Tag Archives: travel

Charcoal Chef: A Nostalgic Dining Experience in Woodbury

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One of my favorite shows growing up was The Twilight Zone. Most episodes included Rod Serling’s famous, “Imagine, if you will…” and his describing a “fifth dimension” between reality and imagination. I sometimes think of those days, a simpler time when life moved more slowly, where information was absorbed from the three-dimensional surroundings versus the two-dimensional computer screen, where families viewed eating out as a bonus, not as a Plan B because everyone was too tired to cook and when every meal was not measured by its TikTok and Instagram potential. Sometimes a restaurant is a place to bring family, outside the Internet measurements, outside the stars, likes and looks, and just serve simple fare at reasonable prices.

When I find a restaurant that brings that sense of peace, it deserves a call-out, not for its Michelin quality preparation and plating, but for its giving back to a different subset of America, the people that do not care if there is WIFI in the dining area, look forward to seeing what the blackboard specials for the night might bring to their table, and not looking for the computer-generated bill with three high-percentage tip recommendations.

Such a place is Charcoal Chef in Woodbury.

Imagine if you will…driving on a country road in central Connecticut, several miles north of a small town, which is several miles north of another small town that happens to be near an exit off I-84. You see a big sign (I almost feel that Huckleberry Finn had something to do with it) announcing CHARCOAL BROILED HOT DOGS HAMBURGERS SEA FOOD. Then you see the building, a simple side-of-the-road single-story building reminiscent of the 1950s, but with solar panels adorning the roof. You pull into the parking lot. They know their clientele, every parking spot immediately adjacent to the front doors is reserved for Blue Placard vehicles. There is plenty of parking surrounding the front entrances for others.

The real throwback occurs once you enter. The interior is large, seating almost 100 people on copy-paste chairs decorated in 1950s Mad Men décor, numerous shelves filled with items purchased from other side-of-the-road shops, plus a counter overlooking the kitchen that seats an additional nine guests on round swivel black vinyl NJ dine-style stools.

What also separates Charcoal Chef from other restaurants is its namesake charcoal-fired grill. While the rest of the open kitchen is standard, the chef can utilize a three-foot-by-three-foot brick base grill, which is filled with charcoal and topped with grates. This unusual addition allows the kitchen to give the food a little backyard smokey goodness.

I chose a small table where I could view the surroundings. My waitress (she would probably be upset if I used any other description than what she has heard for the last umpteen years) brought the advertisement-laden paper placemat, a well-used menu and asked for my drink order. Once I requested a hot dog, a BBQ burger (medium-rare) and French fries, she brought the water, fork and steak knife, plus an assortment of condiments, which have been used by a lot of other guests. I first noticed the Red Gold ketchup, never heard of. It was reminiscent of the Heinz squeeze bottle, with one difference, the words “For every bottle purchased, Red Gold donates to Folds of Honor, to educate, and support the families of our fallen heroes.” Love the thought and, BTW, it was just as good as Heinz.

Onto the food.

The BBQ burger was a bacon-cheeseburger (BBQ on the side for me) and was freshly ground meat and formed on site, it still had that freshly compacted texture. The cheese was basic American, with a few rashers of bacon, and two concentric onion rings, all in a decent bun. While I was asked for a requested doneness, I guess they all come out the same, cooked. Add a little salt and ketchup and you feel like you were eating at a Sunday church BBQ, as I said earlier, a simpler place.

The hot dog arrived on a toasted NE-style bun. It jutted out of both sides of the bun, approaching a true foot-long. It had a few good grill marks. I could see it was not all beef, but when I bit into it, it had a good “snap,” and the porky-spiciness was actually pretty good. It was one of the better dogs I have eaten in a while. I added a little mustard and relish, and I really enjoyed this simple dog.

After each bite I looked at the other patrons, nobody, and I mean nobody, was on their phone, none were googling, no children with headsets watching videos, only people chatting, people reading a newspaper (yes, the one in print), people giggling. My server was standing at her station working on a paper Sudoku while resting between taking orders and bringing food.

When I asked for the check, I sorta knew what to expect. It was hand-written, my hot dog, BBQ burger and French fries earned, in total, eight letters, 3 each for the hot dog and burger, with the French fries garnering a two-spot. The total for my meal did not reach $20, barely the same price as some appetizers and salads at other places.

As I left, I took notice of the whiteboard specials, the Bronzino dinner was $28 with some Street Corn Chowder (I just paid double that in FL). But what really caught my eye were the ice cream flavors, they started with a traditional Butter Pecan but swerved immediately to the left with Extra Large Cookies, Hot Honey (go figure), Bourbon Oatmeal, and Tony’s Cakes. Huh? These flavors were like the solar panels on the roof, between reality and imagination.

