eodell's Profile
Spiced Pear in Newport
Was there this past Thanksgiving (though we opted for our holiday dinner at Muse at the Vanderbilt Grace and worth checking out, in my opinion).
Spiced Pear is still solid. Sunday brunch is a mob scene and to be avoided.
Colchester, CT - a culinary wasteland?
I would agree to a point, but there is one notable exception in the area: Chester and Deep River.
Chester has a population of less than 3,000, but has some of the best restaurants in Middlesex County in my opinion. L and E, River Tavern, Cabo, and Simon's are all exceptional.
Down in Deep River you have the Whistle Stop and El and Ela's. And further afield in Essex there is Brasserie Pip, which is terrific, as well as Gabrielle's.
All of these places are popular and do very well, drawing much of their clientele from neighboring towns. If you do it well, people will come.
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Brasserie Pip
46 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT 06442
River Tavern
23 Main St, Chester, CT 06412
Whistle Stop
108 Main St, Deep River, CT 06417
Help us with ideas for one overnight trip - 2 hour radius from Hartford
Definitely second The Chanler in Newport, especially one of the garden villas. I was just there Tuesday and the weather is perfect.
The sagamore in lake George is comparable, more of an adirondack theme, but still lovely.
Most delicious cocktail in the New Haven area?
116 Crown is the hands down best for drinks in New Haven in my opinion. John Ginetti is serious (without taking himself too seriously) about using first-rate ingredients and premium spirits for the impressive list of cocktails. The food is also excellent.
Cocktails at Ibiza are reported to be very good. I have only ever had their sangria, which was also good. Thali has an interesting list; I like the Mumbai Collins.
Oh, Katy: a caipirinha is actually very simple and fun drink made primarily with cachaca, a sugar cane rum that comes primarily from Brazil. All you need is limes, crushed ice and bar (superfine) sugar.
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116 Crown
116 Crown St, New Haven, CT 06510
Thali
4 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Newport, RI - best dinner you've ever had?
Agreed on Castle Hill. Spiced Pear at the Chanler and the White Horse Tavern are also excellent.
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Spiced Pear Restaurant
117 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI 02840
Restaurant L & E, Chester, Ct. Rip Off
You're welcome. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Restaurant L & E, Chester, Ct. Rip Off
L & E got a "Worth It" (that's a 3 out of 4) from the New York Times:
http://nyti.ms/bWdeKJ
Restaurant L & E, Chester, Ct. Rip Off
This is the second time I have seen this sort of complaint about L and E.
It's a tasting menu, which means, by definition, small portions, because typically you have anywhere from 3 to 7 courses. If portion size and price concerns you, why not order off the bar menu?
I've been here 3 times now and it has always been superb. We were there last Thursday and the place was busy. I liked du village also and was a loyal patron, but L and E has a totally different philosophy.
Fresh pasta at Feast Gourmet Market (Deep River, CT)
Feast appeared to be open today when we drove by...will check out and report soon...
Best Places in Connecticut to eat outdoors --> April 2010 version
Is blue oar open yet? I called their phone this weekend and it was disconnected...
Florence Restaurants
My wife and I just got back from Florence and hit many of the Chowhound board favorites, review here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/696033#5489119
Best ratio of price to quality IMO is the trattoria side of Antico Noe, not far from Santa Croce.
Brushmill by the Waterfall, Chester CT - anyone been?
Double endorse River Tavern. Hard to do better.
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River Tavern
23 Main St, Chester, CT 06412
butcher shop, branford ct?
Not exactly close by, but Four Mile River farm is well known. I see them at the Chester Farmer's market in season and their beef is superb.
Hats off to Chowhound recs: travels in Florence, Bologna, Rome and Pisa
Florence, continued:
Just some notes on a couple of places that are bit more on the touristy side:
"Golden View Open Bar", a white tablecloth place whose main asset seems to be its proximity to the Ponte Vecchio on the oltarno side with windows overlooking the Arno and the Uffuzi. The place is not without its charms; my wife enjoyed the vegetable risotto and a perfectly respectable octopus salad; my meal was utterly forgettable but the pizzas looked promising. You're mostly paying for the view.
