Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet - Enfield CT

Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet - Enfield CT

The standard format of this blog will not suffice for this experience.

Instead, I present a quick sensory tour of a fried food feeding frenzy.

The Scene: As you walk in, the most amazingly tacky, lit, spinning plastic-encrusted sculpture mesmerizes you. People stand in line and take a number at the front desk. Questions of the wait-time are simply ignored. A cloud of prospective feeders stand and stare at those who are seated, and glance from time to time at the seldom-Windexed buffet kiosks. Steel trays of fried food continue to be brought out on pushed trolleys. These full trays take the place of empty trays. The steel pans are exchanged with a clang; the sweat of condensation flies into the other trays of food. At a distant table, a customer is berating his watermelon slices to a waitress who cannot understand anything but the main emotion: anger. In frustration, she grabs his tall plastic soda glass and jogs to refill it. The line for the use of the hibachi griddle is long, and those standing at it are becoming noticeably annoyed. As the sushi chef checks his cell phone, children stab untaken food with chopsticks as if to impale them. People return to their seats with steaming-hot dishes piled high with fried, glistening treats. The salad bar is lonesome; the leaves are splayed all over the salad kiosk and the dressings have intermingled considerably. People flock to the freshly-laid bucket of Chinese sugar-coated "doughnuts" and smile with approval at the new pan of home-fries not two slots down from where they stand.

The Tastes: All fried objects are crispy and hot, which makes them excellent - except, of course, if they are filled with something. The "Cheese Wontons" are actually Crab Rangoons (which might come back to bite them if someone has a seafood allergy). The Egg Custard puffs are actually delicious. The Spring Rolls are quite strange, but at least they are small. The French Fries are hot, well-cooked, and well-salted. The Chinese "doughnuts" are well-sugared and puffy. The "Gyoza" are good, but filled with a filling that really does taste like breakfast sausage. The Lo Mein is hot, but the veggies are soggy. The fried rice is good, unless you come upon a piece of pork cartilage. A friend's hibachi order was practically (and unfortunately) raw. The "BUOFOLLOUW WENGS" (exact spelling) were as stiff as a crouton and devoid of "BUOFOLLOUW" sauce. Fear not; the pudding and cake-like desserts are interesting, palatable and appealing to the eye. You will probably not leave hungry; but you will leave greased out, unless you actually want to eat a vegetable. In that case, why on earth are you here?

People-Watching: A woman behind us regurgitated her honeydew melon back onto her dish as we stood to acquire our fried delicacies for the first time. The children of patrons enjoy running near the buffet kiosks and playing with the food. People around us complain about the food to waitresses who don't have the time to listen or the English to understand. (I'd have to side with the waitress here - for a pittance, you can fill your gullet and go get something else if you don't like what you have taken. Its not like the waitresses are cooking what the complainers are rapidly inhaling). A table of teenagers sprint by us while laughing off into the night (did we just witness a "chew-and-screw"?). Legions of patrons stare off into space as their carbohydrate comas take hold of their consciousnesses.

Recommendation: You MUST go here once in your life. You Must - BEFORE you complete anything else on your bucket list. And not for the food. It is cheap and everything is hot and freshly fried. But the people-watching is truly second-to-none (and perhaps better than the casinos). Once you watch near-comatose people feed upon blazing-hot mountains of self-ladled greasy food, you will have earned your stale fortune cookie. You may feel free to absolutely stun your waitress by thanking her for her service (it was great to watch her reaction). As you walk off into the night, your inner barometer of what constitutes enjoyable dining versus humans in the act of rabid feeding will be recalibrated. Rejoice!

Thali Too - New Haven, CT

Thali Too - New Haven, CT

A fun, hip spot for some tasty vegetarian Indian fare.

THE OVERALL RATINGS:

Food: Interesting, fresh, lively, piping hot, and satisfying. The curries that accompany some of the dishes make you want to dip your Naan in them. All dishes were really unique and complementary - a must for a "great" Indian experience.

Service: Quick and attentive. The language barrier can be a slight issue, but they will make sure they understand your request before they leave the table. Friendly, polite and welcoming - very good.

