rbailin's Profile
Sugar & Olives, Norwalk, CT. Anyone?
I'm even more aghast at their choice of unreadable (for me, at least) light gray and light orange text on a white background on their main webpage. Form over function.
Place to eat before show at Oakdale Theatre?
It's now officially called "Toyota Presents the Oakdale Theater", but everyone (including its website) calls it the Oakdale, just as they have for the past 50+ years.
For something different, try the Watch Factory Restaurant in the center of Cheshire, about 6 miles (12 minutes) from the theater. It's refined, upscale Austrian cuisine, created by a chef who used to work for Victor Borge before opening his own place 15 years ago. The food is rich and sumptuous, so I wouldn't recommend a steady diet of it, but it's a great treat if you like this style of cooking.
www.watchfactoryrestaurant.com
Reservations are a must on a Saturday evening; give yourself a 2 hour lead time to the theater.
Namaste in Southington - DELICIOUS!!
You've told us more about the restaurant next door (it's Mexican!) than you have about Namaste.
What type of restaurant is it? What did you order?
Other than those two points, this was an excellent boilerplate review.
Several days in Groton/Mystic/New London -
Kitchen Little is being kicked out of their present location by the property owners, effective some time in April 2012 according to their website:
http://www.kitchenlittle.org/
If you can help them relocate, they would be most grateful (along with their patrons).
Any African Food in New Haven besides Ethiopian?
Gilt Morrocan Steakhouse on College St near Chapel opened 3 weeks ago at the site of the former Bespoke (same owners). I haven't tried it yet.
Danbury
Bethel is also having its RW this week (Feb. 27 - Mar. 4):
http://www.connecticutrestaurantweek.com/restaurant-weeks-ct/bethel-restaurant-week/
The end of Bespoke and Sabor as we know it...
Replaced by Gilt Moroccan Steakhouse and Lounge. www.giltnewhaven.com
Same owners as Bespoke as far as I know. Bespoke always featured a few Moroccan dishes on the menu. This new place seems to be an extension and expansion on that theme. They must be confident in the new place: their grand opening was on Valentine's Day.
Where in southern CT can I find a KitchenAid mixer power cord?
All Parts Major Appliance Supply 369 Boston Post Road Orange, CT 06477 (203) 901-1295
Electric Appliance Parts Co 125 S Leonard St Waterbury, CT 06708 (866) 747-6552
AllStar Appliance 1215 Thomaston Ave Waterbury CT 06704 (203) 597-0363
Obviously, call first and have the model number ready.
Lunch near Thomaston, Ct
Try Backstage in downtown Torrington next door to the Warner Theater on Main St.
24 beers on tap + full bar, definitely the polar opposite of a dump but comfortable & casual, good burgers, sandwiches, apps & more. At lunchtime or mid-afternoon, you have your choice of seating & privacy.
any suggestions for New Haven?...would like a really good place for dinner...no pizza, please
John Davenport's is much better than your average hotel restaurant, but is itself quite average compared to the other restaurants recommended here.
Bonda - Fairfield
A knowledgeable friend strongly recommended the Wild Alaska King Salmon that he tried during Fairfiled Eats! Week earlier this month.
NB: Their website ("Under Construction") is easily one of the most annoying I've seen lately. Between the incessant music and the microscopic menu font, I would be likely to give them a pass if I didn't know better.
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Bonda
75 Hillside Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824
Augie's Branford, CT
It was open for several months over the summer, but closed in September due to family issues.
Suggestions for Hartford South/Glastonbury area, please
The only French restaurant left in the Hartford area is Cavey's in the center of Manchester, about 15 minutes east of Hartford. It has a split personality: Italian on the main level, French downstairs. Both are excellent.
Here's a recent review: http://www.hartfordmag.com/html/restaurant%20reviews/CaveysFrench.html
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Cavey's Restaurants
45 E Center St, Manchester, CT 06040
Scoozi's - what happened?
According to its website, the Yale Daily News & the NH Register, it closed suddenly on Oct. 25 with no explanantion given. It was supposed to be one of the participants in NH Restaurant Week next week.
Fine-ish Dining Farmington Valley (CT)
I would agree with all of the above suggestions and add Treva in West Hartford center. They recently improved their menu with a number of Italian vegetarian offerings that's not reflected in the online menu on their website. And according to yesterday's Hartford Courant, they've added the option of using Android touchpad PC's to display their offerings, as a replacement for paper menus.
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Treva
980 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT 06107
Treva
West Hartford, West Hartford, CT
Dinner in/near Groton, CT
Octagon Steakhouse, located on the first floor of the Mystic Marriott, is a much better than average restaurant that happens to be located in a hotel. Not a "hotel restaurant" at all. The steaks are excellent, the other entrees can vary depending on who's in the kitchen.