Moyo, on Via Benci not far from Ponte alle Grazie, is a decent "urban" cafe with a surprisingly broad menu that includes American style breakfast along with the usual suspects. This was close to our apartment so we went here a couple of times when we were too tired to venture elsewhere. Its popular with students and local Italian hipsters, especially as a bar at night.
Osteria di Benci, right around the corner from Moyo on via Benci. Reliable Tuscan fare, prompt service, with an entire page dedicated to Chianna beef.
Rivoire, chocolate aside, probably the best of the cafes that line Piazza Signoria. You'll pay for the privilege of sipping your cappuccino here, but with such an utterly civilized surroundings, and the best view of Neptune, the loggia and Palazzo Vecchio, one should do it at least once. The only downside to enjoying things al fresco are the smokers: it's banned in all the restaurants, but anywhere outside is fair play.
Baldovino, a neopolitan style pizzeria near Santa Croce recommended by the tourist guides. Competent but underwhelming.
Bologna: We were only up here for an afternoon and settled on Drogheria della Rossa, drawn in part, I admit, from the controversy over the reviews here. This is the type of place with no written menu and all diners are greeted with complimentary prosecco and salumi. One couple apparently claimed the owner hit on his wife! He seems a bit of a rascal, but he was perfectly genial with us, and complemented my choice on the trippa. Truthfully, the place was perfectly charming and the food (all characteristic Bolognese fare: filetto di manzo, trippa, tortellini, lasagna) was great. Excellent mortadella!
Pisa: stopped in Osteria dei Cavalieri based on reviews here. Osso buco was one of the piatti di giorno, (suggested as a "light lunch". only in Italy!) served with the customary risotto Milanese. Solid, with prompt, friendly service.
Rome
We were taken by a friend to La Scala over on Viale dei Pariol. This was our first night on Italy on this trip, so naturally we overdid it a bit. Pasta, gnocchi, vitello, and a nearly lethal rum-soaked cake. A solid neighborhood place, favored by locals with very good service.
Enoteca Trimani, up on Via Cernaia not far from Termini, was a place we had been to before. Simple food, but the emphasis here is on wine (they are also supposedly the oldest wine merchants in Rome). An electic (for Rome) menu with impressive variety of offerings by the glass. Not as memorable as first time we went, but still reliable.
Hats off to Chowhound recs: travels in Florence, Bologna, Rome and Pisa
Fellow Chowhounders,
I just wanted to write a note of thanks to the recommendations and reports from so many of you that led to some excellent restaurant experiences in Italy. I thought I would share my impressions. May I have unanimous consent to later revise and extend my remarks?
Florence
I should preface here by saying that my wife and I speak passable Italian, and were here as much for the art and architecture as much as the food. When we dined out we made an effort to speak and order in the native tongue, just as much out of a sense of politeness as a desire to seek out and find the best places have to offer. I don't wish to sound overly judgmental about our fellow American tourists, but I think most Chowhounders will agree that if you walk into a place speaking only English, ordering your chianna beef well done and refusing the occasionally proffered glass of complimentary prosecco (either because you don't drink or are worried about the cost) you're going to be regarded with suspicion and possibly some deserved contempt. Dining out anywhere, but particularly in Italy, is not simply a one-way transaction where you exchange your money for food. The relationship between your locale, a restaurant's quality and style, its waitstaff and kitchen staff is complex. The customer is, in fact, not always right. One can choose to navigate the situation carefully or not. The only thing at risk, aside from your money, is your enjoyment. Personally, I think it helps to go in with the right attitude.
This is not to say it is impossible to have a bad meal in Italy, because in my experience it is certainly is. Perhaps mediocre is more accurate than bad. There are blocks than can have several pizzerias on them, with not one of them more than average at best. And beware those menus with asterisks beside the items! (*out of season/may be frozen) When is lasagna out of season?
