Annual Readers' Survey

One of our most popular reader features is back: Our annual readers' restaurant survey, where our readers tell us who they think are the best eateries in 27 different categories, from American to vegetarian and every cuisine in between. This year, we've added a few new categories, such as best sushi and hidden gem. And of course, there's best new restaurant and best overall.

And as in years past, you can profit from giving us your opinion -- vote for your favorites and you will be entered in a drawing to win $750 or dinner on us! Not bad for taking a few minutes to complete a survey.

To cast your votes, simply click here.

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

End of An Era

As someone who grew up in Milford, I was saddened to see this story this morning in the Connecticut Post about the closing of Paul's Famous Hamburgers after 62 years. Like many in town, I ate there on occasion, and although it was never really a hangout of mine, I do have good memories of their delicious burgers.

I don't know the particular reasons for its closure, and the story in the Post doesn't shed any substantial clues, but I would hate to think it was forced out of business because of too many competing burger chains. As I've railed here before, although I understand the convenience and attraction of chains, they really are poor substitutes for places with genuine atmosphere (not just old tennis rackets and eclectic photos hung up on cookie-cutter walls to create "ambiance") and more importantly, better food and service.

Paul's won our Best of Connecticut award for "best hamburger," an award won this year by Plan B Tavern -- who, despite having three locations (West Hartford, Glastonbury and Simsbury), is still a local business and not a national chain.

For now.

Fresh from the Farm

This is the time of year to enjoy the produce coming from Connecticut farms, and it's also the time when a lot of Connecticut restaurants are allowing us to do the same thing. One example we enjoyed the other night was the "Connecticut Farm To Chef Seasonal Tasting Menu" offered by Max Downtown in Hartford. The limited menu includes three courses for $32, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Connecticut Farmland Trust. More to the point, the dinner was perfectly fresh, creative and delicious. The first course was a creamy Rosedale Farms Sweet Corn Soup that included bacon and, delightfully, popcorn; the second was a Grilled Ox Hollow Farms All Natural Pork Chop accompanied by a chorizo-stuffed sunburst squash, tomato marmalade and red wine jus; the third course was a lemon blueberry cake featuring perfect, plump berries from Rose's Berry Farm in Glastonbury. The "Taste of Connecticut" is all around right now--and restaurants are among the best places to enjoy it.

Fair Weather Friends

What could be more summery than a dining spot that's open only in summer? There aren't as many as there used to be in Connecticut, but for the July issue of Connecticut Magazine we visited a few and like what we found--in fact we put one of them on the cover! In the issue, we write about Harry's Place in Colchester, The Place in Guilford, Sea Swirl in Mystic and Abbott's Lobster in the Rough in Noank, but I think my favorite was Clamp's on Route 202 in New Milford, right near the Washington line. Clamp's is a real throwback, right by the side of the road, open only six hours a day. I liked the hamburger with grilled onions and ordered a second one right after I finished the first. But what I liked even more was the feeling of thoroughly enjoying the season--and summer hadn't even officially begun yet! If you know of any seasonal operations with good food and a good vibe, please post it here. I'd love to visit as many as I can this summer.

Favorite Summer Dining Spot?

Even though it's just beginning to finally feel like spring, we here at Connecticut Magazine are already thinking about this summer, and in particular, our favorite warm weather dining places -- outside patios at restaurants, small waterside shacks, hot dog stands, etc.

But we already know what our favorites are, and now we'd like to know some of yours. To that end, our new online survey (the results of which will appear in the "First" section of the magazine) is an opportunity for you to share. Click here and tell us what's your favorite summer place to eat (Chick's Drive In? The Spot? The deck at The Blue Oar?). In addition, you can share with us your favorite place along the water (Hammonassett Beach? Candlewood Lake? Waterside in Essex on the Connecticut River?).

We look forward to seeing what you have to say!

Satisfying a Craving

Last week we went out for dinner to Crave, downtown on Main Street in Ansonia. We enjoyed the meal tremendously.

For many of you familiar with The Valley and Ansonia, you'll understand when I say that Crave is very "un-Ansonia." Not to be disrespectful -- dining-wise, the town has long been known more for pizza joints and blue collar-type eateries. Crave is a breath of fresh air, bringing a very upscale cosmopolitan feel (with a hint of Nuevo Latino cuisine) to an area that seems to be lacking in such dining experiences. Think paella, grilled salmon topped with mussels and cilantro-lime butter, and braised beef ribs in a house island BBQ sauce. Crave also has a very good wine list, and the service is top notch.

The room itself is a bright, high-ceilinged space in an older building with exposed brick on one side while the other is painted bright orange. My only problem with Crave was that the layout of the room -- with the bar right next to the close tables and nothing to absorb the sound -- makes for a noisy night.

Still, if you're looking for an alternative to the same-old, same-old from the lower Valley, you could a lot worse than Crave.

Wine Tasting Event

Here's a date to mark on your calendar: May 7.

It's the date for Swim Across the Sound's Wine-Tasting and Silent Auction at the Farmington Country Club. Among the restaurants invited: Ruth's Chris, Sauce, Toshi and Max's Oyster Bar.

All proceeds go to a local family who is battling cancer. Tickets are $75; $50 if you buy them in advance.

For more info, call Mitch McGrath (860.874.8998) or Kelli Cilbrith (203.526.3935).