Ambience: Different than any other Indian restaurant I've experienced. Indian-inspired Hip-Hop is playing over the PA (sitars, doumbeks, and rap!). ESPN is projected on the wall over the kitchen. High black-metal-frame ceilings with spotlights give it the feeling of a once-and-future nightclub. Dim enough to be sexy; lit enough to be comfortable. A nice breath of fresh air from the standard overly formal and reserved Indian experience.

THE EXPERIENCE:

The Approach: When parking on a nearby street and walking up to the area, one notices a HUGE Apple store (with floor-to-ceiling windows and about 70 Yale students milling about). I was honestly sucked-in to the Apple store to play with the new hardware on the standard uber-clean wood tables. When the time of my reservation approached, I went around the corner and noticed the Yale bookstore, regal in its stature. Heading down a short alley, my friends and I found Thali Too to our right. We entered to find a veritable exhibit on spices in their entryway, which caught my eye. Entering the body of the restaurant, we were welcomed by a kind hostess and our ears were oddly excited by the interesting mix of Tupac with tablas.

Seating: We were brought to our reserved table, but a friend asked if we could sit at a nearby table instead. No problem! We were kindly accommodated. We were given clean, bright menus that had ample explanation of the dish beneath the name. This helped greatly, as many of the dishes were not the standard Indian restaurant fare. I recognized maybe 70% of the dishes (being happy that I knew what "Saag" and "Paneer" meant) but the English translation gave me more than just a definition of the terms. The table was clean and inviting, and our simple place settings gave a feeling of accessibility. ESPN was projected onto the far wall that I faced. The coolest effect was on the back wall inside of a humongous wood frame. The restaurant's title was projected via spotlight onto the brick face. You'll have to visit to understand how cool the effect was.

Food: For a table sharing appetizer, we ordered the Onion Bhajia - onion fritters with loosely gathered onion shavings and a mix of spices. The spice blend, combined with the tamarind sauce, was quite the savory force. It was just what I wanted to begin my exploration of vegetal Indian offerings. Piping hot, really fresh, and a nice, full-bodied flavor combination. For dinner, we shared Malai Kofta - a creamy curry lover's dream with soft "munchkin-like" dumplings. The curry was more than just cream though - it really did have a flavor that seemed carefully planned. Sabji Manchurian was really excellent - again, a "small dumpling, munchkin-like" protein amidst a great curry, but this curry definitely had more kick and body. The curry of this dish is the kind for which you order Naan to vacuum it all up. Tofu Sabji Jalfraize was a stir-fried chop of several vegetables combined with Tofu. While the vegetables seemed to be presented in vastly different states of firmness (an odd feeling to the mouth) the flavor was great and this was the "hottest" dish (in terms of Scoville Units, or "spiciness" to the wusses amongst us). But the heat was not an "uncooked, peppered-on" heat - it fit the dish, and did not overpower it. It was not hot for the sake of being hot, it was just flavorful good. The Masala Idiappam was interesting - it was really a starch offering, not a curry one. It was very thin vermicelli noodles that were tossed with cardamom, coconut, and some chiles, and it came with a small saucer of creamy ghee-abundant sauce with Mushrooms. My only complaint is that the dish is like ordering fried rice - its too dry to satisfy someone alone, but its great for a rice alternative for table sharing. The menu did not allude to its "dry side dish" or "dry underneath-a-curry" nature. Fortunately, our other three dishes were great atop it. The Masala Onion Cheddar Bread was a really nice take on the Indian Flatbread. Surprisingly, the "onion cheddar" flavor went really well with all the curries (I was expecting the combo to be too salty or strong). I ordered a Mango Lassi to drink and a friend ordered a Strawberry Lassi - both were thin enough for a "drink" yet flavorful enough for a change of pace amongst the other strong flavors. Our Raita came late (an oversight from our waiter) but he graciously took it off the bill. The Raita was delicately flavored and made a nice topping to the hotter selections.

