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.

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.

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 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.