hungrykids's Profile
STATION EATS... NEW CANAAN, STAMFORD... HOW IS IT?
It's fine. Nothing to write home about imho. New Canaan is teeny tiny...a few seats inside, a few more outside. No better or worse than Shake Shack (maybe cheaper, however, which is a plus) or Five Guys. Personally, I think some other places are better (but I'm not allowed to name one). Quirky ordering system that I suppose they think gives them character but isn't so convenient when you're juggling hungry kids who have never been there before and who don't want to change the way they like to order...
note: this post has been edited at the request of the moderators
Valencia Luncheria's new location
hooray on the new, larger location and ditto to kattyeyes (wish it moved closer to me, but can't complain too much...it's under 30 minutes)
La Piazza, Georgetown, CT
We gave La Piazza a second try - this time with one of the hungry kids in tow.
Trish, I forgot to ask if the mozzarella triangles were deep fried and, honestly, I can't remember. The menu called them "fried" - and they were breaded and crisp, but certainly could have been pan fried or oven "fried" rather than deep fried...my apologies!
The return visit was a mixed experience. We again sat "in the greenhouse" where the hungry kid immediately looked up and announced (loudly) that perhaps having a glass "roof" wasn't such a great idea with all the birds around here. I'll leave it to your imaginations to picture the scene and I'll warn future diners not to look up if they don't want to spoil their appetites!
This time I specifically asked for ice in a large glass to go with the water, which I did receive. The bus staff is still really green. Lots of bumping into one another, etc. and our busboy spilled the water on our table when he filled our glasses the first time but never came back to clean it off. Okay - not the end of the world - but some room for improvement here.
Closer to the end of the world (or the end of my life), I was debating ordering a sandwich or wrap. Since I have a fatal allergy to buckwheat (yeah, it's odd), I needed to ask about the ingredients in the breads. My first question to the waiter was whether or not they made their own breads. He said they do not. So I asked if they had an ingredient list and if he could check whether or not there was buckwheat in any of the breads. He returned to the kitchen then came back to our table apologizing that they did not have a list of ingredients and he could not confirm whether or not the breads would be safe for me to eat.
Now I don't have a problem with the restaurant not making their own bread. But I do think they have a responsibility to have a list of ingredients on hand exactly for this reason.
(As it turned out, the sandwich I wanted to order is served on the same focaccia they offer up in the bread basket at the beginning of the meal, which I inadvertently ate WITHOUT asking last week, so at that point I realized I was fine to order it...but STILL I think they need to know the ingredients if they don't make the bread themselves.)
Dinner was mostly okay, but only okay.
First (at the hungry kid's request) we ordered garlic knots. The garlic knots arrived steaming hot and the fragrance of butter and garlic made us all grab for one at the same time...but we were SO disappointed...because despite the wonderful smell, there was absolutely no TASTE of garlic whatsoever. Thanfully, they were served with a side of warm marinara sauce, which was delicious as a dip for the bread.
For dinner, the hungry kid decided (having heard our review) that he wanted to try the ravioli bar. Not that this is a big deal, but between last week and this, La Piazza changed the style of service. Last week the ravioli were on a relatively small plate, and the sauce was in a small container on the side. This week the ravioli was served in a large bowl and the side of sauce came in a large, very full gravy boat. Since it was pesto, the solids had settled to the bottom of the gravy boat, which hungry kid didn't realize until after he had started pouring what was mostly warm olive oil onto his ravioli. We stopped him, mixed the pesto, and then used a fork to get some of the solids onto his plate...not so appetizing an experience.
My SO ordered the caprese sandwich and pronounced the first bites delicious. He finished the first half (served on their focaccia bread) but had to trade his second half to the hungry kid, who decided he didn't want the ravioli after all. Hungry kid pulled off the raw red onion but enjoyed the remainder.
