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.