With the opening of the new Whole Foods on the northeast corner of Hagen Ranch and Boynton Beach, the other storefronts are beginning to open. One of these stores is Mister 01. This location is one of 22 opened or planned Mister 01 pizzerias in Florida, with another two in the Atlanta metro area and five in Texas. The brainchild of Chef Renato Viola, Mister 01 delivers artisanal pizza, made mostly from ingredients that are either locally sourced or imported from Italy. Viola started his pizza apprenticeship at the age of eleven and won numerous awards in Italy and Europe. After settling in Miami Beach (using a 01 Visa category), Viola opened his first pizza restaurant and has been expanding rapidly.
The location in Boynton Beach is furnished with several tables sitting alongside the long counter. The menu includes pizzas, calzones, burrata plates and salads. The pizza can be ordered in one of two sizes, a personal 8” and a larger 13”. As a solo diner, I ordered an 8” with pepperoni and sausage (half-half not an option). In hindsight, I should have ordered the 13”, not thinking that an 8” pizza can fit on a sheet of paper. When it was delivered, I knew it was a snack versus a meal, but hey a great snack is better than a lousy meal.
The crust was super paper thin and crispy, a true cracker crust. It was topped with just a touch of sauce and cheese and topped with a good amount of ‘roni and less than desired sausage. The flavors were great. I really liked the sausage/cheese/sauce combination, but the sausage took a backseat to all these vibrant flavors. The sauce was a good complement to the meats. After eating the entire pizza, I kicked myself again for not ordering a larger version, but this will not be my last trip to Mister 01.
Overall, I give the pizza I ate at Mister 01 a good solid 8.5.
I finally made it to Christos Restaurant & Bar in Wallingford, the third pizzeria of Connecticut’s self-proclaimed Three Kings of Pizza. While the three brother-owners may share common DNA, the pizzas at each show a very different view of what pizza should entail.
When I arrived, I was pleased to see that Christos offers a fair amount of parking in its own parking lot. To avoid the usual snaking lines out the door, I timed my visit to coincide with the less crowded lunchtime. The interior is divided into three rooms, the pick-up / waiting area, the dining room and the bar. In total, there are 60-65 table seats for guests plus another ten chairs at the bar. The décor consists of natural woods and colors, and it is a very relaxing environment, whether seated at a table or in one of the booths.
The menu offers more than its legendary pizzas, including shareables, burgers, burritos, sandwiches, rice bowls and pastas, quite an eclectic array of options. But I was laser-focused on the pizza.
I ordered a small pie, half with sausage and the other half with pepperoni.
When the pizza arrived, the first thing I noticed was the high level of char. Not only was the crust overly charred in places, more than half of the cupped pepperoni circles were significantly darkened by the hot, wood-fired oven. The other item I noticed was the abundance of toppings, a lot of sauce and cheese, plus decent portions of pepperoni and sausage.
Pizzerias have several choices for the type of sausage they use, from crumbled to sliced to chunks, and I was pleased that Christo chose larger chunks; in my opinion, chunks give the best flavor and texture. I first removed and tried a piece of the sausage, and it was delicious, with noticeable fennel back notes. I next tasted one of the pepperoni slices and it delivered a nice level of spiciness. Both these meats were excellent, and I highly recommend. I next pulled a little smidgen of crust from the pie, and while several areas were heavily charred, the crust was really tasty.
After the pie cooled a bit (a big thank you to the server), I pulled a sausage slice away from the pie to check the underside, expecting more char to mimic the upper crust. I was surprised that it was dark tan color with minimal char marks. As I looked further towards the interior tip, I saw the unfortunate result of too much sauce and cheese, the crispness disappeared; there was no way it was going to withstand a lift and eat.
As much as I tried, it was impossible to lift (even by flopping the tip over), so it was onto plan B, cutting with my knife and fork. While the crust in the center was a little soggy, it still delivered great flavor, but there was a little too much sauce for my taste. With bite #2, I could now carefully lift the slice. While the sausage was able to handle the level of sauciness, the cheese took a serious back seat to the other two toppings. But my Bite #3 litmus test awaited, and by this time the slice had properly cooled. Result…the flavors melded much better and since we moved towards the outer crust the overall balance of the toppings was in better unison. It was a pretty good sausage slice. If I were to allocate the ingredients, I would say the sauce was sauce (50%), sausage (25%), cheese (15%) and the crust (10%), much too sauce-leaning.