We did arrange for a cooking class in the midpoint of our trip and as a result came away with a very good understanding of the Tuscan/Florentian approach to food. We had an apartment not far from the Piazza Signoria and while we did spend time in Rome, Bologna and Pisa, we spent most of time in Florence over two weeks and hit all the majors, including Cibreo, Sostanza, Quattro Leone, Nerbone, Osteria Benci, Antico Fattore, and Antico Noe. All Chowhound recs lived up to their reviews.
We were, in retrospect, extraordinarily lucky to get a table at Cibreo at prime time on a Saturday night with only a minor wait (maybe 20-30 minutes), which in our opinion was totally worth it. Service was, by Italian standards, impeccable, but I can understand how some would be thrown off by the "spoken menu only" and the vibe of the place. In some ways, one gets the sense that Fabbio Picchi is the Florentian version of an American Celebrity chef; later in our trip during our class we learned our instructor had actually worked there and that person agreed with our assesmment.
Still, Picchi's food at Cibreo was absolutely superb, and the wine list intimidating. We started with their polenta , and I had a veal "stew" which was actually a braised veal breast elegantly presented under braised veal shoulder. My wife had the eggplant "parmigiana" which was a superb deconstruction, delicately made from first rate ingredients.
We hit Quattro Leone on a busy Sunday afternoon after a tour of the Boboli gardens nearby. Our waiter did his best to charm us with prosecco while we waited about 10 minutes for a table. Definitely worth the wait. Their ribolitta was terrific. Being still overwhelmed from Cibreo the night before I wanted to dial it back and without thinking asked for penne pomodoro. Our waiter suggested we could get that anywhere, why not try something else? True, I said (though why then put it on the menu?). I indulged him and was given an excellent plate of tortellini in cream sauce with asparagus.
Sostanza (Il Troia) is superb, and they know it, though it did not keep the waiters from being perfectly friendly and helpful. Had an excellent lunch there (bistecca and butter chicken, of course) when it was surprisingly quiet. We tried our luck again for dinner about a week later, but had no chance without a reservation, where the ratio of savvy American diners is much higher. Should have called.
Nerbone was a unique and fun experience. I asked for our pannini bagnato, but was ignored (no worries), with all the bustle and for only 3 euro, one can hardly complain.
Anitco Noe stands out as the superb ratio of quality to price, due in part, I suppose, to the slightly dodgy location (one review actually refers to its location as "heroin alley"; overstated, in my opinion). We tried the Osteria first: absolutely amazing tagliatelle with shaved black truffle. We went back for pannini two days later. Excellent. The place was popular with students, as predicted.
Antico Fattore was very good the first time (veal with porcini) and decent the second. I should have guessed the below market priced gnocchi with black truffles would have meant minced winter truffles rather than shaved fresh ones, which lead to an overwhelming flavor for me despite the nicely done gnocchi. On that second trip my wife had the white truffle torteloni, which were turned out to be a far better choice as they were very, very good. The zucchini flowers (enjoyed as a primi) were delicious fried salty goodness.
Some discoveries:
Enoteca Vino Olio (http://www.vinolio.com/) over in San Zenobi, was a great find after trudging around after visiting Piazza Annunziata (with the famed church and Ospedale Innocenti) and L'Accademia. A very simple place; I took a chance on the picci a l'amatriciana and was not disappointed.
Bar Ringo, over in the oltarno on Borgo San Jacobi was an interesting mash-up. Sort of "slow food" meets American diner. It's had a couple of travel write ups, but appears to be under operation by different people (two chatty ladies rather than the eponymous chef). Perhaps this is just because it was off season. In any event, after 10 days of Tuscan food were in the mood for a break. Burgers made from chianna beef made may sound sacreligous, but to us they were (to coin that overused term) sacrilicious.