While Charcoal Chef will not make my go-to rotation for its cuisine, my time there was memorable, the staff was incredibly friendly, the food was pretty OK, but the enjoyable part was the peace and feeling of a different time, when a restaurant was there for a family gathering to enjoy the meal. For that…“thanks for the memories.”

Denmo’s Snack and Dairy (Southbury) – Basic Side of the Road Burgers & Dogs

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Denmo’s Snack and Dairy is located on south Main Street in Southbury and has been serving the area for over forty years. I heard mixed feedback about the food, but I kept reading a few positive anecdotes on their hot dogs, and given its proximity and my build-up of internal curiosity I decided to drive to check out the burgers, dogs and fries. While it was an not extraordinary experience, it was a decent visit. There was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was nothing good about it either. It was basic burgers and dogs with a couple of bright spots.

When I arrived, I saw the chalk board menu with lots of additional items from the on-line menu. I first noticed a significant difference. While the website still touts the “foot long” dog, the chalk board eliminated any reference to a quantifiable dimension, but now stated “long.” I ordered with relish, mustard and sauerkraut (this is “the works” less the raw onion). I also ordered a single cheeseburger with fried onions and a side of fries.

The dog – The chalkboard is correct, the foot-long is gone. The dog juts a bit from both ends of the roll, so my guess would be a 10”. The roll is a New England meets Texas toast that has been nicely griddled on the exterior. The mustard, relish and mustard were nicely applied. The dog, itself was split and there was a bit of a char. On first bit I was non-impressed. There was nothing to speak of on the flavor from. No smokiness, no saltiness, no pop, no nothing. It was a mildly bland dog. The mustard was not Gulden’s but some run of the mill variety and I would guess the somewhat tasteless relish and kraut were as well. There was nothing bad, just nothing good.

The burger – I have to commend Denmo’s on the preparation. The meat was loosely formed into the patty and even given it’s 4-ounce pre-cooked weight, they were able to have a tinge of pink in the center. Likewise, the cheese was nicely melted. The taste was, or should I say tasteless, aspect, of the burger was its downfall. Again, nothing bad, just nothing to really like. Now here is my one “I liked” and it was the grilled onions. They were very flavorful, soft and the highlight of the visit.

The fries – if you want to talk about zero love, think these out of the freezer, into the oil, fries. No seasoning, no nothing. My guess is some middle schoolers were assigned to the frier and they were tik-tok’ing. And Denmo’s did not help by offering the cheapest ketchup packets their purveyor could sell them.

Overall, I checked the box, went to Denmo’s, tried their burger, dog and fries and can move on. While others may enjoy the treats, I will probably not place on my return list.

Terrain Cafe Burger (Westport) – Could Have Been Spectacular

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It’s been several years since I ate at Terrain Cafe. When we finished some appointments in the Westport area, we were looking for a relaxing place to dine and Terrain seemed to fit the bill. Given its long-standing popularity, I was a little worried that the dining room would be fully committed when I sheepishly approached the hostess. Fortunately, they did have a table for two.

Terrain has upped its environment since my last visit numerous years ago. The foliage has filled in, and there is no view to the outside environs, it is completely self-contained within a beautiful garden-like atmosphere.

What I also remembered was the delicious bread in the flower pot. When our server brought it over, I was excited, but memories were better than the present. Something was different, first it was now room temperature, not the warmness of previous versions, the second and more disappointing was the flavor. While I remember buttery goodness, this loaf was pallid, not memorable at all. 

I also remember the burger was excellent and I was smitten when I saw, “terrain Burger…8 oz. grass-fed beef, Cabot Creamery white cheddar, sweet balsamic onion jam, brioche bun,” it was an easy decision for me. I was a little taken aback that only a salad was included and substituting fries was an additional $2, it’s a cheeseburger, and its companion is fries, not salad.

I ordered medium rare, and when it arrived, I was very impressed, a nice fat burger, with a good amount of melted cheese. Some nice-looking greens sat atop. I cut into the burger, not medium-rare at all, more medium to medium-well, too bad. The meat was loosely formed into the patty and when I cut the burger in half, one small piece fell onto the plate. I always try the meat first and when this morsel hit the tongue, I remembered why I thought it was great years ago. It was deep in flavor, and had to be grass-fed, from an excellent farm. The meat was top-tiered. Now for the whole shebang. The cheese was not strong enough to handle the rich flavors of the beef, and the onion jam was non-existent, but the lettuce and brioche added some nice flavor. What started as a 10 with the meat, quickly fell down the rating scale to an 8. The fries were just OK, but for an upcharge from the included salad, it was more an insult than an upgrade. They should be embarrassed. It actually drops my rating another number to a 7. 

