Bounty Food Truck – Outstanding Burgers

Posted on July 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

Back grill, restaurant, diner, food truck…it does not matter where you find it, and when you find a great burger, enjoy it. So when my buddies over at CTbites wrote about this new burger I knew I had to try it.

The Bordelaise Burger at Bounty is outstanding. Let’s start with the meat, full of deep rich flavor and juicy, and then it was grilled to a perfect medium-rare. It was next topped with melted Gruyere cheese, which added a touch of creamy nuttiness. The next ingredient was a handful of arugula. The slight pepperiness of the arugula was a fantastic addition and also contributed a little crunch. The caramelized onions were sweet, adding just a touch of sweet back-notes and then the Malbec butter kicked in with a bold earthiness and a little pungency. This was a burger filled with tons of flavor and textures.

There will be some detractors. It is priced at $12, and some may think this is expensive for a burger served from a food truck, others may criticize its size, I would guess the burger was 5 ounces pre-cooked, others may want fries included at this price. All fair statements, but for one of the best burgers I have eaten in a while, easily the best burger I have eaten from a food truck, I will gladly return and try some of the other combinations.

Sakura (Westport) – Incredibly Disappointing

Posted on July 9, 2014 by jfoodeats

After reading all of the reviews we decided to try Sakura. The end result was a very disappointing experience…we left before ordering an entrée. We will more than likely return with friends in the Habachi side of the house, but we did not like the food on the regular side and it is now firmly on the NDR list.

On our first visit we decided to test the food with a few appetizers before committing to the entrees. The first to arrive was the Tempura, and it was also the best of the three we sampled. The order included three shrimp, a sweet potato and a piece of cauliflower. The breading was light and crisp and the interiors were soft and flavorful. It was served with a kitschy piece of fanned, tempura pasta, which should be avoided. The second appetizer we ordered was the Negamaki, a traditional beef wrapped scallion dish. The portion included the traditional eight pieces. The thinly sliced meat was ill prepared. Some were cooked well, while others were hard and overcooked. This was not an enjoyable dish, and we did not finish. The last, and worst of the trio was the Yakatori. Two chicken skewers sat atop the sauce. They were overcooked and inedible. I am not sure when or how they were prepared but they should never have left the kitchen.

Overall it was an incredibly disappointment hour we spent at Sakura. We decided to cut our losses, pay for the appetizers and go elsewhere. The good news…the next place was delicious.

The Nook (MSP) – What Happened to the Burgers?

Posted on May 31, 2014 by jfoodeats

Juicy Nookie with Fried Onions

It has been several years since my last visit to The Nook, in fact prior to the fire of 2010. But the Juicy that I enjoyed prior to the catastrophe was one of MSP’s best burgers, so I was excited when my navigation system told me I was but a few miles away after a late afternoon meeting.

The interior is reflective of the former configuration with a notable exception, the previously small kitchen near the front of the restaurant is now located in the rear with and open pass-through that allows the cooks to oversee the dining area.

Wings with Honey Stinger Sauce

I was also in the mood for some wings and The Nook has also received raves about theirs. They offer nine different sauces and the menu guides the guests to the level of heat. I chose a conservative approach and ordered the “Honey Stinger,” rated #3 on their 1-9 scale. Eight wing sections make up an order. The wings were perfectly cooked, crispy on the exterior while still moist on the inside. The sauce was more sweet than spicy so if you are looking for heat, move up the scale. It did leave a mild tingle to the lips. I would probably try #5 next time.

Tons of Cheese and Bread; Too Little Meat

True to tradition, I ordered the Juicy Nookie Burger with fried onions and a basket of fries. When it arrived it looked delicious, but as I would learn over the next few minutes, looks can be deceiving. I grabbed a few fries. They were limp, cool and without any salt. This was not a good start. I cut the Juicy in half and the cheese gushed out from the middle, not an ooze, but an enormous gush. What was left was a thin shell of meat plus an enormous chasm. It was more cheese than meat. My first bite was incredibly disappointing. The once flavorful meat was flavorless, no seasoning at all. What happened to one of my favorite burgers? And the bun was even worse, crumbly, and flavorless; it did not even meet the low standards of bagged supermarket buns. This may be sacrilege, but this burger and fries were some of the worst I have ever eaten. What used to be one of my favorites is now on the DNR list. After two bites of the burger and a handful of fries, I pushed to the corner of the table, not worth the calories.

