New Haven Restaurant Week at Tarry Lodge - Spring 2017

Spring 2017 New Haven Restaurant Week at Tarry Lodge

I love that so many towns hold restaurant weeks twice a year, especially when it's in the spring when the days get longer and your mood elevates with all the sunshine to come! This spring, the 2017 New Haven Restaurant Week returned from Sunday April 2nd through Friday April 7th.

This year over 30 of downtown New Haven's ethnically diverse restaurants featured a two course $17 for lunch and a three course $34 prix fixe menu for dinner.

Tarry Lodge 2017 Spring "Restaurant Week" Menu

Restaurants that participated offered a  multi-course, prix fixe menu. For lunch it was an appetizer and an entree and for dinner it typically consisted of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Great idea for a two course lunch (instead of the usual 3-course lunch) because three courses for lunch can be a bit too much, especially when you have to return for the afternoon work day!

The year we had a pretty hectic week at work so I couldn't break away for an off-campus lunch with work mates, and the cowboy and I couldn't coordinate a night earlier in the week so, Gayle and I decided to get together for a girls night and make reservations for Friday night at Tarry Lodge. This was actually my first time dining at Tarry Lodge, in spite of the fact that both Gayle and I used to baby sit for the Executive Chef, Sam (Samantha) Moore -- AND we had stopped there multiple times for New Haven's Wine Crawl - Flights of Fancy!

Tarry Lodge Interior
Note: This picture is from a different date -
the night we stopped for New Haven Restaurant Week it was PACKED

It was great going downtown on a Friday night - and I was pleasantly surprised to see A LOT of traffic and busy restaurants - a great sign that our New Haven community is alive and well and booming!

Tarry Lodge serves classic Italian fare and is operated by the Batali / Bastianich group. Yep, that one, consisting of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Andy Nusser and Nancy Selzer– the team behind the VERY successful Tarry Lodge Restaurants in Westport CT and Port Chester NY.

Cozy seating, a bit too cozy for me with close seating to maximize square footage, and ambient lighting, the restaurant pays homage to Yale's New Haven roots with a bronze bulldog statue of Handsome Dan, the Yale mascot.

Handsome Dan - Yale Bulldog Mascot

Tarry Lodge offers an impressive wine list and menu that includes house-made pasta, fritti and meats cooked over a grill. The restaurant’s pizza bar is wrapped around an oven crafted by Valoriani, the storied family operation that has constructed ovens outside of Florence since 1890. (Tarry Lodge, 2017, About Us)

We settled in at our table and began to peruse the menu over a deliciously tart Bellini

Bellini

Oh, and the bread! Tarry Lodge serves up some delicious peasant bread with olive oil for dipping.

Now let's move on to our Prix Fixe dining!

First Course: Antipasti at Tarry Lodge New Haven

Gayle went with the Tarry Greens with White Bean Vinaigrette and I selected the Funghi Arancini with Truffle Aioli. 

Funghi Arancini with Truffle Aioli at Tarry Lodge

Tarry Greens with White Bean Vinaigrette

Entree Course: Secondi at Tarry Lodge New Haven

For our entree's Gayle selected the Eggplant alla Parmigiana and I went with the Black Fettuccine with Rock Shrimp and Chorizo Sausage. 

Tarry Lodge
Eggplant Parmigiana
Black Fettuccine 

Both were equally delicious, the eggplant had just a hint of crispness and the the Fettuccine had a nice heat from the chorizo sausage.

Black Fettuccine with Rock Shrimp and Chrorizo Sausage

Third Course: Dolci

Believe it or not we had room for dessert. Gayle went for the Butterscotch Budino, a custard like rum pudding with a deep butterscotch flavor that hit your taste buds amazingly well and lingered on for a delicious way to end the night! I went with the Olive Oil Soft Serve Ice Cream drizzled with Honey and Candied Pistachios, equally delicious! 