Prices: It is almost impossible to spend more than $10 per entree. The breadlike selections are below $3.50; the Masala Idiappam (an unexpected side starch) was only $7. Four hungry people ate for approximately $55. Extremely affordable for regular restaurant-goers, perfect for the Yale students, which is the obvious aim.

Rating (out of 10): 8.8 (Very Good). I wished that the menu clearly delineated "dippable curry" vs. "dry starches" and that the textures were a bit smoother in the vegetable dish. But the food was great overall and the atmosphere was refreshing. Can't beat the prices.

Recommendation: For a fun, new take on the typically formal Indian restaurant ambience, go for a surprisingly good meal at a surprisingly low price. The Apple Store around the corner (or the bookstore next door) can easily satisfy any time you may need to kill before your reservation or after. A satisfying centerpiece for a fun New Haven night.


Blog-Wide Ratings Brackets:

9.25 - 10 - Outstanding; few issues if any. "10" might be impossible to achieve.

8.75 - 9.25 - Very Good; some small issues are present.

8 - 8.75 - Pretty Good; would still recommend you try it.

7 - 8 - Good; something might be lacking here.

5 - 7 - "OK" ; should the restaurant fix the issue, might be an underrated place.

1 - 5 - Not worth your time.

PLEASE NOTE:

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I remove an entry, contact me immediately.

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I comment on other dishes, invite me back! I am happy to bring my fiancee and try the full menu.

Contact me at apergiovanni@gmail.com with questions, comments, or suggestions.

Red Lobster - Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill

Red Lobster - Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill

A lunch that clearly defines microwaved mediocrity.

THE OVERALL RATINGS:

Food: Unfortunately below average considering I ordered a menu staple. Freezer to microwave to a "fresh from the dishwasher" plate complete with old knife wounds. Don't order the salad. Biscuits were wonderful, however.

Service: Extremely friendly, attentive, and quick. Conversational and pleasant. "Chrissy" was outstanding.

Ambience: Clean, but somewhat barren of warmth. Tables were comfortable and well-dressed. The darkened lobster tank appears as you first enter and gives the ominous and chilling sense of a crustacean death row. But the muzak was pleasant enough.

THE EXPERIENCE:

The Approach: Heading south on the Silas Deane after finishing work for the day, I swung a left into the shared Red Lobster/Comfort Inn parking lot. Ample spaces with lots of room. Lot was clean. Upon entering, the entryway was clean but dark, giving the lobster tank an extra bit of gloom. We were led to our table by a host who was a bit sullen, but not necessarily at us. Hey, we all have bad days.

Seating: Table was clean, booth seats were comfy. Our waitress was the best part of our experience by far. Friendly, conversational, attentive, efficient. The biscuits were GREAT. Salty, fluffy, cheesy, garlicy. Mmmm.

Lunch: My fiancee ordered a meal that came with a salad. The salad was atrocious. Several random leaves thrown on a plate, with a random raw onion ring and a depressing cupette of dressing. Some leaves were of the darker and wetter variety that shouldnt have made the plate. The cut edges were that awful dessicated and reddish tinge like they were from an old grocery salad bag. I had the Fish and Chips for lunch. The fries looked appealing, and while they were hot and nice smelling, they had the inner mealy-ness of a bulk frozen fry bag. The fish was Haddock and had a crispy yet smooth batter. The fish was cooked so much that it was board stiff and my knife had to be used to dislodge the flakes. My fiancee had broiled flounder with fries. It came nude except for some paprika and wasn't bad, but was a bit wet (as in a 16th of an inch of hot water covered the bottom of the plate). Why do seniors rave about this place, again? At least the prices were reasonable. These lunches were about 9 dollars stem to stern.

The Cons: A shorter list might be the "pros" which were the service, biscuits, and maybe the fries when they first came out.

Rating (out of 10): 3 (Not worth your time). If it wasn't for the biscuits and our excellent waitress, we are looking at a 2.

Recommendation: If you have a gift card, get something fried and keep asking for biscuits. If you don't have a gift card, try your luck at the Denny's nearby. Or get a lollipop at People's Bank next door and call it a day.

