Blast off
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
 | | Jerry Sobask, owner/chef on Me ’n u sits in a booth at his establishment. Jeff Holt/Register |
Kaboom. Hear that noise? It's New Haven's restaurant explosion continuing.
All around us, eateries are opening with a joyful noise. With every fresh marquee, our city gets another blast of flavor and fun, another heaping helping of reasons to be here. The momentum seems unstoppable; in the last three months, five restaurants (by my count) have premiered in New Haven. It’s only the beginning of what promises to be a fascinating year for food fans; at least four more are poised to open soon.
Following is a quickie list — not nearly complete, mind you — of our recent and future arrivals.
OPENING SOON
Kudeta
21 Temple St., New Haven(203) 562-8844
My spies tell me that Kudeta — a creative spelling of "coup d’etat" — is visually thrilling, and might just earn the crown of Most Beautiful Restaurant In New Haven. We won’t know for sure until April 12, when the "trans-Asian" eatery opens on the corner of Temple and Crown. We do know that the exotic space will feature a 35-seat sushi bar, and dining areas for another 70 or so. The food will likely be beautiful, too, considering that Kudeta is the creation of Herry Darbi and Elaine Chao, the husband/wife team who have wowed Westport with their other restaurants, The Little Kitchen and Taipan. Stay tuned — we may have a winner.
Barcelona Restaurant and wine bar
155 Temple St., New Haven
Rubbing cheeks with the Omni Hotel is the future Barcelona, a Spanish restaurant/tapas/wine bar that first emerged in South Norwalk, back when "tapas" and "wine bar" were mysterious and exotic concepts. The public fell deeply in love, and Barcelona has since expanded to four locations throughout Connecticut. New Haven is next: sources say the newest Barcelona will serve traditional and creative Spanish fare prepared by Pedro Garzon, a gifted chef; feature an expansive bar with 30-40 wines by the glass, and hundreds by the bottle; and accommodate 150 guests, if you count the private-party room. When an official opening date is announced, you’ll be the first to know.
Cocina Mexican Grill
178 Temple St., New Haven, (203) 777-3300
I know nothing about Cocina, except that there’s a sign announcing its arrival in the window of a once-swank, long-vacant storefront next to Subway. New Haven needs a great Mexican restaurant; let’s hope this one fills the void. Note to Cocina: Call me!
Foster’s
54 Orange St., New Haven
The ink is barely dry on the lease, but I’m happy to announce that Chef David Foster, the braided, pierced and tattooed wizard who headed the kitchen at Tre Scalini for many happy years, will soon be launching a restaurant starring his own signature cuisine. You’ve probably seen the storefront: it’s next door to Artspace, and its windows are presently decorated with what looks like red vertical blinds. David’s business partner is the suave Ming Lau, best-known as the owner of Miso, a few doors away on the other side of Crown Street. The partners face many months of hard labor, but the finished Foster’s will likely provide the crucial link that officially turns the Ninth Square into our newest Restaurant Row.
NOW OPEN
ME ’N U
970 State St., New Haven, (203) 789-1833
I’m not much of a breakfast gal. But one sunny morning, not so many weeks ago, Hayward and I gathered up the Sunday Times and headed over to Me ’n u (pronounced "me and you"), the narrow place near J.P. Dempsey’s where breakfast and lunch is cheerfully served. We took a booth and felt instantly comfortable; "at home" is the phrase that came to mind. I was brought back to my New York days, when every neighborhood had a solid little eatery – part deli, part diner — where eggs, sandwiches, salads and other essential stuff could be scarfed down on site, or delivered to your door. Turns out, delivery has been a key part of Me ’n u’s success, especially at lunch time; since opening this winter, chef/owner Jerry Sobask has doubled his delivery staff in order to keep up with demand. Personally, I’m looking forward to another early visit spent scanning the Style Section while savoring poached eggs on crab cakes with bacon and hollandaise — a signature dish that utterly undoes the agony of waking before noon.
Diner 21
21 Temple St., New Haven, (203) 787-2121
Technically, Diner 21 opened last year — but does the week after Christmas count as 2005? I visited the place in the early days of 2006, and was disappointed by the food and the service. I liked the concept, however — an early-morning, late-night, nicely priced, classic American eatery in downtown New Haven, across from the Criterion Cinema — and I’m still sitting on that egg, hoping that time and experience will bring good intentions, good design and good ideas to maturity.
York Street Noodle House
166 York St., New Haven, (203) 776-9675
I’ve heard kind words about the food at the months-old Noodle House on York, and less-kind words about its bare-bones interior. But I haven’t had the chance to experience it first-hand. So all I can promise, for now, is a menu that’s easy to navigate, with prices that students and other strapped denizens can swallow without choking.
East Melange Noodle Bar & Restaurant
142 Howe St., New Haven, (203) 848-3663
Weeks ago, East Melange opened with banners and fanfare on Howe Street, in a brownstone building steps away from Whalley Ave. A few nights later, Hayward and I studied its enormous menu and ordered no fewer than seven dishes to take home. With chopsticks and serving bowls at the ready, we prepared to savor our feast. Sadly, nearly everything we tried was virtually flavorless. This is not a death sentence, my friends: restaurants deserve a few months of trial-and-error before they’re judged. Hang on until May or June, and keep in mind that East Melange Noodle on Howe is owned and operated by the same people who run the East Melange Buffet in the Hamden Plaza. Let’s talk then, OK?
Uncle Willie’s Barbecue
1302 Whalley Ave., New Haven, (203) 397-0782
Since its early days in Waterbury, Uncle Willie’s has been responsible for some of our state’s finest barbecued ribs — not to mention Southern-fried chicken, fish and other soul food favorites. Two years ago, Willie opened a second location on the Post Road in Orange. I thought the place was great. I might have been wrong, because the Orange location was quietly traded for a much smaller spot in Westville, in a strip mall that was most recently home to Peppercorn’s, an upscale sandwich/gourmet take-out/catering shop.
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer. |
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