Experience Restaurant L’Ostal's Spectacular Summer Menu

Last month Restaurant L’Ostal’s Chef Jared invited us back to sample the new summer flavors. His menu changes regularly to keep things interesting but remains concise, keeping options to a minimum. There’s enough of a selection to please the palate yet not too much as to overwhelm. This of course is intentional; there’s just one chef in the kitchen and he wants perfection. And perfection is what you will get.

I’d like to say that L’Ostal is for the adventurous, inquisitive, and those familiar with the flavors from the Pyrenees to Provence, or would like to become so. So if Steak Frîtes or French Onion Soup is what you're after, you’ll have to look elsewhere – at least during the warmer months which beckon flavors that are vibrant, green and fresh. What you will find here, at L’Ostal, are some of the best damned Escargots and Oeuf Mayonnaise made with Provencal mustard, pickles, onion and croutons. (I wrote about those from our last visit here.)

You'll also find an incredibly decadent, velvety Foie Gras Maison with black truffle, fig and brioche toast. We were privy to try the incomparable Duck Confit Rillettes with a touch of marmalade on toast made from Darien’s Flour Water Salt bakery. The juxtaposition of flavors and textures, smooth yet crunchy, salty, fatty and sweet, resulted in the ultimate mouthfeel. 

To keep things interesting there are specials that rotate weekly. The week we attended specials included Burratta Provençal with olive oil and fleur du sel, the above mentioned Duck Confit Rillettes, Salade Verte, Ratatouille, Black Truffle Tagliatelle, Ingrid's Mussels and Ingrid's Lobster en croute. 

A staple on the menu, and for first courses you'll find Crudo of Local Fluke with fennel, black olives and dill from the garden. There’s also delightfully refreshing gazpacho made from of the sweetest tomatoes around. Its gazpacho made the Spanish way with a small amount of crusty bread to give it its creaminess and is topped off with sweet, tender crab meat. New to the menu this summer is the classic and traditional Salade Niçoise made with Ortiz tuna and anchovies. 

I beg of you to please try the Sformato, a cross between a flan and a soufflé. I promise you will have had nothing like it. This cloudlike dish in a vibrant leafy green made is from zucchini and bejeweled with chanterelle mushrooms and lemon. I don’t think I have ever had anything that was as light and delicate and yet so full of flavor. 

If pasta is what you're craving there's a Tagliolini made with wild mushrooms and garlic scape, potato gnocchi with lamb ragu, piquillo pepper and Manchego. And then there is the Spaghetti Al Bronzo with little neck clams and a creamy green coriander sauce that was not at all heavy, and wonderfully different. I wouldn't have thought that clam and coriander would be a likely pair, but they complemented each other beautifully. We devoured this dish. 

With homage to the flavors of Morocco which made their way through the South of France, the Moroccan Spiced Ocean Trout served with an eggplant and tomato zaalouk, a traditional warm Morrocan salad, was wonderful. The smoky, rich Moroccan flavors lent themselves so pleasingly to the hearty fish. Other Second Course options include Grilled Striped Bass, Colorado Lamb Shank, or Snake River Farms Bone-in New York Strip. 

Another thing that makes L’Ostal so special is its wine and beverage program. Do yourselves a favor and allow General Manager and Sommelier Joe Cracco to select and pair your wines for you. He will introduce you to some of the most incredible varietals at prices that are amazingly reasonable. 

Every great show has a fabulous grand finale, and boy did we ever have one. You need to order this. You need to order this even if you’re beyond stuffed. Freshly spun chocolate gelato, rich, creamy, cold and sweet becomes a total show stopper when it’s drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fleur de sel and crushed red pepper flakes. I can’t explain it but the sweet, salt and heat are simply magical.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you haven't yet been to restaurant L'Ostal in Darien you simply must. Reservations are still hard to come by unless you're willing to eat a little on the earlier side for a little bit on the later side or you could plan a date and book out in advance. However you must, you must get there!

Restaurant L’Ostal
22 Center Street, Darien, CT 06820
475.328.9629