Leon's reopens @ old Rusty Scupper- New Haven, CT

[Scargo]

I didn't realize it when we headed off for lunch, that we were going to lunch on the very first day of the re-opening of Leon's in New Haven, CT. They occupy the building that was once the home of the Rusty Scupper at 501 Long Wharf Dr., at exit 46, on I-95.

The decor is more elegant and sophisticated than before and they have devoted more interior space to a bar/eating area which is partitioned off from the main dining area. I like what they have done with the interior as it retains and adds to the warm woods that were present before. It might be a little quieter than before because of the partition but it seems that they have done nothing more with the interior re-design to keep the noise down, which can be significant during lunch or a private event. BTW, This was where I had my first date with my true-love, over five years ago. I remember fondly eating outside and sipping on a pinot grigio as the seabirds flew around. I love that atmosphere.

Let's hope Leon's fixes a few things so we will want to go back....

There were three in our party and we were seated quickly and our reservations were not really necessary. Better than the Rusty Scupper, we received drinks and bread fairly promptly. The bread is very good, Italian, of course. The wine list is decent. Two of us ordered the seafod chowder which was fabulous. We both raved over it. Dense flavors in a thick, dark brown base with plenty of seafood bits and a scallop plopped in the middle. I ordered the crabcake appetizer, to share and six raw oysters for myself. When the oysters arrived I was supprised to see that there were no condiments accompanying them, as described on the menu; just one lemon wedge. I noticed a dark speck on one oyster and thinking it was a small piece of shell, I tried to remove it. It did not budge. That should have been my first clue but I juiced them up and dug in. After the first chew I quickly spit it out! Yuck! It has been so long snce I had a bad oyster, I can't even remember when....

Then I remembered that they looked dull and dry when they were served and the speck that didn't move.... so I suspect they were shucked many hours earlier.

When I mentioned that the oyster I ate was really bad the waitress took it as a joke and I had to say, "No, they are really bad and I almost threw up!" I think there might have been a weak apology and they were removed from our presence (and did not appear on our bill).

On to the crabcakes: The crabcakes were some of the worst I have ever eaten. I did not read the fine print to see that there was one crab, one salmon and one lobster cake that constituted the appetizer. The menu starts off in bold print saying, "Crab Cakes". The salmon cake was almost passable and the least dense, while they all were like a rubber ball; very gooey and dense with lots of breading. The exteriors were perfectly smooth! Is this an Italian style I am not familiar with?

At this point my stomach was churning and I had no appetite. My partner and our guest fared better with their entrees: chicken and hot sausage with pasta and another pasta dish which was similar. Sorry, I didn't get what it was. I still had a jumpy stomach at that point. They both enjoyed their entrees and the food looked good. My partner pronounced it "better than the Scupper".

We were disappointed that there was no further mention of the oysters nor any attempt to console us. As we left we mentioned the bad oysters and the hostess asked if we spoke to the manager. We said"no". She did not offer to get him or do anything for us, either. This is not how we are used to being treated if there is bad food. I'm not talking food you don't care for, or food poorly prepared; but food that makes you sick. They didn't seem to care or want to comp us anything.

My partner is different from me. As soon as she settled at her office she called and spoke to the manager. He said he would "take care of us" and make up for it on our next visit.

I hope so.

[Scargo]

A follow-up:

My partner (who was with me on the first outing) and her adult son went back to Leon's recently and they recognized her. The manager came over and asked what he could do to make up for our unfortunate experience. She said it was me that needed to be made up to, not her. She said she was more interested in relationship building than being comped some food. Still, he gave her a free glass of wine and a loaf of their wonderful bread, which comes from Bread and Chocolate, in Hamden. They had a flawless meal and were doted on. I finished off her "Baby Field Green & Scallop Salad" when she got home and it was delicious, with a nicely balanced dressing, that in no way overpowered the lemon-pepper seasoned, pan seared scallops.

Understandably, opening day can be tough, and they were obviously not totally ready to open since there was an electrical contractor's truck parked prominately at the front entrance. On my next visit I will be curious to see if they can make decent crab cakes...

I do have a slight correction to my previous post: On the menu for the trio of crabcakes appetizer it says, "Tortini di Mare A trio of "crabcakes"," after which the description continues, with the caveat that it is not all crab cakes. I did not read that part.... my eyes shot to "crab cakes" at the beginning, and I read no further.

[Chris Amirault]

Well, report back when you get there yourself!

[Scargo]

I returned yesterday for lunch at Leon's (so this was my second experience). My partner has been back many times with both her (adult) daughter and son, as I have alluded to previously, and she obviously likes the food. The manager recognizes her on sight. He was not officially there yesterday.

My experience was good this time with the exception of a couple of minor items. The bread was good, but could have been fresher. We started with a yellowfin tuna carpacchio appetizer. It was topped with pieces of cucumber, grated radish and drizzled with a weak Limoncello vinaigrette. I'm not sure what the vinaigrette base was, but it wasn't mustard. It seemed more like buttermilk or perhaps mayonaise. The tuna itself was excellent sashimi.

Another issue I had was with the "dead" glass of Pinot Grigio, which had next to no flavor. It was if it was watered down. The waiter quickly brought me a glass from a freshly opened bottle and it was fine and of darker color! The bartender said the bottle (from the first glass) had been open from the day before.

The seafood bisque was lukewarm and "jiggly". It was so over-thickened that it was nearly pudding consistency. It had decent flavor, but it wasn't from a condensed, cooked down seafood soup base. It was too weak in flavor for that. This was one of the poorer seafood bisque renditions I have had in New England.

I had the Veal Fontina; scaloppines sautéed, bathed in a veal sauce, on a bed of fresh spinach, a mix of generic and wild mushrooms (not just wild mushrooms, as advertised) and Fontina cheese. This was a good dish and way too much to eat, with three large scaloppines. Same for my partner's "Gypsy Chicken" or "Chicken Zingara"; a very large tasty portion of sautéed chicken, fennel infused sausage, onions, garlic and potatoes, filling a large, deep plate.

The service was great and overall it was a nice meal. We had four glasses of wine and no dessert. The bill, with $20 tip, was $125. Perhaps a little steep but the portions were large and the place has a nice atmosphere and a great view. Personally, I'm still waiting for something really good of this place (that's cooked) related to seafood.