New Haven/Shoreline Report

[FlaJoe]

I just returned from New Haven and the CT shoreline. I was born in New Haven, and lived there for many years. But, this trip was the first I have made back to the area in five years.

Some quick observations before I get into the food detail. One, downtown NH has cleaned up well. A lot of redevelopment, and a good number of new, and interesting restaurants. I never thought I would see my hometown have restaurants specializing in Ethiopian and Malaysian cuisines. Good to see. Two, portions are huge!! I don't know how some of these places control food costs, but, everywhere I ate, the portions were larger than anywhere I go in South Florida.

Now, the food reviews.

Landed in Hartford last Tuesday at 5pm. By the time I got my luggage and rental car, I didn't get on the road until 6. Just 42 minutes later, I was on line at Sally's. Now, I spent a lot of my teenage years at Sally's and Pepe's, so these two places were high on my list to check out. I waited about 90 minutes to get in, and once I did, it was like it was when I was a kid. Flo still doing her tickets at the small table, next to the cash register, no computer, no increase in size. I ordered my usual, large mozzerella. My theory on Sally's is this. The crust is so thin, you take away from the pizza by adding toppings to it. The pizza was great!! Exactly how I remembered. It was truly a pizza biblical experience!!

Wednesday, I had lunch at Louis Lunch, near Yale. They are famous for their hamburgers. No cheese, on white bread, hand made, and cooked in small, cast iron, enclosed ovens. Still outstanding. Even ran into an old college professor. The guy was a helluva lot nicer to me than he was when I was in his class!! Maybe I would have done better with him if I took HIM to Louis' Lunch when I was in his class!

Dinner was at Roomba, on Chapel St. Its Nuevo Latino Cuisine. Now, living in South Florida, Latin cuisine is high art, so I was interested to see if Roomba could compare. They did. I had Citrus Crusted Tuna with fufu (mashed plaintains), and a Chayote Slaw. It was outstanding. The tuna was cooked just right. For an appetizer, I had a Columbian Serviche. It was a combination of various seafoods. It was ok, but not as good as I get in South Florida. Dessert was Tres Leches, and it was very good. The service was nice, efficient, and not intrusive. The restaurant was attractive, but we dined on the patio, and it was very enjoyable. All in all, I would recommend Roomba to those who want to be a bit adventurous, or take a break from eating Italian for a night.

Thursday, I had lunch at Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale in Madison. Its along US1, and its a place known for its Lobster Rolls, in the summer. The Lobster Roll was great. A lot of lobster, very little roll. Still served in a hot dog bun, and when you get the Platter (with fries and slaw), its a very reasonable $11.95 for lunch. Dinner was at the Stone House in Guliford. Its along the water, and has a nice ambiance. I had crab cakes with remoulade sauce as an appetizer. Lot of crab, very little filler. Very good. The remoulade was a little bland, but then again, I like spicier foods. The entree was grilled swordfish with Black Olive Couscous. Very good. The swordfish had to be an 8 oz. portion, and it was only $17.00. Again, I don't know how they do it. Dessert was a chocolate bread pudding. It was ok, not great. I would not recommend it.

Friday, was the big day. All Wooster St. in New Haven. For those who don't know, Wooster St. is the Little Italy of New Haven. Sally's is at the beginning of the block. I was having lunch at Pepe's and dinner at Consiglio's. Pepe's, I ordered my usual, white clam pizza. Now, what I am about to type, hurts me. But, honestly, it was good, not great. I had heard from a few people that Pepe's lost a little off its fastball, but I had to eat it to believe it. If anything, the pizza was undercooked. It was good, certainly better than most places, but, IMO, not up to Pepe's usual standards. And, not nearly as good as Sally's was the other night. Undaunted, I pressed on. Had a snack at Lucibello's, an Italian bakery near Wooster St. They are famous for their wedding cakes and cannoli's. I had a couple of cannoli's and they were outstanding. Light as a cloud, but full of flavor.

Dinner at Consigilo's was, hands down (next to Sally's) the best meal I had on the trip. Consiglio's holds some great memories for me. I learned how to play cards and shoot dice downstairs in the basement of the restaurant, when I was a kid. The menu has added more new Italian dishes, and even used Panko to crust their fried Asparagus. How is that for progress! I had a great dish. Penne with Peas, Proscuitto and onions. outstanding. The portion was huge. Another dish that looked great was the Italian Kitchen Pasta. That was Penne with meatballs (the size of tennis balls), onions, peppers and garlic. Outstanding. Dessert was a trio of sorbets, and were also very good. The service and the atmosphere was outstanding. If you have one day in NH, and want great Italian food, this is the place.

Saturday, I went to Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium. Just standard ballpark fare, but, hey, its Old Timers Day, the high holy day for a Yankee fan like myself. It was a blast.