Onto the other half. I was impressed with the cupping of the pepperoni (other than those that were burnt) and there was just a smidgen of oil in each. Even with the lighter weight of the pepperoni, it was impossible to lift the slice, and again I resorted to the fork and knife for bite #1. I liked the flavor balance with the spiciness of the pepperoni. The pepperoni side was better since the thin slices of pepperoni were bolder than the sausage. While the distribution of ingredients was similar to the sausage side, the pepperoni’s spiciness definitely created a more balanced taste; sauce (40%), sausage (35%), cheese (15%) and the crust (10%), better but still a little too sauce focused.
Overall, the basic tenets of the pizza at Christos were amazing, the crust, sauce, toppings were all delicious. While the kitchen tried to balance the crispiness of the crust and the charred edges with the level of toppings, they got a little ahead of themselves with too much sauce in the center of the pie. They also might have placed the pizza on the wrong spot in the oven (where a pizza was recently removed), which did not allow the crust to crisp properly in the center.
With the first visits to Connecticut’s self-proclaimed Three Kings of Pizza in the record book, I would rank them Luna (a 9.3), Christos (an 8.4), and Fuoco (a 7.5).
All pizza enthusiasts in this part of Connecticut know the Three Kings of Pizza, three brothers who each own one of the most highly-regarded pizzerias stretching from Wallingford to Cheshire to Naugatuck. A couple of months ago I visited Fuoco in Cheshire and scheduling a visit to one of the other places has been on my to-do list. I finally made it to Luna in Naugatuck, and I am extremely glad I did.
Like many of its pizza-brethren in this part of CT, Luna is situated in a residential neighborhood, just off northbound exit 28 (Prospect Street) of Interstate 8. While there are numerous Luna Pizzas in CT, the others have no association with this location nor the three brothers. When you enter the non-descript building you immediately understand that Luna caters to the takeaway crowd, the teeny dining area offers only four small tables, two high-tops that each seat four and another two regular height tables for another two guests each. Most of the space is dedicated to the pre-made 250 pizza boxes and the 20-foot-long pile of split wood ready to enter the wood-fired oven. There is also one refrigerator that carries an array of 1-liter bottles of Foxon Park sodas, and a few bottles of Poland Springs hidden on the bottom, next to a couple of pre-cut slices of dessert.
While the menu includes salads, burgers, pasta, a calzone, wings and a few head-scratching options, I was there for the pizza.
I ordered a 12” pie, half sausage and half pepperoni, and wandered to an empty table to wait. The server brought the pizza, and I was immediately impressed. The edges had a minor level of char, not too much, not too little. There was minimal, if any, poofiness to the edges, just a few bubbles, indicating a crispy dough. There was a good amount of toppings (more condensed on the pepperoni side) and the balance among cheese, sauce and meats looked pretty good, and I was grateful that the sausage was chunks, my favorite. I next pulled a slice from the pie to check the underside. There were dots of char intermingled in a nicely tanned bottom. The was just a little flop at the point of the slice, maybe just a tad too much. So far I was very impressed.
Onto the taste test.
Per my tradition, I started with a slice from the sausage half. I first peeled a little dollop of sausage from the pie, always looking for the fennel backnotes that I love. Excellent sausage, the sausage had the right amount of fennel and the time in the oven maintained a good juiciness without drying out the meat. The first slice-bite was very good, and the balance and flavors were excellent. I waited for it to cool slightly for bite #2. Bite #2 was even better, and we finally approached my real litmus test…bite #3, when the pie has cooled just enough, and the flavors are fully melded. And it was pretty close to perfect. The three major components combined nicely and there was just a hint of flavor from the dough.
Now onto the pepperoni side. Again, first a taste of pepperoni by itself. There was a good crunchiness and then the spice kicked in and grew. There was a bit of a time lag before it peaked. I would call it a 4 out of 10 level of spiciness and there was a very long tail. A bite of the entire slice, which was already at the right temperature, confirmed my foreshadowing that this would also be a great slice, and it was. The balance of the sauce, cheese and pepperoni was even better than the sausage side with the added kick from the pepperoni.