2 Hopewell (South Glastonbury, CT) - One of the Best Restaurants in Connecticut

2 Hopewell (named for its address) in South Glastonbury, CT.

Their Site:

http://www.2hopewell.com/Default.aspx

THE OVERALL RATINGS: 

Food: Outstanding and creative; not "odd" or "pretentious". Have not had even a mediocre bite - everything has been really delicious. Cannot say that for most other CT restaurants.

Staff: Friendly, warm. Knew their menu well. Able and willing to make recommendations.

Ambience: Nicely decorated. Other conversations were easily over-hearable. The only real minus was the band in the basement had their bass amp a bit too high, vibrating the floors a bit. But I've been there enough to know that live music doesn't play every night.

THE EXPERIENCE:

The Approach: This restaurant is very near Route 2 and made the perfect post-Foxwoods stop when heading back north for home. Taking a quick left then a quick right, I am immediately thrust into a segmented parking lot. It is your typical CT winter night - quite cold. I am hoping to get parking that will allow my car some room - a difficult venture since the lot is almost full. When entering the restaurant, I see two other parties asking for a table and being told that there is a wait. Luckily, I made reservations!

Seating: We are led by a very friendly hostess to our table - a lovely table in a lovely room. Wood floors and lower than normal ceilings make it an intimate, quaint "New England" style restaurant. Our settings all have wine glasses and great care is obviously taken towards neatness and exactness of the setting.

Appetizers: The Beet Salad was outstanding. Dressing was light, sweet, and covered all leaves. Two different kinds of Beets were presented in the salad - quite sweet and obviously fresh. Goat cheese was less than I was expecting but it complemented the salad nicely. The overall portion was what I was expecting. My friend's Wedge Salad was great - a lovely, creamy dressing with bacon amongst the wedge. Salads/appetizers ranged from $ 6 - 9.

Main Course: Having had several of their entrees in the past, I tried the Black Bean and Veggie Corn Cake atop Sauteed Spinach for the very first time. The cake was delicate and perfectly spiced. The beans and vegetal protein was a major component of the cake but cooked enough to be soft to the palate. The cake was drizzled with what seemed to be a thin goat cheese based sauce which is the complement that the cake needed. The spinach underneath was delicately flavored and tender - fantastic. My friends had the Chilean Seabass (outstanding) which was tender and seared perfectly with a slightly sweet flavor. I have had the Beef Tenderloin Tips before, which come out like perfectly done pot roast. The beef is always super tender and you won't be needing your knife. I was also able to try the Filet Mignon which was predictably outstanding. Cooked to perfection with a great flavor from the baste. In the past I have greatly enjoyed their Risotto - tender and exploding with flavor. Main courses ranged from $ 17 - 33.

Desserts: I ordered the Sorbet Trio - how cool is this: One sorbet is partially made from red wine; another is a mango based sorbet, and the third is blood orange. All compatible, but yet different enough so that you can select your next choice of flavor, served in a tall martini glass. Obviously hand made and really delicious.  I also tried the Pretzel Basket with White Chocolate Ganache. The ganache is what we all wished we'd be served when we saw the words "white chocolate" on any menu. The pretzel basket is an edible cup with some rock salt. Together, they're delicious. I also tried the Mocha Cheesecake (with real coffee grounds). Very creamy, but I was hoping for more coffee flavor in the cheesecake itself. The grounds were fun to taste amongst the cake. Desserts ranged from $ 5 - 9.

Prices: Considering the quality of the place and food, quite reasonable. You can impress your date OR relax here with your family and friends for less than the price of some of the fancier places in West Hartford or New Haven.

Dress Code: Although not mandated by the staff or any sign, most men were in button down shirts, khakis (at least, if not dress slacks) and sometimes a blazer. Women were usually wearing business casual clothing. You might feel out of place wearing any but the neatest ironed jeans. Definitely out of place with a t-shirt. But I get the sense the staff would still be friendly.

