2016-02-19 02:27:51
THE FOOD AT THIS OUT-OF-THE-WAY EATERY MAKES THE DRIVE WORTHWHILE | By Kate Hartman
Quiet Corner Gem
Roots Down, Woodstock
Tucked away in the Quiet Corner, there is a new restaurant that’s making quite a bit of noise. We began hearing rumblings about this locally sourced eatery months ago when we were collecting restaurant recommendations from experts and readers for our annual Best Restaurants issue in January.
The name Roots Down had been unknown to us before then, but it popped up again and again, eventually landing on our Experts Picks “Best New Restaurant” list and securing the winning spot in the “New” and “Hidden Gem” categories by our readers. We knew we had to see — | 58 MARCH 2016 connecticutmag.com | and taste — what all the fuss was about.
On a cold January night, a friend and I set out on the hour-and-a-half drive from the Connecticut Magazine offices in New Haven to Woodstock. When we arrived at the small building that vaguely resembled a country home with blue shutters and a wide porch, the parking lot was all but empty. Admittedly, we were on the early side for dinner, and as the night wore on, the small, cabin-like restaurant began to fill.
When we entered the dining room, which was filled with large, lightly colored pine booths and tables with black chairs, we were greeted by a friendly hostess/waitress. We selected a high-top table in the restaurant’s minimalistic log cabin-like bar room.
The Roots Down philosophy centers on fresh, locally sourced ingredients combined in interesting, and at times, unusual ways. Chef and owner Adam Trifone obtains ingredients from as nearby as possible. During the growing season, Roots Down purchased produce and protein from nine or 10 farms in the area, and about 80 percent of their menu was locally grown. Through the winter, the restaurant was forced to cut back based on what was available. The staff makes as much as they can in house, including breads, smoked meats, salad dressings, bacon and corned beef.
The “local” ethos has been adopted by many places in the current food landscape of Connecticut and beyond, so the words didn’t immediately ensure that we would be wowed. But one look at the menu and we started to get excited. The dinner menu is nicely curated — long enough to offer options without being so extensive that you don’t know what to choose. Everything seemed to entice us and we dove in.
We began our meal with a flight of beers on draft, all locally sourced craft brews, including Black Hog’s Granola Brown Ale from Oxford and Broad Brook IPA Hopstello from East Windsor. It’s a nod to Roots Down’s extensive and impressive alcohol program, which includes a varied wine list available by bottle or glass.
Also featured is creative collection cocktails, like the New England Nectar (Cold River Gin shaken with muddled pomegranate seeds, vanilla bean syrup, Bolivar bitters and lemon juice strained over ice and topped with seltzer) and the Butternut (Rough Rider bourbon stirred with roasted butternut squash shrub, Jamaican #1 bitters and lemon juice served over ice and topped with ground clove), which my dining partner ordered and enjoyed after adding a little extra pureed squash.
Our beers were paired with smoked pork belly sliders that melted in our mouths. Applewood-smoked pork belly was topped with blue cheese and pickled onions on a homemade beet roll and served with a sweet-and-sour peach dipping sauce. Our only complaint was that there were only two in an order, though maybe that was a good thing because we wouldn’t have had room for anything else we ordered.
Oven-roasted bone marrow spread like butter on toasted crustini with roasted garlic and sea salt in a combination of all the tantalizing savory flavors I crave. A large, shallow bowl of potato leek soup was so surprisingly good — sweet and savory and tangy with bits of bacon, pickled apples and duck fat-fried potatoes on top — that despite only wanting a spoonful or two, I ate nearly the entire thing. “We try to make it a little different,” says Trifone. The soup was my favorite part of the meal, but unfortunately, it has been taken off the menu for the time being.
Our entrées came next, and we were delighted by both. The medley of chicken, chorizo sausage, littlenecks, mussels and lobster in the saffron bomba rice of Roots Down’s paella was spicy and satisfying in the way only slow-cooked comfort foods can be. Served in a piping-hot traditional paella pan, we took turns lunging in, discovering how the different proteins paired together. The local chicken was underseasoned when eaten alone, but taken as a whole, we had no complaints.
The second dish — duck confit risotto with spaghetti squash and cranberries over mascarpone risotto — was perhaps the lightest and creamiest risotto I’ve ever tasted. Wholly rich, especially when paired with the juicy duck, it was true indulgence on a fork. The tangy cranberry worked to cut the heaviness and balance the bite.