Edited to add: Oops! Closed Sunday & Monday (an absurd decision for a hotel restaurant!)
If you enjoy well-crafted Italian, grab a cab to Bravo Bravo in Downtown Mystic. Their sister restaurant Azu is just across the bridge on the Groton side of the Mystic River (Bravo Bravo is on the Stonington side) and is more casual and funky.
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Azu
32 W Main St, Mystic, CT 06355
Bravo Bravo Restaurant
20 E Main St, Mystic, CT 06355
Octagon
625 North Rd. Rte. 117, Groton, CT 06340
Asian in New Haven ? ? TONIGHT ?
You said "walking distance." Bentara, at Orange & Crown is 6 city blocks (5 down Chapel, 1 across) from Yale Rep. My idea of walkable this time of year on a nice evening.
Thali is one block further. Thali Too, on Broadway, is even closer.
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Bentara
76 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Thali
4 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Thali Too
65 Broadway, New Haven, CT 06511
New Haven : need recs for variety and a great seafood/raw bar?/lobsters
The place was probably Sage American Grill at City Point. Personally I would avoid it.
NYT Article on ferreting out fake online reviews
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/technology/finding-fake-reviews-online.html
Truly the bestest newspaper article I've read in ages. Highly recommended, 6 stars!
Szechuan Tokyo is closed.
Closed March 28 to be razed and replaced by a bank. They hope to relocate to Hartford's South End.
http://blogs.courant.com/java/2011/03/szechuan-tokyo-closes-with-all.html
Half Priced Wine in Fairfield County, CT?
Rizzuto's in Westport & Bethel offers half-priced wines on Monday for bottles under $60 (25% off higher priced bottles).
new Lakeville,ct. restaurant?
You just have to search a little bit harder, it's there:
Le Laurentis
227 Main St.
Lakeville, CT
http://lelaurentis.com/
http://www.ruralintelligence.com/index.php/food_section/food_restaurant_listing/le_laurentis/
Just opened 3 months ago. Thanks for the heads up!
Jake's Way Back Burgers now open in Stratford, CT
A Jake's Wayback Burgers opened a few days ago in Torrington on East Elm St. in Columbus Plaza (near Rt 8 exit). Noticed it on my way to Shiek's which is a couple of blocks further west. The parking lot near the standalone building seemed quite busy for 1PM on a weekday in an otherwise not-too-busy plaza where Aldi's is the main tenant.
Kong Foo Vegetarian - Norwich, CT
Thank you for the detailed review. There was a wonderful veggie Chinese restaurant in Rye, NY called Green Symphony that closed years ago and is still sorely missed. They did such a great job with faux proteins that many dishes were better than the fish/meat dishes they copied.
I hope this place approaches that quality & inventiveness.
I couldn't locate a webite, but here's a menu:
http://letsseethemenu.com/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=22&products_id=193
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Kong Foo Vegetarian Restaurant
85-91 Main St., Norwich, CT 06360
Review of trip to Mystic & Stonington
That would be Dog Watch Cafe, open a little over a year.
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Dog Watch Cafe
194 Water St, Stonington, CT 06378
Colebrook General Store eclairs, Colebrook CT
The Colebrook Store is at 566 Colebrook Rd (CT Rt. 183) in Colebrook, CT at the junction of CT Rt. 182A, about 6 miles NNW of Winsted. Even if the eclairs are merely mediocre, the drive up there at this time of year is certainly worth the trip.
2010 Connecticut Restaurant Week Oct. 4-10
Tonite I went to the Hawthorne Inn to finally try their much acclaimed prime rib. They were one of the few outside of downtown Hartford (wanted to avoid the debate crowd) that had an interesting and varied $20.10 menu with bang for the buck. (My other 1st choice was Close Harbour, but only their fax machine answered the phone.) I hadn't been to the Hawthorne in at least 20 years, but my older brother (a real meat&potatoes type) swears by it and visits twice a year, at least.
I had the Cesar salad for starters, my friend chose the pear & walnut salad (the soup du jour was chicken noodle, no thanks). Both were competent, but nothing extraordinary. A complimentary bread basket with whipped butter packets was also provided, with pumpkin bread, olive bread & dinner roll mini-muffins.
My prime rib was exactly medium rare as requested, a 10 oz or so "junior cut" that normally goes for $28, with a baked potato & 4 thin asparagus spears which could have been a trimmed a little better at the bottoms. Fresh grated horseradish was cheerfully supplied on request; nothing like it to counter the richness of the meat.