After I savored a few more slices, it was time to stop and reflect. If there was one slight negative to the pie, it would be the dough, I would have liked a little more flavor. Other than that, Luna is a solid 9.2.
I have been pretty lucky finding some great New Haven-style pies in Waterbury and its surrounding suburbs, and Luna is definitely in the elite class of New Haven style in this neck of the woods.
In my continued search for worthy off-the-beaten-path haunts in “the Valley” I kept seeing a few great reviews of yet another pizza place just southeast of Waterbury, Fuoco in Cheshire. Between the enormous billboard on the interstate touted by a pizza app and other recommendations on my social media feeds, it quickly moved up my gotta-try list. As the summer months began to wane, I decided to head to Fuoco and see if the hype was justified.
Located three-and-a-half miles south of I84 from exit 26, Fuoco invites patrons into its white-faced, single-story building with a sign emblazoned with “Fuoco Coal Fired Apizza.” The sign beckons the palate with “coal fired” and “apizza.”
The single dining area consists of a long banquette along the entire right wall, with seating for twenty-five guests. The ordering and cooking areas are behind the walls to the left. Parking and a rear entrance make for an easy visit, whether dining in or for a take-away. In the warmer months, there are four tables on the front patio.
The menu is primarily pizza, with a few wings, salads, sharables and a calzone mixed in. On my visit, I was completely focused on the pizzas, which can be ordered in pre-determined combinations, with or without red sauce, plus you can “design it yourself” with almost two dozen toppings. I ordered a small (12”) red pie with pepperoni on one half and sausage and peppers on the other. She asked me if I wanted green or red roasted peppers, and I chose the latter.
When the pie was delivered, it showed a nicely charred finish, a few blackened bubbles indicated good heat in the ovens. When I lifted to see the undercarriage, I was also impressed with the amount of char. The one item that made me a little nervous was the level of toppings, this was a much more heavily laden pie than a traditional New Haven style.
Onto the real test.
Let’s start with the good news, the half with the pepperoni. There was a medium to high level of cheese and when I pulled the first slice, a few cheese strands needed a little more coaxing to leave the pie. I first tasted the crust. It was good, not as great as some of the others I have eaten over the last few months, but very much above average. The pepperoni rings were slightly cupped, but instead of the traditional oil in the cups, there was some melted mozzarella. I pulled a few pepperonis to taste. The edges were slightly crisped, and there was a medium to medium-high level of spiciness, they were delicious. The amount of sauce and cheese could have been somewhat less, but the bite of the pepperoni side brought a smile to my face. It was a great combination, with the pepperoni carrying the entire slice to the finish line. The balance was pepperoni (40%), sauce (30%), cheese (25%), and crust (5%). This was definitely a great slice of pepperoni pizza.
I was hoping for the same from the sausage half. The sausage chunks (my favorite way to serve sausage pizza) were in various sizes, and the weight caused a bit of a flop at the point, but overall, the crust held pretty well. I first tried a large chunk of the sausage. It had a decent fennel flavor, but could definitely use additional seasoning. My guess was the roasted red peppers were not roasted on-premises (too bad with a coal oven) as they gave that vinegary jar flavor. Now for the first bite. There was a lot of delicious, sweet-flavored tomato sauce and a little too much cheese and they sorta overpowered the sausage and peppers. The balance definitely went to the sauce (40%), cheese (30%), peppers (15%), sausage (10%), crust (5%). Unfortunately, it was not as great as the pepperoni slices.
Overall, it was a tale of two sides. I really liked the pepperoni slices; the pepperoni had great flavor and spiciness, and both could handle the abundance of the sweet sauce and the amount of cheese Fuoco placed on the pie. The sausage and pepper side was not in the same category. I was hoping for more flavor in the sausage and a deeper sweetness from the red peppers. Likewise, with a coal-fired oven, I expected a more flavorful crust. In Connecticut, when you use the words “coal fired apizza,” you are competing at an Olympic-like level, and each ingredient needs to be fantastic. While I would definitely recommend Fuoco, it could be even better with a few adjustments.
Our recent visit to the North Fork Table and Inn in Southhold held no expectations as we drove and parked at this quaint, roadside building just east of downtown Southhold. It was a long weekend, we made last minute plans, were excited about the prospect of eating at a beautiful inn, but had no idea that the chefs’ pedogrees and talents would bring one of the most memorable meals in our lives.