At this point we were stuffed, but one thing remained — dessert. How could we leave without tasting one of their homemade treats? We ordered the apple crisp, which came hot with homemade vanilla ice cream. It was as sweet, creamy and crunchy as you’d hope. But we each took two bites and wrapped it to go.
“I hope people will have an open mind when they come to dine with us,” says Trifone. “I think this is the way restaurants are supposed to be. A restaurant like this in an area like this, there isn’t much availability for people. I welcome some competition. Hopefully it will bring some better food, some healthier food [to the area.]”
Roots Down may be out of the way for most, but it is well worth the trip. After trying it ourselves, we could easily see why there’s a buzz about it. The food is fresh and inventive. Classics are honored, but also reimagined in delicious ways, and the menu changes with the seasons and what’s available. Everything here is made from scratch. No corners are being cut and you can certainly taste it. If you’re in the Quiet Corner, don’t miss this place. And if you’re within a reasonable drive, get on the road. You won’t be disappointed.
Roots Down 18 Route 171, Woodstock 860-315-5614, roots-down.net, wheelchair accessible Hours: Wed. 4-9 p.m., Thurs. 4-10 p.m., Fri. 4-11 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Price range: Tapas $7-11, entrees $12-36, dessert $7
AMBIANCE The small two-room restaurant is relaxed and comfortable like a friend’s country cabin or a hometown diner. Wooden floors and white walls with posters and paraphernalia make the space feel open, and large pine booths and tables provide ample seating for any party. In the bar room, an L-shaped bar top is decorated with signs and chalk boards spelling out specials.
SERVICE There’s a hometown charm to the service here. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and unafraid to offer opinions when we asked. On a weekday night when we were some of the few in the restaurant, we felt like we were getting highly personal service, but I have a feeling that doesn’t change on a bustling Saturday night.
FOOD The Roots Down menu offers the best of both worlds. It is approachable while also being intriguing, which entices diners to try something new. Everything here is made fresh in the restaurant using as many local ingredients as they can get their hands on. That honoring of the ingredients can be tasted in balanced combinations and layered flavors.
Butchering It!
Fleishers Brings High-Quality Meats to Greenwich, Offers Sit-Down Dining in Westport
By Erik Ofgang
If you have parents or grandparents of a certain age, especially if they’re from New York and extra-especially if they’re from Brooklyn, you’re likely to have grown up with tales of the great butcher shops of yore. Places where carving, curing and aging meat was an art form, where pickles were pulled from giant vats and where sometimes-less-prized portions of an animal were revered (tongue or chicken feet, anyone?).
While those classic butcher shops were a little before my time, they sound a lot like Fleishers Craft Butchery, a small, Brooklyn-based artisan chain that has recently made inroads in Connecticut after merging with Westport’s Saugatuck Craft Butchery in 2015. In November, the group opened Fleishers Greenwich. The new location joined Fleishers in Westport. (There is also a Fleishers in Kingston, New York.)
Both Connecticut Fleishers offer custom cuts of beef, pork, lamb and chicken, as well as house-made sausages and burger blends, all from animals pasture raised humanely and sustainably on small, local farms in New York and Connecticut. At Fleishers Westport, meat seems to emanate from the walls. Carcasses are stacked within glass refrigerators, butchers carve meat slabs at various counters, and for carnivorous locavores, it’s hard not to want to buy it all. An impromptu visit for this story, allegedly just to look, resulted in my leaving with a laundry list of an order, including, but not limited to, a pound of Fleishers’ dry-aged burger blend, sweet Italian pork and cross-cut beef shanks.
In addition to its butcher shop offerings, Fleishers Greenwich serves grab-and-go fresh sandwiches, burgers and rotisserie chicken. Next door to Fleishers Westport is Fleishers Craft Kitchen, a full-service, sit-down restaurant owned by the butcher shop. As one would guess, meat is the name of the game at the restaurant, which began serving dinner in late 2015. Chef Adam Truelove has created a menu featuring burgers, chops and steaks, as well as salads that reflect what’s offered at the butcher shop.
For lunch, you can’t beat the Steak Classic, a sandwich made with shaved steak, onions and peppers, and topped with cheddar. It’s reminiscent of a great Philly cheese steak sandwich, and the butcher-fresh quality of the steak shines through in every bite. Another midday standout is the Brisket Bun, a sandwich made with tender brisket, maple sriracha, scallions and cilantro. Each sandwich is served with excellent fries, and there is also a full burger menu that I look forward to sampling at some point.
