Last night, a charitable organization I belong to (if you work in the insurance industry anywhere…read morein the US or Canada and want to know more about it, message me), held a big fundraiser here for the Arthur C. Luf Children's Burn Camp. For many years, we held this gala at the Aquaturf Club, but in an effort to switch things up, this year's board wanted to try a new venue. I have to say, I'm very glad they did so, because my first experience with The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station was a very positive one. The building is gorgeous, the entry foyer and grand staircase are impressive, the banquet room can hold 300 and it is beautiful, the servers and bartenders were wonderful, the view from the big rear balcony is stellar, and the food was excellent. We had 130 guests who started off the evening with a big hors d'oeuvres station of tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, balsamic prosciutto and artichokes, and a hot crab dip served with crackers and rye toasts. The ribbons of prosciutto and artichokes were excellent, but the crab dip stole the show. When the main food stations opened up, there was plenty - a carving station with ham and turkey with salads and rolls to make a sandwich, and a penne station with terrific green and quinoa salads. I loved the sound system too -when our speakers took the podium, the sound was excellent and filled the room easily. We had a wonderful time at the Riverhouse, and I hope we hold next year's function here again.

Sadly, this is a tale of unfulfilled potential. What could have been a true destination spot for…read moreweddings and special occasions has unfortunately only succeeded in becoming a somewhat fancy social hall. Situated adjacent to the Connecticut River, this location has beautiful views of the river that should have been the backdrop for a place to remember when hosting weddings and other important events. Too bad the designers decided to not go all out on the interior design. The main room is basically one large, open space with little charm or character. Bulky, dark and brown-colored chandeliers light the hall- my wife remarked that it looks like something out of a scene from "Game of Thrones". Crystal chandeliers would have brightened the space and made it more magical. The space itself could have been designed to make it feel more intimate, by using partial partitions and half-walls to subdivide the hall into smaller units. And the rest of the interior decor was minimal at best- unremarkable window treatments and other decorative effects. This place could have been something very special- if only more thought had been put into the final design.

I attended a benefit dinner for Social Chase foundation supporting young teens on the Autism…read morespectrum. Amazing cause. This venue was very impressive with large banquet hall area. The grounds were very nice overlooking Lakewood. I wasn't familiar with that side of the lake. Very photogenic Food and service were excellent as well. Big area to set up live bands with large dance floor. Very ample parking.

I went to this venue for a wedding reception. I live in Waterbury but I had never heard of it. It…read morewas easy to get to and parking was great. The grounds were absolutely beautiful. Inside was gorgeous as well. The set up was stunning and I loved the lounge while we waited to enter the main room. I'm not sure if they provided the decor but it was top tier. The food was delicious(even though I didn't take a lot of photos). The drinks were amazing. I wish I got the name of the bartender in the hall area, she was so spot on with every drink I ordered. The customer service was top tier. The servers were very kind and attentive to all our needs. The stressed to know about allergies and preferences, which was impressive. I've gone to conferences where allergies were treated carelessly and people got sick. So I really appreciated them constantly checking in. The tables were cleared immediately after you were done. The servers were very accommodating when asked for additional things as well. Looks of gorgeous areas to take photos. The area we were in was wheelchair and disabled accessible which was great. The bathrooms were nice and clean as well. I had a great time and would highly recommend and love to come again.