My friend ordered the half roast duckling with orange sauce, rice pilaf & asparagus. A huge portion, half of the half went home with him.
Desserts were any choice from their 15-item dessert menu. I chose a Baked Alaska simply because I haven't seen one on a menu in years, and it was one of the first things I learned to make in an afterschool cooking club when I was a kid. My friend ordered the Grand Marnier chocolate mousse, absolutely delicious and, suprisingly, house-made. After such a meal, I was absolutely stuffed, not usually the case with most RW meals.
The place was typically empty for a Tuesday night, no evidence of a RW rush at all. But I did overhear the bartender in the lounge exclaiming what a deal the RW menu was to a couple of barflys. She was right.
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Hawthorne Inn
2421 Wilbur Cross Hwy, Berlin, CT 06037
2010 Connecticut Restaurant Week Oct. 4-10
Updated info:
Agave Grill, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Brazi's Restaurant, New Haven [Not participating]
Cambridge Brew Pub, Granby (Lunch for 2: Choice of Burger or Steak Sandwich - $20.10)
Columbus Park Trattoria, Stamford [Not participating]
Downtown at the Taft, New Haven [Not participating]
Feng Asian Bistro, Canton (3 courses - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
Feng Asian Bistro, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
J Restaurant Bar, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10; Appetizers - $3.75; Desserts - $3.75)
McLadden's Irish Publick House, West Hartford (2 entrees - $20.10; 1/2 doz. wings - $3.75)
Meigas Restaurant, Norwalk (3 tapas + dessert - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
On20, Hartford [Not participating]
Osteria Applausi, Greenwich [Not participating]
Spris Italian Restaurant & Bar, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Stone House Restaurant, Guilford [Not participating]
Strada 18, Norwalk [Not participating]
Tarantino Restaurant, Westport [Not participating]
TD Homer's, Southington (3 courses - $20.10 for 1, $37.50 for 2)
The Half Door, Hartford [Not participating]
Time Out Tavern, Durham [Not participating]
Tisane Euro Asian Cafe, Hartford (3 courses - $37.50 for 2)
Tuscan Oven, Norwalk (4 courses - $37.50)
Umi's Sushi & Tapas, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10; Any red plate on the belt - $3.75)
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Meigas
10 Wall St, Norwalk, CT 06850
Agave Grill
100 Allyn St Ste Frnt, Hartford, CT 06103
Feng Asian Bistro
93 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103
Spris Restaurant
10 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103
2010 Connecticut Restaurant Week Oct. 4-10
Connecticut is once again holding a statewide 2010 Restaurant Week from Monday Oct. 4 to Sunday Oct. 10. Details, including 101 participating restaurants, menus and links to their individual websites can be found at http://www.ctrestaurant.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=40
This time around, in honor of the 375th anniversary of its colonization, prices are based on some combination of $3.75, $20.10 and $37.50 price points. Here is an alphabetical list of participating restaurants, along with a brief summary of their pricing scheme for the week (because clicking on 101 menu links would certainly result in carpal-tunnel syndrome). All are prix fixe unless otherwise noted:
Abigail's Grille and Wine Bar, Simsbury [no menu provided]
Agave Grill, Hartford [no menu provided]
Apricots Restaurant & Pub, Farmington (4 courses + coffee/tea - $37.50)
Aunt Chilada's, Hamden (3 courses - $20.10)
Besito Mexican Restaurant, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10, $3.75 for additional items)
Bin 228, Hartford (3 courses + 3 wine samples - $20.10)
Black Eyed Sally's, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Brazi's Restaurant, New Haven [no menu provided]
Restaurant Bricco, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Bricco Trattoria, Glastonbury, CT Menu (3 courses - $20.10)
Boom Restaurant, Old Lyme (3 courses - $20.10)
Cambridge Brew Pub, Granby [no menu provided]
Captain Daniel Packer Inne & Pub, Mystic (1 entree + 1 glass wine - $20.10)
Carbone's Ristorante, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Carmen Anthony Steakhouse, New Haven (3 courses + 1 glass wine - $37.50)
Carmen Anthony Steakhouse, Waterbury (3 courses + 1 glass wine - $37.50)