The dinner menu has eye-catching starters like lamb meatballs and a charcuterie board featuring a selection of house-cured meats. Main courses include roasted half chicken, shepherd’s pie and osso buco.
Both Connecticut Fleishers also host regular events. At the beginning of the year, Fleishers Craft Kitchen started its Butchers Meat Brewers that saw the restaurant teaming with brewers to offer a four-course meal paired with four offerings from a local brewery. The series kicked off in January with New England Brewing Co. and will continue on March 9 with Black Hog Brewing. The Greenwich and Westport locations host regular butcher classes; on April 16 Westport will host Pork Butchery 101, which will include a whole hog butchery demo and review of anatomy, primals and cooking tips.
Fleishers’ butcher shop and restaurant in Westport is in the Saugatuck neighborhood of town. It’s an area where great food is hard to avoid — across the street are Bill Taibe’s acclaimed restaurants The Whelk and Kawa Ni. However, Fleishers holds its own, and is a worthy addition to this foodie neighborhood. It is also a spot that harks admirably back to the artisan butcher shops of days gone by.
A Beer for All Seasons
FIVE CT BEERS TO TRY THIS SPRING
By Erik Ofgang
In the beer world, spring is something of a wild west of flavors.
Winter is ruled by hearty ales and dark stouts; summer is home to light beer with citrus flavors; and autumn is the domain of pumpkin and Oktoberfest beers. Spring has no overarching beer-flavor identity. Instead, like a groundhog who only sees half of his shadow, it’s caught between two worlds and seasons. Some breweries release their summer brews early — offering refreshing blasts of sunshine flavor before the last frost has thawed. Other spring seasonals lean toward darker “winter” flavors. Still other breweries take advantage of the season’s undefined flavor characteristics to release a variety of creative seasonal brews not tied to specific flavors of the season.
This situation is just fine by me, because it means that each spring a variety of beers are released that are unlike one another and often unlike anything you can get the rest of the year. This trend is very apparent in the Connecticut beer world, and in the list below, I’ve selected some of my favorite beers being released this spring. As always, there are many great Connecticut beers that we didn’t have room to include on the list, and if I’ve missed your favorite spring seasonal, let me know on Twitter (@erikofgang) or at eofgang@connecticutmag.com.
CONNtucky Lightnin’
Brewed by: Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford ABV: 8.50 percent
I became an instant fan of this beer when I tried it for the first time last year. Inspired by moonshine, it is made with corn grits and aged in real bourbon barrels from a Kentucky distillery. The result is an intense and powerful beer that retains some bourbon flavor and has notes of whiskey, oak and vanilla. For those who’ve never tried bourbon barrel-aged beer, this is a great introduction to the style.
Where to find it: This beer will be released in March in 750mL bottles and will be available on draft. Look for the bottles at specialty liquor stores and find it on tap at craft beer bars.
Nutmeg State Saison
Brewed by: Outer Light Brewing Co., Groton ABV: 4.8 percent
There is something inherently springlike about the floral flavors of a saison, a traditional Belgian-style farmhouse beer. And this aptly named Connecticut saison from the talented folks at Outer Light Brewing Co, which also opened last year, is a wonderful example of the style. Full of the vitality of spring, it blends freshly grated nutmeg with juicy peaches, and utilizes fruity Belgian farmhouse yeast and bready English malt for a smooth blend of spring flavors. Lightly hopped and moderate, this is a beer, and a brewery, to keep an eye on.
Where to find it: This draft-only beer will be available in the Outer Light Brewing Co. taproom and at select beer bars across Connecticut. Bars that often carry Outer Light beer include Engine Room (Mystic), Pizzetta (Mystic), Oasis Pub (New London), Moxie (Madison), Prime 16 (New Haven and Orange), Westbrook Lobster (Clinton and Wallingford), MiKro (Hamden), Cask Republic (multiple locations), Caseus (New Haven), GW Carsons Burger Bar (Branford), The Outer Space (Hamden) and Eli’s (multiple locations).
Field Beer Oat
Brewed by: Kent Falls Brewing Co., Kent ABV: 5.2 percent
Last year, Kent Falls burst on the Connecticut brewing scene with this refreshing saison made with Connecticut malts and featuring hops grown at a hop yard on the farm where the brewery is located. Light but complex, with a beautiful pale gold color and some mild sourness, this beer appeared at select bars and liquor stores before being quickly scooped up. Ever since, those of us lucky enough to taste it last year have eagerly awaited its return.
