Carpe Diem – Delicious Northern Italian in New Canaan

Posted on January 12, 2012 by jfoodeats

Food lovers of New Canaan rejoice! Carpe Diem, a Northern Italian inspired restaurant by Alan Basaran, has opened and the housemade pastas are delicious! Basaran, a North Stamford resident and owner of Carpe Diem Restaurant in New York City, is excited about creating delicious Northern Italian cuisine in New Canaan, his wife’s hometown.

After studying finance, Basaran followed his lifelong passion and entered the culinary world, advancing through the kitchen hierarchy of line chef, sous chef and ultimately head chef. His love of interacting with customers brought him to the front of the restaurant and this rare combination in all aspects of the restaurant over the last twenty years is evident at Carpe Diem.

Carpe Diem’s newly redecorated space on Locust Avenue is divided into three dining areas. The most informal space is to the left of the entrance and includes a five seat bar plus several tall tables. For those looking for after dinner drinks, ample standing room is available; and on weekends the atmosphere is vibrant. The main dining area to the right offers a white-table clothed dining experience for up to forty-five in a very relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. The last area in the center of the restaurant contains a semi-private area for up to twenty customers. The rooms are separated by floor to ceiling two-sided built-in wine racks. The walls are decorated with numerous photos of wild horses as Alan and his wife are both horse lovers; these photos add an openness to the rooms. Overall I found the rooms incredibly inviting and relaxing and I am looking forward to warmer weather when the front patio will allow for al fresco dining.

To oversee the kitchen, Basaran tapped Chef Victor Pastuizasa, the chef from his New York’s location for the last fourteen years. The long-standing relationship between the two culinary professionals allowed this duo to immediately present delicious food at the newly opened New Canaan location.

The menu includes a wide selection of appetizers including soups, salads, cheeses, cured meats, plus a few delicious seafood and chicken options. Entrées include a wide variety of pastas, meats, seafood and chicken. Basaran is currently sourcing from local purveyors and is in the process of developing and expanding his relationships with several others. The menu will vary slightly as seasonal ingredients become available and Chef Pastuizasa is excited about his flexibility to offer these in the daily specials.

Current appetizers include a Mozzarella di Buffalo with roasted red peppers and Prosciutto di San Daniele. The wonderful flavor of the prosciutto paired with the creamy mozzarella and sweet pepper offers a delectable start of the meal. The Carpaccio Palmito includes several paper thin slices of raw filet with avocado, hearts of palm and a few drops of truffle oil. The rich flavors of the beef are supplemented by the earthiness of the truffle oil. The Ahi tuna tartare with crostini delivers diced tuna presented atop of a guacamole of avocado, jalapeño peppers, capers and onions. The flavors of this appetizer are bright with just a hint of spiciness. For those with a bit of an adventuresome palate, the fried artichoke offers a unique experience with the whole trimmed artichoke quickly fried to present a crispy exterior with the artichoke heart maintaining its wonderful character. In the coming weeks Carpe Diem will add a house made Burrata to the menu.

The long pastas and all of the sauces are made in house. Of particular note are two delicious choices. The first is the Spaghetti with shrimp, scallops, mussels, little neck clams, arugula, and radicchio in an organic tomato sauce. The two jumbo scallops are perfectly prepared, the two extra large shrimp are sweet and delicious and the shellfish add a nice richness to the dish. The addition of the arugula and radicchio bring a nice peppery background to the dish. The second is the Penne with sausage and peas in an organic tomato sauce with just a touch of cream. The pasta is perfectly cooked to barely al dente, the house made sausage is delicious and the addition of the sweet peas creates a truly delightful choice. The Pappardelle with a Bolognese sauce is also delightful. The pasta is cooked al dente and offers a perfect texture that is complemented by the mild flavors of the veal and the beef Bolognese. The Spaghetti with green peas and prosciutto in a pecorino cheese sauce is also delicious. The saltiness of the prosciutto and the sweetness of the peas are enhanced by the creamy sauce to create a rich and flavorful dish.

My favorite of the entrée choices is the Veal Piccatina, medallions of veal that are quickly pan seared to create a crisp exterior while maintaining a moist and tender interior. The lemon sauce is bright and the acidity of the lemons is complemented by the saltiness of the capers. Accompanying the veal are light and fluffy mashed potatoes, prepared simply with garlic and rosemary. The grilled and sliced Prime Ribeye steak is served over a mound of fresh greens, lightly tossed with the house dressing. The steak was perfectly grilled to medium rare and seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Likewise pan grilled lamb chops are served with a potatoes gratin.

For dessert Carpe Diem offers several choices and my favorite is the Tiramisu which is light and creamy with a light touch of Cointreau. The individual apple pie is also delicious. The nutty and lemony dough is full of flavors and is served with a mild vanilla gelato. The Crème Caramel is another excellent choice and delivers a creamy texture complemented with a delicious caramel sauce plus several gelato flavors including chocolate and my favorite, the blackberry Cabernet are also available.

After only a few weeks on the New Canaan restaurant landscape, Carpe Diem is presenting many delicious choices in a relaxed and inviting environment.