Tarry Lodge - Desserts
Budino Top Left - Soft Serve Bottom Right

Don't let the sound of Olive Oil soft serve 'scare' you off, it's a delicate rich addition to the soft serve ice cream that actually enhances the vanilla flavor of the dish.

Tarry Lodge - Olive Oil Soft Serve

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Tarry Lodge! Chef Sam was able to come out and say hello for a moment and gifted us with some 'babysitter' biscotti to take home!  Thanks Sam!! 

Take advantage of the special menus at a restaurant week in your town soon and look for the next restaurant week coming in fall of 2017 to New Haven where you can enjoy similar specials like those we sampled at Tarry Lodge!

Tarry Lodge - New Haven location

278 Park Street

New Haven, CT 06511

Tel: 203 672 0765

http://newhaven.tarrylodge.com/

New Haven Restaurant Week Spring 2016

It's BACK!  New Haven Restaurant Week for Spring 2016

Join in the fun beginning Sunday, April 3 through Friday, April 8, 2016

Twenty-eight of New Haven’s restaurants are featuring $20.16 lunch and $34 dinner prix fixe menus.

Participating restaurants will offer  multi-course, prix fixe menus! Many will include an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

Reservations are highly recommend, so call and reserve now!

Participating Restaurants for #NHVeats: 

• 116 Crown  – (203) 777-3116
• Adrianna’s –  (203) 865-6474
• Atelier Florian  –  (203) 859-5999 
• Barcelona – (203) 848-3000
• Basta Trattoria – (203) 772-1715
• Caffé Bravo –  (203) 772-2728
• Caseus Fromagerie Bistro –  (203) 624-3373
• Cask Republic –  (475) 238-8335
• Christopher Martin’s –  (203) 776-8835
• Elm City Social –  (475) 441-7436
• Fornarelli’s Ristorante –  (203) 745-5677
• Goodfellas – (203) 785-8722
• Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant –  (203) 777-2500
• Heirloom – (203) 503-3919 
• John Davenport’s –  (203) 974-6858  
• L’Orcio –  (Lunch on Friday only) – (203) 777-6670  
• Miya’s Sushi – (203) 777-9760
• Olea –  (203) 780-8925 
• Pacifico –  (203) 772-4002 
• Roía –  (203) 200-7045 
• Shell and Bones – (203) 787-3466
• Soul de Cuba Cafe – (203) 498-2822
• Tarry Lodge –  (203) 672-0765 
• Taste of China –  (203) 745-5872
• Temple Grill –  (203) 773-1111
• Tre Scalini –  (203) 777-3373
• Union League Cafe – (203) 562-4299 
• Zinc –  (203) 624-0507 

#NHVeats

Food For Thought - Restaurant Week in CT to Benefit the Salvation Army

 Food For Thought Restaurant Week benefiting the Salvation Army is coming to Connecticut!

Did you know:

• That the Salvation Army serves over 60 million meals annually to anyone in need through its many soup kitchens, sit-down meal programs, food pantries, mobile meals and community gardens?
  
• That they provided over 400,000 meals and fulfilled 200,000 grocery orders in CT alone?

We all know that "restaurant weeks" are popping up in every town - but unlike most local efforts, this state-wide effort has a great reach - for a worthy cause!

The Food For Thought Restaurant Week will run 11-1-15 through 11-5-15!

The deadline for restaurants to sign up is 10-12-15: 

Sign up here: http://www.f4trestaurantweek.org/sign-up.html 

For a list of participating CT Restaurants 

           ==>> http://www.f4trestaurantweek.org/where-to-dine.html 

Harvest Wine Bar in New Haven CT for NHRW Spring 2015

Media Promotion

For New Haven's Restaurant Week Spring 2015 we headed out to Harvest Wine Bar on Chapel Street in the Elm City!

I love restaurant weeks! Three course dinners for only $32.00 is a win-win in my book!

What was especially nice about Harvest's offerings were the wide variety of offerings to choose from!  Each of the three courses that were offered had at least five or more selections to  select.

