"She's got a set of gills, like no fish I've ever seen Long…read moreblonde hair and a tail in between I'm in love with a creature from the sea And she's bringin' out the crustacean in me " (Jimmy Buffett) To The Gills brings "fresh hand cut seafood to Litchfield County, CT". They share a funky space with New Curds on the Block cheese shop in an old brick mill building. We climbed a rickety wood staircase in the back of the building to get into the shops. Don't enter through the front of the building or you'll end up in a karate dojo. They sell super fresh fish and shellfish - Atlantic Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna, Black Sea Bass (MA). Blackfish, Sardines, Pink Shrimp, Scallops, Soft Shell Crabs, Steamers, Littleneck Clams, Gem Clams, PEI Mussels, and Crab Cakes. You can order online and pick up at their Oakville Shop, Bantam Farmer's Market, or Washington Depot Farmer's Market. We swung by yesterday and had a hard time deciding what to buy. I was tempted by the soft-shell crabs because I never had them before. But ultimately, I chickened out and went for three of their big crab cakes. They were $7 each and worth every dime. They weighed in at 4 ounces and were PACKED with crab meat and very little breading or filling. A few minutes in the air fryer at 350 and they were as good as any I've ever had. As I said, they share retail space with the New Curds on the Block cheese shop (after all, the two owners are married), and after we bought the crab cakes, a wedge of Dutch Knuckle cheese, a tin of smoked mussels, some addictive Maple Toffee Almonds, all of the purchases rang up on a combined receipt.

ORIGIN: Zachary Redin, with fifteen years as an Institute of…read moreCulinary Education-trained chef and fishmonger, opened To the Gills in 2022. The shop's name refers to an idiom that is used to express something being completely full. CONCEPT: The shop provides a curated collection of seafood, and associated seasonings, to Litchfield County. LOCATION: To the Gills shares a second floor corner suite with a cheese shop and knife sharpener. The suite is located in a building that long served as the site for Seymour Smith garden tool manufacturing. AMBIANCE: The shop is decorated with many unique items, such as an old cash register and oven. Tremendous windows line the time-worn brick walls of the former factory which had been built in the early 20th century. FOOD: The shop sells custom poke bowls and prepared chowder, crab cakes, and seaweed salad for quick meals. Shellfish, fin fish, smoked fish, and seafood seasonings are also sold, including uncommonly found fish such as parrot fish. SERVICE: Service is friendly and knowledgeable. TIPS: To the Gills also sells through the Washington Farmers' Market during warm weather Saturdays. There is no seating in the building, but there is a gazebo with two outdoor dining chairs and a side table in the parking lot. Neighboring Steel Creek has a bench overlooking the bridge. There is no elevator in the building. The second floor can be reached via an outdoor ramp that stretches across one side of the L-shaped building. To the Gills periodically serves raw oysters at neighboring Lasting Brass Brewery. Check the brewery's event calendar. To the Gills occasionally arranges informative events at the shop. In November I participated in a caviar tasting event in which eight different fish roes that are sold at the shop were featured and their provenance described. Follow the shop's Instagram account for future event announcements. A cheese shop (New Curds on the Block) and blade/knife sharpener are located in same suite.

Great variety, fresh seafood! Excellent oysters excellent clams. I also took some pictures because…read morethey have prepared meals as well! The restaurant restaurant I used to work for orders all their seafood from them and I can see why, best quality in the area!

Everything was great! So clean and organized. Fish and chips are definitely best around I highly…read morerecommend. Also seafood salad and coleslaw are my favorite too.Staff and owner are very nice and attentive.I will be going back very soon

Somehow I've never been inside here even tho I live and work close by and it was such a refreshing…read morechange. The hot ready to take food area had a great selection and all looked appealing and tasted pretty good too. The service was nice, and atmosphere was easy going. Nice little store.

Great hot bar. Lots of sales. A great small market. I shop here almost everyday. They bake thier…read moreown bread,muffins and rolls.