The server was great and the environment was so relaxing I would return at a moment’s notice. I will definitely adjust my expectations from my visits years ago. The bread is not as good as in the past and given the quality of the meat, there was so much potential, the kitchen let the meat down, it was a 10 but the rest of the dish detracted much too much.

561 Post Rd E, Westport, CT 06880

(203) 226-2750

https://www.shopterrain.com/restaurants

Vincenzo’s Pizzeria in Waterbury: A Hidden Gem for Delicious Pizza and More

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I’ve been looking for some great burger and pizza places in “the Valley,” and noticed a few references to a pizza place in Waterbury, Vincenzo’s Pizzeria. Looking at their website, I thought it would be like numerous other local Italian restaurants, where I could order a pie, maybe a Parm, sit at one of their tables, and enjoy a quiet lunch.

Fast forward to my visit. Vincenzo’s is located about a mile south of I-84’s Chase Parkway exit in Waterbury. As I left the Interstate, I drove through a neighborhood that reminded me of where I grew up, two-story houses, not a lot of commerce, and a sense of community. As my waze went under a quarter of a mile until I arrived at Vincenzo’s, things began to change slightly, I noticed several patio dining areas with white tablecloths jutting from white-painted two-storied restaurants named La Tavola and D’Amelios Italian Eatery, it reminded me of several great neighborhood Italian restaurants from my youth. 

I slowed as I approached one of Waterbury’s firehouses, looking for another white tableclothed restaurant. But there across the street, on the corner of Highland and Fairfield Avenues was a single-story, red-painted structure, with a couple of weather-worn signs. I had arrived at Vincenzo’s Pizzeria. Vincenzo’s also has a front patio, but at the time of my visit a few weeks before Memorial Day, there were no tablecloths, and it did not appear to be open. I looked for the parking area and saw a small lot behind the building that probably held six cars, one reserved for the delivery vehicle. 

I entered through the rear and found myself in a teeny-tiny ordering area, probably six feet by eight feet, with a couple of folding chairs, one blocking the door to the dining room with a hand-written sign that read “Dining Area open Friday and Saturday nights.” At the far end was an ordering counter that doubled as the window to the kitchen, and seated on a bridge chair on the other side of the plexiglass was a sweet, elderly lady, who wrote all the orders on a pad to hand to the kitchen staff. 

I ordered a small pizza, half sausage, and half pepperoni. She wrote “roni” and I smiled. I waited in my car for the suggested 15 minutes and returned as my pie was vacating the oven and into the traditional red & white box. It was now showtime.

When I opened the box, I was impressed, Vincenzo’s does not skimp on the amount of toppings, every millimeter was occupied by one of my two requested toppings. I first noticed the sausage, it was the crumbled variety, different from my preferred chunks, but better than slices. The ‘roni was slightly cupping, not a full-out cup-with-oil, but a medium cup and, yes, there was some oil in the cup. 

The edges look perfectly browned and when I checked the underside, it was likewise a beautiful darkish tan. I tasted the edge crust, and it was light, airy, and great flavor. The first lift of the sausage slice was, again, impressive. It held together with just a little tilt at the inner point. Now for the test and the bites. The first bite produced a slight crunch of the crust, and the sausage delivered light to medium spice, and the proportion of sausage to cheese to sauce was slightly leaning toward the sausage. This first bite was great. I waited for the cooling effect and then my normal Third Bite Test, it passed with flying colors. This was a really good slice of pie.

Now onto the ‘roni side. The slice was equally delicious, the pepperoni was slightly spicy at first and then the spiciness sorta lingered and intensified. This side also passed the Third Bite Test with flying colors. In fact, the proportions were slightly better than the sausage side, which allowed the sauce and cheese to play a more dominant role in the flavors.

Overall, Vincenso’s is a great off-the-beaten-path stop for a great pie and I will definitely return and try some of the other items on the menu. 

Vincenzo’s Pizzeria

752 Highland Ave

Waterbury, CT 06708

203-574-5300

203-574-5800

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Community Table (New Preston) – Magnificent Food in a Wonderful Locale

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I’ve heard so much about Community Table (affectionately known at CT) in New Preston, CT, over the years that when my college roommate texted me and asked if we wanted to join him and his husband for dinner, I was ecstatic. 

The drive through the rolling hills of Washington Township, and through the tranquility of Litchfield county took about 40 minutes. The exterior of CT is very non-descript, a simple white building, with a minimalist “CT” sign, and the interior was a throwback colonial bar feeling with beams and lots of wood. We entered the bar area, where we were greeted by a wonderful woman, who took our jackets and escorted us to the back dining room, where under twenty guests would enjoy the magnificent cuisine. Our server arrived, gave us a warm welcome and we looked to begin our evening.