As for me, I ordered the filet mignon sandwich, which came with arugala, carmelized onions, gorgonzola, and a tarragon mayo. Frankly, it was a hot mess. And by that I mean it was, literally, a hot mess! The filet mignon was cooked perfectly and it was moist and tender. But bewtween the juice from the meat, the liquid from the onions, the cheese, and the mayo, the sandwich was dripping wet. It's served in a metal "basket" lined with wax paper which was falling apart (with the food juices dripping through onto the table below) before I was even halfway through my meal. And although I like gorgonzola (otherwise I wouldn't have ordered the sandwich), it was a little overpowering (too much, maybe?) for the sandwich, which maybe also didn't need the tarragon mayo - one item too many, I think.
Both sandwiches were served with thin chips (veggie and potato?) which hungry kid thought were "cool looking" and which my SO thought were too salty. I thought they were delicious.
We also took a meatball grinder to go for the other hungry kid (who stayed home) - which he reports was "perfectly normal."
I'm not ready to write them off just yet (they're too close and convenient)...but I'm hoping for a little better next time around.
Still think the rest of you should check it out and let me know what you think!
La Piazza, Georgetown, CT
La Piazza opened this week for dinner only, and will be open for lunch and dinner beginning Monday, May 7th as per their website (http://lapiazzact.com/).
We decided to give it a try tonight and - for their first Saturday night in business - I would say it wasn't bad.
The renovation is lovely. The bar looks bigger (and brighter) than before and includes tables for dinner and several televisions. Behind the bar a large window looks into the main dining room, which has been completely redone. In addition to the "greenhouse-type" area they added to the front of the building overlooking Route 7, the main dining room now boasts a large fireplace nestled in a wall of built-in bookcases, giving the wall the look of a family room/living room in a large home. Candles graced the mantlepiece. The room is all beiges and browns with low lighting. Even full (by the time we left), the room wasn't too loud for a quiet conversation at the table (although that also meant we occasionally overheard large cheers from the bar whenever some big play was made in whatever sports event the bar crowd was watching on television).
The menu is defined as modern italian. It felt like a step up from Tootzy Patza down the road and was similar in price to Little Pub just up the road. A small plate of olives and a small basket of bread were brought to the table (the bread was good, and slightly warm, but should have been a little warmer). The bottle of olive oil on the table had rosemary, garlic, and other spices inside. We were offered a choice of ice water, sparkling water, or some other kind of water (I can't remember). I asked for ice water. The bottle of water placed on our table was cold...to start...but there was no ice and, eventually, the water was room temperature. Despite the fact that we were in a wine bar, my husband ordered an Italian beer.
We started by sharing an appetizer of the mozarella triangles. The waiter told us they were made in-house. Delicious. The accompanying marinara sauce was also yummy and tasted homemade.
We debated about the main course and then both of us ordered from the "ravioli bar" - choosing seven ravioli each from the six different types offered, and each selecting one of the ten sauces. We split our order between the shrimp/lobster ravioli and the chicken basil ravioli, with the garlic white wine and butter sauce and the pesto sauce on the sides so we could mix and match.
I thought the chicken/basil ravioli were tastier. My husband preferred the shrimp/lobster (which I found a little bland). We thought both sauces were delicious.
At neighboring tables we saw linguine with a meatball, which came served in the cast iron pan, one of the pizzas, which was too large for one person (he took half home), a sandwich on focaccia bread, and (I think) the cavatelli. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their meals and, other than the pizza, appeared to clean their plates.
Dessert offerings included tiramisu, fried pizza dough with cinnamon/sugar and (maybe?) ice cream, creme brulee, gelato, and our choice: the chocolate cake, which was described as something like chocolate cake with raspberry and fudge sauces and a scoop of ice cream. The cake was good - warm, with a molten chocolate center - the vanilla ice cream was good, too. And there was chocolate or fudge sauce over the top. But I was really disappointed that the raspberry sauce (which was great) was ONLY three tiny dots of sauce on the side of the plate - more for decoration than anything else. It's not just that the sauce was delicious and I would have liked more, it's that they went out of the way to mention it in the description on the menu, so I expected it to be an integral part of the dish.