Needless to say that even with a pretty good set of wings, The Nook is a Juicy destination, and after this last experience, it will be a hard call to return.

Sonora Grill (MSP) – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Tacos

Posted on May 30, 2014 by jfoodeats

Located two miles east of 35W on East Lake, Sonora Grill was recently received accolades from several local publications, so I decided to give their tacos a go. With ample parking, both on the side and behind, plus on the side street it was an easy stop. The restaurant offers seating both inside and outside under its pergola.

The menu is broken into several sections, but I was there for a taco sampling so I ordered four, the pork, chicken, tongue and skirt steak. The menu described minor modification to the accompaniments to each of the meats, ranging from Chipotle salsa, to cabbage, to onions, plus a few with cheese. When they arrived the first noticeable trait was the amount of filling; Sonora Grill serves as much filling as any taco I have ever eaten. It challenges the guest to carefully wrap, lift and bite without losing any of the filling. The second, very positive item, was the onions, not raw or flash grilled onions, but beautifully caramelized, which was a fantastic addition.

Tongue Taco

The best of the four tacos was the “Tongue.” The menu mentioned it included Chipotle salsa, cilantro, onions and cabbage. I saw no salsa. When I asked the server, he mentioned that the salsa was mixed into the meat. Whether this was true or not, this combination was outstanding. It delivered great flavor and texture from the meat, which was soft and delightful. The cabbage added just a touch of crunch and the thinly sliced jalapeño pepper slices kicked the spice level without overwhelming the other flavors.

Pork Taco

The other taco that was delicious was the “Pork Guajillo” served with melted Chihuahua cheese, onion and chipotle salsa. The pork was slowly braised to create a subtle texture, and in combination with the sweet caramelized onions and jalapeños create a great balance. Again I was told that the chipotle salsa was mixed into the meat. I really liked the addition of the caramelized onions that added an unusual sweet component to the tacos.

Chicken Taco

Unfortunately the other two were not as good as these two. The “Chicken Rioja” was served with Chihuahua cheese, Arbol aioli, and orange salsa. The chicken was first spiced with smoky seasoning and then cut into small dices before joining orange segments, thinly sliced jalapeño peppers, caramelized onions and some cilantro. The chicken was dried out, chewy and the seasoning overwhelmed the flavor. The aioli added a great creaminess (which was really required) and the oranges brightened and balanced the dish.

Skirt Steak Taco

The “Beef Skirt Steak” was the polar opposite of the tongue, so much so that I left more than half on the plate. The menu stated it was accompanied with Chihuahua cheese, onions and chipotle salsa. Mine was also prepared with shredded cabbage, sliced jalapeños and re-fried beans. The meat was so vastly overcooked that it was impossible to chew. There was no opportunity to include the salsa in the meat and once again it was missing. The addition of the beans was an attempt to save this combination but it failed. This should never have left the kitchen.

Overall I liked two of the four tacos but the other two were badly executed. The amount of filling was substantial but I question whether the server was completely honest when he told me the chipotle salsa was mixed into the meat.

Kazu (SONO) – Inventive Sushi Rolls and Bento Boxes

Posted on May 16, 2014 by jfoodeats

Located at the entrance to downtown SONO on North Main St., Kazu offers a variety of Asian cuisine. Whether you are looking for creative sushi rolls, combination platters or a quick Bento Box lunch, Kazu has numerous choices. With tables that seat over 50 guests and a long sushi bar along the rear wall, there is plenty of seating.

I really liked the Pork Katsu Bento Box on my recent visit. It included two small dim sum, a mini-spring roll, three pieces of a California Roll, a mound of rice and a pork cutlet, a several course meal for $11. The first taste was the California Roll, it delivered fresh flavors and was a good start. Moving to the dim sum, I really liked these small niblet; filled with a delicious pork mixture. The spring roll added a little crunch and then I moved onto the Katsu. The pork patty was breaded with Panko, nicely fried, crispy on the exterior and just a touch of toughness to the meat. Dip in the hoisin sauce and it was a delightful, quick meal.

As an added benefit, i overlooked the numerous sushi chefs as they commenced the daily ritual of preparing the recently arrived fish. One meticulous carved a tuna to extract its magnificent center portion while others prepared mackerel and salmon. It was both a delicious meal and a bit of an education.

