I love Connecticut in the Summertime because the weather is hazy, hot and humid and there’s soooooo much to do! These ‘tropical vacation-like’ weather conditions draw folks outside so the possibilities on who to do what with are endless?.
And because it’s soooooo hot, one of my favorite pastimes in the Summer is eating out, especially at new restaurants. But an old fave will get me every time (smile).
I have to be careful though with what and where I choose to eat because of my history of Colon Cancer. So I take my time by going online beforehand to look over menus to see if they have “healthy,” “light,” or “low-fat” entrees. This way I can pick and choose from foods that are not processed or fried and that contain as few ingredients as possible. I won’t lie, sometimes this is easy to do and other times it presents a challenge…
Here are just a few of my go-to’s. The actual list is real long so rest assured there will be a Part II and III of this blog post…
For breakfast on the weekends I love Julia’s Bakery in Orange. The last time I was there I had a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on a homemade whole wheat english muffin. All of their breads are made fresh daily and as a result, absolutely delicious! I washed my breakfast sandwich down with an Iced Coffee. Yummy!
For my need-to-be-clean, super healthy days, I like B Natural in New Haven, a Shops at Yale restaurant. Especially the healthy juice from their Juice Bar. Here I had the All Natural Turkey Wrap with a Detox Juice. Delish!
When I’m out looking for lip-smacking, finger-licking good ribs on my not-so-clean days (smile) I make my way over to the Science Park neighborhood in New Haven to Ricky’s Rib Shack! The ribs and sides are to die for! The background music is not too shabby either (smile).
For New Haven pizza, I’m stuck on Ah-Beetz on Temple Street. I call it ‘Chipotle meets Modern’ because you truly walk the line to create your own thin-crusted 11 inch customized personal pie and healthy salad and then, when it’s finished, the servers bring it out to your table. I named my customized personal ‘meatless’ pie LJ’s Vegetarian Delight, as I topped it with all the healthy stuff.
I love downtown eateries in the Summer, especially when they have a cute little shaded courtyard patio for dining in the rear. Zoi’s on Orange Street in New Haven is a new fave that I recently discovered by way of my client, Mary Wade. We ‘ladies who lunch,’ including Laura Hutchinson of News 8, all enjoyed our hearty delicious salads on this super hot sunny day!
When I’m in the mood for Northern Italian, I love me some Gusto Trattoria on the Post Road in Milford. They have this gluten-free pasta dish which fills you up without filling you out. And their warm homemade oblong garlic bread, which you spread with garlic butter and dip in olive oil, is heavenly! Mangia!
Speaking of Italian cuisine, I love love love live theater and one of my favorite venues is the Waterbury Palace Theater. Waterbury has lots of good Italian restaurants and one of my new faves is Damelio’s Italian Eatery. It’s neighborhood location and outdoor dining on the patio make it a fun place for me and my client, Sheree Marcucci to eat. They are known for their pasta, anti-pasta and more. I bucked the trend though and had this baked fish dish and it hit the spot!
For Italian cuisine in New Haven I like head to the Upper State Street neighborhood to Portofino’s for lunch or dinner – their salmon and spinach is always a good, healthy choice!
And the old standby, Tre Scalini in the Wooster Street neighborhood of New Haven will have you coming back for more! This salmon over ceaser salad dish with homemade croutons was the bomb!
Just across the street from one of my favorite live entertainment venues in New Haven, the legendary Shubert Theater on College Street, sits Elm City Social, a new fave because of the unique decor and the delicious New American cuisine. After eating this Kale Caeser with Chicken dish, I (almost) licked my plate clean (smile).
A Shops at Yale restaurant, Heirloom, sits inside The Study at Yale and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We went there for lunch and I enjoyed an Heirloom Veggie Burger with a side salad. They are known for their Farm, Coastal Cooking. Healthy!!
And just last week I dined at Atelier Florian on Upper Chapel Street in the Chapel West Neighborhood in New Haven with my dear friend and Wine Connoisseur, Janna Waite. The General Manager of the restaurant, Alexandria Pena, convinced me that I would be in for a real treat. She was right. I loved the classy ambience along with the attentive service and the delightful Belgian cuisine. We both ordered a half dozen Blue Point oysters before our meal. And then we settled on the same entree: Faroe Island Salmon with Tender Leeks, Haricot Verts and Mashed Potatoes, which just about melted in my mouth. The French wine Janna picked out that night was well suited for our meal. And the dessert, which Alexandria insisted we try, was too good to pass up, warm blueberry cobbler with french vanilla ice cream and whipped cream – Super Yum!!!
I had the pleasure of dining out at Prime One Eleven in Trumbull over a month ago because my gf Lola invited me and my S.O. James, along with 5 other couples, to a milestone birthday dinner party for her hubby Darryl. I enjoyed it there so much that when me and my “squad” were looking for a restaurant in Fairfield County to celebrate a belated birthday, I recommended it. It’s a relatively new, upscale eatery that’s fun to be in, has really good food, good drinks and very attentive servers. My “Composition” (Entree) that night was the Organic 1/2 Chicken with Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes and Wood Fired Asparagus. Delish!
And finally, if you’re looking for a fun date night alone or with other couples which involves packing your own picnic basket and purchasing one of their 5 wines, Gouviea Winery and Vineyard in Wallingford is always a good choice. It’s local for me and my S.O. and the picturesque vineyard presents many photo ops. Bon Appetit!
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