Service was pretty good (our server recognized us from his days at Wilton Pizza & Pasta!), with a few minor glitches that can be easily corrected (like the missing ice or the fact that after the appetizer they took away my knife and fork and never replaced them, so I had to ask for new silverware when they handed me my main course).
It's not perfect, but it's definitely an improvement over Amici's (the last Italian restaurant in that space) - and we'll definitely try it again in a few weeks for dinner as well as for lunch.
Can't wait to hear what the rest of our little Georgetown Chowhound Clique thinks...
(and in a separate note, I see the sign for Bistro 7 went up on the building above DeLuca's Hardware, but it doesn't look like the space is anywhere near ready to open. Anyone have an update?)
Georgetown, CT update
I saw the sign up yesterday but did not see cars (wrong time of day?). Also saw in The Redding Pilot that a SECOND Italian/wine bar combo place is opening on Main Street in Georgetown (Luca) and that Black Cat Grille is getting closer to opening around the corner on Route 107. We might actually have decent dining choices this summer...my fingers are crossed.
New life for Cobb's Mill Inn, Weston, CT
after reading the article in the paper on thursday, i have to say i'm worried...but i'll keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. just not sure a "cabaret/restaurant" is going to play well these days... and it sounds like Elayne was looking for a way to get performance exposure for her dance troupe - not like she was dying to open a restaurant - which is not exactly a formula for success
Macaroni and cheese
it was a disastrous failure in georgetown, ct some time ago...do a search for the old thread. not only was it horrible, the owners got someone to come onto chowhound and post a fake review saying how great it was. fortunately, the ch-powers-that-be were on top of it and removed the thread asap.
the restaurant was in and out of georgetown quicker than a flash in the pan (hah - pun completely intended)
The Georgetown Saloon in CT calls it quits
i picked up dinner at toozy patza the other day, so i asked about the new bistro. they said they are hoping for an april opening...
The Georgetown Saloon in CT calls it quits
Yes - exactly. Toozy Patza is opening a bistro featuring Spanish-influenced cuisine in the space most recently occupied by Cafe Cogolulu.
The Georgetown Saloon in CT calls it quits
It's a sad day... We used to go to the Saloon for the Sunday night (family night) entertainment and dinner with the kids. But, honestly, we stopped several years ago, when the food quality went down and the prices went up. It just wasn't what it used to be.
Georgetown is getting tougher and tougher. Let's hope the new "Spanish Bistro" opening next to Toozy Patza turns out to be a decent option....and fingers crossed for someone to take over the Saloon space and give us back a great place for a fun evening out.
Cactus Rose Cantina Wilton
Tried Cactus Rose last night. The menu is certainly inventive and interesting and a far cry from what this part of Fairfield County usually thinks of as Mexican or Southwestern. For example, I ordered the fish tacos, which were made with grilled swordfish. They were delicious. My dining partner ordered the steak asada fajitas, which included cactus as one of the veggies offered up on the platter. She also enjoyed them immensely. Desserts were a little bit less successful. Her pecan pie was "good but not great." I ordered the chocolate chili pot de creme. It was hard to taste the chili and the consistency was very fudgy instead of the more creamy flan-like texture I was expecting. Every table gets a big pink cotton candy cone with the check. It was a pleasant surprise to taste cinnamon instead of the standard bubble gum flavor. In hindsight, that would have been enough for dessert....we should have ordered appetizers instead.
The redesign of the restaurant is beautiful. Service was overly attentive. I would definitely go back (would like to try some other items, including the steak frites - which is served with yucca fries! - and the lobster enchiladas). Prices are on the higher end for the area (our dinner for two, no appetizers, two desserts, with only one person having a glass of wine, was $85).
