Washington Prime :: SoNo's newest restaurant to grace the waterfront is a little bit surf and a little bit turf


At the corner of Washington and Water Streets, in the heart of South Norwalk, a new restaurant graces the waterfront with its presence. In an area that has been described as "hipster meets historic," Washington Prime is the collective vision of restaurateurs Rob Moss and Marco Siguenza. Steering the ship, Executive Chef Jared Falco, creates a menu that is collective, creative and inspirational. Don't let the name fool you, Washington Prime is as much surf as it is turf - offering something for every discernible palate. 

The interior has that industrial feel so often seen in the area that is combined with an element that is both warm and inviting. The high ceilings give the restaurant a spacious feel while the warm woods and moss covered walls and booths lend themselves to create a warm and nature-like ambiance which seems to echo the popular trend of bringing the outside in. A large U-shaped bar takes center stage and you are invited to try one of their specialty cocktails. From there meander over to the tables that are lined up along floor to ceiling windows, offering great natural lighting a panoramic view of the harbor. Outside, plenty of comfortable seating awaits those wishing for a more relaxed setting. 

I had the privilege of attending a special blogger/press dinner last week where I was able to sample a wide array of items on the menu. We started off with the Seafood Tower which consists of colossal shrimp, little necks, Alaskan king crab legs, and Maine lobster served with a spicy mustard sauce, house made cocktail sauce and a classic mignonette. The serving was generous - The seafood, sweet, tender and fresh. I had to pace myself and save room for all the food yet to come. I could have easily feasted on this and made it my dinner. 



Next we moved on to the Small Plates where we delighted in Falco's version of Poutine. Here oxtail ragu, cheese curds and green onion sit on top a generous serving of French Fries. This fun and hash-like creation - a twist of your basic meat and potatoes -  is comfort food at its best. This is like a grown up, hipper version of the chili cheese fries. The meat is saturated with intense flavor that seem to infiltrate the fries without overwhelming them. This is not a dieter's delight... but it certainly is delightful!



Next we moved on to the Wings. Fried chicken wings served with a kimchi sauce, scallions, soy and chili. Ordinarily wings are not something I would order, but I found the description to be intriguing and the presentation to be very palatable. I took a bite - These wings were different - so very different. Jared's twist, playfulness and creativity shines through here as well. The spice is just enough so as not to overwhelm. The heat is strong enough to be present but not so much as to overwhelm. The flavors marry beautifully. Both wings fans and non wings fan will enjoy this dish.



Next we had Jared's take on the deviled egg - These certainly ain't your grandma's deviled eggs. The intensely smooth and creamy yolk is topped off with a prime meatball, chicken fried bacon, pickled onions and the foie gras powder. The pickled onions added the perfect acidic contrast to the creamy yolk.



For the seafood lover, Knuckle and Claw is a decadent treat with sweet lobster meat over blue corn grits, lobster sauce and tobiko.



I've been on an octopus kick lately and if you happen to love Octopus this is a dish you simply must try. Share it with a friend - or keep it all to yourself.... that would be my choice! The perfectly charred octopus is tender and sweet. (If you equate octopus with something chewy and rubbery, you've not had it cooked properly.) Served with pickled peppers that give this dish the perfect amount of heat, duck fat marbled potatoes that simply melt in your mouth served over a pepper emulsion, this dish knocks it off the charts. I think we all felt the same way about this dish. I wonder if Chef Jared Falco would make this as an entrée for me?



From the octopus we dug right into the Burrata. Again, Jared defies the ordinary - no tomato, no olive oil, vinegar and basil with this burrata. Instead we have a creamy slaw, an aoili that is reminiscent of a traditional Russian Dressing that is topped with sesame seeds and served over a slice of toasted pretzel bread. The creaminess of the buratta lends itself perfectly to the slaw and the aioli - Again, a perfect example of creativity and innovation.



You've had one Chop Chop Salad, you've had them all, right? Here the finely chopped provolone and salami, together with the onion, carrot, red bell peppers, iceberg and romaine and creamy red wine vinaigrette have a very anti-pasta like quality. This salad is hearty and would make a perfect lunch eaten on its own. Dare I say it's a guy's kind of a salad?



The Iceberg Wedge has been given a mini modern twist. Served with pickled heirloom tomatoes, ewes blue cheese - creamy and mild - bacon, which is not really bacon at all, but an incredibly crispy, smoky pork belly. The house dressing is soft and mellow, without the acrid bite that so many blues tend to have. This version seems to have a lighter fresher feel to the iceberg wedges traditionally served at steak houses.



And now on to the entrees.We sampled filet mignon, ribeye and a porterhouse steak. Each was perfectly cooked - a well seasoned, seared crust sealed in all the flavors and juices. The steaks were tender to cut, completely eliminating the need for any steak knife. The meats were buttery and soft, each with a deep and intense flavor. Meat lovers and fussy meat eaters alike will delight in these steaks.


