By Kristian Fearon ’25
If you are a seafood lover, especially boils, and you crave fresh, flavorful seafood, then Hook And Reel Cajun & Seafood Bar is the place for you. In January, I went to enjoy dinner at Hook and Reel, and wasn’t disappointed one bit. Located at 385 Boston Post Road, in Orange, Connecticut, and owned by David Chen, this restaurant operates seven days a week.
The atmosphere was very chill and had an under-the-sea, pirate setting which I was very fond of. It fit the type of food served very well. During my visit the restaurant was very quiet, most likely because of the time of day I went. The size of this restaurant was relatively big. I ordered two things, one was crab fries as an appetizer. I enjoyed them, but they could’ve been better. The fries were very crispy and the sauce on top had a Cajun taste, but the seafood I believe was imitation crab, which I wasn’t very fond of. If I were to go back, this is something I wouldn’t order again.
My second food item was a seafood boil as the entree. This was the highlight of the night and the specialty of the restaurant. At Hook and Reel, you can choose from a variety of different sauces to have poured over your boil. Customers get to choose the spice level and add what they want inside. My boil consisted of one pound of snow crab legs, 0.5 pounds of shrimp, 0.5 pounds of scallops, a lobster tail, two boiled eggs, potatoes, and corn on the cob. This is all thrown into a bag and tossed around until the sauce touches all the food. The sauce option I selected was “Original Cajun.” This sauce description was, of “The O.G sauce with a hint of spice from cayenne, paprika and green onion.” I was very excited and ready to eat when my food arrived at the table. The smell of the seasoning was very strong and pleasing. My portion was more than enough; I had enough food to eat the next day. I tasted all the flavors mentioned, everything was very strong and flavorful. The overall quality of the food was excellent, and the seafood was fresh and seasoned very well.
The overall atmosphere at Hook & Reel was casual and inviting, perfect for a relaxed meal. The pirate-inspired decor made it feel like a fun, seafood-lover’s spot. Service was quick and friendly, and my food arrived in a timely manner. I had an excellent waitress, she was very attentive to me, though she had other parties to attend to. My server made sure everything was up to par and I was satisfied the whole time. The only downside of the night I would say was the crab fries, which could have been better. My favorite part of the meal was definitely the seafood boil, which was fresh, flavorful, and completely customizable. Being able to pick the seafood, add-ins, spice level, and sauce made for a great experience. It really lived up to the full expectation. I would definitely recommend Hook & Reel to anyone who loves seafood boils and enjoys bold, Cajun-inspired flavors. If you’re looking for a casual dining experience with high-quality seafood, this is the place to go. I’ll definitely be returning for another boil soon.
The Raider Press 