Todd Lyon runs down changes for foodies
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
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| Chef Kristofer Rowe, left, and Linnea Ruf of the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme. Register file. |
Dear Readers:
In order to better keep up with the mad cuisine scene in our delicious city, I’m introducing All the News That’s Fit to Eat, a round-up of restaurant action and events, which I’ll present every month or so as a supplement to my full-blown columns. Here’s the first of them. Please enjoy, and please keep me posted about any food news and activities you might know of. I depend on my spies ... this means you. E-mail me.
FOSTER’S SET TO LAUNCH
Hooray! Chef David Foster’s long-awaited restaurant is finally opening. Foster’s, located in the heart of New Haven’s Ninth Square district, will feature the chef’s signature "eccentric American" cookery in a warm, elegant atmosphere.
The place looks great. Last week I poked my head in and saw rough-hewn stone walls, bamboo tables, a long bar and cloud-like shades suspended from the ceiling. At the center of the 130-seat space is a chef’s table where David, something of an eccentric American himself, will cook in plain sight.
Foster’s soft opening is scheduled for next week, but it depends on unpredictable elements such as inspections and the like, so call ahead to confirm.
Foster’s, 56-62 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 859-6666.
FOOD LOVERS UNITE
The second edition of the "Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut" has been published, and it’s a handy little tome. Written by Patricia and Lester Brooks, this insiders’ guide features restaurant write-ups as well as information about farmers’ markets, specialty food shops, cooking schools, wineries, brew pubs and more.
It’s also got recipes by local luminaries, including Chef Stuart London of Nini’s Bistro in New Haven and Yanko’s Beaverbrook Farm in Lyme.
Speaking of Stuart London ...
NINI’S GOES ITALIAN
When two great chefs get together, deliciousness is virtually guaranteed. Thus, you need to be at Nini’s Bistro May 29, when resident chef Stuart London joins forces with Andrea Tiberi, Umbrian chef and president of Eatalian Style, an organization dedicated to promoting authentic Italian cuisine in the U.S.
The event begins with a cooking class by Chef Tiberi, then moves on to a demonstration and a wine dinner. Cost is $75 per person, all inclusive, and reservations are required.
Nini’s Bistro, 40 Orange St., New Haven, (203) 562-6464, www.ninisbistro.com.
Eatalian Style, www.eatalian.net.
GASTRONOMIQUE GROWS
Chef Marc Woll is pleased to announce that his tiny little take-out bistro on High Street will soon double in size. Come September, Gastronomique will expand into the space next door and feature a small dining room with multi-course, prix-fixe meals and a BYOB policy. Until then, it will keep on serving juices, soups, salads and French specialties to grateful Yalies and people like me.
Gastronomique, 25 High St., New Haven, (203) 776-7007.
LATE NIGHT EATS IN FAIR HAVEN
Good news for night owls: There’s a new chicken shack on Grand Avenue that’s open until 3 a.m. on weeknights and 4 a.m. on weekends. Kennedy Fried Chicken and Seafood, which has been open for about three months, is loosely affiliated with a whole group of urban restaurants that go under various names, i.e., JFK Chicken, Lincoln Fried Chicken and, my favorite, Kantacky Fried Chicken, described by one online fan as "the most ghetto-fabulous restaurant ever to run a deep fryer."
At Kennedy/New Haven the meat is halal, the fried shrimp is crisp, the cole slaw is tangy, and the menu is enormous, including 16 flavors of ice cream and some yummy carrot cake, sold by the slice. There’s also hot wings, beef ribs, sandwiches and sides (potato wadges, anyone?). This is fast-food fare, reasonably priced — a Chicken Snack Box, for instance, featuring two pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes and a roll, is $3.75.
Kennedy Fried Chicken and Seafood, 382 Grand Ave., New Haven, (203) 773-3507.
DIM SUM IN NORTH HAVEN
Formosa, the Asian-fusion restaurant that’s been gaining hoards of loyal fans since it opened last year, has added a new element to its already multi-cultural offerings: Dim Sum weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays, from noon till 4 or 5 p.m., a supplemental menu of nearly 30 dim-sum items are available, including pork buns, beef balls and lotus leaf wraps. These tasty tidbits — some sweet, some savory — are priced from $2.50-$4, and can be ordered as the mood strikes, adding up to a long and leisurely brunch, which is extra-delicious when accompanied by an afternoon Scorpion Bowl.
Formosa, 132 Middletown Ave., North Haven, (203) 239-0666, www.restaurantformosa.com.
WHET YOUR WHISTLE AT THE BEE AND THISTLE
If you read my recent article about the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme, you learned that the fine establishment is no longer just for "the Arsenic and Old Lace set" (Zagat’s). Rather, a lively, artistic new owner and creative young chef have breathed life into the old girl.
Unfortunately, my article mistakenly listed the Bee and Thistle’s fax number where its phone number should have been; the proper digits are (860) 434-1667, which you can call to make reservations for dinner, lodging or for Sunday evening’s event: A visit from Chris Prosperi, chef and owner of Metro Bis in Simsbury, and a reading by his wife, Courtney, author of "Wife of the Chef." Sunday’s shindig starts at 6 p.m., and includes a three course meal for $28.
The Bee and Thistle Inn, 100 Lyme St., Old Lyme, (860) 434-1667, www.beeandthistleinn.com.
GOOD GUY HONORED
Chris Vigilante, co-owner of Christopher Martins, is being honored by the New Haven Club of Providence College with its 2007 Veritas Award for philanthropy and general accomplishment.
Chris and chef/co-owner Brian Virtue (yes, Vigilante and Virtue, do you believe?) are widely known for their annual Thanksgiving dinner which offers full-course, white-tablecloth dinners for poor and isolated individuals and families.
The Veritas dinner takes place May 3, at Anthony’s Ocean View in Morris Cove. Tickets are $45 and proceeds go toward Providence College scholarship funds. For ticket information, e-mail joanne@konowitzkahn.com.
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer. She can be reached at toddlyon@earthlink.net. |
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