The scallops are served with corn relish, Nicoise olives and hunter's sauce over midlins. The flavors play beautifully together, and once again Chef Jared Falco adds a creative and modern twist to a classic dish, giving it a fresher feel. The scallops were perfectly seared on the outside and seemed almost butter-like as I bit into it.

The grouper, not pictured, was ternder and flaky, served over Carolina gold rice, tomatoes, asparagus and drizzled in a sweet carrot butter sauce. A nice lighter alternative.



If you have the room and can at all stand it, the desserts at Washington Prime are equally as fabulous. The key lime pie, not exactly, light does offer a refreshing mild key lime flavor a perfect palate tamer. 


This chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich is served up with a twist, a Fruity Pebbles milk reduction. Being the purist I am, I had to keep the Fruity Pebble concoction away from my chip-which.


Bombastic! Perhaps my favorite of all... the Ice cream bomb with chocolate and vanilla ice cream over a chocolate crust, buried beneath a deep chocolate and caramel coating. I may have to return just for dessert...


Cheesecake lovers will not be disappointed with this New York cheesecake. My suggestion, go to Washington Prime with a group of friends, order a lot and share it all - that includes, of course, all the desserts!



Pictured above: Chef Jared Falco and Marco Siguenza, co-Owner

Run (or swim) on over to Washington Prime. You'll not be disappointed. For more information, please visit their Website.

*All photos are property of Jessica Gordon Ryan and The Entertaining House. Re-use only with permission and proper attribution.

Brunch at Bergdorf's...




So excited! I'll be heading into the city later this morning for the lunch that we've been planning for well over a month. Unfortunately, the weather is not exactly cooperating... It's currently raining cats and dogs out there which makes getting around in the city pretty miserable. Cabs will all be taken. I'll pull on my polka dotted rainboots and splish splash my way over to the Upper East Side where I do plan on having either a glass of bubbly or a Bloody Mary. This you can be sure of! Another thing I am quite certain of, the girls will be my sunshine today!

XOXO Jessica

The Last Supper...


Central Park will be a little darker. The mood will be a little more somber. Especially after tonight, New Year's Eve when the famed Tavern on the Green will serve it's last supper and close its doors and turn off its lights. Forever. A piece of my childhood will be gone. Forever.

Just three years ago the restaurant was serving more than 700,000 meals annually, bringing in more than $38 million in revenue. The restaurant (and really so much more) which sits at the edge of Central Park on the West Side, animated by twinkling lights and fake topiary animals, is preparing for New Year's Eve, when it will serve its last meal.

But the meals served was not enough, nor were the millions it earned. The restaurant could not keep the landmark restaurant out of bankruptcy. The restaurant is $8 million debt and in order to pay it off Tavern on the Green will auction off its Baccarat and Waterford chandeliers, Tiffany stained glass, a mural depicting Central Park as well as numerous opulent (gaudy even?) decor that has bewitched visitors for decades.

The restaurant's name itself is even up for grabs. It is said that another restauranteur will be taking over the 27,000 square feet of space currently owned by the city. If the name is auctioned off will the new eatery be able to reopen as Tavern on the Green?

Tavern on The Green first opened its doors in 1934 during the Great Depression. Once a sheepfold for sheep grazing Sheep Meadow, former NY Commissioner of Parks Robert Moses renovated the park and added the restaurant. It has attracted diners from around the world since. It is said that the ever elegant Grace Kelly dined there regularly. The restaurant appeared in numerous films including Edward Scissorhands, Wall Street, and Ghostbusters.

The Restaurant was owned by Walter LeRoy who also owned the famed Russian Tea Room, also in Manhattan. After his passing in 2001 The Russian Tea Room closed down. His daughter, inexperienced, was unable to keep the restaurant in operations. Her inexperience, it seems, has also led to the demise of yet another New York Landmark.

Would you like to own a little piece of history? A little piece of Americana? The following items will all be sold (and many many more) at auction.



These amazing chandeliers are all for sale. I do think my dining room ceiling to be a bit too low... perhaps one would fit in our front entryway!



Yes! Every house should have a brass elk!



The famed Tiffany lamps will all find new homes...




as will this faux topiary elephant! Perfect for any Republican who has a sense of humor,
loves whimsy and has a black thumb!




The Tiffany mural is a bit too much for my personality,



but one can never have too many white wrought iron chairs on their veranda!


Should you find the items at auction more than your purse strings will allow, perhaps you can still get seating for their Last Supper...