Carmen Anthony Fishhouse, Avon (3 courses + 1 glass wine - $37.50)
Carmen Anthony Fishouse, Wethersfield (3 courses + 1 glass wine - $37.50)
Carmen Anthony Fishouse, Woodbury (3 courses + 1 glass wine - $37.50)
Cavey's Restaurant, Manchester (Italian: 3 courses - $20.10; French: 3 courses - $37.50)
City Steam Brewery Cafe, Hartford (4 courses - [no price listed, presumably $20.10])
Close Harbour Seafood, Plantsville (3 courses - $20.10)
Columbus Park Trattoria, Stamford [no menu provided]
Confetti's Restaurant, Plainville (3 courses - $20.10 [entree < $18.95])
Cove Clam Shack & Cafe, Mystic (2 courses + beverage - $20.10; cod slider - $3.75)
Dish Bar and Grill, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Downtown at the Taft, New Haven [no menu provided]
Feng Asian Bistro, Canton (3 courses - $37.50)
Feng Asian Bistro, Hartford [no menu provided - link to Ginza menu]
Firebox Restaurant, Hartford (3 courses - [no price listed])
Gary's Rib House, New Milford [no menu provided]
Ginza Japanese Cuisine, Bloomfield (3 courses - $20.10)
Grant's Restaurant & Bar, West Hartford (4 courses - $37.50)
Hawthorne Inn, Berlin (3 courses - $20.10)
Hook & Ladder, Hartford (chili cheese dog + chips - $3.75 after 4PM)
J Restaurant Bar, Hartford [no menu provided]
J. Timothy's, Plainville (3 courses - $20.10)
Joey Garlic's, Farmington (large Bronx pizza + appetizer - $20.10)
Joey Garlic's, Newington (large Bronx pizza + appetizer - $20.10)
La Tavola Ristorante, Waterbury (Lunch: 3 courses - $20.10; Dinner: 4 courses - $37.50)
La Vita Gustosa, East Haddam (Appetizer - $3.75; Lunch for 2: 3 courses - $20.10; Dinner for 2 (2 courses) -or- 4-course dinner - $37.50)
Leon's Restaurant, New Haven (Lunch for 2 -or- Dinner for 1: 4 courses - $37.50; House wine - $3.75)
Max a Mia, Avon (3 courses - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
Max Amore, Glastonbury (3 courses - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
Max Burger, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Max Downtown, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Max Fish, Glastonbury (3 courses - $20.10; 3 courses - $37.50)
Max Oyster Bar, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10; 4 courses - $37.50)
McLadden's Irish Publick House, West Hartford [no menu provided]
Michael Jordan's 23 Sports Cafe, Mohegan Sun (3 courses - $20.10)
Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, Mohegan Sun (1 course - $20.10)
Mill on the River, South Windsor (3 courses - $20.10; House wine - $3.75)
Morton's The Steakhouse, Hartford (3 courses - $37.50)
Nino's Trattoria, Waterbury (4 courses + coffee - $20.10)
Olde Tymes Restaurant, Norwich (Chicken dinner + dessert for 2 - $20.10; Dessert for 2 - $3.75)
Olive Tree Restaurant, Southbury (3 courses + coffee - $20.10)
On20, Hartford [no menu provided]
O'Porto Restaurant, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Osteria Applausi, Greenwich [no menu provided]
Papacelle, Avon (3 courses - $37.50; Selected wine bottles - $20.10)
Penny Lane Pub, Old Saybrook (3 courses + glass of house wine/beer - $20.10)
Peppercorn's Grill, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10; 4 courses - $37.50)
Plan B Burger Bar, Glastonbury (2 courses + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10; 1 course + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10)
Plan B Burger Bar, Simsbury (2 courses + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10; 1 course + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10)
Plan B Burger Bar, West Hartford (2 courses + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10; 1 course + glass of house beer/wine - $20.10)
Playwright Irish Pub & Restaurant, Hamden (Lunch: 3 courses - $12; Dinner: 3 courses - $20.10)
Prospect Cafe, West Hartford (Dinner for 2: 3 courses - $20.10; Appetizer or Dessert - $3.75)
Rein's N.Y. Style Deli, Vernon (2 Reubens/Rachels + fries + 2 beverages - $20.10; 2 dinners + cole slaw/fries + 2 glasses house wine + dessert - $37.50; Glass house wine - $3.75; Slice cheesecake - $3.75)
Reuben's Deli, West Hartford (Dinner for 2: 1 appetizer + 2 entrees + 1 dessert + 2 beverages - $37.50)
Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Pizza Kitchen, West Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Ruth's Chris Steak House, Newington (3 courses + glass house wine/beer/beverage - $37.50)
