Arezzo Ristorante on the Saugatuck River in Westport CT

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Everyone has a restaurant that they visit because of its atmosphere.

Winter or summer we all have our favorite places. Whether it's a restaurant with a roaring fire in the winter, or a flower bedecked patio in the summer. We all go to them for reasons beyond the food.

I have one special restaurant in particular that I love to visit because of its location on the Saugatuck River.  It's the Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut. Their beautiful patio overlooking the river offers amazing views and a special waterfront ambiance. The atmosphere is relaxing and casually elegant.

Dining at Arezzo Ristorante
on the Saugatuck River in Westport Connecticut

The restaurant features a menu highlighting Chef / Owner Vinicio Llanos' favorite regional Italian dishes in a Tuscan-style atmosphere.

I was recently invited to a media dinner at Arezzo and it was one of those balmy warm nights this summer perfect for dining al fresco. Besides the great atmosphere, I also was able to meet a wonderful social media influencer from New York, Irene, who publishes  I on The Valley, featuring great places and events from the Hudson Valley, and New York's Westchester County to Connecticut's Fairfield County.

Great conversation with friends, both old and new, over dinner always makes for a great dining experience!

We started with some cocktails and I went with a summery Limoncello Martini! Nice and crisp and with strong lemon flavor that I loved.

Limoncello Martini

We then sampled some starters, a savory tomato bruschetta and a delicious eggplant crostini.

Eggplant Crostini

Bruschetta

We were then seated where we began our wonderful dining experience over a fabulous charcuterie board before moving on to more appetizers and dinner selections.

Charcuterie Board

For our appetizers we sampled a salmon tartare, watermelon salad, and a three-pasta combination platter.

Salmon Tartare

Watermelon Salad

Three Pastas
orecchiette pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe ,
Gnocchi with cherry tomato marinara and shaved cheese, and a hearty seafood risotto

Next we moved on to our entrees, some great seafood and chops!

Halibut with clams and mussels
in a light tomato broth

Pistachio Encrusted Lamb Chop
with Roasted Baby Vegetables

For dessert we enjoyed a Tiramisu while the lights twinkled across the river...

Tiramisu

...and over coffee we concluded our dinner with a beautiful moonlit night in Westport Connecticut at Arezzo Ristorante!

Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut
View of the Saugatuck River

I know you will enjoy the views, food, and atmosphere as much as I do at the beautiful Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut.

Be sure to visit them soon!

Arezzo Ristorante

5 Riverside Avenue
Westport, CT 06880
203.557.9375
http://www.arezzowestport.com/index.php

Open Monday through Friday 11AM to 10PM
Saturday and Sunday 11AM to 11PM

Disclaimer: I was invited to the Arezzo Ristorante by members of the management and marketing team, however, all views are my own.


© Home Place 2016

Dining at Ballo Italian Restaurant at Mohegan Sun

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We love this time of year, when restaurants update their menus to take advantage of the warmer weather and spring bounty. BALLO Italian Restaurant, at Mohegan Sun, recently updated their menu to welcome the warmer weather with some lightened fare, and they were kind enough to invite us to visit to sample some of their latest offerings.

Herbed Truffle Butter with Olive Oil and Crusty Peasant Bread

What I loved best about their menu updates, was that many of the items are staples on their menu, they simply adjust the seasonings and pairings for lighter brighter spring flavors. Have a favorite item? It's likely still there - just amped up for the season!

The interior of BALLO is beautiful. It's a bit reminiscent of a Gothic abbey or Roman cathedral. The inside dining space is large and roomy and is sectioned into different areas. The front dining area is adjacent to an open walkway, which makes it feel like you're dining in a trendy open air restaurant in Tuscany.

The back dining room features a more intimate experience with elegantly set tables set in cozy nooks against brick walls. Situated underneath the grand arches with antique dimmed lighting, you feel as if you've been transported far away to a villa in Italy.

Taking great care of us was Scott, our knowledgeable server, who although new to BALLO, certainly was a great source of information about selections, ingredients, and preparation, and able to recommend items that we should sample. At Scott's suggestion, I started with the BALLO Limonata, made with Thatcher's Organic Vodka, San Pellegrino, and a frozen blood orange sphere. It was deliciously citrusy and light and the perfect accompaniment to our "starter" of BALLO's baked bread and herbed olive oil and butter spread.