We were seated outside on the terrace, under the stars, it was a beautiful evening, mid 70s and there was a gentle breeze. After looking through the menu, we were torn on the direction we should take, and we were both very hungry. At first, we were concerned we may have overordered, little did we know what was in store for us.
After a little research I saw that the Executive Chef, John Fraser, and the Pastry Chef, Sofia Schlieben, brought unbelievable resumes to the kitchen, French Laundry and Michelin-starred French locations. My expectations heightened.
We started the evening with the Housemade Milk Bread, served with Cultured butter, and a touch of Amagansett sea salt. This was easily the best bread I have ever eaten. It was crisp on the exterior and the interior just teased you to eat more. Butter was not required for the creaminess to exude from every morsel, but just to tantalize more taste buds, a little dab of butter was brilliant.
We started with two appetizers.
As mushroom fanatics, we really wanted to try the entrée of Bucatini with foraged mushrooms, et al, and ordered the entrée-sized to share. While the menu mentioned the inclusion of roasted peppers, the kitchen decided to elevate the flavors by including tomatoes and lima beans, which both added incredible tastes and textures to complement the abundance of the small and flavorful mushrooms.
For a salad selection, we ordered the Two Mile Salad, with heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, grated Catapano summer clouds, and croutons. This was a great salad, both visually and taste-wise. The balance of the sweet watermelon chunks and the tomatoes and cheese were joined on the plate by more lima beans, which added great earthiness to the overall presentation.
My wife ordered the Maine Lobster, served in a summer tomato broth topped with thinly sliced cucumbers. The lobster was perfectly prepared and then finished with a few seconds on the grill to add just a touch of texture. The tomato broth was delectable and served as the perfect complement to the lobster.
I opted for the Tuna, which was served in a nice rectangular log with two varieties of thinly sliced radishes and topped with a house-made salsa Verde. This was a perfect piece of tuna, not a single strand of sinew and it melted in your mouth. The salsa verde added just a touch of earthiness. The radishes made for incredible and complex tasting. It was genius in its simplicity.
You must save room for dessert, and we enjoyed two of the masterful creations. The first was the Grilled Peach Crisp Sundae, which included a large scoop of vanilla ice cream sitting atop Wickham’s peaches and pecan oat crumble. The ice cream was incredibly smooth, and the peaches and the best oat crumble I have ever tasted made this a great dessert.
Even above the deliciousness of the sundae was the Warm Chocolate Cake, which might be the best version of a molten cake I have ever eaten. Accompanying the rich chocolaty-ness of the cake was Rough Rider spiked, Amagansett sea salt caramel, and a dollop of vanilla bean cream. When you first cut into the cake, you can see the ultra-rich chocolatey decadence…you finished the meal with perfection.
Service was impeccable and the setting was relaxed, inviting and romantic.
This was a perfect evening under the stars and North Fork Table and Inn is a restaurant that should not be missed.
The year was 1888. The Civil War was twenty-three years in the past and the Model A was fifteen years in the future, the Statue of Liberty and Washington Monuments were recently dedicated, the US population stood at 50 million, the Standard Oil Company and AT&T were new companies, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened, and newly created Coca Cola was the talk of the south.
In the small town of Matteawan, NY, overlooking the Hudson River, Oven Number 312 was manufactured by the Dutchess Tool Company and sold to F Duhrkop of Meriden, CT. Until the late 1930s, the oven-baked bread at the Pratt Street location, and in 1938 the Verdolini family, forced to relocate its downtown business to Pratt Street, started baking pizza. In 1946, the business was sold to Tony Pascucci who changed the name to the Little Rendezvous. Over seventy-five years later, under the tutelage of its seventh owner, Steve Chehotsky, the Little Rendezvous is now producing one of the best, if not the best, pizza in CT, in one of the state’s longest, continuous-running coal ovens.
Little Rendezvous is still located on Pratt Street in Meriden, a very cute town southeast of Waterbury off Route 691. The small, white building is remarkably quaint, with two large 3 over 3 paned windows, a single center door a large sign above the door with “120 year old coal-fired brick oven” and a second sign “Brick Oven Pizza.” They are very proud of their heritage and the oven.