I can't compare it to Boxcar Cantina because I haven't been there in years. I think it was significantly better than Southwest Cafe in Ridgefield.
Kosher Catering
try the new kosher restaurant that just opened in stamford (Kosh). maybe they cater? where are you planning to hold the event? if it's at a synagogue, they should be able to give you a list of kosher vendors on their "approved list." you could also call the local synagogue (or the nearest Chabad to ask who they recommend). and if it's not at a synagogue, you will need to hire a kosher caterer who also brings in all the serving pieces, utensils, plates, silverware, etc. or else there's no point...because once the kosher food touches the non-kosher items, it won't be kosher anymore. (I'm assuming at that price point you aren't planning to use plastic/paper.)
and ditto the suggestion to repost on the kosher board.
Elmers Diner - Danbury Ct. (just off rt. 84) easy off and on, but I would go out of my way to eat here
i grew up in new jersey - land of 10,000 diners (isn't that the state motto? lol) - so i'm a purist. i'm afraid to say i haven't found anything here in connecticut to rival the diners of my youth. we've tried three brothers and windmill. also sherwood (?) diner in westport - the one on route 1 near the sherwood island connector. never been to blue colony. eh. they're all okay but not great. (but maybe it's because i'm no longer out at 2 a.m. desperately seeking a good breakfast....)
Elmers Diner - Danbury Ct. (just off rt. 84) easy off and on, but I would go out of my way to eat here
We enjoy Elmer's too - mostly because we've known the owner since his days working at Dimitri's in Ridgefield. The food is good (not gourmet, but better than the standard diner) with a nice range of options for everyone in the family. Would never have thought to try their matzah ball soup (mine is awesome - so I never order it in a restaurant!)... Great family-friendly option when in Danbury.
Reviews on Kosh in Stamford?
I haven't been there but a friend of mine was there on Sunday and said they had a great time and loved the food.... That said, he did mention the fun BEFORE he mentioned the food!
Georgetown, CT update
Some updated info - and some more questions - for the Georgetown handful here on Chowhound...
1. It looks like we will NOT get a replacement restaurant at Caraluzzi's. Chase Bank is taking over the end spot and expanding into the space that was East. The supermarket is expanding into the space formerly leased to Yankee Doodle. They will apparently increase the produce and deli sections, plus add a 'cafe' (and based on their other locations that might not mean much more than a few tables for coffee, etc.). We'll be left with the cleaners in between the market and the bank and no new restaurant.
2. La Piazza - in the space formerly known as Amici's et al - continues to take shape as an Italian restaurant and wine bar. Anyone have info about projected opening date? Looks like they still have some construction to do, but may be getting close.
3. Toozy Patza Pizza will be opening a second restaurant in the same plaza - apparently in the space currently occupied by Cafe Cogolulu (as near as I can tell). We received this email (below) from them, along with the news that there is a contest to name the new restaurant (winner gets a $50 gift certificate to their restaurants). No word on whether the new bistro will continue the jazz theme...
Thank you so much for the massive response to our email requesting ideas for our new restaurant! Based on your input, we are working on a very special concept that we are sure you will love. This new location will be open in the end of April and will be located at the corner of the Toozy Plaza near the Georgetown entrance.
THE STYLE: Restaurant & Bar - Bistro Style. Definition of 'Bistro': "a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest and cozy setting".
Our Comment to the Style: We will kick it up a bit and add a modern and trendy touch to the place. We are also going to have an awesome bar and huge windows to oversee route seven.
