Carbone's Prime for Brunch in Rocky Hill

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Brunch at Carbone's Prime

If you don't know about Carbone’s Prime new brunch offering yet - you need to! 

Carbone's Prime is a member of the Carbone’s family of restaurants in Connecticut. In early March of 2019 they launched an all new Sunday Brunch. 

There is SO MUCH on the menu! Everything from  traditional brunch dishes - to lunch and dinner specialties - to favorites from the chefs'  innovative take on classic dishes.

Carbone's Prime
Brunch and Cocktail Menu

My sister and I decided we deserved a "Sister's Sunday" and what better way to celebrate a sisters get together than with a weekend brunch! So we headed over to Carbone's Prime on Cromwell Avenue in Rocky Hill for a decadent brunch!

We loved two things right away! Plenty of parking and an 11am start time! We were seated promptly and as the restaurant filled up quickly, we noted that it was a great mix of guests; small and intimate group birthday and anniversary celebrations, family dining, and others, like us, appreciating a great spot for Sunday brunching and catching up!

We started with a couple of cocktails (in spite of the early hour - LOL!) My sister ordered the Mimosa, a great blend of bubbly and OJ. (They even have table side buckets of Mimosa where you can mix and match your choice of bubbly and juices! I KNOW!!! What fun!)  For me, it was a was a toss up between the Bloody Mary Bar and something non-traditional, and being a non-traditionalist, I ended up going with the Sunrise Margarita, a blend of Patron Silver, Blood Orange Puree, Lime, and Cointreau. Soooo good, with a nice tart taste to complement the smoky tequila and citrus flavors.

Carbone's Brunch Cocktails
(L) Sunrise Margaarita
(R) Mimosa

Then we moved on to some 'appetizer' like offerings, sampling the Caesar Salad and a delicious bowl of Shrimp Bisque! Mmmmm! Those garlic buttery parmesan crisps on top were the perfect texture for the salad.

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Caesar Salad

...and the Shrimp Bisque was ahhhh-mazing! I asked for an extra spoon so my sis could sample some, and not even knowing what it was, she devoured just as much as I did. She's not really a shrimp lover, but when I told her afterwards that it was a shrimp bisque, she noted she would have never tried it...but now she knows she loves it...or at least she knows she loves Carbone's Prime's Bisque! It was so creamy-good and well seasoned. We'll both be back for more!

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Shrimp Bisque

 For our brunch selections (where did we find room after the above, I don't know!) we went with the Wood Fired Eggs and the Lump Crab Benny. If you love a good Eggs Benedict as much I do, you'll love all their different 'benny' offerings! This crab benny was delicious - and as delightfully rich as I hoped it would be!

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Lump Crab Benedict

The Wood Fired Eggs were creatively presented in a cast iron pan! What I neglected to capture in the photograph, was the spinach, ricotta, and veggie hash. So savory and such a unique addition to an egg dish. 

Carbone's Prime Brunch 
Wood Fired Eggs and Vegetable Hash

For dessert, we couldn't resist! A creamy cappuccino and tiramisu. In spite of declaring we were full and couldn't eat another bite, the tiramisu was light and delicious and we finished EVERY. BIT. OF IT. 

Carbone's Prime Cappuccino

 I couldn't imagine a better happy ending to our Sunday outing!

Carbone's Prime Tiramisu 

Here's a little sampling of other items on the menu! You'll see there is something for everyone! 

•WoodOven Breakfast Pizzas ($13-$16) – all served with two farm fresh eggs – including “Everything” Lox (goat cheese crema, red onions, tomato, smoked salmon, capers, toasted everything sprinkle), “Denver” style (Levoni ham, peppers, onions, jack cheese), NewEngland (apple, walnuts, bacon, dried cranberries, maple syrup), Franklin Ave (housemade sweet sausage, roasted peppers, onions, provolone) and more.

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Breakfast Pizza
Photo Courtesy of Carbone's Prime

•The Benny’s ($14-$18) – all served with two fresh poached eggs – including Italian (imported mortadella & fontina “Roman wheel,” fresh hollandaise,mixed green salad), Veggie (seasonal veggies & asiago “Roman wheel,” fresh hollandaise, mixed green salad),  Smoked Salmon (potato latke, imported smoked salmon, hollandaise, arugula salad) and more.

