the past 30 years. It is always nice to construct my salad without having to take forever cutting up vegetables like at home, and I can have all the black olives I want. Amy and I always come up with drastically different salads despite both eating the same exact salad at home with dinners. Tonight was no different. I would make the recommendation to the restaurant to change something up, rotate some ingredients, have a home made dressing or two, or add a selection of breads to bring some creativity to the salad bar.

On the way back from the salad bar, I noticed a lot of people eating fresh steamed lobster, and a huge tank of live lobsters. Had I noticed this before, it may have changed what I ordered. Primarily, I like ordering clam chowder because I like chowder, but I also like judging the same dish across a lot of places. Especially with chowder coming at the beginning of a meal, it’s fun to see where the chowder falls on the scale, and it sets a tone for the rest of the meal. The chowder at the restaurant was fine and I would be quite surprised if it was made in-house. It had that really thick gelatin like consistency that seems like it came "as is" off the food service truck. 

Between the salad, soup, and bread we were getting full before the food got there. Amy got the prime rib because its something we can’t make at home as easily. Hers came out a little more done than ordered, but it was good. My sirloin was also a little more done than ordered, and the shrimp were also a touch dry. I have a feeling that the stuffed shrimp began their journey a fair amount of time before my order got to the kitchen. 

The experience in general was good, and The Old Grist Mill Tavern has a rich history of satisfying diners for years. However, it could use a breath of change and updating to ensure that it continues to keep repeat customers coming back and draw in new ones. It has a cool location that is family friendly, ducks and all.  The view and atmosphere are nice, but some of the interior could use a little updating.  The menu was perfect for a steak and seafood place with the local twist, and the cost was reasonable. Amy and I left full and with a take home bag for under $75. Integrating the concept of freshness into the food and décor could bring some shine back to a Seekonk tradition.