Comforts and a cuppa at the Steaming Kettle

June 03, 2015 12:00 am • Last Updated: June 03, 2015 4:22 pm

There’s something enticing about a café called The Steaming Kettle. Tucked on the upper half of State Street in New London, this little lunchtime oasis offers the weary pedestrian some peace, quiet and simple but well-crafted eats.

The majority of the Steaming Kettle menu is sandwiches catering to a breakfast and lunch crowd, though the café is open until 5 pm., a welcome gesture in a town that generally quits serving lunch at 2 p.m. Some of us are late lunchers, after all. An intriguing addition to the sandwich boards, though, is the option to create your own smoothies from a list of bases (whole milk, almond milk and soy milk among others), fruits and veggies, and add-on boosters like flaxseed, turmeric and ginger. A selection of coffees (medium and dark roasts, plus decaf), teas, and limited baked goods are ready for those just looking for a quick gas-up.

But as a gal of simple tastes, I like eggs for breakfast and sampled the breakfast panini ($5) on a recent visit. Served on grilled ciabatta, this mix of eggs, caramelized onions, peppers and cheddar cheese (and, technically, served with a choice of bacon or sausage, but I went without) was a scrumptious hit that I’d gladly order again. Peppers and onions just wake up the basic goodness of a protein-rich egg, and all of the above tastes even better on good, grilled bread.

With the same order, I added the Kettle Salad ($7; add chicken for $3) to bring home to accompany dinner. This bountiful veg-fest held up beautifully until later in the day and made a great side dish to the evening’s home-made pizza. Seven dollars may seem steep, but what you get is a generous mix of greens, cucumbers, onions, carrots, thinly sliced tomato (my preference) and a side of very yummy house dressing — a citrus-y balsamic mixture. Two of us made a dent but had plenty of salad left over for later night snacking.

During my first lunchtime visit, it took me a few minutes to select a sandwich from the handful of promising options. My first choice was the Lemon Chicken sandwich ($8) on the Signature Sandwiches menu, but at 2:30 p.m. on a weekday, the kind gentleman behind the counter informed me that the café was sold out of chicken. Mildly disappointed, I went with my second choice: curried chicken salad sandwich on the Café Sandwiches menu ($7). Based on the menu description, my second choice still looked fabulous. Per the menu, this chicken salad is prepared with pineapple, almonds, celery, onion, water chestnuts and a “splash” of coconut milk. Yummy, right? Well, almost. I was expecting a chunkier salad on bread meant to hold a chunky salad. While the chicken salad mixture was moderately flavorful, it was a little too light on chicken and too heavy on the creamy base for my humble taste, and the wheat bread I selected was nothing special from the grocery store. I’m not sure I encountered a water chestnut at all, but maybe they were chopped thin. The recipe holds massive potential, so I suspect a more skilled hand would prepare a better batch on future visits. The hearty serving of lightly dressed salad greens that accompanies all sandwiches was a nice touch, though.

On another lunch visit, I finally got my Lemon Chicken sandwich ($8), and I’m glad I did. I love all things lemon and this is another warm sandwich served on grilled ciabatta bread — a good start. Packed with grilled chicken, roasted red pepper (which I skipped), caramelized onion and lemon zest, this sandwich is very tasty and, alongside the side salad, perfectly filling (read: one isn’t stuffed after lunch).

As an add-on that day, though, I had selected a cup of the soup of the day: kale and white bean ($3.50; $4.50 for a bowl). I’m on a campaign to incorporate more veggies into my diet and here was a chance to go for the gusto with super-food kale. This is hearty, healthy stuff for sure, and as it turns out, this soup is not for the casual connoisseur of kale. It’s loaded with the stuff and packs quite a green wallop for the uninitiated. Still, its broth-y base and touch of what was perhaps fennel were appealing, although I could’ve dealt with more white beans in the mix, which also included carrots.

For my last lunch sampling, I went with a classic: a Turkey Club sandwich ($8), complete with carved turkey, bacon and lettuce and tomato. I forgot to ask what my bread options were and ended up with unremarkable white bread, but the presentation — neatly divided, triple-decker hunks — and good quality turkey made for a satisfying choice on a big-appetite day. (Despite my best efforts, I could not finish it. Two people could share this and be happily sated.) A generous (and appreciated) portion of salad accompanied the sandwich once again.

In signage in its charming café space, the staff at the Steaming Kettle note that their intention is to offer customers good, healthy food. I appreciate the sentiment and welcome any establishment that can nudge me along the path to better eating. Maybe next time I visit the Steaming Kettle, I’ll try my kale in strawberry smoothie form!