Where to find it: Kent Falls is available in bottles at several liquor stores in Kent and surrounding towns. It can also be found at serious beer bars across the state. Although the brewery does not yet have a public taproom, Kent Falls’ staff can often be found selling their liquid wares at the New Milford farmer’s market.
Grapefruit Pale Ale
Brewed by: Half Full Brewery, Stamford ABV: 5.5 percent
Since coming on the scene in 2012, this brewery has attracted many new converts to craft beer with its approachable-yet-complex brews that are different from what a non-craft drinker might be accustomed to, but not so bitter as to drive them immediately away. This pale ale has moderate bitterness and a crisp, clean finish with a citrusy grapefruit zest and pale malt flavorings. It’s good enough to make an optimist out of even the most ardent my-cup-is-half-empty pessimist.
Where to find it: For now, this beer is draft only. It is expected to be available at the Half Full taproom in March and will be distributed to select bars in the state.
Sun Juice
Brewed by: Stony Creek Brewery, Branford ABV: 5.3 percent
Since opening around this time last year, Stony Creek Brewery has made a splash on the brewing scene in Connecticut with an impressive facility on the water in Branford and a lineup of diverse beers running the gamut from accessible gateway craft beers to experimental specialty beer. This user-friendly Belgian summer ale is as sunny as its name implies, and will get you ready to embrace the warm weather in no time. It is made with a saison yeast that produces a silky white body, while orange and grapefruit peel, coriander and chamomile give it a spicy and fruity flavor.
Available: Will be released on March 21 and sold in cans, bottles and on draft through most of the summer. It will be well distributed throughout the state, including at many liquor stores.
Grilled Cheese, The Caseus Cheese Truck, New Haven
Some days you just need a grilled cheese. Crusty and gooey all at once, this simple sandwich is the perfect remedy for dreary days, which is exactly the kind of weather we were experiencing when I ventured out to find The Caseus Cheese Truck in New Haven.
I had checked their Facebook page to see what the “Grilled Cheese of the Day” was — duck confit with pickled red onion — and I was out the door. But once I got to the big yellow truck, parked in front of the Yale Art Gallery in the pouring rain, I realized there’s much more to the truck than just what they advertise online.
Their basic grilled cheese can be layered with a variety of toppings from arugula to red onion and guacamole to bacon. And that’s how I ended up ordering two sandwiches — the duck confit, of course, but also a vegetarian option with arugula, red onion and pesto. In my opinion, the bread is just as important as the cheese, and Caseus has it figured out. Thin and crusty, the sourdough creates the perfect bite without being too hard or too soft. Inside, the cheese is melty and mild. A mix of provolone, swiss, comte, gruyere, gouda and sharp cheddar, it doesn’t overpower whatever toppings you choose. Sandwiches are served with a side of cornichon pickles and grainy mustard. (When they ask you if you want these, say “Yes.”)
The duck confit grilled cheese that propelled my trip was delicious with tender meat and tangy onions, but I ended up enjoying my other sandwich slightly more. The pesto was rich, soaking into the bread. I could have eaten another. This grilled cheese is great because it’s customizable. Pick what you like and leave the rest. You’re going to want to find this truck, believe me. Find out where they’ll be next on their Facebook page. | KATE HARTMAN |
203-850-3504, thecheesetruck.com
Sazerac, Little River Restoratives, One Hartford
According to cocktail lore, the Sazerac emerged from the booze-filled bars of New Orleans at some point prior to the Civil War. Some even claim it is the nation’s oldest cocktail.
Since the late 1800s, the drink has been made with rye, absinthe, select bitters and sugar. Until recently, Sazerac drinks were made either illegally, with an absinthe substitute, or not at all. But in 2007, a new interpretation of existing law allowed for absinthe, aka “la fée verte” (the green fairy), to be sold in the U.S. for the first time in 95 years. With cocktail bars stocking the wormwood-powered spirit again, the Sazerac has made a swift comeback. Sazerac cocktails can now be found at specialty bars across Connecticut, but we’ve not tasted a better one than at Little River Restoratives in Hartford.
Opened in November, this new spot has a distinctively old-school flavor — think Billie Holiday or the cool parts of Gangs of New York. Botanicals and bitters line the front of the dark wood bar; high-end bottles fill the shelves behind it. The drinks are mixed and prepared by bartenders who take what they do as seriously as chemists.
The cocktail menu focuses on creations unique Little River. So don’t be thrown by the fact that the Sazerac is not listed; it and other classic cocktails are among the specialties here. You can choose which spirits you want to go into your Sazerac, or let your bartender decide.
