Chef Brian Lewis of elm Restaurant in New Canaan recently announced that Chef Mark Butcher has joined his team as the Chef de Cuisine. So with a major winter storm looming, I decided to enjoy the Chef’s Table overlooking the kitchen, speak with Chef Butcher and enjoy elm’s extraordinary Chef’s Tasting Menu.

Prior to joining elm, Chef Butcher worked with Master Chef Joachim Splichaat at Los Angeles’ Patina Restaurant, known for delivering a “surprise” in many of their dishes. After several years in sunny California, Chef Butcher relocated to the area with his wife and one-year old son.

To begin the meal the chef presented a light crema with a touch of trout roe, puffed rice and topped with a Robiola fonduta. The dish was smooth and the flavor was accentuated by a slight saltiness from the mild roe and the slight tangy Robiola. The rice added just a touch of textural contrast to the smoothness of the crema. This was a calming start to the meal.

The next dish was a duet of Kusshi oysters topped with shallots, baby capers, a dash of cumin and Marcona almonds. This was one of Chef Butcher’s creations and is an indication of his talents. There were flavors galore with the mild brininess of the oysters combined with the tanginess of the shallots, the saltiness of the capers and the earthy and crunchy addition from the almonds. This all made for a delightful combination of flavors that exploded on your palate.

The citrus cured Hamachi with Cara Cara orange segments, fennel, grapes and finished with a habanero cream and Shishito pepper oil was divine. The sliced Hamachi was the great canvas for the abundant flavors of the other ingredients. The sweet orange segments were perfectly offset by the heat from the cream and the pepper oil and then small diced pieces of pickled shallots added the final and delicious component.

As we overlooked the kitchen we noticed one dish that was most often ordered, the Blis maple bacon and eggs. Eggs shells were first filled with creamy scrambled eggs, a little maple syrup was added, a touch of candied bacon and then topped with a mild cheese. Each bite was a perfect blend of Sunday morning breakfast memories. Served with buttered and grilled brioche, this would make for a wonderful brunch dish.

The next presentation was Ahi tuna wrapped around an avocado cream and topped with a soy caramel glaze, sesame seeds, a slice of radish and a cilantro leaf. The thick slices of Ahi were delicious and when combined with the sweet richness of the soy caramel, the crunchiness of the sesame seeds and the radish and cilantro created a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Visually, the next course was beautiful and the flavors were outstanding, the beet salad with Burrata, Sicilian pistachios, greens and citrus oils. The presentation included several variety of beets that were mild and earthy in flavor and offered subtle differences. The Burrata was creamy and elegant and balanced the flavors of the citrus and beet reductions. This was bright and delicious preparation.

A trio of pasta creations were next placed in front of us and included red kuri squash ravioli; pork cheek agnolotti; and foie gras cappelletti. This is an outstanding choice to understand the various directions that pastas can take. The sweet red kuri squash ravioli was accented with hazelnuts, sage and parmesan. The sweetness of the squash and the earthiness of the hazelnuts were a perfect pairing and was fantastic. The pork cheek filling to the agnolotti was delicious and was complemented by the smooth cream. The richest of the three was the foie gras cappelletti, served with drunken prunes and amontillado sherry. The combination of sheer decadence of the foie paired with the sweetness of the prune was brilliant.

The Wagyu beef tenderloin was served with a rich coffee infused Cumberland sauce, duck fat potatoes, pickled shallots and leeks. The beef was prepared to medium rare, incredibly tender and rich in flavors. The earthiness of the coffee and walnuts in the Cumberland sauce added to the depth of flavor and then the crispiness of the fried potato and the leeks added incredible flavors to this already outstanding steak.

Dessert was a delicious ending to a perfect meal. The coconut tapioca brulée was served with a pineapple carpaccio, cilantro, and topped with a scoop of pineapple sorbet. This was a delightful combination that reminded me of a wonderful Pina Colada. The scoop of sweet pineapple sorbet was nestled the coconut tapioca and offered a delightful complement to the texture of the tapioca pearls. This is an fantastic option for any guest looking for a sweet, non-chocolate dessert.

Overall the meal can best be described as brilliant interpretations, incredible combinations with flavors and textures that sets the standard for incredible cuisine. I look forward to many more outstanding visits to Brian Lewis’ elm Restaurant to enjoy some of the best cuisine in Connecticut.

Unfortunately the idea of a beer hall with no food has come and gone.

The Beer Garden in Stamford has closed.

I ventured for a quick lunch to see if all of the recommendations I have heard recently were deserved. As I approached this very off the beaten path location, which is more residential than commercial, the first item I noticed was the bright colors of the exterior. Parking is limited for about 10 cars and a little maneuvering is required.