Little Rendezvous is probably the least heralded pizza restaurant in Connecticut, yet at times, the wait can be over three hours, yes, over three hours from order to delivery. The regulars, who have enjoyed these pies for decades, understand that if they do not follow the “Pro Tips,” they will miss the chance of grabbing one of the more than 100 pies created daily.
I wanted to time my arrival before the lunch rush, and I felt comfortable when I arrived at 1145 with only two cars parked in front. My hopes were heightened when I entered and there were only two people in the dining room. Then I saw the first sign, “FUN FACT #32 AN EMPTY DINING ROOM DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE SLOW!!!” Now I was a little nervous. I approached the ordering counter and was greeted with, “Did you call ahead?” Oh no, did I screw up? When I asked how long, I was happily told that it would be a 35 to 40-minute wait, whew, not a big deal at all. I ordered a small half sausage, half pepperoni. Now to relax and wait.
Little Rendezvous has three rooms. The front area includes a long bench attached to the wall behind four 4-tops, with basic folding chairs facing the wall, a single round table that seats an additional three guests, and a shelf table with two chairs. The middle room is a connecting hallway (put in place to connect the two buildings in 1938) with shelves stocked with hundreds of pizza boxes. The back room is the epicenter. There is an ordering counter with one person manning the phones, taking face-to-face orders, slicing the pizza, bringing pizza to the dining area, and settling the bills. His ordering system consists of a spiral notebook divided into 15-minute increments. When an order is received, he places it in the outbound time slot. Upon my order at 1150, I was assigned the 1230 box.
Behind the ordering counter is where the magic is made. Steve, the owner-pizzaiola-master, calmly creates one pie at a time. First, he stretches the dough very thin, then he carefully swirls two ladles of sauce, a few pinches of grated Parmesan cheese, and a couple of handfuls of shredded cheese. He carefully finishes the pie with layers of the requested toppings atop the shredded cheese and into the oven for 10-12 minutes.
The oven is cavernous, at least 10-12 feet deep. On the floor in front of the oven is a pile of coal. The coal chamber sits to the right and when they opened it for me it was blazing hot with a mound of burning coal.
I waited in the dining area, and promptly as promised the pizza arrived. It looked great. I waited a few minutes to allow the pie to cool a bit. I decided to first try a sausage slice. I slowly slid one to check the bottom. With the edges charred, I thought I would see lots of black below. Nope, it was a consistent, dark beige. Now the lift. It held perfectly with a slight droop at the edge, and all the toppings stayed intact. Excellent construction.
My first bite was teeny-weeny out of respect for the roof of my mouth. Even with the tiniest of bites, I was impressed. Steve mentioned that he spends a lot of time with the sausage, and it showed. There was an enormous amount of flavor, not too spicy, just enough to take notice and the spiciness lingered after the bite. As the slice cooled and my bites became larger, I was more and more impressed. The balance definitely leaned towards sausage, if I were to divide, it would be 60% sausage, 15% sauce, 15% cheese, and 10% crust. As I have mentioned before, I am a chunk versus crumbled person, but I absolutely loved this slice.
With the sausage side in the record book, I moved to the pepperoni. The slices of pepperoni were 50% cupped, with just a dollop of oil in each, this is what I always look for, and this was the proper amount. My first bite was a full try since the pizza was now cooled. Wow, this was another great slice of pizza. The pepperoni was on the same spice profile as the sausage, just a nice level that kicked in and then trailed off. Different from the full coverage of sausage, the amount of pepperoni was more genteel, it allowed the cheese and sauce to participate more. The balance was perfect. The taste divide was 40% pepperoni, 25% cheese, 25% sauce and 10% crust. It was a slice of cheese pizza with pepperoni versus a slice of sausage pizza.
After enjoying my lunch, I spent a little time with Steve as he filled other orders. He started as a 15-year-old in the late 1980s and purchased the business about fifteen years ago. While he would not tell me the exact number of pies produced daily, he alluded to more than 100 and less than 200. The dough and sauce are made in-house, and he takes great pain in preparing the sausage. He was super friendly, and not only do you feel great about eating his great pizza, but he is the kind of friendly and customer-focused business owner that you want to give your hard-earned money to.
Overall, this is one of the best pizzas of my life. I do not want to get into the comparisons with other great pizzas in CT, we are all really lucky to have great options. Suffice it to say, Little Rendezvous definitely occupies one of my five fingers in the best of the best.
