OT: Best Restaurants/Food or places to go in CT

[Cheddie]

Agreed, solid New Haven list. Union League is the safest and most consistent bet for a great meal for me. Everything is always "just right." Dinner is great, but a nice long lunch, lingering into the mid-afternoon, is even better imo. The natural light in that room is great at that time.

Not a huge Caseus fan. I think it's overrated, overpriced for what you get in both quality and quantity.

Love "L'Orcio. I'd add Skappo for other different Italian (more Umbrian, not red sauce Neapolitan). The sandwiches at their market, Skappo Merkato, are also excellent.

Other great New Haven spots are Thali and Barcelona, both of which I realize are local chains, but both still excellent imo.

Best Thai I've ever had on the East Coast is The Terrace in Hamden.

Family-owned Skappo is fun - particularly when Mom is working the room. Sledog - only dined @ Cafe Routier once and it was very good.

Should also have mentioned Max Downtown. Hunter Morton does a great farm to table menu. In the summer, I dropped off some produce as a favor for a friend, and it was on the menu that night.

 

[mauconnfan]

Didn't read the whole thread so apologize if I missed it, but anyone been to Anna Liffey's Pub in New Haven? Booked it for an event this weekend, heard it's a pretty good spot

Anna Liffey's is downstairs right? Great Irish pub, stone walls downstairs and really good food............had the Sheppards Pie and it was sensational and one of the few bars you can have a shot or 5 of "Paddy's" instead of Jameson.......Paddy's is smooth!!!

 

[8893]

What about Cafe Routier in Westbrook. Heard good things.

Been there a dozen times or more over the years and have never been disappointed. The menu can be a bit overwhelming though, because they always have three different full menus: A regional one that changes seasonally; a nightly specials menu; and a menu of their classic staples. For many years we would go there every other time we went out to eat. We always felt constrained to try new places, and almost always thought they weren't as good as Routier, so next time we would go back there again.

Anna Liffey's is downstairs right? Great Irish pub, stone walls downstairs and really good food............had the Sheppards Pie and it was sensational and one of the few bars you can have a shot or 5 of "Paddy's" instead of Jameson.......Paddy's is smooth!!!

All true. Not really haute cuisine (not an Irish strength), but solid pub specialties. The homemade brown bread is a plus; it comes with the soup. In addition to a very good Shepherd's Pie, the fish and chips are also good.

Agree fully about Paddy's. And if you want to scale it up a few notches from there, try Red Breast. Best Irish Whiskey there is imo. Tastes more like a fine single-malt Scotch.

 

[mauconnfan]

Been there a dozen times or more over the years and have never been disappointed. The menu can be a bit overwhelming though, because they always have three different full menus: A regional one that changes seasonally; a nightly specials menu; and a menu of their classic staples. For many years we would go there every other time we went out to eat. We always felt constrained to try new places, and almost always thought they weren't as good as Routier, so next time we would go back there again.


All true. Not really haute cuisine (not an Irish strength), but solid pub specialties. The homemade brown bread is a plus; it comes with the soup. In addition to a very good Shepherd's Pie, the fish and chips are also good.

Agree fully about Paddy's. And if you want to scale it up a few notches from there, try Red Breast. Best Irish Whiskey there is imo. Tastes more like a fine single-malt Scotch.

Had Red Breast in Philly last year after a golf outing for the first time.....cognac glass and a nice Macanudo you are correct there also 8893 good stuff!! That was my first of the Red Breast and impressed........

As for a nice liquor ever had Sheridans? Bottle comes with a cream similar to Baileys but creamier and a liquor which mixes as you pour, really nice mellow stuff too........have to buy on cruise or from Canada!!

 

[husky99]

There is a northern italian place in bethel that is very good, no idea the name.

Also highbschool friend worked at
Carole Peck's Good News Cafe , Woodbury, CT

And the food was very good... i like bin in hartford also

 

[Danzz]

I still think Cavey's dowstairs in Manchester is consistantly the best.

