50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #18

Hot oil pizza at Colony Grill, Stamford. The crust on these pies is so thin that it's actually brittle, creating a delicious crunch unlike any pizza you've ever had. Some find it very hard to go back to pizza-as-usual after experiencing the Colony's version.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #17

Cheeseburger at Shady Glen, Manchester. A cheeseburger is just a cheeseburger? Not at Shady Glen, where several slices of cheese are allowed to extend beyond the edges of the burger as it cooks; the cheese melts onto the grill and turns crisp and chewy before being folded back onto the burger just before it's served. Hard to picture? Guess you'll have to go.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #16

The "hi-rise" of shellfish at Max's Oyster Bar, West Hartford. A wonderful thing to behold, the mountain of shaved ice is embedded with an assortment of fresh shellfish, oysters, clams, mussels, snow crab claws, jumbo shrimp and other market crustaceans.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #15

Meat loaf at Dressing Room, Westport. The grass-fed beef for this delicious, comforting dish is from nearby Stonebroke Farm, and it's served with mixed seasonal vegetables, home-style mashed potatoes, caramelized onions and garden herbs.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #14

Porterhouse for two at Joseph's Steakhouse, Bridgeport. At about $75, this is a beef lover's blowout. Hot dinner plates are set down seconds before a steak platter arrives bearing pieces of beef that were presliced in the kitchen, then put back in place along the bone so you can see exactly which section of steak you are eating. A delicious steakhouse classic.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #13

Rabbit "Olivier" at Still River Cafe, Eastford. Good things come in threes at this superb locavore restaurant; for example, this dish consisting of poached saddle-of-rabbit medallions, roasted stuffed rabbit leg and chilled rillette of rabbit served with farm onions and a leek-filled crepe. It's so worth the drive.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #12

The fried whole-belly clams at Sea Swirl, Mystic. This converted Carvel is closed for the season right now, but one of the rites of spring is grabbing a half-pint of these hand-battered beauties and savoring the taste of the sea.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #11

A crab cake at Carmen Anthony Steakhouse or Fishhouse, Waterbury, New Haven, Woodbury, Avon or Wethersfield. This generous and spectacular take on a ubiquitous dish consists of Maryland lump crab that's potato-encrusted, pan-fried and served golden brown with a remoulade sauce.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #10

The hot lobster roll at Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale, Westbrook and Madison. This is a Connecticut invention (born at a long-gone place in Milford called Perry's) that was, is and always will be blissfully simple: hot chunks of lobster meat and melted butter served on a sturdy split-top roll. There are lots of places that serve a very good lobster roll, but Lenny & Joe's does a particularly nice job of it.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #9

Ebibaba at Miya's, New Haven. One of the many unique treats to be found at this remarkably creative sushi restaurant, this sensual dish consists of tempura shrimp wrapped in a potato skin and topped with torch-toasted Havarti cheese and lemon-dill sauce.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #8

The New Englander with fries at Super Duper Weenie, Fairfield. There are quite a few really good hot dog spots in Connecticut, but Super Duper Weenie stands out for the freshness of its homemade toppings, the creativity of its offerings and the sublime nature of its french fries. The New Englander, topped with sauerkraut, bacon, mustard, sweet relish and raw onion, is top dog.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #7

Seared wasabi and sesame-rubbed tuna at Match, South Norwalk. This memorable and very popular opener includes coconut sticky-rice cake, sweet soy, avocado crema, watercress and spicy saracha, a Thai hot sauce.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #6

Potage Billi Bi at Ondine, Danbury. This venerable. romantic French restaurant makes the most of the cream-of-mussels soup with saffron. The curious name come from tin magnate William B. Leeds (Billy B.), who often sang the soup's praises at Maxim's in Paris.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #5

The Kobe beef appetizer at Feng Asian Bistro, Hartford. The beef is brought to the table raw in thin strips, along with a flat volcanic rock heated by a small burner. It is up to you to place the beef on the rock and cook it to your own taste. At $10 an ounce, this dish isn't cheap, but it is fun and delicious.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #4

The wok shrimp at Carole Peck's Good News Cafe, Woodbury. Described as "Always Good" on the menu, this is the go-to dish at one of the state's top restaurants. It's an inspired mix of wok-seared Gulf shrimp, green beans, peas, olives, roast potatoes and aioli.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #3

The hamburger at Louis' Lunch, New Haven. Was the hamburger invented here? That's the claim, and it'll seem that way when you step inside. The burgers are made with fresh-ground beef, then broiled vertically in the original cast-iron grill and served between two slices of toast. Cheese, tomato and onion are the only garnishes available - no mustard or ketchup.

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #2

The Seafood Feast at Abbott's Lobster in the Rough, Noank. This is one very good version of the New England shore dinner. The meal begins with clam chowder and shrimp in the rough followed by a heaping bowl of steamers and mussels, topped off with an Abbott's steamed lobster - accompanied by potato chips, coleslaw and drawn butter. All with a water view, too!

50 Dishes to Try Before You Die - #1

The white clam pie at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven. This is a delicious Connecticut invention served at a genuine world-class dining destination (Pepe's now has branches in Fairfield, Manchester and at Mohegan Sun, but New Haven remains the mothership. The white clam pie is fresh littlenecks, olive oil, oregano, grated Parmesan cheese and chopped garlic - all sitting atop one of Pepe's crunchy, chewy, blistery thin crusts.