I got married a few weeks ago on 8/20/21 at the Branford House in Groton CT, and Emily's catering…read moremade our event absolutely incredible. My family has used Emily's quite a few times now for big events... The first being my high school graduation party, as well as my dad's 50th Surprise party. When it came to finding a caterer for my wedding, there was no one else that came close to the quality / value / attention to detail that Emily's Catering provides. Food is a big deal for my large Italian / Irish family, so we wanted to go "all out" and Emily's made it possible. My husband and I were able to pick up to 8 different Hors d'oeuvres to be passed out during the cocktail hour (most places only allow you to pick 2-3). The appetizers were not only delicious, but also extremely unique and fun! Some of the apps even came with a mini cocktail pairing! For example, the quesadilla app came with a mini don julio margarita! How fun is that?! My guests are still raving about the cocktail hour. We did a plated dinner with four different options, Chicken, Steak, Red Snapper or Portobello Mushroom (Vegetarian). Again, most places seem to limit you to only three options. We just kept getting more bang for our buck!! The portions were extremely generous and the flavors were to die for. We also had a late night pizza station, as well as ice cream bar / coffee station. I swear, my guests were just STUNNED by the fantastic variety. Emily's Catering surpassed our expectations. Essentially, my family and I were able to have a "baller" wedding for a reasonable price. The investment was well worth every penny and my husband and I could not be happier. Rick and Cheryl are highly professional individuals and a joy to work with. They made the stressful wedding process easy and we experienced top notch customer service the entire time. We will be using Emily for ALL of our important events in the future. If you are debating hiring Emily's for your next event, do it! You will NOT regret it.

Emily's did a fantastic job catering my son's wedding! The hors d'oeuvres were a hit! Excellent…read morepresentation. My favorite were the fried artichokes and truffle fries. I was very impressed with the service. My pet peeve is dirty dishes sitting in front of people and that did not happen! The wedding cake was delicious. White homemade cake with a light strawberry cream. My only suggestion would be to have had someone to serve all the pies. It was kind of awkward having to do it yourself. I definitely recommend Emily's for your next event.

Wethersfield DORO when busy can lose track of orders. My guest finishes her lunch and I had to go…read moreback twice to find my sandwich.

DORO catered our wedding in August 2024. Everything was perfect from start to finish. They helped…read moreus build a menu, set up a private tasting, and provided excellent service on the day of the event. Molly and Mia were extremely easy to work with! Our guests raved about the food and the paella station during cocktail hour was a big hit! Would highly recommend to anyone planning a wedding.

Lovley location wonderful staff, this is a business functioning like a family, they care about your…read moreevent and my daughters wedding was amazing... Outdoor ceremony with a nice bridesmaids cottage for preparation... The appetizers and dinner were fabulous overlooking the lake... a very special day/night with high expectations, all of which were met by a friendly caring staff. Thanks Shelby! James & Annelise

Our 2018 wedding was absolutely perfect at Pavilion on Crystal Lake. CT Wedding Group are the best…read morewedding planners you can ask for - and the food served is incredible! We still have guests to this day who rave about how amazing the food was!! The staff decorates everything so well and does a great job incorporating your floral arrangements with some of the decor they have in-house. When the bridal party was off taking photos, the staff brought over cocktails & all the passed hors d'oeuvres so that we all could enjoy and didn't miss cocktail hour! The staff here is truly on their A game and makes your wedding day run smoothly. Definitely puts you at ease as the bride! Couldn't recommend them more!

Thanks to Lisa Cole, our recent beachfront wedding in Old Saybrook came off without a hitch…read more The bride and groom were in Chicago, I was in New Jersey, and we could not arrive at the venue until the actual rehearsal. In a less organized and experienced person's hands, this could have gone so very wrong.... Instead, when I arrived, the tent looked perfect, the staff was running around tending to last minute details, and Lisa was a calmly organizing things. The next day was really lovely. And, since I knew Lisa had everything under control, I was totally able to enjoy being with family and friends. The food was a-mazing. The wait-staff were delightful, and seriously, everything went perfectly. Even the threat of a thunderstorm petered out and all our contingency planning was unneeded. Two of the guests at the wedding are planning big events in the next year, and they already asked me for Lisa's contact info, so I guess that's the best endorsement she could ask for....

Lisa Cole of Inspired Catering is exactly who you want on your side to create, plan and execute…read moreyour event. She is generous, meticulous and makes sure that your party will be pure perfection - without a single headache. And her team is equally amazing. THANK you Lisa! We love working with you at the Hartford Symphony Orchestra!