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Smoked Salmon Benny
Photo Courtesy of Carbone's Prime

New Brunch favorites including Italian Poutine ($14) (homemade mozzarella, shoestring potato, smoked bacon, mushroom marsala gravy, poachedeggs), Polenta & Eggs ($15) (roasted mushrooms, blistered tomato, creamy polenta, arugula, poached eggs, crispy prosciutto, Italian toast), Wood Fired Eggs ($14) (farm fresh eggs, roasted cauliflower, sautéed spinach, ricotta, veggie hash, Italian toast), Sausage Scramble ($14) (3 farm fresh eggs, housemade sweet sausage, provolone, broccoli rabe, calabrian chili flakes, veggie hash, Italian toast), Vegetable Breakfast Bowl ($16) (poached eggs, farro, broccoli rabe, white beans, grape tomatoes, tarragon vinaigrette,fried leeks), Chicken Saltimbocca Sandwich ($15) (prosciutto, fontina, sage pesto, arugula, cherry pepper aioli, ciabatta, salt & vinegar chips) and more. 

Selections from the restaurant’s Raw Bar & Crudo menu, Soup, Salads, Steaks, Eggs and more.

  
Tableside Mimosas will allow guests to select their fruit juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple, peach, mango or strawberry) and “bucket of bubbles” selection, ranging from four cans of Archer Roose Bubbly from Veneto Italy ($28) to Dom Perignon from France($300).  
The  Bloody Mary Bar will allow diners to select a brim and Vodka or Tequila Spirit ($12-$15) before heading to the  Bloody Bar for fixings (olives, lemons, hot pickled peppers, bacon, cheeses and more).  

Carbone's Prime Brunch
Bloody Mary Bar
Photo Courtesy of Carbone's Prime

Other specialty Brunch cocktails (all $11) include the Sunrise Margarita (Patron Silver, Blood Orange Puree, Cointreau, Lime), American Mule (Tito’s Vodka, Fresh Lime,Ginger Beer) and Honey Julep (Bulleit Bourbon, Mint, Lemon, Honey Syrup), among others.


The full menu is available online here:   https://carbonesprime.com/brunch; the restaurant also accepts reservations via  OpenTable or by calling 860.969.8088.  

Make the trip to Rocky Hill Connecticut and visit Carbone's Prime for a wonderful Sunday Brunch! Let me know how much you loved it too!

Carbone's Prime
838 Cromwell Avenue
Rocky Hill CT 06067
860.969.8088
www.carbonesprime.com

Carbeone's Prime Restaurant
The Perfect Steakhouse and Brunch Place!

About Carbone's Prime

Carbone’s Prime, the newest to the Carbone’s family of restaurants in Connecticut, is a reinvention of the classicItalian steakhouse with a range of menu items – signature steaks, daily raw bar specials, wood-oven pizzas, updated Italian dishes and Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free options – with all breads, doughs and sauces made in-house from scratch.  Easily accessible off of I-91 at 838 Cromwell Avenue in Rocky Hill with ample free parking, the restaurant’s sleek and modern décor lends itself to business lunches, date night, happy hour with friends and family dinners.  Serving weekday lunch and dinner seven days a week, Carbone’s Prime also offers an extensive bar menu, weekday happy hour specials, takeout options and private dining, and accepts reservations for parties of all sizes.  

For more information, visit www.carbonesprime.com,or visit the restaurant on Facebook (CarbonesPrime) or Instagram (CarbonesPrime).

Disclaimer: We were invited to Carbone's Prime by members of the restaurant's management and marketing team, however, all views and opinions are our own.

