Issues → May/June 2009 → Travel → Dining in New England: Yankee's Best →
Connecticut Dining 2009
DINING
Best Companions for Your Coffee:
ISABELLE ET VINCENT, Fairfield
In Alsace the Koenigs ran a seventh-generation patisserie and chocolate shop; lucky for us, they moved here and opened a close facsimile a year ago. Individual pastries are all exquisite, all $4.50; notable among them are the melt-in-your-mouth mille-feuilles (napoleons), for which customers queue up in a separate line on weekends. 1903 Post Road, Fairfield, CT. 203-292-8022; isabelleetvincent.com
Best Trendy Eatery:
RIVER TAVERN, Chester
Chef/owner Jonathan Rapp knows where it's at and so do we, thanks to his devotion to farm-fresh and local purveyors, his farm dinners, and bargain specials such as half-price wine Monday and Tuesday nights, half-price beer Thursday night, and kids-eat-free Sunday night. A summer's night's dream menu: seafood salad with Stonington scallops, charcoal-grilled rib chop with crispy goat-cheese-stuffed squash blossoms, fresh berry crostada. Restaurant entrées: from $24. Bar entrées: from $9. 25 Main St., Chester, CT. 860-526-9417; rivertavernchester.net
Best Trattoria:
BASTA, New Haven
From the couple behind the much-beloved Claire's Corner Copia next door, this trattoria excels at home-style dishes, made like Nonna's but with fresh, often organic ingredients. We love the meatballs made with San Marzano tomatoes and caramelized onions, the free-range chicken roasted with oranges and apples--not to mention the warm and welcoming ambience. Entrées: from $18, pasta from $12. 1006 Chapel St., New Haven, CT. 203-772-1715; bastatrattoria.com
Best Waterside Breakfast Joint:
KITCHEN LITTLE, Mystic
You can eat inside, but why? Walk through the shoebox eatery to the backyard, grab a seat at a picnic table by the garden, and order Eggland's Best glorified as a "Mystic Melt," "S-Medley," or "Portuguese Fisherman" (all $9.95). Then take in the view and breeze off the river as you dig in and enjoy. 135 Greenmanville Ave. (Route 27), Mystic, CT. 860-536-2122; myspace.com/findpeople/kitchenlittle
Best Revolutionary-Era Pub:
CAPTAIN DANIEL PACKER INNE, Mystic
While the upstairs restaurant is no doubt nice, we've never gotten past the cozy downstairs pub, with its great beams, oversized fireplace, and seaside mural. Here we're treated like old friends (think Cheers), and always start with the grilled portobello mushroom appetizer ($6.95) topped with Alouette cheese, baked and served with chive-infused oil--delish! Entrées: from $14.95. 32 Water St. 860-536-3555; danielpacker.com
Best Cozy Spot:
THE SCHOOLHOUSE AT CANNONDALE, Wilton
With a constantly changing local-farm-products menu, new owner Tim LaBant, formerly of Boston's L'Espalier, is breathing new life into this one-room-schoolhouse restaurant. Recommended: Drinks on the patio by the babbling brook, duck hash, Berkshire pork with Parmesan polenta. Entrées: from $32. 24 Cannon Road. 203-834-9816; schoolhouseatcannondale.com
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