There was a lot of lettuce flying around Ardonn Boutique last Sunday as Hugh Devlin, owner of the much-remembered Hughie’s in New London, served up his famous Love Salad out on the front steps of the shop on Main Street in Niantic.
“Everybody had so much fun when Hugh made the salad last fall, we had to do it again,” said Arlene Devlin, his wife, and co-owner of the boutique with Donna Brennan, Norwich. The two women, who opened the women’s boutique about eighteen months ago, have been drawing in customers with marketing events from fashion parties for women and a Men’s Night to help guys shop for the holidays to the infamous salad.
For those who haven’t experienced it, Hughie’s Love Salad is a combination of iceberg lettuce, slices of provolone cheese and salami, fresh tomatoes, salt, pepper and garlic, tossed together with his secret salad dressing and served with a final grating of Parmesan cheese.
“I used to make it for myself, with Genoa salami and no cheese,” said Devlin, who spent 30 years in the restaurant business and lives in Waterford with Arlene. They credit a friend, Toni Taj, for recommending the name “Love Salad.”
The salad was authentic, down to the big wooden salad bowl used in Hughie’s Restaurant, which has been kept in the family. Lisa Traystman, East Lyme, who opened the second Hughies, on Bank Street, with her husband, Gary, brought the bowl out of retirement. Devlin even went back to Preston to get a case of the original local tomatoes he used in his restaurant days.
Oh my god, it was just wonderful,” said Barbara Hanley, tasting the salad with her friends Sherry Preston, Joan Jerome, Pauline Reardon and Helena Hogg. They all live in the same East Lyme neighborhood now and remember the restaurant and the salad.
Regular movie goers, the women decided to make a detour in their usual route after seeing Ardonn’s ad in the paper.
“We usually go out the back door of the theater,” Hanley said. “But when we saw that Hughie was going to be here making his salad, we made sure to come out the front door to see him.”
Of course, there was plenty of shopping going on inside while Hugh caught up with friends and fans out front. Brennan, a retired teacher, and Devlin, who used be a buyer for Lawrence and Memorial Hospital’s gift shop, are on a quest to find and stock a full range of stylish and unique clothing for women from size 2 to 3X. They also offer jewelry by local artisans, including Clinton-based artist Lisa Tulley.
“Purple is the color for the fall,” Arlene said. “Dresses are a big hit this year, too.”
Verna Swann, Niantic, who works in patient relations at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital and is a regular customer at the boutique, stopped in with her sister, Sadie Rivers.
“It was a huge day, for my husband and for business,” said Arlene. “So many people came to see him. He was just so honored. He doesn’t like to be in the limelight, but he really misses the social part of his restaurant, all of his regular customers.”
Although it isn’t made by the man himself anymore, Muddy Waters Restaurant in New London still serves Hughie’s Love Salad. Devlin has passed along the secret salad dressing recipe to his daughter, Susan, and her partner, Barry Niestat, who run the place. Neistat is son of Louise Neistat, New London’s former Rockette and tap dance instructor.
Hughie made the gals keep another secret all day: Sunday, Sept. 14 was his 78th birthday.
“He agreed to make the salad as long as no one knew,” said Arlene. “He wanted it to be just a regular day.”
Ardonn Boutique is located at 271 Main Street, Niantic. It is open seven days a week. For more information call 691-0475.