THE CUISINE: The evolutionary form of Bistro cuisine is called New American. Definition of 'New American' cuisine: "upscale, contemporary cooking combining flavors from America's melting pot with traditional techniques. New American cuisine includes ethnic twists on old standbys, Old World peasant dishes made from luxury American ingredients and molecular gastronomy. It developed in the 1980s and features significant creative use of in-season produce and sauces. It is somewhat related to the French Nouvelle cuisine and often incorporates influences from Latin American, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.“
Our comment to the Cuisine: Our prospective chef is a CIA grad with vast experience with New American cuisine and creative cooking. Our menu will tend towards the Spanish culture with its cheeses, meats and wine. We will fully incorporate the farm-to-table style and seasonal cooking with organic ingredients as often as possible.
New to Brandon/Riverview
We came into town tonight for a quick trip to the area. Our hotel is in Brandon and I didn't have time to check the board for a suggestion. The hotel gave us a list of local eateries and it looked like one chain after another, except for Jasmine Thai. We gave it a try and we were so pleasantly surprised!
Had a delicious meal (nothing fancy: edamame, pad thai, and shrimp w/cashew & garlic) but it was a real treat, especially when we thought we might be relegated to days of nothing but Applebee's et al (which would have satisfied the 11 year old hungry kid travelling with me, but...).
We have two more dinners here, so I hope to try two more of the spots listed on this thread (now that I looked to see what was recommended)!
Georgetown, CT - mini-update
So for the handful of us who frequent the Georgetown district....
Moving south on Route 7 from Route 102:
Tusk & Cup has opened in the space formerly occupied part of the year by H&R Block. Owned by members of the Ancona family (who own the building - which was the original Ancona's Market building), this new addition to the neighborhood has various types of coffee, teas, etc., pastries, sandwiches, et al. Looks cute from the outside but, since I'm completely addicted to Starbuck's Chai, I haven't been in there yet. As soon as the kids go back to school, I'll stop in for a snack and see what it's like. Anyone try it yet?
One block south, the restaurant that was Amici's, then something else (Mexican?), etc. is under renovation...again. A sign went up a few weeks ago annoucing "La Piazza" - something about a Wine Bar and clearly Italian. They just put a "greenhouse" type of window opening at the front. I guess hoping some people want a view of the traffic on Route 7 and the mechanic across the street as accompaniment to their meals, lol. No other news. Anyone else know when it's scheduled to open or whose behind it?
And moving to the intersection of Route 107 - Caraluzzis put up signs announcing that the space formerly used by Yankee Doodle now undergoing renovation will be use to support an expanded produce and deli section, as well as a "cafe."
Personally, I'm still holding out hope for a good ethnic restaurant in that shopping center....but I guess beggars can't be choosers. (We've been schlepping to Hunan Cafe in Wilton for take-out and, while it's definitely the best option around, it's really a little too far for true convenience.)
Hidden Gem in Georgetown, CT- The Olive Market
They are lovely people, and the food is good, but I find it pricey for what you get.
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
Yes, the "new" Asian Fusion place is same owner as China Ten but they did make some changes to the menu. (One of the owners is the parent of one of my so's former students.). I haven't been there yet but that's what we've been told...
I also see that the former restaurant near the train station is being renovated (currently the orange building) so maybe we'll get lucky and something good will go in there...and we're getting a new coffee shop at the corner of 102 and 7 (Tusk & Co.?). I only drink Starbucks Chai, so no help for me.
When "the space formerly known as East" reopens, yes, let's definitely make a plan!
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
talk about hyperlocal....this thread is so specific now i think jvaum and i should just meet in the parking lot at caraluzzis and discuss it in person....
but in case anyone else is interested, here's the latest 411 (which is technically OT because there's still no restaurant news)
caraluzzis is taking over part of the former Yankee Doodle space for their expansion. the other part of the YD space will be an expansion by the cleaners (as per the owner, who answered my husband's questions this afternoon). the cleaners may start doing their pressing on site (presently they send it out to the owner's sister off site) or they may have tailoring, or both.
still no news on the former East site, but it sounds like it is remaining available to someone looking to continue it as a restaurant.