Taste Thrills

If you're lamenting the fact that you haven't made much progress in checking out Connecticut's fabulous restaurants—or even if you have no regrets—Flavors, the annual culinary gala sponsored by the American Liver Foundation/Connecticut Chapter, is a great way to acquaint yourself all at once with the Nutmeg State's endlessly creative cuisine (while being expertly pampered). Held this year on April 1 at Plantsville's Aqua Turf Club, the benefit's 25 participating chefs include Jeff Urban of Shelton's Il Palio, François de Mélogue of Ivoryton's Copper Beech Inn, Bobby Mundell of Canton's Simmer Restaurant & Lounge, Jason Collin of Hartford's Firebox, Peter Hamme of Guilford's The Stone House and the following New Haven stars: Jean Pierre Vuillermet (Union League Café), Manuel Romero (Ibiza), Arturo Franco Camacho (Bespoke and Sabor), Arturo Moreno (Tre Scalini), Gerry Iannaccone (Café Goodfellas).

Beginning at 6 p.m. with wine and passed hors d'oeuvres from all participating chefs, a silent auction of more than 100 items and live music by members of Connecticut's premier R&B band Eight to the Bar, the event then progresses to a five-course dinner—each chef will prepare a signature menu tableside for 12 guests. Table assignments are made by a random selection process early in the evening, so you don't know exactly where you'll be eating until it's time to sit down. Dinnertime diversions include a live auction (this year's plum picks: a cooking class for 10 with chef Prasad Chirnomula of Thali Restaurants; an afternoon picnic aboard "Mr. Hoopah," corporate yacht of East Haven's Bocca Restaurant; a golf outing at Pinehurst in North Carolina; a unique creation from Peter Indorf Jewelers in New Haven and a dream vacation to a "surprise" destination) and "Fund-a-Grant," in which guests collaborate in creating a research grant by committing to donations of $1,000, $500, $250 and $100. Al Terzi of WFSB-TV Channel 3 will preside over all as master of ceremonies.

At $200 per individual ticket, Flavors seems like a heady indulgence. But keep in mind that ALF is the country's leading nonprofit organization promoting liver health and disease prevention and providing education and advocacy for those affected by liver disease. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $20,000,000 for liver research. We think that's a sound investment. For more information, call (203) 234-2022.

Recession Dining

We've just completed a round of research on "cheap eats" in Connecticut for the March issue of Connecticut Magazine. Good timing. If economic forecasts prove correct, we'll all be looking for deals when we go out to eat. The article will include free buffets, half-price wine deals, early-bird specials and so on, but my favorites tend to be the places that are no-frills cheap all the time. Here's a sneak preview on a couple. The Cypress in Middletown has been in the same family since it was opened in 1936. You don't go there looking for anything fancy, but the dinner entree prices tend to fall just above and below the $10 mark. You can get a roast turkey dinner for $9.99 and corned beef on Thursdays for the same price. Meatloaf is $8.99, scallops $11.99. You get the idea: It's a trip back into time. The other time trip is Charcoal Chef in Woodbury, which opened up more than 50 years ago and hasn't changed much since (it's from the knotty pine school of roadside eateries). Here, the beef is grilled over charcoal and you can find worthy old favorites such as cube steak and ground beef for around $10 including potato and salad. Locals also love Charcoal Chef for the very grown-up drinks it serves.

Super Bowl Spread

The Super Bowl has become another great American holiday. And other than the actual game itself, a critical aspect of the event is the Super Bowl party. Seemingly no one watches the game by themself, and more importantly, no one watches it on an empty stomach!

Okay, the party I was at yesterday -- the centerpiece was a deep-fried turkey. YUM! There was also a smorgasbord of delicious artery-clogging cheeses and sliced meats, salads and salsas, chips and dips, kielbasa, bruschetta -- heck, someone even got crazy and threw together a plate of healthy veggies and fruit! And then at halftime, the desserts came out -- chocolate-dipped strawberries, cheesecakes, pastry and, of course, my decadent chocolate chip brownies (topped with vanilla ice cream, you know, just because).

At about 9:30, I turned to my friend and said, "Even though I can feel everything I've jammed in my craw stretching my innards to the bursting point, it all looks so good, I just can't stop!" Food, glorious food . . . oh, and there's a great football game, too?

Ahh, Super Sunday -- the Thanksgiving feast you get to have with people you like rather than your family!

Now That's Italian!

Okay, one of the opportunities this blog affords us is to mention some good restaurants we've recently been to. I'd like to offer a pair of Italian restaurants I've enjoyed recently.

La Famiglia in Brookfield - It looks like a pizza place in a strip mall on Federal Road because . .. well, it is a pizza place in a strip mall, but don't let that stop you from ordering any of the other delicious items on the menu. We made the mistake of ordering appetizers and eating the garlic bread knobs, so when our meals came, we were already a bit full. Not that it would've mattered as the portions were so generous, it'd take two meals to eat.

Il Forno in Milford - In the location that was The Bar-B-Q seemingly forever, this new restaurant opened by Juan Cebellos (formerly of Il Palio in Shelton) is just a joy to dine at -- we went on a Saturday night, and although it was crowded (always a good sign, right?), the service was excellent and the food was great. Homemade pasta, nice wine list, enjoyable night. Make reservations.