The cowboy and I were able to join friends Wendy and Greg from CTLifestyles.com for a night out on the town. After settling in with cocktails (I ordered the Flirtini pictured above) we started with our first course of appetizers.

Appetizers

Grilled Calamari crispy fried tentacles, jalapenos, cilantro, whipped avocado (L)

Macaroni and Cheesecavatelli, cabot white cheddar, toasted bread crumbs (top right)
Crispy Artichoke Salad lemon aioli, jalapenos, cilantro, red onions, ricotta salata (R middle)
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad parmesan risotto cake, truffle vinaigrett (bottom right)

Each appetizer was so good! My calamari with the whipped avocado tempered the heat from the jalapenos and was cooked to perfection!

For dinner we had everything from seafood to steak to burgers!

For my selection (see below) I ordered this AMAZING Hangar Steak served with Parmesan Truffle Fries, Seared Asparagus, and a Green Peppercorn Sauce.

The Harvest Hangar Steak

Yup! Every bit as scrumptious as it looks!

Moving on to our final dessert course (somehow we found room!) we went for a little of the sweet stuff in a big way! The cowboy and I both went with the flourless brownie sundae and Wendy and Greg went with the Nutella Crepe and Blood Orange Sorbet.

Desserts at Harvest Wine Bar
Flourless Brownie Sundae (L)
Nutella Crepe (Top Right)
Blood Orange Sorbet (Bottom Right)

While waiting for coffee I surveyed the roomy restaurant and adjoining cocktail lounge.

And I love the open concept kitchen where you can get a peek at ALL the delicious food!

We all loved Harvest Wine Bar and can't wait to return this summer to enjoy the patio and some more great food!

Harvest Wine Bar
1104 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06510

203.777.2500
http://harvestwinebar.com/


For more pictures from my dinner at Harvest visit the Home Place facebook page HERE

Disclaimer: We were invited to Harvest Wine Bar by members of their management team. However, all opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Spring into New Haven Restaurant Week March 22-27th 2015

New Haven Restaurant Week returns March 22 – 27, 2015

#NHRW15

Are you looking forward to spring as much as I am? The days are warmer, daylight is longer, and it's time to go OUT!!

What better place to start then New Haven, to celebrate New Haven Restaurant Week!

Thirty-six of downtown New Haven’s award-winning and diverse restaurants are featuring $18 lunch and $32 dinner prix fixe menus during the week of March 22nd through March 27th!

Participating restaurants will offer a multi-course, prix fixe menu typically consisting of an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

Reservations are highly recommend, so be sure to make your reservations early!

116 Crown – RW Menu – (203) 777.3116

Adrianna’s – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 865-6474

Barcelona – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 848.3000

Basta Trattoria – RW Menu – (203) 772.1715

Bentara – RW Menu – (203) 562.2511

Briq – RW Menu – (203) 891-7155 

Caffé Bravo – RW Menus – (203) 772-2728

Caseus Fromagerie Bistro – RW Menus – (203) 624-3373

Cask Republic –  RW Menu Coming Soon – (475) 238-8335

Christopher Martin’s – RW Menus – (203) 776-8835

Fornarelli’s Ristorante – RW Menus – (203) 745-5677

Goodfellas – RW Menu – (203) 785.8722

Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant – RW Menus – (203) 777-2500

Heirloom – RW Menus – (203) 503-3919  

John Davenport’s – RW Menus – (203) 974.6858

L’Orcio – RW Menus – (Lunch on Friday only) – (203) 777.6670 

Miya’s Sushi – RW Menus – (203) 777.9760

Oaxaca Kitchen – RW Menus – (203) 859-5774 

Olea – RW Menu – (203) 780-8925 

Pacifico – RW Menus – (203) 772.4002 

Roía – RW Menus – (203) 200-7045 

Soul de Cuba Cafe – RW Menus – (203) 498.2822

Stone Hearth – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 691-1456

Tarry Lodge – RW Menus – (203) 672-0765 

Taste of China – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 745-5872

Temple Grill – RW Menus – (203) 773-1111

Thali – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 777.1177 

Tre Scalini – RW Menus – (203) 777.3373

Union League Cafe – R W Menus – (203) 562.4299  

Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar –  RW Menus – (203) 859-5342