Le Valle de Cedri, a Lebanese place over near Santa Croce, was packed on a Saturday night, so we gave it a go a few days later. Good, but not great. Worth a shot if you're in the mood for a break from crostini misti and pasta cinguale.
....more to come on Rome, Bologna and Pisa. Stay tuned.
southern connecticut and baked goods
Coffee An's chocolate doughnut is awesome and lethal.
Fresh pasta at Feast Gourmet Market (Deep River, CT)
Drive by this morning, and its confirmed. For Rent sign up.
Fresh pasta at Feast Gourmet Market (Deep River, CT)
That would be great, though there is already so much up there in Chester, plus the market....
Cabo Tequilla Grill, Chester, CT (Long)
Dined here twice and enjoyed it. Very good, and in some cases nearly exceptional Mexican fare.
Margaritas done right.
Fresh pasta at Feast Gourmet Market (Deep River, CT)
I has a sad.
I'll do a drive by later perhaps to confirm. Have to check out Antico in any event...
Fresh pasta at Feast Gourmet Market (Deep River, CT)
Are you serious?! That's terrible, if true. I loved feast and shopped/dined there only a few times. They had not only great fresh pasta, but house made demi-glace and some rare gourmet items.
Brasserie Pip (Ivoryton, CT): Oo-la-la-la, c'est magnifique!
Well, I have dined here a couple of times; my first two experiences were so-so, but the most recent (a couple of weeks ago) was superb. The service was particularly improved from my earlier visits.
I think Pip strikes a good balance on what I look for in a typical Brasserie, oysters, charcuterie, frites, and a balance of well executed entrees, including the ubiquitous steak, duck, mussels, etc. As they share space with the Copper Beech, they have a particularly extensive wine list with some great by the glass offerings, which I consider a plus.
dennisl, not to get down too much on your observations, but I think it's reasonable for a maitre'd to want to keep close tabs on a large party. Especially so if that party is running late, because that ties up of a lot of seats, at prime time in a small place. A courtesy call doesn't strike me as offensive. Most upscale places will call to confirm 24 hours out.
As far as the tip being included, that's customary for parties of 6 or more pretty much everywhere.
lunch sat in or near essex,ct
I think my review here sums it up:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/l-and-e-restaurant-chester
I think part of the reason the service at River Tavern can be spotty is the fact that they are ALWAYS slammed. Service is never bad, just sometimes slow.
Considering the quality of the food at RT, it makes up for the service. I've never seen that place have a slow night, and I never go without making a reservation.
lunch sat in or near essex,ct
Gabrielle's is good but not great. In the area I would sooner pick Brasserie Pip or River Tavern.
L & E is great, been there twice now. May not be everyone's cup of tea.
du Glace - French Bistro in Deep River Ct
Sadly, I have to agree.
After dining here twice in the last 2 months, my observation is du Glace had an ambitious start but is now turning out mediocre bistro fare with very poor service.
The only small consolation is their prices, which remain moderate. In terms of quality, they remain easily outgunned by Brasserie Pip (Essex), Cafe Routier (Westbrook) and Le Petit Cafe (Branford).
That said, in the interest of fairness I'll keep my expectations low and venture back for Steak Frites , Meuniere, or another low-risk dish before writing them off entirely.
New Haven Connecticut
Agree with many of the posters here, and doubly endorse Modern. Bar (opposite Louis) is another good alternative to Pepe/Sally's.
L'Oricio is excellent fuss-free italian.
Ibiza is worth it if you are ready for high end Spanish food. I would recommend them over Barcelona.
Thali is excellent; not your mother's vindaloo.
Pot au Pho up Whitney is good, but not great.
Union League is the ur-French place, excellent food and service, for which you will pay.
Bentara is good, but I would sooner recommend Central Steakhouse, owned by the same people with a superb wine cellar.
Zinc is a perennial favorite. I have been wanting to try Crown 116 and Bespoke but not sure if they live up to the hype.