I went with the latter option and had no regrets when I tried the drink, which arrived sunset-red in the glass and tasted like a Sazerac should — intense but not in a put-hair-on-your-chest way. The rye’s smokiness was balanced by the chilled licorice and anise taste of the absinthe. Though not a sweet drink, it is deceptively and dangerously high in alcohol content. We’re talking singing-karaoke-when-it’s-not-karaoke-night and under-no-circumstances-should-I-text-my-ex-or-anybody-else amounts. As a result, enjoying this drink is best done with a designated driver in tow. | Erik Ofgang |
860-403-0340, lrrhartford.com
On Tap For March (And an April Bonus)
CITY STEAM MARCH MADNESS Brew FeSt, march 3 20-plus local breweries will share their beer and there will be a brew-inspired dinner buffet. 7-9 p.m. $35. City Steam Brewery, 942 Main St., Hartford. 860-525-1600, citysteam.biz
GUILFORD ART CENTER’S ART & CRAFT Beer event, march 4 Sample beers from area breweries, including DuVig, Stony Creek, Thimble Islands and Two Roads, plus food and live music. 6-8:30 p.m. 411 Church St., Guilford. $50. 203-453-5947, guilfordartcenter.org
BUTCHERS MEAT BREWERS, march 9 Chef Adam Truelove of Fleishers Craft Kitchen teams with Oxford’s Black Hog Brewing for a four-course dinner. Each course is paired with a different Black Hog brew. 6:30 p.m. 580 Riverside Ave., Westport. $90. 203-226-6328, fleishers.com
NEW ENGLAND TAP TAKEOVER AT PRIME 16, March 14 New Haven’s Prime 16 will host a tap takeover with one of Connecticut’s most celebrated breweries. No beer list has been announced, but whatever is on tap is sure to make beer lovers happy. Free admission. 172 Temple St., New Haven. 203-782-1616, prime16.com
COMEDY NIGHT AT TWO ROADS, march 26 The Comix Comedy Club will host an evening of comedy and craft beer at Two Roads, featuring comedians Kevin Fitzgerald, Pat Oates and three other comics. Admission includes finger foods and one beer. 5 p.m. $35. 1700 Stratford Ave., Stratford. 203-335-2010, tworoadsbrewing.com
HAT CITY ON TAP, April 2 This beer festival at the Danbury Ice Arena will feature more than 200 beers from a variety of breweries, plus live music and food available for purchase. 5-8 p.m. $35. 1 Independence Way, Danbury. americaontap.com/ct-on-tap
And, while Connecticut’s vineyards are largely dormant now, there are a few events to keep wine lovers happy:
WINE AND CHOCOLATE TASTING AT MIRANDA VINEYARD, March 5, 12, 19, 26 Everyone knows wine and cheese pair well. But did you know about wine and chocolate? Cozy up to the wine bar, check out the tasting room next to a crackling fire or head out to the balcony, and learn how Fascia’s chocolates and traditional European wines complement each other. 42 Ives Road, Goshen. 860-491-9906, mirandavineyard.com
PRANCE INTO SPRING AT BISHOP’S ORCHARDS WINERY, March 5, 6 Pear wines — Whitfield’s Pearadox, Pearadise and Happley Impeared — are the highlight of this two-day event, noon to 5 p.m. both days. Bishop’s also has wine tours at 2 p.m. on Saturdays in March. 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford. 203-453-2338, bishopsorchards.com
EDITOR’S NOTE: Anyone who’s picked up a copy of this magazine knows we’re serious about food. But we also like to enjoy an adult beverage or two now and then — responsibly, of course. There’s a world of drink choices out there — beer, wine, liquor, cocktails, cordials and more — and many are produced right here in Connecticut. We want to bring it all to you. Over the past year or so, we’ve introduced you to the growing craft beer industry, led by writer Erik Ofgang, who CTbeer.com named one of the “10 Great Resources for Real-Time Connecticut Craft Beer News” for his coverage of the industry. Expect to see more of that, including a calendar of beer and wine events that accompanies this article. Also in this issue, we introduce a new feature to The Connecticut Table — One Drink. Just like One Dish, in which we highlight one interesting, hard-to-find or otherwise unique culinary delight, One Drink will present a beverage you can’t find just anywhere. Cheers!
Erik Ofgang is the author of Buzzed: Beers, Booze, and Coffee Brews, which will be released by Islandport Press this spring.
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