NEW YEARS GALA MENU 2009

HUDSON VALLEY DUCK FOIE GRAS AND PISTACHIO TERRINE
TOASTED BRIOCHE, APRICOT ICE WINE SYRUP
OXTAIL CONSOMMÉ
PEDRO XIMENÉZ SHERRY, DICED ROOT VEGETABLES
...
TATAKI BLUE FIN TUNA SALAD
CARAMEL SOY, SEAWEED SALAD, KYURI CUCUMBER
MAINE SCALLOP SALAD
CRÈME FRAÎCHE FINES HERBS DRESSING, BABY ARUGULA
...
BAKED AMERICAN RED SNAPPER
CAULIFLOWER PURÉE, CHAMPAGNE CAVIAR SAUCE
CHILEAN SEA BASS
ARTICHOKE LEMON RISOTTO, BLACK TRUFFLE SAUCE
...
ROAST LOIN OF VENISON
QUINCE PURÉE, BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CHESTNUT COGNAC SAUCE
RACK OF COLORADO LAMB
SLOW BAKED VEGETABLE GRATIN,WHITE TRUFFLE WHITE CORN POLENTA, LAMB JUS
...
ROBIOLLA, PIAVE AND FOURME D’ AMBERT CHEESE PLATTER
...
APPLE TARTE TATIN
VANILLA ANGLAISE, CRÈME FRAÎCHE
HAZELNUT NAPOLEON
MILK CHOCOLATE SAUCE


And should you be privvy to the First Seating in the Crystal Room, this will be your menu


NEW YEARS MENU
FIRST SEATING 2009
CRYSTAL ROOM
$129 PER PERSON

(INCLUDES CHAMPAGNE TOAST AND CHOICE OF ONE APPETIZER,
ENTRÉE, DESSERT AND CHEESE COURSE)

APPETIZER

HUDSON VALLEY DUCK FOIE GRAS AND PISTACHIO TERRINE
TOASTED BRIOCHE, APRICOT ICE WINE SYRUP
OXTAIL CONSOMMÉ
PEDRO XIMENÉZ SHERRY, DICED ROOT VEGETABLES
TATAKI BLUE FIN TUNA SALAD
CARAMEL SOY, SEAWEED SALAD, KYURI CUCUMBER
MAINE SCALLOP SALAD
CRÈME FRAÎCHE FINES HERBS DRESSING, BABY ARUGULA
LOBSTER BISQUE
TARRAGON CRÈME FRAÎCHE, LOBSTER CHUNKS

ENTRÉE

BAKED AMERICAN RED SNAPPER
CAULIFLOWER PURÉE, CHAMPAGNE CAVIAR SAUCE
CHILEAN SEA BASS
ARTICHOKE LEMON RISOTTO, BLACK TRUFFLE SAUCE
ROAST LOIN OF VENISON
QUINCE PURÉE, BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CHESTNUT COGNAC SAUCE
RACK OF COLORADO LAMB
SLOW BAKED VEGETABLE GRATIN,WHITE TRUFFLE WHITE CORN POLENTA, LAMB JUS
GRILLED FILET MIGNON
FINGERLING POTATOES, SAUTÉED SPINACH, FRIZZLED ONIONS, RED WINE SAUCE
CHEESE COURSE
ROBIOLLA, PIAVE AND FOURME D’ AMBERT CHEESE PLATTER

DESSERT

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
VALRHONA CHOCOLATE SAUCE
PEAR HONEY NUT CAKE
CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Otherwise, all else will dine on

NEW YEARS MENU
FIRST SEATING 2009
$109 PER PERSON


(INCLUDES CHAMPAGNE TOAST AND CHOICE OF ONE
APPETIZER, ENTRÉE AND DESSERT)


APPETIZER


HUDSON VALLEY DUCK FOIE GRAS AND PISTACHIO TERRINE
TOASTED BRIOCHE, APRICOT ICE WINE SYRUP OXTAIL CONSOMMÉ PEDRO XIMENÉZ SHERRY, DICED ROOT VEGETABLES TATAKI BLUE FIN TUNA SALAD CARAMEL SOY, SEAWEED SALAD, KYURI CUCUMBER MAINE SCALLOP SALAD CRÈME FRAÎCHE FINES HERBS DRESSING, BABY ARUGULA LOBSTER BISQUE TARRAGON CRÈME FRAÎCHE, LOBSTER CHUNKS

ENTRÉE


BAKED AMERICAN RED SNAPPER
CAULIFLOWER PURÉE, CHAMPAGNE CAVIAR SAUCE CHILEAN SEA BASS ARTICHOKE LEMON RISOTTO, BLACK TRUFFLE SAUCE ROAST LOIN OF VENISON QUINCE PURÉE, BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CHESTNUT COGNAC SAUCE RACK OF COLORADO LAMB SLOW BAKED VEGETABLE GRATIN,WHITE TRUFFLE WHITE CORN POLENTA, LAMB JUS GRILLED FILET MIGNON FINGERLING POTATOES, SAUTÉED SPINACH, FRIZZLED ONIONS, RED WINE SAUCE

DESSERT


ROBIOLLA, PIAVE AND FOURME D’ AMBERT CHEESE PLATTER
MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE VALRHONA CHOCOLATE SAUCE
PEAR HONEY NUT CAKE CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Now, if I may say so, 8.888% sales tax and 20% gratuity aside, a meal, a memory and a piece of history for that price isn't so hard to swallow!