Zaroka – RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 776-8644

Zinc –  RW Menu Coming Soon – (203) 624.0507 

For more information visit InfoNewHaven at http://www.infonewhaven.com/restaurantweek

or

Connecticut Restaurant Week at http://www.connecticutrestaurantweek.com/restaurant-weeks-ct/new-haven-restaurant-week

The Fall 2015 NHRW will be Nov 1-6, 2015.

Branford Restaurant Week - Spring 2014!

The 3rd Annual Branford Restaurant Week runs Sunday, April 6 - Saturday, April 12, 2014

Here's a sneak peek at the participating restaurants and links to their restaurant week offerings or prixe fix menus!

Enter HERE for your chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate!

Allegre's 
249 West Main Street
Branford, CT
203-483-5553
Allegre's Restaurant Week Menu

Assiagio
168 Montowese Street
203-483-5426
www.assaggiobranford.com
Assagio's Restaurant Week Menu

Ballou's Wine Bar
2 Sybil Avenue
Branford, CT
203-208-1701
www.ballouswinebar.com
Ballou's Wine Bar Restaurant Week Menu

BB Shack
5 Sycamore Way
Branford, CT
203-208-2740
www.bbshackct.com
BB Shack Restaurant Week Menu

Campania
284 East Main Street
Branford, CT
203-483-7773
www.campaniaristorante.com
Campania Restaurant Week Menu

Darbar
1070 Main Street
Branford, CT
203-481-8994
www.darbarindia.com
Darbar Restaurant Week Menu

Dockside Seafood
145 Block Island Road
Branford, CT
203-488-3007
www.docksidebranford.com
Dockside Seafood Restaurant Week Menu

Donovan's Reef
1212 Main Street
Branford, CT
203-488-5573
www.donovans-reef.com
Donovan's Reef Restaurant Week Menu

G-Zen
2 East Main Street
Branford, CT
203-208-0443
www.g-zen.com
G-Zen Restaurant Week Menu

Home Restaurant
1114 Main Street
Branford, CT
203-483-5896
www.homerestaurantct.com
Home Restaurant Week Menu

Jalapeno Heaven
40 North Main Street
Branford, CT
203-481-6759
www.jalapeno-heaven.com
Jalapeno Heaven Restaurant Week Menu

La Luna
168 North Main Street
Branford, CT
203-483-9995
www.lalunact.com
La Luna Restaurant Week Menu

Lenny's
205 South Montowese Street
Branford, CT
203-488-1500
www.lennysnow
Lenny's Restaurant Week Menu

Nellie Green's
50 Maple Street
Branford, CT
203-483-5553
www.nelliegreens.com
Nellie Green's Restaurant Week Menu

Parthenon Diner
374 East Main Street
Branford, CT
203-481-0333
www.parthenondiner.com
Parthenon Restaurant Week Menu

Pasta Cosi
1018 Main Street
Branford, CT
203-483-9397
www.pastacosi.com
Pasta Cosi Restaurant Week Menu

SBC Restaurant
850 West Main Street
Branford, CT
203-481-2739
www.southportbrewing.com
SBC Restaurant Week Menu

Seagrass Grille
3 Linden Avenue
Branford, CT
203-315-3225
www.seagrassgrillct.com
Seagrass Grill Restaurant Week Menu

Taste of Hartford at ON20 Restaurant - Winter 2014

Media Promotional Event

The city of Hartford CT rolls out the carpet twice a year to celebrate Restaurant Week - better known as:

"A Taste of Hartford"  

(#TasteOfHartford) 

Taste of Hartford runs January 20th 2014 through February 2nd 2014

This winter we attended a small media launch for the winter version of Taste of Hartford at ON20 Restaurant. It was such a pleasure to return to this beautiful restaurant that, without a doubt, has the best view in Hartford. 