Sadler's Restaurant, Marlborough (3 courses - $20.10)
Sage American Restaurant, New Haven ($3.75 discount off any 1 food item [limit 1 per person])
San Marino's Ristorante, Waterbury (3 courses + dessert -or- glass house wine - $20.10)
Savin Rock Roasting Company, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Sol Toro Tequila Grill, Mohegan Sun (3 courses - $20.10)
Spris Italian Restaurant & Bar, Hartford [no menu provided]
Stone House Restaurant, Guilford [no menu provided]
Stonebridge Restaurant, Milford (Appetizers - $3.75; Entrees - $20.10)
Strada 18, Norwalk [no menu provided]
Tarantino Restaurant, Westport [no menu provided]
TD Homer's, Southington [no menu provided]
The Counter, West Hartford (2 burgers + 2 beverages + fries - $20.10)
The Half Door, Hartford [no menu provided]
Time Out Tavern, Durham [no menu provided]
Tisane Euro Asian Cafe, Hartford [no menu provided]
Trumbull Kitchen, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Tuscan Oven, Norwalk [no menu provided]
Umi's Sushi & Tapas, West Hartford [no menu provided]
USS Chowder Pot III, Branford (4 courses - $20.10)
USS Chowder Pot IV, Hartford (4 courses - $20.10)
Vasi's Restaurant and Bar, Waterbury (Lunch: 2 courses - $20.10; Dinner: 3 courses - $20.10)
Vaughan's Public House, Hartford (3 courses - $20.10)
Village Restaurant, Litchfield (Pumpkin ice cream - $3.75)
Wicked Wolf, New Haven [no menu provided]
Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic (Rib dinner + house draft beer - $20.10; Dessert - $3.75)
Wood-n-Tap, Hartford (4 courses - $20.10)
Wood-n-Tap, Farmington (4 courses - $20.10)
Wood-n-Tap, Rocky Hill (4 courses - $20.10)
Wood-n-Tap, Southington (4 courses - $20.10)
Wood-n-Tap, Vernon (4 courses - $20.10)
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Close Harbour Seafood
959 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Plantsville, CT 06479
Vaughan's Public House
59 Pratt St, Hartford, CT 06103
La Tavola Ristorante
Waterbury, CT, Waterbury, CT
Nino's Trattoria
91 Scott Rd, waterbury, CT 06705-3202
Restaurant Bricco
78 Lasalle Rd, West Hartford, CT 06107
Carbone's Ristorante
588 Franklin Ave, Hartford, CT 06114
Max a Mia
70 East Main St., Avon, CT 06001
Stonebridge Restaurant
50 Daniel Street, Milford, CT 06460
The Mill on the River
989 Ellington Road, South Windsor, CT 06074
Trumbull Kitchen
150 Trumbull St., Hartford, CT 06103
Willimantic Brewing Company
967 Main St, Willimantic, CT 06226
Ruth's Chris Steak House
2513 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111
La Vita Gustosa
9 Main St, East Haddam, CT 06423
Olde Tymes Restaurant
360 W Main St, Norwich, CT 06360
Penny Lane Pub & Restaurant
150 Main St, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Bin 228
228 Pearl St, Hartford, CT 06103
Agave Grill
100 Allyn St Ste Frnt, Hartford, CT 06103
Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Pizza Kitchen
6 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel, CT 06801
Max Amore
140 Glastonbury Blvd Ste 2, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Feng Asian Bistro
93 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103
Vasi's
1700 Watertown Ave, Waterbury, CT 06708
Cavey's Restaurants
45 E Center St, Manchester, CT 06040
Joey Garlic's
372 Scott Swamp Rd, Farmington, CT 06032
Max Downtown
City Place, 185 Asylum St., Hartford, CT 06103
Peppercorn's Grill
357 Main St, Hartford, CT 06106
Chowder Pot IV
165 Brainard Rd, Hartford, CT 06114
Carmen Anthony Steakhouse
496 Chase Avenue, Waterbury, CT 06704
San Marino Restaurant
Colonial Plz, Waterbury, CT 06702
Hook & Ladder Restaurant
207 Main St Fl 1, Hartford, CT 06106
Plan B
120 Hebron Ave, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Hawthorne Inn
2421 Wilbur Cross Hwy, Berlin, CT 06037
Olive Tree Restaurant
418 Heritage Vlg # D, Southbury, CT 06488
Aunt Chilada's Restaurant
3931 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
Spris Restaurant
10 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103
Max Fish
110 Glastonbury Blvd, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Papacelle
152 Simsbury Road, Avon, CT 06001
Besito
46 S Main St, West Hartford, CT 06107
Ginza Japanese Restaurant
14 Wintonbury Mall, Bloomfield, CT 06002
Reuben's Deli
West Hartford, West Hartford, CT
What's the word on The Cooper Beech Inn?
Here's a Hartford Magazine review from June 2010:
http://www.hartfordmag.com/html/restaurant%20reviews/CopperBeech.html