The Cons: There was live music in the basement (we were seated at the main level) and the bass amp was too high, allowing only the constant bassline to seep through the wood floor. It was easy to overhear the conversations of others. The parking lot can be difficult to enter or leave - the lane for cars is narrow, especially when the clientele all drive luxury SUVs. The wine menu was difficult to navigate; "Red" or "White" and then just the brand might work for wine-loving baby boomers, but not us younger eaters (especially when we know how different the reds or the whites can be; no categories like "Cabernet", "Merlot", "Pinot Noir," etc). But I get the sense that the wait staff could assist your selection, should you ask. (These aren't really big problems.)

Rating (out of 10): 9.5 (Outstanding). I have trouble remembering better food anywhere else in our state. 


Recommendation: Go - immediately - when you're in the mood for sophisticated, delicious (but not pretentious) food for a great evening dining experience.


Blog-Wide Ratings Brackets:

9.25 - 10 - Outstanding; few issues if any. "10" might be impossible to achieve.

8.75 - 9.25 - Very Good; some small issues are present.

8 - 8.75 - Pretty Good; would still recommend you try it.

7 - 8 - Good; something might be lacking here.

5 - 7 - "OK" ; should the restaurant fix the issue, might be an underrated place.

1 - 5 - Not worth your time.

PLEASE NOTE:

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I remove an entry, contact me immediately.

Should the proprietor of any establishment wish that I comment on other dishes, invite me back! I am happy to bring my fiancee and try the full menu.

Contact me at apergiovanni@gmail.com with questions, comments, or suggestions.

Welcome!

Welcome one and all to The Connecticut Foodie!

My job will be to give restaurant reviews of restaurants in Connecticut AND surrounding areas (IE, a short trip from the borders of our great state). 

I have been inspired by other food bloggers and by friends and family who always ask me for restaurant recommendations. I think its time that I record my gastronomic findings online. 

I won't give too many clues about myself - other than a few simple facts about myself and this blog.

1) I was born in 1985 - Yes, I am young (ish). With each passing birthday, I am wishing I was 20 all over again, but that was several years ago. Still, I am a child of baby-boomer parents - and I hope my age and attitudes will make this blog relevant to the next wave of restaurant goers.

2) I am not a chef - but in the kitchen, I love to experiment and "compose" dishes, sometimes with great results (and other times with not so great results - but at least I had fun!).

3) This blog is NOT about ME or what I cook - it is about the restaurants I visit. It is not for recipes, at least not yet. Should a chef at a restaurant give me a recipe, I might share it. Or, I might keep it all to myself!

4) This blog is for a NEW generation of restaurant goers. As I meet up with friends my own age, I realize that there is a difference between the baby boomer generation and their children. The two generations view restaurants differently - and not just in regards to the food. The ambience, the wait staff, the quality of the tables, their settings, and even things like the lighting and menu font affect people differently by age. I am writing this blog for all those who were born nearer to 1985 than the mid 50's. The difference will become apparent. 

Let's make no mistake about it - our generation is now coming into its own. Not all of us have jobs yet; some of us are getting out of school, or continuing in school, or are still trying to find our perfect job. BUT - more and more of us have an income and want to go to a really tasty restaurant INSTEAD of a noisy bar or turning on our video game consoles. Some of us are growing up, working and beginning real, adult lives - and what better way to relieve these new adult stresses than to go eat some GREAT food with our friends and family at restaurants that welcome us and make us dream about going back.

Lets face it -

- Eating out is NOT cheap - our generation will always want to consider price. That will be part of my blog!

- Not all wait staffs are equal - their attitudes and helpfulness will be critiqued in my blog!

- Not all of us eat "everything" like I do - All meals had at the table will be reviewed as well.

I know other food blogs provide all this - but I am lucky enough to live in Connecticut, a state with a TON of restaurants. I am also lucky enough to have had friends and family in the restaurant business and to be my age - young, but old enough to make some money and be able to dine in just about any restaurant depending on what my fiancee or I might be craving. I am also lucky enough to have some great friends (including my fiancee) who share my love of great meals at great restaurants.

It is time that Connecticut - a great state with virtually too many restaurants to count - had a young(ish) voice to look toward when considering dining options. I hope I can fill that role for all readers. I welcome your questions and comments and will do my best to always be respectful if something is less quality than I expected.

Without further ado - I present The Connecticut Foodie!