Overton’s

Come by car, come by boat; there is a broad parking lot and there are berths. And there is a breezy deck out over the water to which you tote your tray and dine picnic-style to the sound of waves lapping against hulls and pilings. Located at water’s edge near the East Norwalk Boating and Yacht Club, Overton’s is an eat-in-the-rough shack with a menu of Yankee summertime fare.

The most expensive dish, when available, is a lobster roll at just under $20. It is a nice one, if not one of the greats. A warm heap of good-size chunks and shreds are gilded with nothing but melted butter and piled into a split-top bun. The lobster tastes fine, but the big pieces could be plumper and juicier. Whole-belly clams can be pricey, too, and it does seem odd to be spending the better part of a sawbuck to eat in so déclassé a setting, but these are good clams: big and oceanic, pretty darn gooey, cased in a well-seasoned crust. At about half the price, you can get clam strips, which do have some flavor if none of the good mouth feel.

Nearly every summertime seafood joint in the Northeast serves a hot dog for fish frowners, and while Overton’s dog with the works (bacon, cheese, chili, and onion) is fun in a nasty sort of way, the dog itself is not memorable. It is a modest pork-and-beef Hummel brand frank that comes in an unwarmed, bready bore of a bun. Condiments are limited to mustard, ketchup, and sweet relish. A lively hot relish and a buttered, grill-toasted bun would help give this wiener a personality.

Soft serve ice cream is a specialty, but if it’s ice cream you crave, look up the street to a stand called Mr. Frosty’s, which has an even more extensive menu. Like Overton’s, Mr. Frosty’s closes when the weather gets cold.