"Give me one second, I'll pose for your picture Like cheese,…read morecheese, cheese, cheese" (Snoop Dogg) We registered for and attended a "Meet the Maker" seminar at the Simsbury Library with Kate Truini-Redin of New Curds on the Block. (What a super cool name, don't you agree?) Kate is a "cheese monger", an awesome name for a cheese expert, and she shares her expertise of the New England cheese industry through educational appearances and her own cheese and seafood store in Oakville. So, if you want an expertly made cheese board and shrimp cocktails for your next party, look no further than a trip to Oakville. Kate was a delight. A very gifted, funny, and knowledgeable speaker who shared a ton of information on tasting, pairing, buying, and entertaining with cheese. We sampled five types of cheese and enjoyed Kate's information all five. #1 was a Milky White from Rowland Farms in Oxford, CT. It was in the "Fresh Cheese" family and was soft, spreadable, and without a rind. It was very mild and seemed like it would go with just about any food or drink. Kate warned us that these "Fresh Cheeses" have a very short shelf life, so use them up quickly. #2 was a Crema Alpina from Highlawn Farms in Lee, MA, and was an example of the "Washed Rind" cheese family. That means its orange rind is "washed" to discourage mold growth. It had a strong scent and taste, leading to some funny comments from the crowd - "Smells like a barnyard, stinky foot, and a gym bag" It had a savory earthy taste, and Kate recommended serving with cured meats. #3 was a very popular semi-firm Cornerstone from Cato Corner Farm in Colchester, CT. Kate told us that the cheese's gold color is a direct result of the kerotene ingested by the grazing cows in Cato's grass pastures. #4 was a Gray cheese. Those are a hard, firm, and crumbly cheese made in the style of old-time British cheddars. Some of the tasting noted from the audience included "nutty and butterscotch" #5 was the most polarizing sample of the night, because Blue Cheese is not universally loved. We sampled Middlebury Blue from the Blue Ledge Farm in Salisbury, Vermont. We learned that... yes, the blue veins in the cheese and on the rind are indeed evidence of mold. The comments from the crowd were hysterical - "it smells like the inside of a taxicab", "it smells like a lost pair of headphones", and it tastes like "chewing on a cigarette". Personally, I like blue cheese and though the Middlebury Blue ranked fairly high on the "strong meter", I enjoyed my sample and the one my wife passed to me. We can't wait to visit her store and order a cheese platter for Thanksgiving 2025.

Kate, it's a tremendous pleasure to have met you! What a phenomenal shop!! Thanks for introducing…read moreme to your Black Ledge Blue, the 3 Milk Gouda and the scrumptious Cachal...o-something, I cant recall the name but your suggestion was on point for my tastes!! I wish you endless success and hope this review reaches the other wine and cheese loving masses. New Curds has my highest recommendation! 10/10 will shop here again!!!

This supermarket serves many ethnicities! There's some foods I've never heard of, but I'm sure it's…read morecommon in other people's household! Definitely has different variety from your local Stop & Shop/ShopRite! Lighting is nice and bright. They also have cooked Spanish food! If u come after 5pm they sell it for less! I don't buy raw meats from here, bc of my 1 experience w. The wings! They seemed small, broken & on a diet! So I stick to S&S meat section! They do offer to bring u home free of charge, if ur order is over $150.00 !! But I have seen ppl waiting for this free cab, so it's not just instant!prices r average!

Excellent store. Big. Has a little bit of everything. Can find just about any kind of food.read more

Really good fresh fried seafood in a non-coastline city!…read more First I'm not really sure how to describe Paul's. It's not a food truck but its too big to be a food cart. Food trailer? Is that even a thing? Well whatever it is, there is no denying that the seafood is fresh. I was impressed as I watched the owner cleaning the shrimp that he was about to cook! Everything is done fresh, so be prepared for a little wait if there are others ahead of you. No patience, well call ahead! Problem solved. Lol. As far as taste, it was good but could have used a little dash of salt to bring out more of the seafood's flavor. Gotta love the taste if fresh seafood! The only con was the Styrofoam container. It captured the steam from the freshly cooked food and turned the crispy fried seafood soft. So let the steam out and don't let it sit too long! Definitely plan to go back and try more. It is a small menu, which gives attention to each item, and that is why the food is done so well!

Although they serve other food items their seafood boils are definitely the star of the show. I…read morehave been coming here for several years and the waitstaff is always great as well as the ambience.

My first time eating an experience, a seafood boil! I had a couple friends recommended it to me…read morefor my first time experience. I'm glad I did and I sat inside in the waitress was amazing. The ambience was very quiet and chilled, but we are also went there probably around 3 o'clock on a weekend. I went back again and got takeout, but I definitely do recommend this place and it was super delicious. Everything was so flavorful and it came out super quick. I already have been back here at least twice and now I know that I like seafood :)

Dined at Aldo's Italian in Middlebury tonight. Seated by the bar at a high-top--fine, but no bread…read moreor dipping oil unless you beg for it. Bartender poured me a 'hard cider' that tasted like dark beer; wife's martini was basically olive brine. Had to nudge for grated cheese and hot pepper flakes in my pasta fazool--they never showed. Calamari appetizer was spot on, seafood fra diavolo divine, chicken Francese superb. Service? Rude, accented staff, one bloke nearly bowled me over. Cappuccino and dessert saved the evening, but barely. Three stars--food shines, everything else drags.

This restaurant/wine bar has become a favorite for myself/friends because of their 'Happy Hour'…read moreschedule( 3-6PM). Menu during this time offers a variety of food /beverage selections at mire than reasonable prices. We prefer to sit in the bar area . Service is very good and ambience welcoming. The full restaurant menu is quite extensive. Service prompt & attentive. Owner Erald Menalla has done a great job here!

Stopped in for hot and sweet Italian sausage to make sandwiches, and La Molisana came through. The…read moresausage was outstanding; one rope made four loaded sandwiches, and the flavor was incredible. Friendly, fast service and a classic old-school Italian market feel. You can tell this family business takes pride in what they do. I'll definitely be back.

The Best, I only go to the market but, I buy it locally in waterbury, watertown, and and Bethlehem,…read moregreat quality, always consistent and lovely staff