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I don't live in Boston, but relayed your query to a friend who has frequented Armenian bakeries in Watertown for years and is a real enthusiast. She replied: I hope this is helpful. Enjoy!

You're welcome, hope you enjoy them and the Kneading Conference.

I relayed your question to a friend who's lived part- or fulltime in Skowhegan for many years. Here's her response: "The best restaurant in Skowhegan is the Heritage House on Madison Ave. If they want to go farther afield, Waterville has The Last Unicorn and The Bread Box Cafe. That's about it for decent restaurants, not much to choose from! There are a half dozen mediocre ones that I wouldn't bother recommending." Hope this helps.

I live about 5 minutes from the Schoolhouse but somehow have never gotten around to trying it yet. I have very favorable reports from friends who have tried it, though -- including the restaurateur Ignacio Blanco (founder of Norwalk's Meigas, which he sold a few months ago after many very successful years; co-owner of New Haven's Ibiza, the best Spanish restaurant in the state; and now owner of the new Ibiza Tapas in Hamden). I guess I should try the Schoolhouse, and will report back when I do.

I visited Bristol last Labor Day and researched the restaurants in the town and locale. Unfortunately, the one night I actually stayed in Bristol the two restaurants that looked most promising were both closed (of course). But you should look into DeWolf Tavern, which gets exceptional reviews, and Persimmon. The latter was taken over last year by an acclaimed chef who had been chef/owner of a well-regarded Providence restaurant. Both of these restaurants are in the center of the town, within a few blocks of each other. I hope you get an opportunity to reap the rewards of my research, since I didn't. In case you're not familiar with Bristol and the area, by the way, I can heartily recommend it. A lovely town and environs. It has the feel of Newport without the crowds and overcommercialization. (One of the tour books calls it "the new Newport.")

I had a similar set of specs for a Cambridge friend's birthday last fall. Looked into a number of the Boston/Cambridge restaurants I knew -- including a few of the city's best. But we also wanted a place for a party, where we could eat well but also be relaxed, have a little privacy (not have to scream to hear one another), yet get good but not stuffy service. To make a long story short, having crossed off virtually everything on my initial list for one reason or another, we wound up reserving the private dining room at the Elephant Walk in Cambridge (not the one in Boston). This turned out to be a choice I can highly recommend. The food was very good -- not haute cuisine, but good, unusual dishes with fresh and interesting ingredients, prepared with care and skill, very nicely presented. Our group on the whole was fairly discerning and demanding, and everybody found choices they liked on the private dining menu and everybody was exceedingly happy with their meals. The private dining room at this restaurant was very private -- a largish room on the floor below the main dining room. It's a fine size for a party of 15. You'd have your own server(s) and would probably have to limit yourselves to the special menu for the private rooms -- but, as I said, we found plenty of appealing choices and had a wonderful dinner. Service was attentive and accommodating. The manager, with whom I met just before everyone else arrived, was happy to help me work out a configuration of the tables in the room that suited our group. So they get my recommendation. If you're interested, you can take a look at the two top photos in this web page, then speak with the manager of the Cambridge location. Good luck!

Thanks. I have to admit I haven't sampled Stamford "Italians" in years, so will keep these in mind. I believe I saw a very favorable review of Siena recently -- maybe in the NY Times? I think that's a fairly new place?

Our favorite Italian is Siena in Stamford. We usually stick to the pastas with meat (duck ragu, sausage, rabbit, etc) and they have been uniformly good. Seafood starters have been good as well, especially octopus in whatever variation they happen to be serving it on a particular night. For comparison purposes, Siena, Columbus Park Trattoria and Mona Lisa, are all currently superior to Ferrante. ←

sammy, thanks for the warning. Your description of the food and problems is detailed and persuasive, and your comment that this typifies Fairfield County dining rings sadly true (with a very few notable exceptions). In particular, I've tried many "Italian" restaurants in Fairfield County and nearby environs and have finally just about given up hope. (Hope springs eternal, of course, and I'm still planning to try Paci, in Southport, on the recommendations of friends and another eGullet member, fchrisgrimm.)