We started with the House-Made Six Grain Sourdough Bread and sea salted butter ($12). One bite and I knew this was going to be a special night. The bread had a wonderful, moist texture, full of flavor and the butter was salted perfectly. It was so special that on our subsequent visit, we bought a second loaf to go.

Throughout this dinner and our subsequent visit a week later, we enjoyed some spectacular cuisine.

My wife ordered the Local Portobello Mushroom Soup with pepitas and orange gremolata, with a drizzle of balsamic reduction ($17). The version presented by CT was one of, if not the best, mushroom soups anywhere. The umami of the mushrooms was fully evident, and the texture was smooth as silk, with an incredible earthiness. One would think that there was cream in the soup, but not a trace, only emulsified mushrooms to create the silky texture. This is easily a 10+.

I opted for a half order of the homemade Bucatini All’ Amatriciana, prepared with preserved San Marzano tomatoes, guanciale, Aleppo pepper, and Pecorino Romano cheese ($24). Let’s begin with the pasta, prepared to perfection and the appetizer-sized option was good portion. It was topped with a rich tomato sauce, which benefited both from the quality and the preserved process, plus some chunks of the guanciale and smothered in the grated Pecorino. Given the All’ Amatriciana description, I was a little concerned about the spice level, but there was barely a kick in the sauce. Instead, it was spectacular in tomato lusciousness, and I was glad they offered a spoon, so I could enjoy every, last bite. This was also easily a 10+.

I am a huge fan of duck, so I decided to order the Five Spice Pekin Duck Breast, Cortland apple puree, radicchio, and red wine duck jus ($39). (Pictured above) Two large strips of rare duck breast sat atop the large portion of radicchio. The server poured the duck jus around the dish, and I found the puree hidden beneath the radicchio. The duck was tender, succulent, and rich in flavor, it was superbly prepared to the lighter side of medium rare. The key to this dish was the Cortland apple puree, it brought all the great duck flavors to the forefront. The jus was a great counterbalance to the apple sweetness. The radicchio added a certain tartness to the dish. It is easy to give this dish a 10+.

My wife ordered the Bincho Grilled Lemon Garlic Marinated Head-On Prawns, ancho chili, stone ground cheddar cheese grits, and scallions ($42). Four large prawns grilled on Bincho high-heat grill sat atop the grits and the kitchen was kind enough to separate the heads from the bodies. The prawns offered a very mild spiciness from the ancho chili rub, and the cheddar cheese grits were better than anything I ate while living in Georgia. This was another 10 dish.

It was such a great evening that my wife and I decided to return a week later. We again asked for the back room, looking for some quiet time. With four 2-tops lined along the wall, we understood the term community table. All eight of us engaged in interspersed conversation at times while we each focused on our individual dinner partner at other times. 

On the second visit, I started with the Black Sea Bass Crudo, with shaved fennel, grapefruit, and chives ($21). If you are looking for a refined dish to open your palate for the rest of the evening, this is an excellent option. A large portion of thinly sliced sea bass filled the plate and was topped with grapefruit segments and thinly sliced fennel circles. Droplets of spiced oil and a few strands of dill finished the dish. The combination of flavors and textures was refreshing, delicious, and completely satisfying. Like most of the dishes at CT, the guest can decide on various combinations from a single element to all of the components. I would rate this dish a 9-10.

On this second visit, I decided to order a slightly heavier entrée, the Berkshire House Smoked Pork Chop with celery root puree, charred broccolini, and a mole poblano ($44). Two concentric circles with the mole portion surrounding the celery root puree were flanked by a large, sliced pork chop on one side and the charred broccolini on the other. The first bite was the pork chop was very good but needed something to balance the flavor. the addition of the mole and puree was required to appreciate the vision of the chef. Each bite was smoky, creamy, spicy, and sweet. The charred broccolini added another sweet component, and was sweet and the ever-so-slight char added a nice depth. I give this dish a 9.

As I mentioned in other articles, there is sometimes a weak link, and for CT it was the Chocolate Tres Leche Cake with burnt local cream ($16). We ordered on both visits, not believing our palate on the first. The cake was dense, dry, and not very chocolatey (the opposite of our expectations with a tres leche cake) and the icing was a bland rendition. I was hoping for a delightfully light and moist ending, but it was not to my liking. I will not rank this cake.

Why we waited so long to venture to CT still shocks me, the food was remarkable, the service impeccable, and the management was over-the-top friendly and inviting on both of our visits. A great job by all.