 

[husky91]

Responses and feedback

Chipolte as fast casual lunch, yes great
Blackies hot dogs, awesome
Pizza in NH
BBQ @ Wilson's Fairfield, though just ok. Really deprived.
Mexican, depends, I love OTB (chain), salsa is awesome

Probably favorite restaurant in central CT is Max Fish (Glastonbury)

My last meal, if I knew and could choose would be a fried seafood platter w/whole bellies from Lenny & Joe's in Madison. Nothing even compares

 

[Cheddie]

Husky 99 - forgot about Carole Peck's - good food and often good celeb watching.

Re: Cafe Routier. They're very accommodating, and will let you order from the main menu or the bar menu even in the quieter dining room.

 

[LIuconn]

How about within a 20 minute drive of Storrs? Recommendations? Haven't been in a long while.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

There is a northern italian place in bethel that is very good, no idea the name.

Also highbschool friend worked at
Carole Peck's Good News Cafe , Woodbury, CT

And the food was very good... i like bin in hartford also

La Zingara? I've been waiting for that place to be mentioned. It's well worth the hour plus drive for me.

 

[Waquoit]

How about within a 20 minute drive of Storrs? Recommendations? Haven't been in a long while.

Willimantic Brewing Company is pretty good. I've found the Bidwell to be hit and miss lately.

 

[husky99]

The bethel place is la fartuna (sp)

 

[specialisthusky]

How about within a 20 minute drive of Storrs? Recommendations? Haven't been in a long while.

Main Street Brewery in Willimantic.

Edit: Waq beat me to it. +1 for his recommendations. I was at Bidwell last week by the way. It was a hit. Delicious as ever.

 

[8893]

Willimantic Brewing Company is pretty good. I've found the Bidwell to be hit and miss lately.

Agree. These are the two places between which we alternate for pre and/or post-game food and beers. The Bidwell wings are not as consistently good as I remember them, the beer selection is hit or miss, and there's really nothing else of note on the menu imo. Willi Brew wings are always good, there are usually at least a few other above-average menu items, and both their own beers and guest beers always provide several good options.

PS: In either event, finish up your meal at the Dairy Bar and you can't go wrong.

 

[LIuconn]

Thanks, fellas.

 

[Hoophound]

The bethel place is la fartuna (sp)

I will pass on any place named "fartuna". I think you probably meant La Fortuna.

 

[husky91]

Just went to Union League recently, not impressed at all. Would prefer Max downtown anytime over it.

Plan b is great, Max Fish, etc

Agreed, solid New Haven list. Union League is the safest and most consistent bet for a great meal for me. Everything is always "just right." Dinner is great, but a nice long lunch, lingering into the mid-afternoon, is even better imo. The natural light in that room is great at that time.

Not a huge Caseus fan. I think it's overrated, overpriced for what you get in both quality and quantity.

Love "L'Orcio. I'd add Skappo for other different Italian (more Umbrian, not red sauce Neapolitan). The sandwiches at their market, Skappo Merkato, are also excellent.

Other great New Haven spots are Thali and Barcelona, both of which I realize are local chains, but both still excellent imo.

Best Thai I've ever had on the East Coast is The Terrace in Hamden.

 

[8893]

Just went to Union League recently, not impressed at all. Would prefer Max downtown anytime over it.

Sorry to hear that. I've eaten there dozens of times over some 20 years now and have never had anything less than an excellent meal.

I've eaten at Max Downtown a few times and have always had very good meals.

Two very different places imo, and I guess it depends on what you're looking for and what you prefer. Union League is classic and elegant, with a focus on the quality of the sauces and the basic ingredients that comprise the dish, and never over-the-top in terms of flavoring. Max Downtown strikes me as more of a "scene," with a fusion menu that focuses on the current culinary trends, and a lot more heavily flavored dishes--including some that are intentionally over-the-top. Many people I know get turned off just looking at Union League's menu, because it doesn't sound interesting enough to them. I used to think the same until I finally went there.

It reminds me of a comment I read in Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw, in the chapter about Le Bernadin (a great read, btw, and Le Bernadin is the best restaurant meal I’ve ever had). In discussing the unsurpassed quality of the seafood served there, Eric Ripert (I think; it could have been Primo) explained that the price you pay has more to do with what’s not on the plate than with what is on the plate.

 

[Excalibur]

I still think Cavey's dowstairs in Manchester is consistantly the best.

It's my 1(b) to Union League's 1(a).