fchris, Thanks for an interesting and helpful report. I live in Fairfield County too, and am always interested in others' views of dining options here and hereabouts. I can second your nomination of Meigas as one of the best restaurants in the county. I've been a great fan of the place since not long after it opened, as Meson Galicia, on the Post Road between Norwalk and Westport -- over 20 years ago. I also loved the first incarnation of Meigas, which opened in downtown NYC in the late 1990s -- and sadly closed, like so many other restaurants in that part of the city, soon after 9/11. The chef recruited for the NYC restaurant was Luis Bollo, under whom the restaurant earned rave reviews from many New York and national publications. When the NYC place had to close, Ignacio Blanco -- owner or co-owner of Meson Galicia and Ibiza (as well as the NYC Meigas) -- managed to get Bollo to CT, where he's now the fantastic exec chef for both Ibiza and the former Meson Galicia, which was renamed Meigas more or less in honor of the lamented NYC restaurant. I also love Ibiza, and strongly recommend the tasting menu with wine pairings, as you suggested. It's tough choosing between Ibiza and Meigas in terms of food quality, which makes sense since they share the talents of Chef Bollo. But, although I'm no authority on Spanish wines, my impression is that the selection at Ibiza is rather more interesting and upscale -- perhaps because of the somewhat more cosmopolitan clientele in New Haven; and the staff are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the wines, so (probably with the help of the chef and/or owner) make smart and imaginative choices. I tried La Paella when it was Mecca. Friends who've tried it as La Paella have confirmed my feeling: It's often almost as good as Meigas (where I believe the proprietor originated); but, with Meigas about a block away, why bother? I haven't tried either the New Haven or the New Canaan installation of Thali, but I have eaten a few times at the Ridgefield restaurant. I think the food is very good (maybe short of "superb"), which is what induced me to return in the hopes of liking the ambiance a little more and the service a lot more. But I've finally faced it: the ambiance is drab, which wouldn't be so important, but the service is aggressive, unfriendly, and utterly incompetent. I have no idea who's managing the place, if anyone, but regardless of the quality of the food I simply can't bring myself to return again to a restaurant where the waiters are either frantic or comatose, one almost invariably has to wait indefinite periods of time after ordering anything -- whether a drink, a glass of water, a meal, or the check, and at least some of the waiters really push to sell the highest-priced dishes on the menu (which is overpriced to start with). Next time I'm in the mood for Indian I'll try the New Canaan branch, which friends have praised. Your report encourages me to try Paci in Southport, which friends have also given good reviews; and Coppia in Fairfield, of which I've read good reviews. Thanks for those tips. On the subject of best restaurants in the county, I wonder if you've tried Jean Louis or Thomas Henkelmann, both in Greenwich? Bit of a schlep from the Westport area, but not the end of the earth and worth the extra time and effort (and perhaps expense), IMHO, at least for special occasions.

In the "special dinners" category: I'm another great fan of No. 9 Park: pricey but worth it! I know many people recommend Clio, and I think it's certainly very good -- but can sometimes value innovation (cutting-edge techniques, surprising combinations, etc) at the expense of enjoyable eating. I've really enjoyed Hamersley's Bistro, but haven't been there recently, and would love to hear more recent experiences. Radius is quite good, though I found the ambience a little on the modern/chilly side. The same people (Radius) opened a very good seafood place on Kenmore Square, called Great Bay. If you're steak-lovers, I'd recommend Grill 23 (Back Bay), though it too is pricey (esp the wines). In Cambridge, I've enjoyed the Rialto (in the Charles Hotel), as someone else here has recommended; I haven't found it so inconsistent, but then I haven't had occasion to try it often. Another Cambridge restaurant that I liked a few months ago was Upstairs on the Square; since then it's changed chefs, but the new chef has excellent credentials and the restaurant under his hand has gotten very good reviews. It's a very pretty place, if somewhat whimsical (over the top in some people's views, though not mine -- I find it fun). Hope you enjoy your trip and eating!

I dn't know The Federalist, but I'd certainly second No. 9 Park, which has to be among the city's very best. It's on the opposite side of the Common from your hotel, probably 1/2 mile if you walk through the public garden and the Common -- Your hotel can surely give you walking directions.

