Marygold’s on Main Opens in Newtown From Chef Neugold of The Foundry Kitchen & Bar

Walking along Newtown’s Main Street has always felt like stepping back in time. From dark painted Colonials with bright colored doors to a classic, yellow Federal house or the more decorative Queen Anne, you know every home has a story and the spirits of the town’s past are within reach. And, like the best pieces of  historical fiction, Marygold’s on Main gives us a sense of two worlds. There’s something so exhilarating about being inside a place that has been revived from the past. Time stands still in the middle of yesterday and today. The space feels at once old and new; and, although there are thoughtful nods to another time on the menu, it is as inventive and fresh as you’d hope a new place would be. Not to mention, with Chef Clark Neugold at the helm, you know as worlds collide, he’ll still invent something that stands on its own.

Run by Chef Neugold and his wife Kate, of Foundry Kitchen & Tavern, and barely a mile down the road in Sandy Hook (see CTbites Feb 2019 for info), they know a thing or two or three about breathing new life into an old space. And, despite the setbacks Covid has undoubtedly thrust upon the industry,  Marygold’s is off to a successful start. Alongside Chef Neugold, Derek Kustanbauter as Chef de Cuisine, and Steve Roth as Sous Chef, the team has brought forth a menu Connecticut diners will surely want to try.

“Newtown regulars from the former Inn have come to the bar,” Kate Neugold says, and “have been excited to spend time in a special place and tell old stories about the space.” It’s just what you want to hear--when old regulars can happily relish a sense of nostalgia in a space while being open to a new concept and menu.

History Lesson
With what seems to have been at least ten iterations of the space, the Neugold’s have blended their name with a prominent Newtown resident from the late 19th Century, who lived in the space at the time. The Hawley name is all over Newtown. Born in 1858, Mary Hawley became a prominent signature of Newtown’s social and economic milieu. She became one of the main benefactors of Newtown with ties to Edmond Town Hall and Newtown High School. Later, the home became the Brownas Hotel in 1880 to the Central House in 1890 to an Inn, a Church, and a cattle and turkey auction yard. In 1952 it became the Parker House owned by the Tamburries family. Later, as The Yankee Drover, it burned to the ground due to a kitchen fire. It then sat empty between 1981-2004 until it was purchased and rebuilt by the Ryder Family and renamed the Newtown Inn. Finally, in 2020 the notable estate was purchased by Russel Barton who joined forces with the Neugold’s.

Contemporary but classic, you’ll see a connection between the design of the space and the tremendous food on your plate. Kate Neugold mentioned that while showcasing “touches of modern art, lighting, and furniture” they have kept the traditional, historic New England features of this beautiful building. This is clearly evident in the wood and detailing of the bar and columns, and the lighting in the main space. It is truly a blend of styles in that it feels classy and chic, while not being pretentious.

And the best part, is all that is displayed on the plate. Dressed up and beautiful without being over the top, each bite was clean and well-presented without being overpowering by one flavor or texture. Unlike the Foundry down the road, where being quirky underscores the creativity behind each plate, Chef Neugold and Chef Kustanbauter get to play under the realm of simple, clean, local, and classic.

Now for the Good Stuff
Enveloped by blues and golds and lots of open space, it didn’t take long for me to decide on the Marygold’s Margarita with Herradura tequila, lime, ancho reyes chilis, and agave. Sweet, smooth, and spicy. My dinner date had the Thai One On with Kojiki whisky, lemon, chili infused honey, and sake. We were greeted by warm, soft, and glossy Parker House rolls with a generous side of Bourbon barrel maple syrup and maldon salt. I will do backflips for a tartare anytime, so there was no hesitation when the generous portion of Joyce Farms sirloin, red miso, pickled shallots, capers, pickled fresnos and mustard seeds Tartare landed before us. All topped by a quail egg and hugged by a mound of house made chips, I was in heaven with one of my favorite bistro style dishes. If you dip into the Vegan Wedge you will surely zone in on the shitake mushroom bacon. We could not stop nibbling on these sweet, chewy salty candy-like gems. Enter: the Grilled Oysters with sea asparagus and kombu (edible kelp) butter. What a satisfying singular bite of smoky and salty persuasion. Then, parmesan fondue and bright rings of radish? That was a refreshing twist on an otherwise generous nod to a classic in the MG’s Caesar.

Last but certainly not least were the stars of the night in Roasted Halibut and The Burger. The fish was light yet so full and meaty, with delicate scales of fingerling potato, melted leeks and orange fennel salad. The blend was vibrant with perfect notes of sweetness, and zing and zang. “That just might be the best burger I’ve ever had,” my date announced when the not so unassuming tall order of Joyce Farms grass fed beef, welsh cheddar, crunchy onions, garlic aioli, on housemade sesame bun, sidled up by house made chips, made its way, somehow, to our mouths. A sexy, roll up your sleeves affair, it might just be my new favorite burger as well. The meat was perfectly cooked and deliberately left alone, letting the natural beef to sing its own praises.

“Our goal is to flawlessly blend history with modern touches. The history of American cuisine and the history of this building will flow right into the contemporary design and presentation of the food and cocktails,” say the Neugolds.

While falling in love with the old building, they are bigger fans of modern design. Kate admits, “We binged on Mad Men and the spaces of the time, including classic cocktails, not to mention Clark’s inclination toward classic American cuisine.” And, as someone who studied art and worked as an art consultant for several years, Kate wanted to curate a gallery space with local, contemporary artists. Then, with help from a designer who connected them with Rollhaus in NYC, the eye behind the sleek, curved blue booths, they integrated Chef’s vision of blues and golds for his dream restaurant; henceforth, we have Marygold’s on Main.

As it continues to evolve, Marygold’s will be one of the only boutique venues in the area to offer at least three rooms from which to choose a unique dining experience. With the largest event space in the area, they will offer a bridal suite on the premises, which overlooks Main Street. I can only imagine the stunning photos that will make for a budding new couple. As Kate Neugold explains, “with an event coordinator and custom menus created seasonally, there will be the signature touches that will make special events like nothing else anyone offers….we already have a few weddings booked for 2021 and some smaller events for later this year.”

Wait. What’s that? You hear rumbling there in the basement? Oh, we’ll save that for another time,  but it’s a whole other world brewing down there as Good Old Days Pizza. In the meantime, Marygold’s awaits.

Marygold’s on Main
19 Main Street
203.491.2998
marygoldsonmain.com
@marygolds_on_main