I’ve been following Chef Dan Kardos for over a decade, through his days in Stamford, New Canaan, SONO, and his march north up I-95. His latest venture, Café Melba, in Milford, is a testament to his always doing things his way. Anyone who knows Kardos understands his way is always his way. And I am glad he placed “his way” in the food at Café Melba.
Assisting Kardos at Café Melba is his wonderful wife, Julie, who oversees the front of the house. On each of our visits, she was overwhelmingly pleasant, brought us to our table, offered water to our Service Dog, and offered her guidance on our choices.
On our latest visit, with the temperatures in the 80s, we decided to take advantage of the patio. When we walked through the doors, we were shocked by its size. While other restaurants have a smattering of tables, Café Melba’s patio can accompany almost 70 guests, with 6-8 picnic benches, high tops and cocktail table seating.
A fair amount has been written recently about the Chicken Sandwich. I looked through my notes and it’s been seven and a half years since I first wrote about Dan’s chicken sandwich at Liberty Rock Tavern, and the current version is even better. More about that later since we were there for more than the chicken.
We started with two appetizers.
The Tuna tartare was large chunks of freshly cut tuna served atop two toasted slices of bread with a mildly spicy aioli, sesame seeds and baby micro-greens. The tuna was fresh and incredibly flavorful. And then the other elements kicked in. The aioli was the perfect complement to the tuna with a little kick and some creaminess to offset its spiciness. The dish was finished with a touch of spicy oil to add just a little more kick and flavor. The microgreens were a delightful addition.
In addition, we ordered the Burrata Caprese. This dish also started with a couple of slices of grilled bread, which was the canvas for the burrata, peppers, prosciutto and arugula, and then topped with olive oil and balsamic glaze. The dish had several complementary elements that worked to create an incredible dish. The thinly sliced prosciutto was mildly salty to offset the creaminess of the burrata and the peppers added a wonderful, sweet component. The arugula and balsamic were a fantastic method to bring everything together. This was a great Caprese.
Then I moved on to the main event, the Chicken sandwich. It was as great as all the press has written. The chicken, itself, was a majorly think chicken breast perfectly deep fried for that great crunchy exterior and juicy interior. This was topped with melted American cheese, ranch dressing, bacon and pickles, all encased within two thick slices of toast. Nothing more today other than this combo absolutely nailed it. The chicken was beyond delicious and then the bacon and dressing kicked in with smoky, creamy, and pungent. The combo continued with the vinegary pickles. And not enough is said about the choice of bread, thick slices were perfectly toasted and fully capable of holding all the ingredients together for each mouth-watering bite. This was a super great sandwich.
Café Melba, under Dan and Julie Kardos, is an absolute must for anyone looking for some great food in an ultra-relaxed setting.
It’s been a while since a new restaurant opened in New Canaan, so I was very excited when I heard that the much-anticipated Blackbird opened a few doors down from its sister restaurant Solé. After the first visit, the food was so spectacular, that I was quick to visit a second time a week late. Spoiler alert – It is already serving some of the best and most creative dishes in Fairfield County.
Blackbird is the newly opened addition of the Z Hospitality Group, which operates numerous, well-established restaurants in the area including Solé, Mediterraneo, Terra and East End. The narrow and long space is akin to the Solé layout, with tables in the front and a long bar and tables once you reach the mid-point. Unlike Solé, the kitchen is not open to full view, but is located behind doors in the rear. The front area serves guests on traditional tables while high-tops are stationed along the left wall in the rear half, which it shares with the long bar on the right. I was initially concerned about the potential for difficulty in hearing (a la Solé) but I was pleasantly surprised that the ambient noise in the front was friendly and the high-tops across from the bar were even better.
During our two visits, I enjoyed several of their newly designed, and expertly prepared dishes.
I ordered two different appetizers on my visits. The first was the Yellow Fin Tuna Noodles served atop tapenade and radish sprouts ($21). The first question…what are “tuna noodles.” If you think of long, square strands of sliced tuna, you’ve nailed it. The kitchen arranges several long strands sitting atop the pureed tapenade, another different interpretation. This Mediterranean-inspired puree delivered a completely different profile than the ever-present Asian tuna tartare that resides on 95% of the local menus. This was a totally different profile, earthy, bright, and rich all in one bite. I was impressed that the chef created a more creative use of the tuna and really liked the combination and it set the stage nicely for the other dishes.