Sunday, my final day in town, I began with "breakfast" at Lucibellos. More cannoli's. Lunch was a hot dog at Vincent's, small place in Branford. Split, cooked on the grill, outstanding. Dinner was at Cafe Allegre, an Italian Restaurant in downtown Madison. Its located in a bed and breakfast called the Inn at Lafayette. It was very good. Neat looking place, built in the 1800's, and completely restored, recently. I had Pano Cotto as an appetizer. Similar to the dish at the now-closed (and much lamented Leon's), its a dish consisting of white beans, pancetta, escarole, and bread crumbs, baked in the oven casserole-style. It was very good, though, not touching the quality it was at Leon's. Dinner was another swordfish dish, served Oreganota-style. Very good. Dessert was Tiramisu. Instead of using ladyfingers, it was made from sponge cake. It was good, not great. But, the lemon sorbet was fabulous. The next time I go there, that is what I would order for dessert.

Well, that's the extent of the eating excursion. Now, its time to head to the gym.

[Fat Guy]

Dinner at Consigilo's was, hands down (next to Sally's) the best meal I had on the trip.

The owners of Sally's are also Consiglios. And I believe the Consiglios and the Pepes and the Bamontes (current owners of Pepe's) are all related.

[FlaJoe]

Very true. The Bimontes married into the family and are running Pepe's and the Spot (next door to Pepe's).

Its funny, they are all related but, rarely, if ever, speak. When Sal (Sally) was alive, he was the peacemaker of the group. But, since he died in 1989, everyone has kind of gone their own way.

[Fat Guy]

Right, Bimonte with an "i," sorry.

[Ellen Shapiro]

FlaJoe—what a GREAT report. I also grew up in New Haven and my parents and one of my brothers still live there so FG and I go back once a month (or more). I’m glad Sally’s lived up to your memories and expectations. My family is a Sally’s family. We don’t cross the Pepe’s line. Oh! Those cannoli at Lucibello’s and the whole cakes with the real whipped cream frosting—to die for! Corner of Olive and Grove streets I think.

It sounds as if you did well eating around town. I miss Leon’s! It was SO good for home style Italian food. And we knew the owners so extra orders of this and that would always show up at our table (as if the portions weren’t big enough already). Leon’s was my family’s special occasion restaurant. So nice to commiserate with someone who really knows the New Haven restaurant scene past and present.

I also miss the “good old days” at Jimmy’s of Savin Rock. The grilled, split dogs there were great, as were the French fries and onion rings. When I was a kid, we’d go there and that’s all we’d order—no fish, no dessert—just the hot dogs and sides. And then a walk on the beach at Savin Rock. But Jimmy’s has really declined so we don’t go there anymore.

Oh—do you ever eat at Claire’s Corner Copia? The food there has also declined dramatically—even the cakes--but when you hit it on “a good day” the Lithuanian coffee cake is still the best for my money. Problem is, most of the time it isn’t a “good day” so unless I’m really Jonesing for it, I pass.

Other childhood favorites--including places that are long gone?

[FlaJoe]

Ellen,

I, too, miss Leon's. Without question, it was always my favorite Italian restaurant. I used to tell people about the Broccoli Rabe and Sausage and the Pano Cotto, that we would start with, and go from there. Great Rigatoni Puttanesca, and I can still taste the Pork Chops and Peppers. Man, do I miss that place!!

The owners now live in Boca, not far from me. Every so often I run into them and tell them we should open a Leon's down here. But, sadly, they are enjoying their retirement too much!!

I know Claire's well. Have known the family for years, and, I, too, have heard it has gone down a lot, so I didn't stop in. I do remember spending many a lunch over soup and homemade bread there. Its too bad its gone downhill.

Next to Stella's, a bakery in North Beach (SF), Lucibello's is the best. Still great after all these years.

I didn't venture out to Savin Rock, but I am sorry to hear Jimmy's has declined. I spent many of my "juvenile delinquent" years on the Rock, alternating between Jimmy's, Phyllis', and Turks, for the hot dogs and fried clams.

Three other places that were great in their heyday's: Captain Nicks in East Haven (a Jimmy's-like place), the Beachead in East Haven (great Shrimp Scampi and Captain's Platters), and Archie Moore's in New Haven (great wings and spinach bread). I know Nicks has been closed for yrs. I don't know if the Beachead and Archie Moore's are still good.

A quick Archie Moore's story. One of my friends was going to med school in New Haven many years ago. I got him a job at Archie Moore's for one reason. To get me the wing sauce recipe. He did!!

I use it all the time when I have people over to watch football games.

[dscott]

Just wanted to add my compliments to FlaJoe's report on Southern CT dining. I grew up east of NH and always miss the food, especially at this time of year. Summer is meant for lobster rolls and fish and chips from Lenny and Joe's. Deciding between the two is always the hard part. I usually order one, have my wife order the other, and I eat 2/3rds of both. I highly recommend that practice. Thank god, my folks live about 2 miles from the L & J's in Westbrook and 4 miles to the Madison one. I cry every time I see someone eat a lobster roll with mayo on the Food Network. They just don't know what they're missing. For those who haven't had an L & J lobster roll, get your butt off I-95 at exit 62 and head straight there. 2 miles, max.