Once inside, to the left there is a bakery with a hot salad bar (not self-served) and to the right is a dining area with ten to fifteen tables. Two HDTV oversee the dining area and during my visit they each were broadcasting an international soccer game.

The menu is as colorful as the exterior, full of a variety of Columbian cuisine. For some reason I was less than adventurous and ordered the Churrasco (medium rare), a grilled steak with Chimichurri sauce. It was served with arroz (rice), tostones (green plantains), frijoles (beans) and ensalada (salad).

The server brought a bowl of bean soup instead of the salad. The flavor of the soup was full of smokiness and with loads of al dente beans and pork, the soup was delicious.

The steak arrived while I was only halfway through the soup and my initial reaction was not positive. From the outside there was a lot of fat and grizzle and there were several slits through the main section, probably to check for the doneness. After a few bites my initial thoughts were confirmed, this was a fairly weak piece of meat, about 40% grizzle/fat, and it was medium-rare in certain spots and medium-well in others. On a positive note, the Chimichurri was outstanding. The rice and plantains were delivered as I was halfway through the steak. I liked the rice which brought just a bit if sweetness but the plantains were incredibly bland and boring.

Overall, I was not overly impressed with the food at La Sorpresa y Mas, the service was friendly but very disjointed. I blame myself a little for not ordering one of the dishes the regulars were enjoying at other tables. It is worth a revisit in the future but I am not rushing back.

61 Cedar St – Norwalk, CT 06854 – (203) 838-9809

I was excited when I saw the description on the menu as a Wagyu burger. But the burger was was somewhat flavorless and then the kitchen overwhelmed the limited flavor with the cheese. The highlight of the burger was the bun, which was excellent. The fries were under-cooked, still slightly hard on the interior but were nicely salted. Overall the burger at Sole was very disappointing.

As I worked my way through the myriad of restaurants and bars serving hamburgers in Fairfield County, the name Flipside arose more often than not.

I ordered my normal bacon cheeseburger at the bar, which was busy during the lunch rush.

The burger was pretty good. The meat was juicy and had a decent flavor, definitely not up there with the grass fed burgers in the area. The bun was very good (would have been better if they grilled it a bit) and the burger was properly cooked. The patty itself was thin variety and very wide and the bun was large enough to handle its dimensions. The bacon should be avoided as it was incredibly salty and I needed to remove from the burger to taste the meat.

Overall not a fantastic burger.

OK I am a Sally’s lover for 30 years but after hearing so many great things about Pepe’s, I decided to give the Fairfield location a shot.

Yes it is a very good pie, no doubt but I will not place above Sally’s, by any stretch of the imagination. First the place is very relaxing and if you get a seat in the front room you can watch the pizza maker use the 10-foot pizza peal to retrieve pizzas from the back of the oven. The crust is excellent, but again not as good as Sally’s and the toppings were average, nothing special.

The glasses for the drinks are a joke, the one I use in my bathroom in the morning is larger. This is basically poking my eye with thinking that a scalding hot pizza should be served with a 5-ounce glass of soda.

Overall I give Pepes a good solid 8, but this Sally’s lover with stay loyal.

After several visits to 1020, I’ve been more disappointed than satisfied. But in Darien, this restaurant offers one of the better choices in town.

Each time I visited 1020 the host seems to give the impression that you should be honored to each there, humility is not his greatest strength. The front bar area is a favorite for a burger and beer with friends to watch a ballgame or just hang out. This and Darien Social are probably the best bar in Darien

When the food arrives manage your expectations. On one occasion I ordered the clams and the broth was so bitter I needed to send it back to the kitchen. This was replaced with what the menu described as Lobster Mac & Cheese, but mine, unfortunately lacked any crustacean meat.

I was hoping the burger would be the saving grace, but alas, even this was a disappointment. It is a decent burger but not in my go-to list. The meat was over-seasoned in some areas and under-seasoned in others and lack deep flavors. The caramelized onions were soft, moist and very flavorful, but the bun was pedestrian. Not a recommended burger.

Overall, it is a bar trying to be a better restaurant, than a restaurant with a great bar.

Since I work in the area I visit Letizia for take-out pizza…and it is a good take out pizza. WIth few choices in the area, this is better than average pie, but the amount of toppings they place on the pie are just too heavy for the crust. Would I want them to reduce the toppings? nope, but they need to redo the crust to allow for someone to actually pick up a slice. If you are not adverse to using a knife-fork for eating pizza, not a problem, but for us old timers who like to raise the triangle and bite, this is a tough pie.