©  Home Place 2019

The Beach House Cafe in South Norwalk CT

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Brunch at the Beach House Café in South Norwalk CT

There's a new restaurant serving up a delightful brunch in South Norwalk CT - the Beach House Café of SoNo! Located right across the street from The Maritime Aquarium and Museum and the Norwalk Seaport Dock, the Beach House Café features some delicious offerings for brunch on Sundays that are sure to please. We received an invite last week to sample restaurateur Kane Xu's new brunch menu. Fairfield county foodies may remember Xu from the popular French-Asian Fusion eatery in Cos Cob, Nuage). Xu re-opened the Beach House Café in Old Greenwich in the fall of 2016, and also took over South Norwalk’s low-country cuisine locale, Mama’s Boy. Xu made the bold move to convert SoNo's well know Mama's Boy Restaurant and Southern Refuge into another seafood themed Beach House Café, the Beach House Café of South Norwalk!
  

“As bold as it may have seemed to some, for me it made perfect sense to create a seafood restaurant being located in a coastal community, just steps away from the Maritime Aquarium and the Seaport Dock,” explains Xu, “And the seafood concept is really where we shine.”

The Beach House SoNo is nautical in theme, taking a page from an ocean-side hotel bar and restaurant. Dockline roping drapes above the reclaimed wood-paneled bar. Massive boating prints, hanging canoes, mounted oars, and dock master lanterns complete this waterside retreat. 

Sunday brunch, also featuring live music by local artists, and private party capabilities round out the Beach House Café experience. On his brunch menu, Xu also kept some of the 'southern favorites' that the location was well known for, like Fried Green Tomatoes, Chicken and Waffles, and my personal favorite, Shrimp and Grits. 

Here are some of the items we sampled - starting from their creative cocktail menu!

Although I'm typically a Bloody Mary Brunch person, and the Beach House serves a killer one called "Ring of Fire" (uh, YUM!) on this particular day I thought I'd go with something a bit more fruity, selecting the Blood Orange Margarita! Definitely a great choice - smooth and frothy and the perfect tang to clear the palate and start the day!

Blood Orange Margarita
Jose Cuervo Tequila, Thatcher's Blood Orange
Tripe Sec, Fresh Lime 

Here are some of the offerings that my tablemates selected - starting with the aforementioned staple at brunches, the Ring of Fire Bloody Mary.

Ring of Fire Bloody Mary
House Bloody Mary Mix - Jalapeno Peppers
(also available by the pitcher)

If that Bloody Mary causes too much 'heat' - how about a cool Coconut Mojito to simmer down the fire?

Coconut Mojito
Cream of Coconut, Captain Morgan White Rum
Malibu Rum, Muddled Fresh Mint with Lime, Club Soda

If you prefer something a bit lighter, how about the crisp and clean "Dutch Boy"?

The Dutch Boy
Ketel One Vodka, Fresh Lemon
Simple Syrup, Champagne

Prefer bourbon and whiskey? They have the Nutty Bulleit and the Best Dang Manhattan. Both made with Bulleit bourbon.

Best Dang Manhattan
Bulleit Bourbon, Cocchi,
luxardo brandied cherry

Another traditional brunch drink is the Mimosa, and at The Beach House, they're almost bottomless. Pay $9.50 for your first glass, and refills are only $2.00 (prices are from March 2018). 

Almost Bottomless Mimosa

Another table favorite was the Pear Necessity - another great way to start a brunch day!

Pear Necessity
Absolut Pear Vodka, Elderflower Liquer
Pear Nectar, Champagne

After sipping and getting caught up with one another over cocktails we moved on to our tasting portion of the day, starting with a delicious 'charcuterie' or Meat and Cheese Plate. This fun platter would be great any time of day to sip some cocktails and nibble on some fun flavors!

Meat & Cheese Plate
prosicutta sopressata and capocolla, marinated olives
house select gourmet cheeses

On our visit this meat and cheese plate included a blueberry and vanilla goat cheese that was out of this world good! I couldn't get enough of it - and I'm on the search to find some or recreate it myself!

Then it was time for some starters and small plates like brunch wontons, deviled eggs, and tuna tartare. 