I've always been a Sally's guy so your "admission" about Pepe's isn't surprising to me. Having said that, I'd kill to have a Pepe's down in Richmond, VA. Oh, and those cannolli's...

Overall, I've been pleasantly surprised about the re-birth of the NH dining scene. The city became a hole in the late 80s/early 90s. But now, I can go in and have a really great meal at a bunch of restaurants and, moreover, the atmosphere in each of these restaurants is almost universally cool. I had a great b-day dinner last year w/ family at Roomba and sat at the chef's table. Great view all-night long and inventive food along with the ambience. Of course, ambience comes easier after a few pints of the dark stuff at Anna Liffey's.

Every time I pass Cafe Allegre I think about eating there. What were the prices like? Value for money? I'm always short on cash so I usually head to NH for higher end fare. However, Madison is a lot closer to Clinton than New Haven...

Thanks again for the review (and the Wooster St. memories).

[Fat Guy]

Pano Cotto

Is this the beans-and-greens dish they served, pronounced "pannagot"? I've never seen the usage anywhere else -- I assumed it was a regional pronunciation of "panna cotta" but of course that's a dessert. Go figure.

Great dish, BTW.

[malachi]

You're killing me!!!

Please, no more threads on Sally's -- it's making me crazy and I don't want to have to fly back east.

[meatman]

I grew up in the New Haven area as well. Pepe's and Sally's oh how I long for those pies. I new I was going to marry my wife when she exclaimed that Pepe's was the best pizza she had ever eaten and she's a Charleston girl. How about Toad's Place for after dinner entertainment? Anyone ever visit Dino's up in North Haven? It's another Jimmy's clone. My granddad was a union business agent back in the sixties and would use the Wooster street apizza palors as a way to calm the unruly crowd at the end of a heated union meeting.

[FlaJoe]

Toads is still around, but there wasn't anyone interesting to see when I was there.

The prices at Cafe Allegre were not bad. Dinner for four, with a bottle of wine (appetizers, entrees, and two desserts) came to $135.00, plus tip.

Fat Guy, my late mother used to pronounce the dish that way!! You are right, it is a great dish.

A little tip on its preparation. Use Frisalle's, rather than stale bread or bread crumbs. It makes all the difference!

[ErinB]

Flajoe, thanks for your report. I agree with all of your assessments .. I've been to most of those places ..

I prefer not to add toppings to pizza like Sally's because it weighs down the crust and changes the cheese texture. You have to be careful about what you add. Tomatoes are usually ok. Meat is not.

That's my little evaluation.

[Fat Guy]

Fat Guy, my late mother used to pronounce the dish that way!!  You are right, it is a great dish.

A little tip on its preparation.  Use Frisalle's, rather than stale bread or bread crumbs.  It makes all the difference!

It's amazing, I can't find a single reference to the dish online. I think it was published in Gourmet, in the part of the magazine where readers ask for restaurant recipes, but I'm pretty sure they just called it "beans and greens." Anybody with better resources and knowledge care to pursue this lead?

[VivreManger]

Last time I ate pizza in NH, I hit the Spot since it was the place I used to go when a good friend lived next door to it, about thirty years ago. I was disappointed. the crust was more burnt than I enjoy and the sauce was dull. I know sauce is not necessarily the strength of these pizzas, but...

After these reports when I hit NH on my next trip, this coming fall, it will be Sally's for my appetizer -- to take the edge off -- and Consiglio's for dinner. I have the number already plugged into my cell-phone so I can order it from the road -- just hit the redial button a few times.

Thanks Flajoe for all the nostalgia and advice.

[Fat Guy]

Okay, tonight I ate at Lucibello's in West Haven. The Italian restaurant on Elm Street in West Haven, not the pastry shop in New Haven. On the menu was:

"Panecotti"

The waitress pronounced it "pannagot," like how Sicilians pronounce "manicotti" as "manigot."

The dish was delicious: bread chunks, white beans, escarole, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil, finished on a sizzle platter.

I came home and Googled "panecotti."

Result:

Your search - panecotti - did not match any documents.

No pages were found containing "panecotti".

It's no easy task to get that result from Google on a single word.

Anyway, I did some more searching, listing out the ingredients and various synonyms, hoping to find a recipe. And I did, finally, find a recipe -- I assume it's no coincidence it was in a Connecticut newspaper -- for:

"Pane Cotto"

http://www.ctnow.com/features/food/hc-exch...0,4600250.story

This appears to be the thing.

[arlene]

That dish seems to be a cousin of pasta fagioli where the bread replaces the pasta, no? It certainly reminds me of how I make pasta fagioli.

[Ellen Shapiro]

It very well could be a relative of the pasta fagioli--perhaps a way for the peasants, who most likely were the ones who created and ate this dish because of the inexpensive and nutritious ingredients, to have a little variety in their menus--an oven dish one day (panecotti) and a soup the next (pasta fagioli).

[malachi]

How does that differ from ribollita?

[jrinct]

Along with the places on Wooster and State..great food could be at Antonio's in East Haven, Lucibello's in West Haven, and Caffe Bravo in New Haven.