Dans, Sorry if I'm chiming in late, but I just noticed this thread and -- having lived and eaten as best I could in Fairfield County for about 30 years -- wanted to add my thoughts on some of the places mentioned, as well as a couple that weren't. (I won't comment on places I don't know, which means only that I don't know them.) Taking the previous posts more or less in order of posting -- Megan Blocker (4/27) mentioned Stew Leonard's and its relatively new wine shop, in Norwalk. Stew's is a local tradition, and a unique experience. You'll have to see it once, which might convince you never to return, at least in terms of the crowds, the unabashed over-the-top marketing push, the very vivid feel of being herded from section to section with little latitude for straying. W/r strictly to the food, the intense turnover guarantees freshness in just about everything they sell, as well as prices that are usually extremely competitive for this posh area. Forget about the baked goods, but the meats, fish, and produce are usually at least good and sometimes better -- and of course the dairy products are deservedly featured. Packaged goods don't offer great selection, but those that happen to be in the store at any given moment also offer good value, if you care. I agree with MB that the wine shop, across the street, also deserves a visit: Pretty good and unusual selection, strong on lesser-known Italian (and some Spanish) bottles, and good prices with frequent specials. sammy (4/28) mentioned Fountainhead, another wine store in Norwalk, which is a small shop but with an unusual and interesting selection, with some always available for tasting. The owners, BTW, also own or partly own the Fat Cat Pie Company in Norwalk; I haven't been, but many friends recommend it for pizza (of course), salads, wines (many available by the glass), and pleasant atmosphere for a light meal. Fat Cat was also recommended by jeffperez62 on 5/1. He also mentioned Kazu, a sushi place in SoNo (South Norwalk, whereas the previous places are all in East Norwalk, I believe); I too like Kazu, which offers very fresh and well-prepared sushi, is low-key, a bit funky (like most places in SoNo), but not as crowded and ear-splittingly loud as many SoNo restaurants -- which usually keeps me away from that area, despite the fact that a couple do offer good food. jeffperez62 also mentioned Mike's Ristorante, which is a pleasant, family-run place away from the SoNo hubbub; the food is fairly standard "Italian-American" fare, of the red-sauce variety, but not bad if that's your idea of comfort food. jeffperez62 also said he's a "big fan" of Meigas, a Spanish (Galician, to be more specific) restaurant that's across the street from Fat Cat and around the corner from Mike's. I've been a regular at Meigas since it opened, about 20 years ago, as Meson Galicia in a shopping strip on the Post Road. This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere, and I'm not alone: National food critics (e.g. John Mariani) have written that Meigas, and its "younger sister" restaurant, Ibiza, in New Haven are the best Spanish restaurants in the country. I haven't tried that many Spanish restaurants, but I believe it. Meigas was also recommended by fchrisgrimm (5/10), who also recommended Thali in New Canaan. I haven't been to that Thali, but its incarnation in Ridgefield is very good, and some friends have told me the one in New Canaan is better. fchrisgrimm also mentioned the Sat. farmers' market in New Canaan; again, I haven't been, but have also heard from friends that it's very good. There's a new "farm market" that recently opened in Westport, in the parking lot of the Westport Country Playhouse -- to be open on Thursday mornings. I haven't been to this either, but I understand it's part of the efforts of the Playhouse patrons (esp Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward) to attach a culinary attraction to the establishment. The plan includes a new restaurant, "The Dressing Room: Newman's Own" (or something like that) that is set to open before the end of the summer season; chef will be Michel Nischan, who used to be chef (and maybe owner?) of a Westport place called Miche-Mache, which I thought quite good -- but now rather long gone. Anyway, the new farm market at the Playhouse is supposed to be quite big, focused on local and organic goods, hoping to draw local restaurateurs as well as the citizenry, offering various arts/crafts I think as well as edibles -- and admittedly expensive. In your post of 5/22 you mention that you'd tried Jean-Louis and Thomas Henckelmann in Greenwich; liked the former, were "unimpressed" with the latter. I agree entirely about Jean-Louis: first-class, and surely one of the best restaurants in the state. Re Thomas Henckelmann, I can only suggest you give them another chance. As you say, it has a "great atmosphere and wine list" (to me like stepping from Fairfield County into a French country restaurant for a wonderfully refreshing few hours); but your experience of "horribly overcooked" food doesn't sound anything like my experiences there. In my experience the cuisine there is superb. Of course, a really great restaurant shouldn't have "off" nights, so I don't know what to think of your experience. But I hope you'll give it another try, perhaps especially on one of these summer evenings when you can sit on the porch or not and still feel a pampered guest in a lovely chateau surrounded by greenery. On 6/10 you mentioned a hankering for a casual bistro or "maybe a nice non-red sauce Italian place." I haven't kept up with the many new restaurants in Stamford, but used to like Il Falco on Broad Street. This was (and I hope still is) a low-key, family-run restaurant, very pleasant decor and atmosphere, and the food was really very good -- including the paste, which I usually find a poor imitation of the "real thing," as well as some excellent main dishes (also unusual in too many "Italian" restaurants in this country). This is by no means a "red-sauce" place, but surprisingly faithful to old-country traditions. Phil Torre on 6/6 recommended Liana's Trattoria in Fairfield -- something of a schlep from Stamford, but also a nice, family-run, low-key and relatively "authentic" Italian. Again, surprisingly good pasta -- but maybe not so surprising, given that Liana is a Napoletana. On 7/7 you asked about good places for Chinese food, and many people recommended Penang in Greenwich. I haven't been there, so shouldn't really comment, but I will anyway. Let me start by saying I will now try Penang, based on these recommendations, because I would love to find a Chinese restaurant anywhere in CT that deserves recommendation. I am a longtime devotee of Chinese cuisine, since the years when I lived in NYC (when chow-mein places were finally giving way to Szechuan and Hunan and other restaurants featuring relatively authentic, regional Chinese cooking). Believe me, I've tried to find decent Chinese food in CT. But even the "best" of these places out here just don't compare with any of the average-or-above Chinese restaurants in the city. I'm sure many members will take issue with that view, and I hope in doing so they'll identify other CT Chinese restaurants that I can try. But there it is, for what it's worth. My advice is not to get your hopes up. One last recommendation, for now: Your original post in this thread asked about places to shop for good provisions, as well as restaurants. One place you should know about, if you haven't already discovered it, is the seafood retailer Pagano's. This place sells very fresh fish, to restaurants as well as retail; you may see its delivery trucks trundling along the roads of the county. It has a fairly good selection and prices. It's only about 15 minutes from Stamford, just off I-95 about 1.5 miles east ("north") of Exit 13: 86 Scribner Ave., Norwalk, 06854. By now you've no doubt made many of your own discoveries of the culinary attractions of the area. I look forward to following this thread and to hearing more about what you're finding. Good luck and bon appetit!