 

[junglehusky]

I didn't know about Side Street in Hamden, I've gone by there a bunch of times and never looked twice. Thanks, to whoever suggested it several pages ago. Very close to there is a newish place called Mikro (as in microbrewed beers). The have a pretty extensive selection of beers and the food is pretty good, sometimes they use locally grown stuff if you're into that.

In New Haven, Liffey's is ok, Cojones is OK... for cheap mexican takeout I like La Carreta, also on State street, but the best mexican I've had in CT (not that I check every place out) is a little farther up State, a place called Mezcal. I always get the Tostadas de Tinga... mmm...

A couple summers ago I went with my Dad to a place he loves, the Hopkins Inn on Lake Waramaug (in Warren). They serve excellent Austrian fare... if my dad says a place is good you know it's really good. In the summer you can sit outside, nothing better on a nice day than some good wine or beer, Wiener Schitzel and Spaetzel.

 

[Excalibur]

I didn't know about Side Street in Hamden, I've gone by there a bunch of times and never looked twice. Thanks, to whoever suggested it several pages ago. Very close to there is a newish place called Mikro (as in microbrewed beers). The have a pretty extensive selection of beers and the food is pretty good, sometimes they use locally grown stuff if you're into that.

In New Haven, Liffey's is ok, Cojones is OK... for cheap mexican takeout I like La Carreta, also on State street, but the best mexican I've had in CT (not that I check every place out) is a little farther up State, a place called Mezcal. I always get the Tostadas de Tinga... mmm...

A couple summers ago I went with my Dad to a place he loves, the Hopkins Inn on Lake Waramaug (in Warren). They serve excellent Austrian fare... if my dad says a place is good you know it's really good. In the summer you can sit outside, nothing better on a nice day than some good wine or beer, Wiener Schitzel and Spaetzel.

I've been interested to try Mikro. I need to get there soon.

Have you tried the Watch Factory Restaurant in Cheshire? I thought it was very good German/Austrian but I'm no connoisseur.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Best restaurants in CT, eh? I could go on and on...

In New Haven area:

Caseus: Don't agree with people who say it's overrated, it's high-quality food and service, high-quality ingredients. You don't have to blow a ton of money if you don't want to, but it really is delicious. Never had a bad meal here.
Prime 16: Some call it a rip-off of Plan B, but I find their beer list to be slightly better and their burger concoctions to be slightly more creative. Also, their sweet potato fries are a little better. But they're both great restaurants.
Bentara: The service can be terrible, but the Malaysian food is awesome. The noodle dishes are the real deal. Highly recommend the two-soy dish and the kepak (?) dish.
Thali: My favorite Indian place in New Haven. It can be a tad expensive but all their dishes are really good. They have a bangin' brunch on Sundays.
Miya's: Very creative sushi plates. You can spend a lot or a little. You won't be able to get some overfished things here, though, like shrimp and tuna. Still, who doesn't want some peanut butter and cashew in their sushi?
Mezcal: Very spotty service but this is some legit down-home Mexican food right here. The margaritas are strong and delicious as well. Though it does appear to be ripe for stabbings. I've never been stabbed here, fyi.
L'Orcio: Very romantic patio in the back, a little overpriced but quite good.
Pepe's/Sally's/Modern/BAR: You could argue about this all day.

In central-ish CT area:

Eli Cannon's: Love this place. Artisan trailer trash beer bar. The pulled park nachos are the real deal. Seriously. Everything is good, though. And 33 beers on tap. Can get pretty crowded, though, especially in the winter without the patio in the back.
Cora Cora: Peruvian place. Oh man. They make some bangin' food here. Lotta seafood/chicken dishes but seriously authentic. I don't even remember what I got -- I asked the waiter -- I just remember it being delectable and wishing I had another stomach to eat it all.

Eastern CT:

Burton's: My mother loves this place and I can see why. Yeah it's just a steakhouse but I dig it. The imperial haddock is especially amazing. Good service and very good desserts, too. Pricey.
Willimantic Brewing Company: The crown jewel of eastern Ct. Nothing else even comes close, and I'm not just saying that cause they have a salad named after Coventry. The nachos could feed some small countries.

 

[8893]

MiKro is great. A weekly stop for me. I've had most things on the menu and all have been very good to great. The confit chicken wings are always a standout; the style changes seasonally.