Located on the 20th floor of the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance Building, looking to the left (east?) there is a gorgeous view of the meandering Connecticut River, and to the right (west?) there is an incredible view of downtown Hartford and the city skyline.

I love that the city of Hartford features a WINTER restaurant week! It's just what we need to shake the winter doldrums out and enjoy some of the great food Hartford has to offer. Especially after the arctic blast of weather and snow that has decided to settle in Connecticut.

A holiday day off during the week, as well as snow day at work gave me the opportunity to visit some of  my favorite Hartford Restaurants for a Taste of Hartford! We started at one of my all-time favorites, the ON20 Restaurant for a weekday late lunch.

ON20's special menu for Taste of Hartford's prix fixe lunch features some of their traditional seasonal fare, and some new and exciting options. 

We decided to each have different prix fixe offerings so that we could sample a wide variety of offerings. For our first course of appetizers, we had soup and salad, a Clam Chowder and a Kale Salad.

The Chowder:

Chowder

Creamy clam and celery root, Bayonne ham, herb oil

The Clam Chowder was the perfect blend of light broth, sweet baby clams, and salted ham. The hint of herb oil drizzled on top added a ever so subtle addition of seasoning. So delicious and satisfying!

The Salad: 

Kale Salad
Trio of Tuscan kale, granny smith apples, candied walnuts, ricotta salata

The Kale Salad was a hearty offering of al dente kale, crisp thinly sliced apples, and candied walnuts. The shaved ricotta salata added a nice contrast to the tart apples and sweet walnuts with its mildly salty, nutty and milk-like flavor.

We moved on to our main courses, sampling the Duck Confit "Hash" and Coalfish.

The Duck:

Duck
Crispy confit “hash” poached egg, parsley vinaigrette

The Duck was perfect. Crispy, rich morsels nestled in with the tender young potatoes and herbs. I gently broke the egg open and let the thick creamy yolk penetrate the dish with an additional layer of sumptuousness. My only regret about this dish is that I didn't pack what was left on the plate to take home to enjoy later. Not that there was much left after we dug in...but right now I'm craving that crispy duck goodness!

The Coalfish:

Coalfish
Mushroom ragout, sauce bourguignon

This was my first time sampling Coalfish, and it certainly won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed the firm texture, mild flavor, and the slightly salty crust created by the perfect sear. The silky bourguignon sauce and mushrooms added an earthy element to the dish.

For dessert, we shared the carrot cake and a citrus lemon curd plate:

Carrot Cake:

Carrot Cake

Warm cake, walnut streusel, cream cheese ice cream

The carrot cake was wonderful. The walnut streusel topping reminded me of a crumble, and while I thought I might miss the traditional sugary cream cheese frosting, the cream cheese ice cream provided a playful change. When a spoonful of cream cheese ice cream scooped up a bit of struesel - it was the same familiar sweet cream cheese taste. Delightful - but with so much less of that granular sugary taste. Now, where can I find some more cream cheese ice cream??

Citrus Lemon Curd:

Citrus Curd
Meyer lemon curd, caramelized meringue

The citrus lemon curd dessert was amazing, and I'm so glad I saved it for one of my last bites! Meyer lemons offered this dish a less tart and more sweet profile, but a subtly rich sweetness, tempered by the lemon flavor.

Plating for each dish throughout our lunch was beautiful, detailed, and whimsical.

Staff members are equally attentive to detail. The team approach at ON20 is apparent. Restaurant manager Brent Bushong, maitre d' Mike McGarrity, and our gracious and friendly server Dawn, were all available to answer our questions on preparation and ingredients.

