For more than 30 years, Pat’s Kountry Kitchen anchored the busy intersection along Route 154 that is the gateway to the town of Old Saybrook. The family-run business, known especially for its clam hash, drew a loyal clientele year-round until it closed in 2013.
Except for a short-lived restaurant in the location, travelers have had no reason to stop at the free-standing building until this past June, when the doors reopened after a lengthy and complete renovation. Now, like Pat’s, Mystic Market Kitchen & Eatery is attracting a steady stream of customers who are choosing among the sandwiches, salads, soups and entrees available to eat in or take home.
Some customers are newcomers, while others are already familiar with the concept and menu from the sister markets in Mystic. Mystic Market East and Mystic Market West, serving the area for more than 20 years, offer up a smorgasbord of prepared foods, ready to heat and eat meals, snacks and packaged and jarred specialty foods, including those with the Mystic Market label.
The new location in Old Saybrook blends aspects from the Mystic shops with new features. The 5,000-square-foot building includes seating for 45 guests indoors and 18 more seats under red umbrellas on the front patio. A wall of refrigerated and frozen display cases store take-out foods ranging from cheeses, sauces and salad dressings to fresh pastas, entrees such as eggplant parmigiana, native cod with grilled vegetables and desserts.
A self-serve soup bar in the center of the shop carries six varieties daily. Display cases hold sandwiches, salads and other dishes.
“You can come in and grab a salad or sandwich and go or take more time to order, customize [a meal] and eat here,” says owner Charles Spathakis.
Spathakis hardly needed a new project. His company, Coastal Gourmet Catering, oversees the two Mystic shops, a large catering operation and the Aspen Restaurant in Old Saybrook, and also holds the food service contract at Mystic Seaport, where Spathakis launched Latitude 41 and Shipyard Tavern, a full-service restaurant with a seafood-heavy menu.
He couldn’t pass up the Saybrook location, which fit nicely with his idea for the business.
“I’m always looking for concepts for restaurants,” he says. “I had this concept in mind if I found the right location. I wanted a high-traffic location.” The address was perfect because “every knew Pat’s Kountry Kitchen,” and there is easy access to I-95 and Route 9.
The shop carries packaged and jarred foods, ranging from snacks and chips to the Mystic Market line of jams, mustards, sauces, olive oils and vinegars, but the focal point is the prepared food.
“My emphasis was always on the food we prepare because it’s what we do best,” Spathakis says. “I wanted to show the culinary aspect of what we do. I also wanted to make [the layout] very quick and efficient for customer service.”
The sandwich area offers grab-and-go varieties plus custom and artisanal creations such as the Thai Pig Out, with slow-roasted pork, pork belly, Thai peanut sauce and slaw. Panini choices include roasted portobello with fresh mozzarella, tomato, arugula and pesto mayo, and roast beef with Gorgonzola and black garlic aioli.
“Sandwiches are a big part of our business,” he says. “They’ve been a big hit. We have a special oven that heats and toasts artisan sandwiches in a minute.”
Market salads, including Mystic’s signature kale, mango and quinoa salad, along with smoked chicken, smoked baby back ribs and pulled pork, are sold by the pound.
“You can grab one-quarter pound of this and a half pound of that and make your own plate,” Spathakis says.
Prepared entrees are available either refrigerated or frozen.
“The [choices] in the merchandise cases run the gamut of all different styles of food,” he says.
Chicken quesadillas, spanakopita, spinach Florentine ravioli, eggplant parmigiana, crispy native cod with grilled vegetables and lasagna are on the menu. Chilled to-go main dishes serve two, while the frozen “family meals” feed four to six. Interspersed among the house-made entrees are foods that round out a meal, including cheeses, dips, sauces, garlic bread, gelato and desserts.
The espresso bar features Illy espresso, cappuccino and other drinks, Stumptown cold brew coffee and Capt’n Eli’s All Natural Root Beer. Scones, shortbread, biscotti, muffins and cookies complement the beverages. Spathakis plans to open for breakfast in the fall. The kitchen also offers catering services.
>>Mystic Market, at 70 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: mysticmarket.com and 860-661-5910.