Carpe Diem, 26 Locust Avenue, New Canaan, CT 06840

203-594-9599

carpediemnewcanaan.com

Originally reviewed by Jeff “jfood” Schlesinger on www.ctbites.com on January 8, 2012

Pat’s Hubba Hubba (STM) – Not a Fan

Posted on August 15, 2011 by jfoodeats

A quick stop at Pat’s Hubba Hubba in Stamford was more pleasant to the eye than the palate. I grew up in NJ with tons of places like this offering basic hamburger, hot dogs and shakes. In our day you could actually order a malted but the calorie police are probably pushing for Mayor Bloomberg to outlaw them. The brightly decorated interior is a throwback to my youth. ANd so were the burgers.

I know its a burger joint offering a quick fix for a few bucks and that is exactly what it is. An inexpensive place serving cheap burgers and fries. It is sustenance not haute cuisine.

If you are looking for some greasy burgers and fries after a night of drinking on Bedford, this may fit, but this is not a destination on the GPS.

Lola’s Mexican Kitchen (STM)

Posted on March 15, 2011 by jfoodeats

Lola’s Mexican Kitchen is located in Stamford and a quick look through the menu indicates an enormous selection of fairly traditional Mexican fare.

Arrive early and hang at the bar munching on $5 specials that include flautas and chipotle guacamole or head straight to your table. Start your meal with a plate of nachos or a combination platter and then move to a salad that may include avocado or chicken. With eight different fillings for tacos, four different burritos and chimichangas, a slew of enchiladas, all available with a vegetarian option. Then the fun begins with the house specialties that include steak, gambas, chilies rellenos, short ribs or salmon.

I am looking forward to trying Lola’s Mexican Kitchen.

Matsuri (Darien) – Sushi on the Post Road

Posted on March 1, 2011 by jfoodeats

Matsuri is located on the Post Road in Darien offering a full array of sushi, sashimi and other Japanese fare plus a few imports.

Start your meal with an Indian Pancake with curry dipping, fried calamari, Peking Duck or more traditional Japanese offering including tempura or negimaki. The sushi options are enormous with tradition pieces, hand rolls and “Signature Rolls.”These hand-crafted, seaweed wraps combine numerous flavors and textures with salmon, eel, avocado, tobiko, and tempura options. Entrees include a wide array of options from General Tso’s chicken to pan seared duck breast with a red wine reduction…all very eclectic. Then finish the meal with ice cream, lava cake or tiramisu.

I am looking forward to trying Matsuri.

Fairway Market Opens – A First Look

Posted on February 7, 2011 by jfoodeats

After a couple of months, there are quite a few items in the mega-store to be excited about. Others are not so great and a few are bit perplexing.

Smoked fish – This is a welcome addition to the area. Prior to Fairway there was little choice in novey and the herring options were non-existent. With a half a dozen choices of differing smoked salmons, white fishes, white fish salad and smoked herring in cream sauce, this is my new go-to place.

Bagels – these are made throughout the day and are a perfect companion to the smoked fish.

Fresh fish – Most of it is fresh while other choices look like they should be retired.When you find a good-looker, grab it, but be picky about some of the others.

Butcher – As much as the meats look great, the flavor has been disappointing. I love the deep rich flavor of meats, while those I have sampled at Fairway have been mild in flavor. The filets have been a disappointment to everyone who has tried.

Deli – Fairway carries an enormous selection of meats and salads. Prices are in line with other groceries. The item that bugs me the most is their pricing policy. A lot of items are priced per quarter pound. Why? It gives a false sense of price, and this is a bad practice. A spanish ham will have $8 as the price but that is per quarter pound sitting next to a Boar’s Head that is also priced at $8, but for a full pound. Why not be transparent?

There are tons of cheese, oils, bulk foods, pastas, pickled vegetables, organics, plus all of the items in rows and rows of shelves. Most prices are a little high for the area, but worth the one-stop convenience.

Colony Pizza (Stamford) – Great Bar Pie

Posted on January 29, 2011 by jfoodeats

What I like about Colony Grill are very straightforward. They know who they are, do not try to be something else and they serve a great pie.

My favorite is the hot oil, and adding a few extras is a really fun way to make great flavors even better. The cheese and sauce are very pedestrian, so add the hot oil, pepperoni, sausage and sweet peppers.

The concept of the pie is simple. Spread the dough into a rimmed pan, add sauce, cheese and topping and bake. The result is a pie with no outer crust, with the sauce and toppings going to the edges. After cooling, carefully grab a slice and enjoy. I really liked the dough, which was thin, crispy and was a great way to start the pie.

The pepperoni on each of my visits was flavorful with just a touch of heat, the sausage was flavorful with a touch of heat, nicely seasoned, and I liked the sweet peppers, but the meatballs were not in the same class, just some tossed ground meat.

Overall his is a great pie, not a true Connecticut apizza, more a well-done bar pie. Grab a few beers, enjoy the ballgame and have fun with your buddies.

Riviera Maya (STM) – Another Downtown Mexican

Posted on November 15, 2010 by jfoodeats

Riviera Maya is located in Stamford and a quick look through the menu indicates a fairly traditional Mexican fare.

Start your meal with a plate of nachos or a combination platter and then move to a salad that may include avocado or chicken. Quesadillas are also available and include a vegetarian option. Then the fun begins with a combination platter or go straight to fajitas, chilies rellenos, taquitos, enchiladas or burritos.

I am looking forward to trying Riviera Maya.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

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