Executive Chef Lizotte, recently voted "Best New Chef" in Connecticut Magazine's "Best of 2013" joined us for a few minutes between courses to explain his menu inspirations, and we discussed thoughts on ON20's  upcoming spring menu (he's not quite as ready as I am for spring!), his close relationship with local farmers, and commitment to the farm to table movement.

Following our menu selections, we were also treated to Chef Lizotte's pastry skills, as we indulged in some sweet treats to accompany coffee at the end of our meal. In October 2012 Chef Lizotte competed in the  international culinary competition Trophée Passion, where he was awarded Valrhona Best Pastry. These bite sized treats were oh so good!!

Happy Endings at ON20

What a great start to Hartford Restaurant Week and A Taste of Hartford at ON20 Restaurant! 

Be sure YOU take advantage of this wonderful week and enjoy their beautiful view!

See ON20's A Taste of Hartford Lunch Menu HERE

Their daily ala carte menu is available HERE

Remember, Taste of Hartford runs January 20th 2014 through February 2nd 2014!

In closing, as you all know, I'm a HUGE Top Chef fan (BravoTV) so I asked Chef Lizotte one of the questions posed to recent contestants:

Question:    One "bite", two ingredients, what's on the fork? 

His reply?   Foie Gras and Pâté

ON20 Restaurant provides a professional setting for a business lunch with clients or colleagues, and has small, private dining areas and rooms for conferences and small meetings. 

In the evening, the twinkling lights from the Hartford skyline offers just the right backdrop for a romantic dinner for two. In addition, it's simply a GREAT DESTINATION to meet up with friends and family for food, fun, and drinks. 

ON20 Restaurant 

Address: 1 State St, Hartford, CT 06103 

(Enter 380 Columbus Boulevard in your GPS for best directions directly to their parking garage)

Phone:(860) 722-5161

Web:  http://www.ontwenty.com/index.php

Hours:

 

Monday	11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Tuesday	11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Wednesday	11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Thursday	11:30 am – 1:30 pm, 5:00 – 10:15 pm
Friday	11:30 am – 1:30 pm, 5:00 – 10:15 pm
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed

Parking is available in the One State Street garage. ON20 will validate.

Follow ON20 on: 

twitter:       @ONtwenty

instagram:  @ONtwenty

facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ontwenty

Disclaimer: We were invited to this promotional  sampling event for "A Taste of Hartford" Restaurant Week at ON20 Restaurant by members of ON20's management and marketing team, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are our own.

Darien Restaurant Week - Winter 2014

Press Release: January 21, 2014

It's time to shake off the winter doldrums and step out for some restaurant specials in beautiful Darien CT!

Darien Restaurant Week runs Sunday, February 2 thru Thursday, February 6, 2014

Also happening that week ==> Darien’s Indoor Sidewalk Sale Days, Feb 1-8



Two great events that compliment one another!

Darien Restaurant Week will offer consumers great deals, the opportunity to experience some new restaurants, and re-visit a few of their favorites throughout the next installment of Darien Restaurant Week, Sunday, February 2 through Thursday, February 6, 2014.

“This is great way of keeping our town active and supporting our businesses during  the cold days of winter,” says Darien Chamber of Commerce President Carol Wilder-Tamme of the Restaurant Week and Indoor Sidewalk Sale days promotion, “This is a fun way for locals and surrounding towns to experience dining and shopping in Darien.”

Participating restaurants will offer a special prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menu throughout Restaurant Week.

Number of courses to be offered is a minimum of 3 and excludes tax and gratuity.

Mid-range: Lunch $12.14 Dinner $18.14
High-end: Lunch $20.14 Dinner $30.14


Participating restaurants include:

Anthony's Coal Fire pizza
Bodega Taco Bar
Chuck's Steakhouse
Coromandel
Darien Social
Estia's American
Jimmy's Southside Tavern
Meatball & Company
Rory's Restaurant
Scena Wine Bar
Tengda
The Goose
The Melting Pot

Details and participating restaurant updates:     www.darienctchamber.com