The other appetizer I ordered was the Amish Chicken Wings with a chili ginger glaze and served with peanuts and scallions ($12). This was a very unusual choice for me, but I am glad I did. The dish included three full wings (both the drums and flats) covered in sticky sauce and finished with peanuts and some sliced scallions. As I gingerly (no pun intended) bit into the first section I was really impressed, they exploded with flavor, not temperature. Thank you to the kitchen as the wings arrived at an edible temperature, not so hot as to incinerate my mouth with bite #1. The sauce had a delightful flavor, with just the right amount of spiciness (I give it a 4-5 on the spice meter) and a ton of Asian influence, and the crunchiness of the peanuts was a great addition. I thought the wings were fantastic.
For my entrée choices, I went in two totally different directions.
On the first visit, I ordered the Wild Black Sea Bass with pea miso puree, asparagus, and morel mushrooms ($35). What can I say other than the fish, puree and asparagus were beyond spectacular? Blackbird offers a large filet sitting atop pencil-thin charred asparagus and both nestled in the pea puree. Sitting alongside these elements was a few morel mushrooms (one of my favorite varieties). A little dab of the puree and I knew this was going to be special, then a fork through the ultra-crispy skin and into the fish, expectations elevated more, and then the combo. Wow! The fish was perfectly prepared and with the puree, created an out-of-this-world combo. The asparagus added even more flavors. While I was extremely excited with the prospect of the morels, they were the one disappointment. Unfortunately, they absorbed a lot of the vinegar in the sauce, they lost all their earthy goodness. Overall, this was one of the best fish dishes I have eaten in quite some time.
If you have been following my decade of Fairfield County dining, you know I am a sucker for a good burger. When I saw Blackbird’s interpretation of the Double Bacon Smash® Burger on the menu, it was like magnets of opposite polarity, gotta get connected. The Blackbird Smash Burger includes onions, mushrooms, melted Gruyere cheese, baconaisse & pickled tomato ($25). All of my faves were encased in a sesame seed bun, Blackbird created an amazing new combination to this century-old burger tradition. Start with a couple of seared patties, and first take a few cues from French onion soup with the addition of soft, caramelized onions and melted Gruyere cheese. It was a great idea, but what about some mushrooms, yeah that should add some earthy qualities, but you also need some lettuce and tomato, not just a simple slice of tomato, Blackbird went to the left by adding a slice of pickled tomato. And if that was not enough, let’s throw some bacony mayo on the bun. It must have been as much fun to create as it was to eat. It was one of my favorite combinations in a long time, thank you. Blackbird also added some fries on the side in the New Canaan-approved silver chalice. To say I liked the burger would be an understatement.
We also ordered a few desserts for the table to share. The big hit was the Japanese Donuts with lemon curd and strawberry sauce. Five golf-ball-sized orbs were accompanied by a small dish of lemon curd and strawberry sauce. Everyone can decide on the level and combination of flavors… the naked donuts were delicious and with each added topping, they became even better. The donuts were a great ending to the meal.
After only a short time, Blackbird has elevated itself to one of the best in New Canaan. The vibe was great, the acoustics allowed for table conversation, and the food was over the top delicious. So glad there is another great restaurant in New Canaan.
We finally made it to @The Corner in Litchfield. It is located at the eastern end of the town green at the corner (no surprise) of West St. and South St. just a couple of doors up from the post office. There are two rooms, one a dining room and the other a bar with several tables. At mid-day, it was about 30% full, with numerous locals having lunch.
The lunch menu is mostly sandwiches, creative burgers, and a few salads. We were not sure what to order and we went for two of their basic offerings.
I chose the GOCHUJANG CHICKEN ($16), which was crispy buttermilk fried chicken thigh, kimchee cucumbers, sweet & sour cabbage, gochujang honey & sesame aioli. The chicken was perfectly fried (I like the thigh much better than the breast) to a crispy exterior while maintaining a moist interior. Then I tasted the toppings. I absolutely loved the combination. Between the sweet, spicy, crunchy interplay it was not only a delicious sandwich but a great sandwich. The entire dish had such great complexity and just the right level of spiciness. While the roll could handle all the ingredients, I found it easier to enjoy with a knife and fork. I give the sandwich an 8.
