A Sound Brunch

Looking for a good brunch in Westport?

Splash is the obvious go-to. It's got plentiful outdoor seating and the location at Inn at Longshore feels special. Oh, yes, and it's one of just two Westport restaurants located on the Sound. (The other, Positano's doesn't do Sunday brunch.)

I knew the meal would be a happy experience on a recent visit when our waitress immediately offered us a complimentary mimosa, kir royale, or glass of champagne. (Really, how disappointing can any dining be when it begins with champagne?) We went for the mimosas, which were top-notch.

It's buffet-only on Sundays here and you'd best wear your walking shoes because you'll be covering some territory to get to the food. The buffet is set up in part of the hotel, so every time you go back for the next round, you'll need to weave your way through the crowded dining room, past the bar, through the foyer and into the hotel.

But it's worth it.

The food overall was quite good, if not, well, hot. Splash offers an omelet/pasta/carving station, a selection of cheeses and breads, a few salads and the standard breakfast fare. The line being intimidating long over at the omelets, (one frustrated woman even reached over and served herself an omelet while the cook was MIA), I started with the eggs benedict and French toast. 

Eggs Benedict is hard to pull off at a buffet. Inevitably, they're just warm or room temperature and it's a dish that needs to be eaten hot. This was the case here as Splash's chafing dishes seemed tepid. Despite the temperature, theirs was a solid, traditional benedict with a nice béarnaise. The French toast, along with the thin, crispy bacon went fast in my group, probably because it tasted as sweet and fried as a warm doughnut smothered in maple syrup.  Topped with the fresh blackberries and raspberries, it was hard to beat.

On to round two.

There was so much to choose from, it was hard to settle in on a theme. There were pastas with alfredo, marinara or vodka sauce, a very rare prime rib, and a small raw bar. Across the way was an assortment of salads, which might have been my favorite part of the buffet. The Caesar was rich and creamy, the simple green salad was dressed with a sweet rice vinaigrette and the beets with goat cheese were nicely cooked – not too soft, not too crisp. Only the Chinese chicken salad was underwhelming. Slightly flat, it could have used a dash of vinegar to brighten it up.

The raw shellfish were nicely done. Splash served an array of clams, muscles and oysters, with cocktail sauce and a lighter vinaigrette. I particularly enjoyed the muscles which were topped with a finely chopped salsa of tomato and onion.

There were a few odd offerings such as the deviled eggs and meatballs in gravy. The meatballs, served atop rice, actually tasted better than they looked. Maybe it was a nod to Westport's large Swedish population, but it didn't really fit with the rest.

Visually, the buffet looked somewhat picked over. The cheese spread was sparse and uninviting. The dessert table also was diminished by the empty dish of tiramisu and a few plates with only small chunks of pie left on them. Not many of the sweets were worth the calories. The very eggy crème caramel is to be avoided and the rest of the cakes are fairly run-of-the mill. The strawberry shortcake, served like a 3-layer cake was the best of the lot.

Service at our table was exemplary, but the buffet room seemed to be understaffed. I felt for the poor guy whipping up omelets, pastas and carving slices of roast beef.  If the buffet workers had a bit more help and were able to replenish the serving plates more frequently, the Sunday experience would have been even better. 

All in all, Splash delivered a solid effort to live up to the setting. We left happy, full and content. And, in what is maybe the most important indicator of a successful brunch, we didn't eat for the rest of the day.

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Splash

260 Compo Rd. South

203 454-7798

www.decarorestaurantgroup.com

Sunday brunch: 11 – 4 pm.

Adults: $30

Children: $15

(Includes one champagne drink or juice.)

Major credit cards accepted.