Food and Wine Magazine nominates Lizotte of ON20 for people's best new chef of 2014

Food & Wine magazine is currently in the process of naming The People's Best New Chef of 2014, and Hartford's ON20 Restaurant's Chef Jeff Lizotte is the only contender from CT, and one of eleven representing the New England Region.

Lizotte, a Connecticut native, has been executive chef of ON20 in Hartford since 2012. The People’s Best New Chef, an extension of the Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs award, honors talented up- and-coming innovators who have run their own kitchens for less than five years. The public will determine The People’s Best New Chef winner via online vote on foodandwine.com/the-peoples-bnc continuing through 5pm EDT on Monday, March 31.

“I’m honored that Food & Wine included me in this roster of talented chefs nationwide and thrilled at the opportunity to possibly bring this award to ON20, to Hartford, and to Connecticut,” says Lizotte.

Lizotte, a Connecticut native and Hartford resident, trained at various restaurants in New York and France before joining ON20 and being named Executive Chef in 2012. In the time since, he has been recognized as the state’s Best New Chef by Connecticut Magazine and one of the Hartford region’s most influential chefs by Hartford Magazine. 

The poll runs from through March 31. Fans and foodies can place their votes at Food & Wine's website.

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.

ON20 Restaurant - The Best View in Hartford CT

On the twentieth floor of a Hartford, CT skyscraper is the beautiful ON20 Restaurant.

Once a private club with an esteemed reputation, the restaurant opened to the public over a decade ago, allowing all of Hartford county to feast on great food and the best view in Connecticut.

The View at ON20

And I'm not exaggerating about the best view in Connecticut --- ON20 was recently named one of the 100 Best Scenic Restaurants in the United States in Open Table's Diner Choice Awards.

I have to admit, the view is amazing, featuring the Hartford skyline on one side 

Photo courtesy of ON20

and the scenic river district on the other.

Photo courtesy of ON20

The moment you step off the elevator, you know you are in for a treat as you approach the beautifully crafted doors announcing you've arrived to ON20.

Welcome to ON20!

ON20's recent Taste of Autumn and Media Fall Preview, also served to be a celebration for not one, but TWO awards this month! First, being voted one of the 100 most scenic places as noted, AND, secondly, Connecticut Magazine's choice of best new chef -- ON20's own Executive Chef,  Jeffrey Lizotte!

From CT Magazine: 2013 Best New Chef

Of course, the food was spectacular! 

And, we were treated to a meet and greet and live demonstration by Chef Lizotte, who explained his strategy for the restaurant's farm to table commitment, and their partnership with Connecticut grown farms, and local sourcing from Starlight Gardens Durham, CT; Freshpoint in Hartford, CT;  Browne Trading in Portland ME, D'Artagnan in Newark, NJ, Gulf Shrimp Company in Plantsville, CT, and the Farmer's Cow in Lebanan, CT.

Chef Lizotte prepares Roasted Beet Remoulade

Here's some of the wonderful appetizers we sampled: 

After mingling and meeting everyone, we moved to the expansive bar area where we sampled some of bartender Hun's creations. ON20 has a wonderful signature cocktail menu, but on this visit Hun asked if in addition we would like to also try some new concoctions that he would create based on our personal flavor preferences.

We loved them all, but hands down, our favorite was the Chocolate Espresso Martini, shown to the far left above, garnished with the traditional three coffee beans, representing health, wealth, and happiness.

We then sampled some of the delicious items found on the bar menu, 

Parmesan Truffle Cheese Fritters, Gremolata

6oz. Ground Sirloin Burger, Comte, Brioche Bun, Cornichon Aioli, Sweet Potato Fries

Mustard-Miso Chicken Tater Tots, Curry Coconut Emulsion

Spinach & Artichoke Dip , HBC Breadsticks

Out of all the bar snacks, I enjoyed the burger the most. It was cooked wonderfully, nice and juicy, and the Cornichon Aioli was wonderful. It had a nice smokey flavor, with a slow warmth. 

While we were there, we learned about their fall specials, a new prix-fixe lunch menu - $30.00 per guest!

                                       Here's what's on the menu for lunch this fall:


Starters
Dumpling: 
     Swiss Chard and Spinach, Ricotta Salata, Sweet Potato Fondue, Walnut Vinaigrette
Salad
     Roasted Beet and Radish Remoulade, Yogurt, Horseradish

Main
Eggplant Miso Parmesan
     Grilled Tomato Sauce, Olive crumb Sweet Basil
Pork
     Confit of Shoulder, Finterling Potaato, Mustard Greens, Roasted Grapes
Fluke
     Oven Broiled, Shaved Summer Squash, Sun Dried Tomato

Sweet
Melon
     Mosaic of Compressed Melon, Piment D'Espelette Sorbet, Lemon Verbena Puree
Corn
     Butter and Sugar Corn Creme Caramel, White Chocolate, Brioche Streusel



ON20 offers a breathtaking view with equally exciting food.
Join them for lunch, happy hour and snacks, or dinner.
There's something for everyone!


Join me in congratulating Chef Lizzotte and Hartford's ON20!

ON20 Restaurant

One State Street (400 Columbus Boulevard)

Hartford, CT 06103

Phone: 860.722.5161

Web: http://ontwenty.com/

Parking is available in the State Street Garage

Do you have a special restaurant that you frequent with a view?

Have you ever been to ON20? 

I'd love to hear about it in the comments below

Note: Home Place uses 'comment moderation' - your comments may not be visible for 24 hours.

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Disclaimer: I was invited to the complimentary media celebration and promotion, however, all views expressed herein are my own.