This spot is one stop show for all your wedding and party needs. They have a church, party venue…read moreand a beautiful setting for outdoor photos. I attended recently for a 16th birthday and was impressed at both the room and the food that was served. The ceilings are high and there are plenty of space for where the dance floor is located and seating. There is one bar tucked away off to the right side of the room which we had no trouble finding The look was not dated as some of the other ones in the area had but i will say that the bathroom could use some update. All in all a great venue.

I've been to quite a few weddings here, and I have to say the service can use a lot of work. The…read morevenue is beautiful, but working with the staff is a challenge. The view that you get from the outside is gorgeous and the inside interior looks great. While working with a few of the families getting married, I noticed that the staff wasn't as present on the day of. They advertise that they are very involved but are not. Basically you will need to prep and take care of everything yourself. Overall a solid experience.

This place is the latest addition (a month or so) to an old mall here in East Hartford. It is a…read morecombination of takeout Jamaican food and a bakery. There is no social media presence and can be hard to find online. The menu is not even available. There is nothing printed either. In fact, the menu is the name tag above the item for sale. For prices and sizes, you will just have to ask. I am doing takeout and having a homemade drink just like I did during the roughest part of the lockdown. For my drink, I am making a JAMAICAN DAUQUIRI. It consists of 2 OZ APPLETON ESTATE SIGNATURE (40% ABV), 0.75 OZ of FRESH LIME JUICE, 0.50 OZ SIMPLE SYRUP (OR DEMERARA (a non-centrifugal cane sugar is the technical name given to traditional raw sugar obtained by evaporating water from sugarcane) and garnish with a lime twist (well, not today). Add all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime twist. This is a very good drink. Appleton Estate Signature is a fruit forward expression with aromas and flavour notes of dried apricot, fresh peach and a subtle hint of sweet molasses. It does finish serenely, as it started. TERROIR, the Appleton Estate, deep in the middle of Jamaica's Nassau Valley, began perfecting their complex rum-making over 271 years ago in 1749! Surrounded by densely forested limestone hills, the region's topography makes for a rum unlike any other. As for ageing, spirits age quicker in tropical climates than cooler ones. This means that the flavour of our rums develops at a quicker pace. The company does adhere to strict minimum ageing guidelines which means that the age statement on a bottle refers to the youngest drop of rum in that blend. One other thing, it is crafted with Jamaican limestone-filtered water and has NO added flavors. I think Campari owns the brand too. I am using Roses's Sweetened Lime Juice (since I have no fresh lime juice), but's it is low calorie and dies the job. For my Simple Syrup (water, sugar and lactic acid). I use Stirrings (est. in 1997 in Nantucket, Massachusetts; I think Sazerac owns it). For my meal, I am having the goat curry with (a lot of...) rice and beans, fried green plantains and steamed cabbage. This is A huge portion, but costs around $18 after tax and tip. To kick it up a notch, I'm adding some Sontaya Mango Habanero. Green plantains can have a hard texture. Food is real food. I almost forgot to take a picture! The goat meat is surprisingly (mostly) boneless. Now, the dessert is a piece of pineapple cake . It is enormous and costs around $9. The business is owned by two partners, one of which owns the right side (restaurant) and the other owns the right side (bakery). The frosting is very light and the pineapple sauce tastes real good. A few seconds on the microwave will soften up the frosting. Overall, it is very good!

This is a new Jamaican restaurant in the East Hartford area and I was so excited to this place. I…read morereally enjoy a place in Vernon, so when I saw that this place was right in town I wanted to try it. I ordered oxtails with rice and peas with cabbage and a side of sweet plantains. The oxtails had good flavor. I know sometimes you can get some fattier pieces but I felt like their meat was mostly fatty. The rice and peas had that nice coconut flavor I enjoy but the rice needed to be a little bit more tender. This meal cost me a little over $16 which I feel is over priced. I can't say this place is great or bad. I'm neutral because I do believe they have more than one cook and this could of been a bad day. They don't offer typical Jamaican baked goods like coco bread and patties if that's what you're looking for. Some items that they cooked wasn't even on a burner to keep warm but wrapped in foil. This could cause food borne illness.