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
no one following this thread will be surprised to hear that yesterday i pulled into Caraluzzi's parking lot and saw a "CLOSED" sign in the window of the latest version of East Cafe. as reported here, it was pretty lousy, so no loss to the neighborhood (IMHO).
anyone know anything about the future of the space? i'm hoping we'll get something good, as we are truly missing the "old" East.
i hear the supermarket is putting a liquor store into the space formerly occupied by Yankee Doodle - not sure what the means in terms of the restaurant space, if anything....
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
Afraid to find out!
I was at Caraluzzi's a few weeks ago and some man was handing out the new menus to shoppers on the sidewalk. I said thanks but no thanks.
Part of me feels bad passing judgment on the latest incarnation (new owners? new chef? or just new menu??) without trying it, but, you know, "once burned, twice shy."
Maybe someone else can be the guinea pig this time....
Options for Lunch/Brunch in Middletown this Sunday - with kids
Middletown in which state????
Western Fairfield County CT - Anyone Home; Where are the posters
saturngrrl - i'll just say for me, personally, it's VERY hard to find a babysitter in ffld cty...teenagers don't want to babysit around here. maybe their parents are too wealthy?? and i wasn't about to hire a 12 year old (the only age that WOULD babysit) when my kids were young. lots of adults willing to babysit, but if i have to pay someone $12-$15 per hour, i can't really afford to ALSO pay for a meal at stonehenge, et al... so we spent a lot of years NOT going out to places like stonehenge because (unlike the family you experienced) we knew that our kids couldn't behave appropriately at that type of place.
that said, the hungry kids are old enough now to sit through a nicer meal...just in time to not want to be seen in public with us!
Thanks for the feedback on Adrienne's...will be heading to litchfield in a few weeks for work - maybe will make a point of staying for dinner!
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
so maybe the "good" news is that they won't last long and perhaps the next iteration will be decent (i won't say better since ANYTHING would be better than the dreck they're serving).
fingers crossed for a quick turnover...
Western Fairfield County CT - Anyone Home; Where are the posters
Ditto for me on "this board is not the same..."
The Westchester/Fairfield overlap was perfect for me (esp. now that I've added 1x per wk working in White Plains so need lunch spots).
Too busy to bother with what is no longer as relevant and much harder to navigate....too many people posting without listing the town/state, and most postings too far afield for me.
Still lurking occasionally....
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
SO bizarre... although when I first heard about the sign on the door, I wondered if it was less of a "shut down by order of..." and more of a "didn't get everything in place in time to open" kind of message from the Bd of Health (who probably don't have lots of different signs!). But I think I'll wait to see if anyone in the neighborhood starts complimenting the food before I go back...our combined bad experiences were more than enough to scare me off for awhile.
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
Last night there was an official notice posted at the restaurant saying it was closed by order of the Wilton Board of Health...
East Cafe, Georgetown, Connecticut - really renovating? or closed for good??
I missed our "virtual date" last night (forgot that the hungry kids have social schedules these days, so I was on chauffer duty in the Federal Rd neighborhood while my SO went to Danbury with the other one). I spent the day at a conference in Brooklyn, with no internet access, so I didn't see your post before now. On the way home - starving - I stopped at East to order myself some dinner.
So here's what I learned:
New owners...new staff...new chef...
They will be closed this week and will re-open next weekend with a new menu.
No idea if they will also have a new name.
Still "Asian Fusion" (according to the guy at the register who appears to be the new owner, although he did not identify himself that way).
Since I was starving, and curious, I ordered the chicken pad thai, figuring it was a pretty solid staple and I would be able to compare.
It wasn't bad, but it was different. (Not the best I've ever had but way better than Ritz Asia, which we HATED, and not spicy like the pad thai we had from Ten earlier in the week.)
Guess the verdict is still out. I think maybe they tried to squeeze some business this weekend and opened sooner than they were ready. I'm willing to give them another try once they really get going - and I hope hope hope it's good, since it's so convenient...