The only drawback was an aggressive server who though he deserved an $8 dollar tip on a $12 bill. I handed him a twenty and he asked if I wanted change. Just be on the lookout for this bad behavior.

Overall I really liked Kazu and it is a quick, varied lunch that can include Asian cuisine from sushi to katsu.

Olio (Springdale) – Still Fantastic One Year Later

Posted on May 11, 2014 by jfoodeats

I’ve been pretty lucky with two visits to Olio Restaurant in Stamford over the last few weeks; each delivered some outstanding cuisine. The first was a quick stop for a burger to complete my update of the best burgers in Fairfield County and the second was a dinner visit a week later.

Co-Owner Moira Hyland met our party of four at the door, showed us the table and was the perfect hostess throughout the evening. The server approached and asked for water, soda or wine and explained the specials for the evening. Two of them sounded delicious and I ordered both. The appetizer was a baby greens and beet salad and the entrée was a pork chop with pickled ramps and succotash. Others at the table ordered a variety of salads and they all chose the gnocchi with Bolognese for their entrées. We let Chef / co-owner Steve Costanzo work his magic in the kitchen.

The salads arrived and they were all very generous in size. My salad included an array of locally grown baby greens tossed with walnut pieces, roasted beets, all dressed with a honey thyme mustard vinaigrette. The salad was perfectly dressed and focused on the wonderful, natural flavors of the greens. The beets were sweet and the walnuts added both an earthiness and a textural contrast with its crunchiness. I highly recommend this salad and the others at the table were as enthusiastic about their choices.

The entrées arrived and mine was a large single 10-ounce French cut pork chop nestled in a house-made succotash of fresh peas, corn, zucchini, red peppers with roasted plum tomatoes a little white wine, chicken stock and butter. The chop was topped with pickled ramps (they were pickled earlier in the day). The chop was perfectly cooked, moist on the interior with a great spice-rub finish. The sweetness of the fresh vegetables were a great complement to the pork and then the ramps kicked in to deliver tremendous flavor to the overall composition of the dish.

The Ricotta Gnocchi with Bolognese was a very generous portion. The gnocchi were delicious, with great texture and the Bolognese was one of the best I have tasted since my Bolognese search last year. It delivered rich flavors, a great balance of sauce to meat and was a delightful complement to the mild gnocchi.

As dessert approached, I highly recommended the donuts to the table and we also ordered a molten chocolate cake. The donuts were as I remembered, absolutely delicious and the molten chocolate cake, served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and few berries. This was also an excellent dessert, a chocolate-y delight.

Olio remains one of the best hidden gems, and I might need to remove “hidden” as every table was taken and everyone had a smile on their faces and a huge thank you to Moira as they left.

Olio “House Burger” (STM) – Excellent in Springdale

Posted on April 26, 2014 by jfoodeats

In my constant search for great burgers in Fairfield County for http://www.ctbites.com I found myself heading to Stamford to sample the new lunch menu at Olio that includes the Olio House Burger. And I am glad I did. Olio recently began serving lunch and it is slowly turning into the go-to location for many locals. The lunch menu includes a soup a few salads, and several sandwiches from chicken salad to steak, plus a pasta and sautéed shrimp. But I was there for the burger.

The Olio House burger is a unique combination of flavors and ingredients. It starts with a thick all-beef patty topped with Tasso ham, melted Manchego cheese, caramelized Cipollini onions, with a schmear of roasted tomato aioli, all encased in a Brioche roll from Eli’s. It is served with thick steak fries and a side of ketchup.

The burger is excellent. The meat was lightly formed with the grind of the meat still present. Although it was cooked a little past my requested medium rare, it was still this side of medium, a nice pink interior. The substitution of the Tasso ham for a traditional smoked bacon added a significant level of pepperiness and the mild Manchego cheese added a nice creaminess. The star of this combination was the caramelized Cipollini onions, they were fantastic, creamy, sweet, just a great addition. The roll added a good buttery complement.

The steak fries were perfectly prepared and finished with pepper and truffle salt. They were crispy on the exterior and moist and soft on the interior. The truffle salt added an earthy complement to the flavor. I am a purist on fries and would have been equally satisfied with just salt and a little pepper.

Overall the Olio House Burger is definitely a go-to burger and is one of the best in Stamford. Chef/Owner Steve Costanzo and his business partner Moira Hyland do an outstanding job at dinner and I anticipate that once word travels that lunch is available, the lunch crowd will equal the packed dinner crowd.