The BALLO Limonata

For an appetizer, I selected the Buffalo Mozzarella, whose creamy consistency was punctuated by earthy char-roasted asparagus, drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with crispy bread crumbs, making for a delightful flavor combination. The crispy breadcrumbs really added to the dish and were an unexpected surprise.

Buffalo Mozzarella

The cowboy decided to go with the "Per la tavola" (for the table)  bruschetta - and it was certainly large enough to be shared by 4-6 people. It was a great mix of baby cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, served atop large thick slices of crusty bread. Delicious!

For the table bruschetta

For dinner the cowboy went with his number one choice, SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS! I had heard about BALLO's meatballs! They're almost as big as tennis balls with equally big bold flavors! Served in a tureen, the pasta was cooked a perfect al dente with a beautiful pomodoro sauce.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Pomodore

I was in the mood for seafood and was so happy I selected the SCALLOPS & SHRIMP served with charred broccolini, goat cheese polenta, and topped with crispy parsnips. This was oh, so good, and I am definitely ordering this again on my next visit. The scallops especially were unbelievably well cooked, and we learned from Scott that most of their seafood is brought in fresh every day. This dish was absolute perfection!

Shrimp and Scallops

I also ordered a side of BALLO Brussel Sprouts, roasted with pancetta and sweetened ever so slightly with honey. Served in a cast iron pan they'd make a great appetizer or bite to eat or share over cocktails after a show.

Brussel Sprouts

We packed up what we couldn't finish because we wanted to try a bit of dessert, sanpling the zeppolas (baby donuts) and other delectables, that Luke, overseeing the dining room that evening, sent out for us to try.

Zeppolas

I ordered the salted carmel gelato which was the perfect ending to a fabulous meal! We can't wait to return to BALLO this summer to try more from their menu!

Salted Caramel Gelato

Owner John Tunney is committed to fresh, locally grown produce and innovative offerings, and says he loves that his restaurant is "a place where you are watching the freshest ingredients being prepared with the least amount of touch by the best pair of hands - delivered in an open area as if you're in someone's kitchen." (Mohegan Sun 2016)

Chef Shaun Golan certainly made us feel like we were dining in a private kitchen in a remote part of Italy with his exquisite dishes. We know you'll love them too!

Don't feel like a full meal? There's a great artisan pizza menu too!

Remember that BALLO offers a truly outstanding late-night dining, cocktail & VIP Experience, so be sure you visit them soon!

BALLO Italian Restaurant

Located in the Mohegan Sun Casino
1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard
Uncasville, CT 06382

860.862.1100
https://www.balloitalian.com/default.aspx

Disclaimer: I was invited to BALLO Italian Restaurant by members of the restaurant's management and marketing team, however, all views and opinions are my own. 

© Home Place 2016

Connecticut Celebrates Negroni Week in Fairfield County

Imbibe Magazine and Campari Present Negroni Week!

Local restaurants in Fairfield County CT are shaking, stirring and pouring Italy’s Beloved Cocktail – The Negroni in honor of Negroni Wee, June 1st through the 7th, 2015

Negroni Week, presented by Imbibe Magazine and Campari launched in 2013 as a celebration of one of the world’s great cocktails and an effort to raise money for charitable causes around the world. From 2013 to 2014, Negroni Week grew from more than 100 participating bars to more than 1,300 participating bars around the world and more than $120,000 raised for charities.

That's right - it's a celebration for a great cause! This world-wide campaign supports worthwhile charities around the world!

This year, from June 1-7, bars around the world will mix their favorite version of the Negroni, donating a portion of proceeds from each one sold to a charity of their choice. In Fairfield County some of your favorite restaurants / bars have joined in the fun and will be pouring these sweet and aromatic cocktails with proceeds going to Community Plates, Fairfield County’s local food rescue organization.

Participating restaurants as of 5/26/15:

Amore Cucina & Bar, Stamford
Brick+ Wood, Fairfield
NEAT, Westport
Rizzuto’s Oyster Bar & Restaurant, Westport
Rizzuto’s Sports Bar, Stamford
Rizzuto’s Wood-fired Pizza Kitchen, Bethel
Table 104 Osteria & Bar, Stamford
Vespa, Westport

You can follow all of the Negroni Week action on Imbibe’s Instagram and Twitter feeds (@imbibe) and by following the #NegroniWeek hashtag. For more information and updates on participating Connecticut restaurants, check out: www.negroniweek.com