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Out of the Box

Fans of Simon's Marketplace, which has operated a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Main Street in Chester for more than a decade, may not be able to contain themselves when Simon's pops up again this summer at the Brewer Pilot's Point Marina in Westbrook in the form of its container café.

Last summer was the first year the owners, Jody and Jim Reilly, who also own the Blue Oar in Haddam, tried something new. They opened what they call a "pop-up Simon's" at Deep River Landing in an 8'x20' vivid blue corrugated steel shipping container they bought from a New Haven supplier. Its doors swing open along the front wall to reveal a café counter and display cases. A chalkboard menu, similar to the one in their regular restaurant in Chester, adorns the right door, while the café's sign hangs on the left door.

Jody says that the construction in Deep River, as well as the popularity of the Pilot's Point Marina in Westbrook, prompted them to move the container to Westbrook for summer 2016, where they opened at the beginning of June. Hours and days of operation were still being finalized at this writing, but the plan was to be open seven days a week from roughly 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Depending on traffic, Jody explained, that was subject to change.

"People were pleasantly surprised when they saw the container in action in Deep River last summer," Jody said. "I think when I first explained it, people thought you would just walk into one end of a dark metal box and get your food and walk out, but once it opened they were like, 'I get it now!'"

Jody and Jim had become aware of similar setups in Europe and wanted to try the novel idea with their own business. The idea of repurposing shipping containers, which often cost too much to bother sending back across the ocean, is growing in popularity in the United States. Some are being turned into homes, while others are becoming restaurants, bars, or coffee shops. Many of the containers are shipped over with materials from China and it's not cost-effective to ship them back, so they would otherwise wind up sitting somewhere, unused.

At Pilot's Point Marina, as at Deep River Landing last summer, tables and chairs will be set up near the container so hungry diners can sit by the water and take in the water views after they buy their breakfast or lunch. Unlike last year, the Simon's container café will feature lots of breakfast items along with the usual fresh lunch fare, and will make things easier on customers by accepting credit cards.

"People can get their Simon's at a bunch of different places," Jody said. Along with the restaurant on Main Street in Chester and the container at Pilot's Point Marina, Simon's also recently opened another marketplace at the former Bliss Gourmet at 631 Boston Post Road in Westbrook.

Some of the fresh, inventive sandwiches offered at the brick-and-mortar marketplaces and the container include a curried chicken wrap with apples, raisins, lettuce, and tomato; barbeque pulled pork with cheddar cheese on a ciabatta roll; and tomato, basil, and mozzarella with white balsamic vinaigrette on a baguette.

Salads are just as delicious and exciting, with options such as sweet potato salad and cucumber mango mint salad.

Breakfast sandwiches include classic favorites such as egg and cheese with or without bacon or sausage. There's also yogurt, fruit salad, and, of course, coffee.

Simon's ever-popular sea salt baguette will be available at the container, as well as their cookies, pies, Deep River brand potato chips, and other desserts.

The menu is designed through a collaboration with chef Alan Demick, who has worked for Simon's for seven years. He assures customers that the container will offer "a rotating selection of the food you've come to know and love."

"Jim is the idea guy," says Jody, when asked how the duo decide what food to offer. Alan adds, "We look at what's good, what's fun, what's fresh, what we like to do."

Simon's Marketplace Container Café

Facebook.com (search for Simon's Marketplace) or visit the main restaurant's page at www.simonsmarketplacechester.com

860-526-8984

Hours (tentative): 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week