Last night - FFD / WCH County

[amanda3571]

For those who went out last night...where'd you go? What'd you have? How was the food & service?

We went to Ocean 211 last night & had a FABULOUS meal. Arrived for a 7:15 ressie right on time. We asked to sit towards the back of the restaurant where there were 3 tables for 2 behind the bar against the wall where you could sit next to each other. We were psyched we didn't have to squeeze in at the banquette. More room and more privacy for us.

Started with wine for me, dirty martini for him. Next up some Malopec (I think?) oysters. Then the caesar salad for 2, which is made table side. This was excellent, there was a nice bite of heat in there to give it a healthy kick. Loved watching our waiter make it. For entrees, I had the Dover Sole, he had the Steak Frites. My sole was to-die-for good (albeit $$$$). The fish was cooked perfectly, filleted table side. It came in a lemon caper butter with roasted asparagus on the side. SO said steak frites were good, came with a huge mound of fries. I didn't try his though because I was practically licking my plate clean.

Our server was really friendly and attentive, without being overbearing. We skipped desert and asked for the check since I had picked up some cupcakes from Rowayton Market on my way home. We were there for just under 2 hours.

Now for some bad news....our waiter told us that both 211 & Dunn's Loft are going to be sold in the next few months. They already have a couple of prospective buyers. The owner wants to do something closer to home (Redding) and move onto the next project....which is odd, because I thought Dunn's Loft WAS the next project. I was so bummed to hear that. So get your fix now folks....who knows what's going to be there in a few mos time.

[The Chowhound Team]

Please forgive the preemptory interruption, but for posters who want to discuss what they cooked at home, please post on the Home Cooking board, where there is a thread in progress on that subject:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/488303

Thank you!

[jfood]

A

Jfood planned for his and mrs jfood's favorites last night. At lunchtime he ran to Chocopology to grab some chocolate truffles/candies and two pieces of cake for dessert. Then the jfood went to their favorite Bistro Bone Nuit in NC.

Jfood almost always orders from the "specials" menu since he loves the way the chef can improvise that day. Once he narrowed it to the Beef Bourguignon and Suckling Pig he opted for the pig (never makes that at home) and mrs jfood ordered the sole. Salads for both (jfoods was a Caesar). The server (a female this time) kindly asked if jfood wanted anchovies (mais oui). Salads arrived and jfood stared at white anchovies carefully laid on a mound of perfectly cut romaine. It was lightly dressed and the salad, especially those white anchovies, was outstanding.

The suckling was, well suckling. A nice serving with the skin still attached (like a shank presentation) with wonderful potatoes, mushroom, brussel sprouts and an orange marmelade. The flavors together were unbelievabel. Mrs jfood's sole was presented on a long plate and it was a little weird. Sole filet was halved and place on one end and then the sides were along it arranged like a keyboard. This is probably the first dish not to receive a 10 from the jfoods in a long time. But it still grabbed an 8.

Now the dessert back at casa jfood was something. The white chocolate mousse was first. Small piece of dense chocolate cake then dense chocolate above surrounded by puffy white chocolate mousse. Divine. And then a bite of the Chocolate Mousse cake. Jfood cannot describe how wonderful this dessert was. It is beyond a 10.

So great minds think alike, dinner at a great place and a great dessert at home.

[Scotty100]

Chocopologie rocks. Their chocolate cake is insane!! However, last night I went with Knipschildt's heartshaped box selection of chocs/ganache...missus loved it being a huge fan of chocopologie...me too...can't believe SoNo has this gem, he'd make a bundle in Soho, NYC...long may he stay here...!

[sibeats]

Is chocopologie open late? We are having dinner at Wasabi Chi tonight and thought we'd pop in after to try some of these amazing things you all keep talking about. What is the best thing to get there?

[jfood]

Unfortunately each time jfood goes after a dinner in SONO is they are basically sold out. Website states til midnight on Fri/Sat.

The chocolate mousse cake was beyond great.

[dolores]

Uhhh ohhh. Since this is on my list of 'must try in 2008', I must get there quickly. Malpeque oysters are my favorite of them all.

Thanks, amanda, for the heads up. Another one to soon bite the dust. How sad.

Oh, didn't go out. Had wings in from Beechmont Tavern in NR and champagne. Going out tomorrow. All the talk here of reduced choices on V-Day scared me away!

[amanda3571]

I know, I think it's a big loss for Stamford. I gotta get in and check out Dunn's Loft.

[steve h.]

sad news. ocean 211 became a "goto" lunch spot for me over they years. their bluepoints were the best. i'll miss sitting at the tiny bar slurping oysters, downing mussels, whatever.

[MikiLovesSugar]

This is Rockland County... but i went to Xaviars!!! OMG the valentines day dinner was so beautiful and perfect! I was really surprised at how SMALL the actual restaurant was! There were like 10 tables! The night started off with an amuse bouche and ended with chocolate covered strawberries and petit fours.
I had the Pear and goat cheese mousse salad, Herb Encrusted Salmon, Prime Sirloin of beef, and Passionfruit Souffle. Salmon and sirloin were cooked to PERFECTION. I got the salmon wrapped up because it was too good to let it go to waste! The Passionfruit Souffle is definitely on my "Top 3 Desserts" list. It was the perfect flavors... subtle but enough passion fruit flavor with a delicious creme anglais sauce. The dessert itself was actually extremely light and refreshing! The service was impeccable and i even got a pretty red rose!

Perfect Valentines Day... it was probably the perfect choice for a romantic valentines dinner <33

[mom2]

We went to La Zingara in Bethel for a great meal. We shared both the app and salad. Started with their calamari al forno which is a broiled calamari dish, I can't believe people actually order fried calamari here with this as an option! Next came the romaine and radicchio chopped salad with pears, pecans and buttermilk gorgonzola dressing. I had the braised lamb shank served over parmesan polenta special and my husband had the seared duck breast. We also ordered the escarole side with our entrees. The lamb was falling off the bone and the polenta was perfect. The waiter said this was the most requested dish all night and for good reason! My husband said the duck was outstanding. We had a bottle of wine and with tip the bill was around $125. A real bargain I must say, especially since I brought half of my dinner home and my husband had it for lunch the next day...

This really has become our favorite restaurant in this neck of Fairfield County. From the md who greets you when you first walk in, to the waitstaff and finally the owner who is always floating around the dining room, the whole experience is topnotch. We never felt rushed on VD and will return soon.

I had purchased, for both my kids and my husband, chocolates from Newtown Chocolatier. So we got home and had dessert with the kids. BTW, the kids and babysitter had a heart shaped pizza from Franco's in Newtown. The kids get a kick out of it every VD!!!