Dine Out: Kozy Nook feels and tastes like home

WESTPORT — I don’t have children to tag along for dinners out, but if I ever do, I know where I’ll be taking them.

The Kozy Nook — and the meals served there — feels like home.

Tucked away on the eastbound side of Route 6 in Westport, the Kozy Nook could be confused for a large barn with an overhang covering a patio.

Inside, the decor welcomes you into a country farm style that’s a bit dated. But it’s more endearing than a turnoff, kind of like returning home after years away with the understanding that a good meal awaited you.

Allyssa and I arrived on a Friday around 5:30 p.m. A hostess quickly seated us. Fortunately, we arrived before a rush. When we exited about an hour later, about a dozen people waited for tables.

Vinyl covered the booth’s seating. Diagonal positioned wood acted as dividers atop each booth, cementing the homey country feel.

The six-page dinner menu offered an array of options after Allyssa ordered a watermelon margarita (tequila, watermelon pucker and sour mix) and I elected for a Blue Moon.

Beyond the quantity of options, the value of the items shot off the page. It’s difficult to find an item priced at more than $11.99, with plenty of options coming in at $9.99 or less.

I skipped over the “appetizer” page and found a starter within the “sandwich” page. A yellow star stuck beside the Coney Island dogs designating a house special.

Forgetting the fact that hot dogs were listed as a sandwich, for $5.99, how could we not try them? The Kozy Nook Classic came with two hot dogs topped with mustard, onions and a “top-secret Coney Island sauce.” Fries were included.

As we took a little more time to browse for our entrees, we saw sandwiches, burgers, pizza and even stir fry on the menu. A plate of fish and chips ($9.99) arrived in the booth across the room, looking hearty and delicious.

Allyssa debated between the steak tip sandwich ($10.99), marinated sirloin tips, sauteed onions and peppers served on a torpedo roll; and the chicken cacciatore ($9.99), chicken sauteed with mushrooms, onions and bell peppers in marinara sauce served over linguine.

The thought of her mother’s cacciatore pushed Allyssa toward the chicken dish.

I debated the Buffalo chicken pizza ($9.99), but went with a different hot chicken in Buffalo chicken mac and cheese ($8.99).

Garlic bread accompanied both our plates. I added a side Caesar salad for $2.59.

The sight of summer arrived, despite the frigid temperatures outside, when the dogs arrived.

They appeared a bit out of place on a January night on a plain glass plate. Onions sprinkled atop the Coney Island sauce reminded me of snow more than ballpark franks. Mustard lined the side of the buns. Nonetheless they were welcomed.

The hot dogs tasted like hot dogs. The sauce didn’t inspire anything special. It was a bit dry. It tasted more like dry chili than a sauce. They were fine, just not as transformative as I hoped from a “Kozy Nook favorite.” I also wish the buns had been toasted.

The bar rose as the meal progressed, though.

Allyssa and I both really enjoyed the Caesar salad, which also was a Kozy Nook favorite. The dressing had a bit of a kick to it. I couldn’t get enough, especially when you included a crunchy crouton.

As we finished each plate, our friendly waitress was right there to take it from our table. She was extremely pleasant throughout our dinner.

Our entrees arrived soon after we finished the salad. The appearance matched everything about the Kozy Nook. They looked as though mom just took them out of the oven — or the crock pot in Allyssa’s case.

A breadstick cut in half lined each side of the chicken cacciatore. The chicken had been cut into smaller pieces, allowing for enjoyable bites of the sauce, mushrooms, onions, pepper and chicken.

After her first bite, Allyssa admitted this dish topped her mom’s (Sorry Sue!).

The sauce was sweet. The chicken was tender. The veggies were cooked well. Combined, they tasted like a day’s worth of work served to us in a matter of minutes.

My mac and cheese mimicked the photo on the menu. The golden-brown cracker crumb topping fused with melted cheese atop elbow-shaped macaroni. The cheese baked on top of the noodles insulated the bowl.

Buffalo sauce infused the cheese, making for a delicious bite. I often feel let down by Buffalo mac and cheese, but this one stood due to this factor. It was spicy, but not too much.

The mac and cheese combination highlighted the dish. The chicken was tender and cooked well, but though it was breaded, that offered no crunch.

The highlight of the plate was a scoop that included cheese, macaroni, chicken and the crunchy cracker crumbs.

The portions were large enough that we each took some home for another meal.

We did leave room for dessert, though, as I spotted — my favorite — a brownie sundae ($4.99).

It didn’t disappoint. The brownie was cake-like, so the dessert was lighter than had it been a fudge brownie. After our meals, it was a perfect ending.

The ratio was of ice cream to brownie was spot on, too.

When the check arrived, the tab jumped out at me. A mixed drink, a beer, an appetizer, two entrees, a side salad and a dessert totaled $49.28 before tip.

It may not be the hippest or trendiest place along the SouthCoast, but for homestyle value, it’s difficult to envision a better spot.

Kozy Nook

Style: Home style

Address: 645 State Road, Westport

Hours: Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sundays 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Handicapped access: Yes

Credit cards: Yes

Reservations: No

Phone: (508) 675-5455

Online: http://www.kozynook.com/

Food 3.5

Service: 5

Atmosphere: 2

Cleanliness: 5

Price/Value: 5

 Dine Out's reviewer visits restaurants unannounced and at his or her discretion. The newspaper pays for the meals reviewed. The reviews merely reflect one diner's experience. Ratings range from 1 to 5 stars.