 

[8893]

@ Irish Loop:

Good call on Bentara. I forgot to mention it. That was the place that started it all in terms of the Ninth Square renaissance. I've been eating there since they opened their doors and have never had a bad meal. And at this point I've had almost everything on the menu. Pechal Salad, Rojak Salad, Curry Mussels (get the Roti Chanai to soak up the curry) , Spring Rolls, soups (esp. Tom Yum) and noodle dishes (especially Mee Hoon Goreng) are my favorites. I also bring home orders to go from there a few times a year and the food travels pretty well. NB for first-timers: If you like things reasonably spicy, order "regular," which is in between medium and spicy. Ordering "spicy" will render some dishes too hot for most tastes.

My problem with Caseus is that I think it's more faux than legit. A lot of poseurs there imo, both clientele and the folks who work there. Basically, it leaves me wanting real bistro food, which I don't think it is.

Where is Cora Cora? Sounds like a place I need to try.

Also reminds me to mention Charcoal Chicken in West Haven. Great Latino food--especially the chicken.

Oh, and on the burger front, here's my quick take:

"Gourmet" burgers: Plan B is best meat; Prime 16 close, with more interesting options (and better beer selection).

"Greasy" burgers: Shake Shack is best; Five Guys next after that.

And of course, Louis Lunch, but only if you really, really appreciate the taste of top quality, lean beef, with little else. And not ketchup, which is a problem for me because I really love ketchup.

As for Eli Cannon's, I've also been going here since they've opened their doors. All I can say is that they have been a roller coaster in terms of both beer and food quality in recent years. The beer has improved markedly again since they brought back an old beer manager, but on my last few visits the food was disappointing. And the wings haven't been good at all in recent years, which is a real shame because once upon a time they were the best.

IMO, the best Middletown bets there are O'Rourke's, which is the best diner, period. Seriously, nothing comes close to this place, and Brian O'Rourke is a great man. And Forbidden City has some great Chinese fusion, albeit a bit pricey. The ION used to be great, as in the best vegetarian food I've ever had, but it is a mere shadow of its former self these days.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

@ Irish Loop:

Good call on Bentara. I forgot to mention it. That was the place that started it all in terms of the Ninth Square renaissance. I've been eating there since they opened their doors and have never had a bad meal. And at this point I've had almost everything on the menu. Pechal Salad, Rojak Salad, Curry Mussels (get the Roti Chanai to soak up the curry) , Spring Rolls, soups (esp. Tom Yum) and noodle dishes (especially Mee Hoon Goreng) are my favorites. I also bring home orders to go from there a few times a year and the food travels pretty well. NB for first-timers: If you like things reasonably spicy, order "regular," which is in between medium and spicy. Ordering "spicy" will render some dishes too hot for most tastes.

My problem with Caseus is that I think it's more faux than legit. A lot of poseurs there imo, both clientele and the folks who work there. Basically, it leaves me wanting real bistro food, which I don't think it is.

Where is Cora Cora? Sounds like a place I need to try.

Also reminds me to mention Charcoal Chicken in West Haven. Great Latino food--especially the chicken.

Oh, and on the burger front, here's my quick take:

"Gourmet" burgers: Plan B is best meat; Prime 16 close, with more interesting options (and better beer selection).

"Greasy" burgers: Shake Shack is best; Five Guys next after that.

And of course, Louis Lunch, but only if you really, really appreciate the taste of top quality, lean beef, with little else. And not ketchup, which is a problem for me because I really love ketchup.

As for Eli Cannon's, I've also been going here since they've opened their doors. All I can say is that they have been a roller coaster in terms of both beer and food quality in recent years. The beer has improved markedly again since they brought back an old beer manager, but on my last few visits the food was disappointing. And the wings haven't been good at all in recent years, which is a real shame because once upon a time they were the best.

IMO, the best Middletown bets there are O'Rourke's, which is the best diner, period. Seriously, nothing comes close to this place, and Brian O'Rourke is a great man. And Forbidden City has some great Chinese fusion, albeit a bit pricey. The ION used to be great, as in the best vegetarian food I've ever had, but it is a mere shadow of its former self these days.

Give Goldburgers a try in Newington Center. Just as good if not better than the ones you mentioned.