Delicious Brunch Wontons
with cream cheese, lightly fried with pepper jelly

Deviled Eggs

Tuna Tartare
avocado, scallion, masago, spicy sesame soy

After whetting our appetite with these delicious teasers we moved on to the plate portions of the brunch menu, sampling an Organic Salmon BLT, Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs with Sausage Gravy, Chicken and Waffles, Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict (!!!), and a southern favorite, Shrimp and Grits!

Organic Salmon BLT
Grilled salmon, lettuce and tomatoes, bacon,
dressed with cilantro jalapeno aioli,
served with french fried

I love that the Beach House had so many classic southern dishes on the menu, while adding their fresh new spin on the flavor profiles.

Chicken Fried Steak
Tender pounded 'chicken fried' steak (breaded and country fried)
Smoked paprika pork sausage gravy, breakfast potatoes
sunny side egg

Chicken and Waffles
marinated country fried chicken,
fresh made waffle, habanero jelly,
Brookside Farms Maple Syrup

Oh - the Crab Cakes Benedict was a DREAM! This crab cake nestled under the Eggs Benny was a surefire way to win my heart over! As much as I love a classic eggs benedict - this version was equally delicious with a sweet little crab cake accompanying the poached eggs. There was also a "Lobster Benedict" version available that substituted a grits cake with the lobster. 

Crab Cakes Benedict
Poached Eggs, hollandaise, baby greens
Crab Cakes

And how about this creamy delicious bowl of Shrimp and Grits! 

Shrimp and Grits
Slow Cooked Grits, Smoked Tasso (pork) Spring onions
Pimento Gravy

Moving on to our finale tastes of the day were two incredibly good desserts, a Pistachio Cake with the perfect balance of pistachio flavors, and a decadent Gorilla Bread (which is actually on the starter menu - but would make for the perfect "happy ending")

Pistachio Cake

Gorilla Bread
Cinnamon Roll filled with cream cheese,
dulce de leche sauce, praline pecans

I cannot begin to describe how wonderful everything we sampled was, and I'm so glad I'm ending with the Gorilla Bread because it was truly one of the highlights of our sampling. Light and fluffy and so decadently delicious, I could have it as a starter, as a dessert, or anything in between. It was definitely soooo good - and the 'exclamation point' to a fun brunch at the Beach House!

Be sure that you visit the Beach House Café in South Norwalk soon! 

Beach House - SoNo

19 N Water Street
South Norwalk CT 06854
203.956.7171

http://www.beachhousecafe.com/
http://bhsono.com/


Disclaimer: We were invited to Beach House So No by members of their management and marketing team, however, the opinions expressed are entirely our own.

©  Home Place 2018

Brunch at the Historic Roger Sherman Inn and Restaurant

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The Roger Sherman Inn in New Canaan for Brunch!

Don't you just love historic buildings that turn into town treasures? Well, the Roger Sherman Inn in New Canaan CT is just such a gem!

Welcome to the Roger Sherman Restaurant and Inn
New Canaan CT

This beautiful New England Restaurant and 17-room Inn has recently received a culinary transformation with the amazing Chef Francois Kwaku-Dongo at the helm. We were lucky enough to get an invite to join Chef and the Inn's team for a delicious Sunday Brunch.

The Inn is a history lesson in New England buildings with immense crown mouldings, crystal chandeliers, sweeping staircases, and incredible architecture. We also learned that the Roger Sherman Inn was established in 1746! That's thirty years before the Declaration of Independence was even signed! Talk about historic! 
   

We were thrilled to meet Chef Kwaku-Dongo and discover his take on offering a seasonally-inspired menu, showcasing fresh, locally-procured ingredients. 

Chef Kwaku-Dongo

If you want a a REAL culinary tour of New England that showcases our coastal seafood, local family farms, and talented artisans, the Roger Sherman Inn is the place to go! Using these East Coast ingredients as a foundation for his flavor profiles, Chef Kwaku-Dongo adds his unique twist and blend of spices to bring out the savory or sweetness of each dish. We arrived a bit early and I was completely intoxicated by the aroma of simmering cloves while walking through the dining room. It was pure heaven!

Here are some of the items we sampled for brunch, starting with some delicious brunchy cocktails, like Mimosas, Peach Bellinis, Spicy Bloody Marys, and a creamy Espresso Martini!