As a side, I had to order the ONION RINGS ($8), which were beer battered and served with corner sauce. @The Corner does not skimp on this side dish, not a mere 4-5 rings, but closer to a baker’s dozen, and we were glad they gave us such a nice-sized portion. These rings were delicious, from the sweetness and soft interior to the perfectly crispy exterior. The corner sauce was a great complement with just a hint of spice. Best onion rings in quite some time, I give them a 9.
My wife was not in the mood for a burger or sandwich, so she decided to order a small plate of SMOKED SALMON LATKES ($17), which were crisp potato pancakes topped with chive creme fraiche, smoked salmon, crispy capers & beet pickled red onions. There are two methods to make potato latkes, one with a grater and one with a ricer, @The Table uses the latter, which makes for a much denser latke. Both of us found these much too dense. It would also have benefitted from more onion. While the flavor was pretty good, it was not to our liking, and I can only give a 2.
@The Corner is a great place to relax during the day in one of our favorite towns, Litchfield. My recommendation is to stick to the core of the menu, the burgers, sandwiches, and fries. The fried chicken and onion rings were both delicious, and I would highly recommend both.
In the old days, you would have packed lunch, dinner, and possibly an overnight bag. Now, you make an appointment online, show up, check-in, bam, boom, out in under 30 minutes, total. So when I recently scheduled my visit, I chose a lunchtime appointment so I could combine it with seeking out a hidden gem in Waterbury. And this time I finally found one…Domenick & Pia Downtown Pizzeria.
Domenick and Pia is located at 3 Brook St. around the corner from the Palace Theatre and the University of Connecticut (Waterbury) and has served pizza to the local community for over 50 years. Any place that successfully thrived and survived through those economic swings of Waterbury has something to offer. To say Domenick and Pia is a hole in the wall would be an understatement. While the exterior reflects the recent gentrification of this small part of Waterbury, walk through the doors and whoosh, back to the 1970s. The general ambiance of the interior is probably reflecting its grand opening with Formica-topped and wood-trimmed tables, push-on prices reminiscent of the side-of-the-road hamburger stands, red plastic trays to carry your pick-up order to the table, the whole nine yards. My guess is the original pie-price was under $2, with a 25-cent slice-price. There is no glamour, no TVs, no beer, just good old-fashioned pizza, a couple of hot oven grinders, a ton of drink options, and one of the most pleasant staff imaginable. To succeed with this formula, the pizza better be really good. Mission accomplished.
I ordered two slices from the young lady, one sausage and the other pepperoni…”let me throw those in the oven to make them perfect again.” Over my right shoulder I heard, “Throw a second sausage on that tray.” Obviously a regular and normal SOP, very cool.
She collected my $5 for the two slices, placed the plastic tray on the counter added a few napkins and I waited for my hot slices to…emerge…received…a little walk to a cleared table and a few photos. The slices looked very good, and my next step was to look at the underside. It was really well done, a nice brown with no burns, and it felt a little crunchy.
Now the test, and that first bite sets the stage, and the third bite is the litmus test (yes it is the third, NOT the first bite of a pizza slice that counts). I went with the pepperoni (it was closer) and the first bite brought a smile. The price may be 10X from when Domenick and Pia opened, but the pizza immediately transported me to those childhood days of eating pizza. The crust was crisp, had some great tomato sauce (probably housemade), the cheese was just the right flavor and amount, and the pepperoni gave a nice kick without too much spiciness. Major pass on bite #1. After two more bites, this slice passed all the tests, it was great.
Onto the sausage slice. My preference is for chunks of sausage versus slices, Domenick and Pia chose the latter. Bite #1 on the sausage side was also a pleasant surprise. The sausage was very good, not perfect but really, really good. I like a little more fennel and chunks, but for sliced sausage, it was almost perfect. And given the crust, sauce, and cheese combo, it was a great slice.
As I was leaving I decided to return and thank the person behind the counter who I thought was the owner. When I complimented him and the pizza, he called for his mother from the back and said this was all her doing. So there I was thanking the founder/matriarch and the son who has kept this Waterbury tradition alive for over fifty years. My hat’s off to the founder, the son, the staff, and the pizza. It was a great find for some incredible slices.
Jfood Eats 