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.

I always appreciate people who risk their livelihood to follow their dreams. So when I drove to Bridge Street Wienery in Stamford, I really wanted to love this place. And after eating a hot dog and hamburger I realized that sometimes people just want a basic hamburger or hot dog, looking for that Earl Scheib’s, “No ups; No extras.”

Bridge Street serves Sabrett hot dogs (6 to the pound) with more topping variations than I could ever eat, plus hamburgers, hot sausages, chicken sandwiches and steak and cheese sandwiches. The dogs are split and then grilled on a flattop. The burgers are 3-4 ounce (more to the former), also grilled on the flattop and served a la 5 guys, well done. The toppings are plentiful and are arranged in price groups on the menu. I saw a few people trying to figure out what their burger would cost. Me? Pretty simple, I ordered a dog with sauerkraut and relish plus a bacon cheeseburger.

If the owners, Steve and Mike, envisioned opening a burger and dog place to mimic a major league ballpark or a Sunday church BBQ event they absolutely succeeded. It is what it is, no ups; no extras. The dog was too small (I like 4 to the pound) to handle the toppings they generously place on top. When I saw them individually grill some onions, I was impressed. The burger was OK, nothing special, but a single is way too small for anyone over 12 years old. The bacon was flavorful but overpowered my single patty, it would probably be better with a double patty.

One item I did not like at all was the sexual double-entendres on some of the signs and posters. It’s a family place; I would not want to explain to my 10-12 year old what some of these inappropriate “jokes” meant. Focus on the food and leave the locker humor where it “belongs.”

Tacos Mexico is located in a small strip mall on Fort Point Street off East Avenue just south of I-95. I have been hearing good things from by buddies over at http://www.ctbites.com so I stopped by for a quick lunch and very much enjoyed almost the entire meal. I ordered the Chipotle Chicken Taco Lunch special ($6.49) and a single beef taco ($2.25).

Once I ordered my meal the server brought a basket of nacho chipss and two small bowls of red salsa. The salsas are almost identical except for a little difference in the heat and some of the ingredients in one were pureed. Both were delicious and I really liked the idea that they include little spoons. You can take a spoonful, place atop a chip and enjoy a good amount of salsa per chip.

The beef taco arrived first and it probably sat a bit before coming to the table as it was luke warm. The plate was much hotter than the food. The flavors were good but it needed the addition of the house green sauce for me to really enjoy. The chicken tacos arrived next. They were two rolled tacos filled with a creamy and delicious chicken. The beans and the rice that accompanied the dish were also delicious. This was a big winner for me.

So with the exception of the beef taco, I thoroughly enjoyed Tacos Mexico. BTW – Service is incredibly slow so if you are in a rush at lunch you should make mention of that when you order, maybe they can hurry the food from the kitchen.

Over the first year I have probably eaten everything Chef Robert has created. And everything is delicious.

The soups are the best, to the point that every time I return from a trip there is a container in my fridge since my family loves them so much. The favorites are the butternut squash, the mushroom (my wife’s all-time favorite), and the seafood chowder.

Really like the quesadillas and the three tacos are the best deal in town. The shrimp mojo is a big hit with the family .

And last but not least is the Farmer’s Table hamburger. Using his brother John Boy’s meat, this burger is one of the best around and one of my Ctbites recommended in Fairfield County. Some melted cheese and a few slices of cornichon and this is woth its weight is gold.

leave room for dessert as the chocolate cake and the cheesecake are both fantastic.

After a couple of attempts to eat the pizza, I am throwing in the towel, raising the white flag and moving on.

After living through an event at another restaurant in town where a drunk patron caused an enormous scene so I left I drove to ACF for a pizza. As a solo, I sat at the bar, ordered a soda and a pizza. When it arrived the first thing I noticed was the char, or should I say burnt crust. This is acceptable with certain Neopolitan varieties, but this was not the answer. Then I lifted the crust and the entire bottom was charred black, no Itake that back it was burnt.

This was not something I wanted to consume, so I called the bartender over, showed it to him. His response, he pointed to the sign and said “It says right there we make our pies well done.” So I asked for the check, paid and went on my way.

A manager did approach and offered a replacement, but with staf like the bartender and the kitchen staff I decided to call it a night.

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 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 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.