Cocktails at the Roger Sherman Inn
Mimosa, Creamy Espresso Martini,
Peach Bellini, Bloody Mary

While still in the lounge we sampled a delicious cured meat platter, served with a side of nice crusty sliced bread.

Cured Meat Platter

Next we moved into the dining room where we sampled some soup and starters. Like this delicate clear broth soup of the day

Market Soup

... and this fresh fruit nestled in a beautiful mango champagne sauce.

Seasonal Fruit & Berries

Preserved Mango Champagne Sauce

Then we shared some small plates and salads at our table, like this tender lettuce salad with apples, walnuts and blue cheese croutons.

Little Gem Lettuce

Pickled Apple, Candied Walnut, Blue Cheese Crouton

... and this light crepe topped with a fresh egg with side greens!

Crepe and Egg
Side Greens

We all scooped up this hearty steak tartar with dueling mustards, aioli, and a farm fresh egg.

Steak Tartare

Herb Aioli, Farm Eggs & Two Mustards

We topped that off with some chicken and sausage hash! Soooo good!

Chicken & Sausage Hash

with Tomatoes

Then we each ordered our own individual entrees. Of course, if eggs benny are on the menu, you know I'm ordering them! These with some smoked salmon were the perfect brunch order!

Eggs Benedict

Smoked Salmon, Tomato Confit, Hollandaise Sauce

My tablemates ordered french toast, Tuna Nicoise, and the brunch special of the day a Baja inspired Cali breakfast dish with black beans, chipolte, and an avocado salad.

Brioche French Toast

Stewed Apples, Vanilla Mascarpone, Home Fries

*Tuna “Riviera Nicoise”

Hard Boiled Egg, Haricot Vert, New Potatoes

This dish truly showcased Chef's West Coast to East Coast journey!

Chef's Special - Poached Eggs
Chipolte & Black Bean
With Avocado Salad

We found a bit of room for sharing a few desserts, and of course, we selected everything CHOCOLATE!

Dacquoise Cake

Almond Cake, Praline Crispy Layer, 

Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Glaze

Here's where Chef's heritage showcased his love of spice, 

in this case the cocoa!

Chocolate Crepe
Fresh Gelato

I simply couldn't resist ending my meal 

with a creamy foamy cappuccino!

Cappuccino 

Although they are the consummate place for brunch, the Inn is also open for lunch and dinner, as well as having some light bites in the cozy tavern. Each menu is comprised of from-scratch recipes which run the gamut from burgers and bites to more refined dishes, including; House Cured Smoked Salmon; Grilled Octopus with chorizo vin, olives, and fingerling potatoes; Woodbridge Farm Oxtail Raviolo with sun-dried tomato and rosemary jus; Roasted Bronzini with salsa verde, roasted fennel, and fregola; and -Truelove Farms Grilled Pork Chop with braised red cabbage, apples, pancetta, and red wine jus. 

Tavern favorites and bar bites consist of; Lump Crab Cakes with roasted pepper aioli; RS Lobster “Club” Sandwich layered with walnut bread, rocket, tomato, and bacon; USDA Prime Black Angus Beef Mini Burgers with Vermont cheddar, shallot marmalade, garlic aioli, and hand-cut fries; artisanal cheese and charcuterie; and Tuscan Kale tossed with chicory, pecorino, walnuts, in a lemon yogurt dressing. Sunday Brunch is made special with organic Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, tomato confit, and hollandaise sauce, and decadent Brioche French Toast topped with stewed apples and vanilla mascarpone.
  
The restaurant also is available for catered events, weddings, and any special occasion. These milestone celebrations are made all the more special under this quintessential New England setting with the addition of Chef Kwaku-Dongo’s new menu, gifted team, and forward-thinking vision.

Be sure you visit them soon!  

Roger Sherman Inn

195 Oenoke Ridge
New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 966-4541
https://www.rogershermaninn.com/

Disclaimer:
We were invited to the Roger Sherman Inn by members of their management and marketing team, however, the opinions expressed are entirely our own.

©  Home Place 2018