Steam Restaurant (G’wich) – Pan Everywhere Cuisine

Posted on April 15, 2014 by jfoodeats

With very little fanfare, Steam Restaurant opened on Greenwich Avenue serving a variety of Asian inspired dishes. Whether you are in the mood for Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese or one of a few other national dishes, Steam might have what you desire. The menu is divided into several sections including Dim Sum & Bao, Small Plates, Mix & Match, Ramen, Fried Rice and Noodles, Gourmet to Go, Vegetarian Selections and Soup.

There are few places that serve dim sum in Fairfield County, Steam has almost a dozen, ranging from Sichuan Dumplings to Roast Duck Buns. Small Plates and Salads include traditional Crispy Thai Spring Rolls, Thai Crab Cakes, Baby Back Ribs, Heirloom Tomato and Avocado salad, and a Grille Free Range Chicken Salad. The variety of dishes equals the variety of nationalities.

For larger dishes, choose a protein and a sauce and create your own dish from Ginger black Bean to Thai Curry, or move to one of three Ramen dishes with four different proteins, including baby back ribs. The Fried Rice and Noodle section offers four different rice and noodles from Fried or Brown Jasmine to Pad Thai with five different protein options. If you are looking for pre-determined combinations the Gourmet To Go section includes a Crispy Duck with Plum Sauce, a Clay Pot Sichuan Beef and a Thai Coconut Casserole. Vegetarian options are numerous and should satisfy those looking for a non-meat dish.

With most of the smaller plates priced under $10 and the larger ones under $20, Steam will be a cost effective option in Greenwich.

Remo’s Brick Oven Pizza (STM) – Pretty Tasty Pie

Posted on April 14, 2014 by jfoodeats

Remos is located on Bedford, just north of the Tresser intersection. Parking on Bedford is always tricky but visitors have the option of parking behind in the large public parking lot. Enter from either the front or the back.

On one side of the interior, near the front is the brick oven for the pizzas. The menu is ample, and guests can choose from appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pastas, plates or pizzas. I was there for the pizza. The restaurant offers 10 Signature pies ranging from a salad and veggie to a Buffalo chicken. You can also opt for a Margherita, a New York Pie, or build your own. I decided on my regular first pie of half pepperoni and half sausage & pepper.

The pizza arrived and it was baked excellently. There was a slight char but not burnt, the dough was very thin, almost too thin, and airy with just a bit of a bite. The sauce was rich in flavor and seasoned with traditional Italian seasonings. There was the correct amount of cheese, nicely melted. The pepperoni was a little spicy and not too oily. The sausage and pepper side was very good, not great. The sausage was not my favorite.

Overall, I enjoyed the pizza at Remos. It definitely deserves a second visit to try another pie.

Frank & Frites (Darien) – Basic at Best

Posted on April 13, 2014 by jfoodeats

Franks and Frites is located in the same mini-mall as Gut reaction to the left of Palmers Market in Darien. I was on my regular search for http://www.ctbites.com and dogs, burgers and fries were on my radar. A small storefront at the end of the row welcomes guests with a “Hand Cut Fries” in the window, while the interior allows for ten guests at tables and another eight on stools. You order from the two men in the rear of the restaurant and they bring the food to your table in plastic picnic baskets.

I ordered a hot dog with a little mustard, a little sauerkraut and a little green relish, a bacon cheeseburger, medium-rare, and a small order of fries.

The dog in a basic potato roll arrived first, and the first item I noticed was that it was smothered in the three items I ordered “a little” of. The dog was griddled and offered a good snap when bitten with a good snap. The dog was salty and a basic dog. The sauerkraut and relish were non-descript, and the yellow mustard was as well. There was nothing special about this hot dog.

The burger was in the same category. I ordered medium-rare and it arrived medium-well. Two strip of overcooked basic was included and a single slice of un-melted American cheese sat atop the bacon, all encased inside another potato roll. The meat was bland and unseasoned, the bacon and the cheese were basic and the roll was cold. The fries were not even that good. They were un-seasoned, and while they were brown on the exterior, half were still hard on the interior. Neither of these items were not worth more than a few bites.

There is no ketchup or mustard on the tables and they have the dispensers in one corner. There was not brown mustard available on my visit, but that would not matter.

I really wanted to like this place, but basic dogs and burgers and less than basic toppings on cold rolls is not a restaurant I would run back to.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

Tag Archives: jfood