I've been to San Domenico numerous times over the past several years. The quality of the food during that time has varied quite widely, from very good (when I first tried the restaurant) to barely mediocre (a few years ago) to the remarkably fine cuisine of recent dinners that Grimes noted. I don't know when the current chef arrived, nor the history of SD's chefs over the years, but I would find it hard to believe that she was responsible for this wide range of experiences -- unless, just conceivably, the kitchen staff or some other major variable has wandered out of her control. This is conceivable, as I said, since I've heard from a friend who's a long-time NYC Italian waitstaffer that the management of SD is notorious in the world of restaurant staff for pretty brutal and arbitrary handling of the employees. I can't recall for sure, but think my friend said that they won't use union employees. I do know that there's constant turnover in the dining room -- or, if not constant, pretty regular turnover: I may not visit the restaurant every week, but in all the times I've been there I don't think I've ever recognized a single captain or waiter or busboy from any previous visit. How this factors in to Grimes' complaints about the service I'm not sure, and I don't doubt the accuracy of his impressions, but I'd bet that if he returns in a few months he'll find a different ambiance. I don't think the place has a policy that would render its staff condescending and pushy, but the pressure of working in circumstances like that might well favor independent-minded, aggressive, perhaps arrogant staff over employees who may be less personally ambitious but are secure and comfortable in their jobs. How on earth have I strayed so far from the topic of food? Please forgive the psychobabble tangent. Anyway, right now at least -- and for the past few months -- the food at San Domenico is really wonderful. But go now, before it's too late (again)!