Let's Do Lunch at The Cottage in Greenwich: Seasonal Menu Drop

When looking for a place that’s special The Cottage often tops the list of  recommendations with its focus on excellence and elevated dishes that that are creative, stunning and delicious. The Cottage in Westport has been a staple of the restaurant scene since its inception in 2015. In 2022 Brian Lewis opened a second location in Greenwich and it has taken the restaurant scene there by storm. While the vibe in Greenwich is different with a more casual setting, it offers something that Westport doesn’t: lunch. And the lunch scene in Greenwich is bustling. The lunchtime menu is streamlined but not at all limited. In fact it’s really quite varied considering its size, featuring dishes that appeal to a wide range of tastes and diets. 

Diners will see a few items crossing over from the dinner menu, but most of the dishes are exclusive to lunch, like Tuna Poke, Citrus Cured Salmon Tartine, BLT, Spicy Squid and Pork Belly, Teriyaki Salmon Power Bowl, Grilled Chicken Paillard Caesar Salad and the Veggie Burger. Just in time for fall, guests can enjoy the addition of both the Pho Lunch and Autumn Lunch.

The Cottage in Greenwich boasts a lively lunchtime crowd which includes businessmen, young professionals, young mothers, and Ladies who Lunch. There was lovely buzz in the air from the lively conversation and the occasional ding of silverware hitting the plates.

Mocktails

We settled ourselves into a little sunlit corner right on the Avenue and looking out onto all the passersby getting on with their daily routines. As the sun shone in with slightly overcast skies, we couldn’t help but notice that the lighting was absolutely perfect for our photographs.

Whether it’s the end of the week, or a special celebration and you’d like to enjoy a little libation, there’s a nice selection of wine, beer and a few choice craft cocktails for guests to enjoy. For those wanting something a little special without the booze there are a couple of lovely Mocktail options as well. While waiting, we decided to try the Cool as a Cucumber, with cucumber juice, lemon and ginger which was mildly sweet, delightfully refreshing and had a subtle kick from the lemon and ginger. The Guava Me Kidding Me with guava, mint, agave and lime was smooth and subtly sweet.

We started with a Whipped Carrot Hummus, and Kabocha Squash Tempura.  The hummus with harissa, sunflower, sesame crunch, had so many layers of flavor. The natural sweetness from the carrot itself  married wonderfully with the smokiness and subtle spice from the harissa. The sunflower and sesame crunch added a lovely hint of texture and served with warm, grilled pita triangles to scoop up all goodness. I knew I had to save room, but I really wanted nothing more than to dig in and wipe that plate clean! This was a truly special dish.

The Squash Tempura arrived next. Sesame salt, and a white miso aïoli rounded up the flavors of the naturally sweet squash enhanced by the sea salt. The crispy-crunch factor was sublime, and seemed almost as though it had been double dipped, and double fried. We learned that this was not the case and that the secret to the incredible crunch was rice flour. Both of these dishes are incredibly special and I implore you to order them while you can while they’re still in season and on the menu.  

The Citrus Salmon Tartine with Horseradish Crème Fraîche on grilled sourdough was decadence without being decadent. Served on thick slices of sourdough with a perfect crunch to chew ratio, the citrusy salmon is balanced by the cream. Add some radish for crunch, sprouts for green and black sesame seeds, and this totally satisfies that sandwich craving.

The Spicy Squid and Pork Belly was a wonderful surprise and this one is so hard to write about for fear that I don’t do it the justice it deserves. I’ll admit that I really didn’t know what to expect here. First you have a unique combination of what I might describe as some esoteric ingredients with Kumquat Kosho, cashews, sesame, and a “squid caramel” which together create wonderfully flavorful dish.  Kumquat Kosho is a traditional Japanese condiment made from kumquats and chili peppers that results in a paste and known for its unique combination of citrusy and spicy flavors. The “squid caramel” finds its roots in Vietnam. This savory and sweet “caramel” consists of squid that has been caramelized and seasoned. The result is a wonderfully sweet, salty, umami flavor. These vibrant flavors and textures along with the pork belly find themselves perfectly ‘at home’ in a lettuce wrap made with the accompanying lettuce leaves. This was nothing less than sublime, a little party on my palate!

The Autumn Lunch was a fun treat for those who want a little bit of everything. Lewis’ version of a Bento box but served on a tray… A cup of finely shaved apple and fennel salad, topped with dill also plays on the sweet and salty balance as does the butternut squash toast that was incredibly decadent with apple butter, juxtaposed by salty feta and crunchy pepitas. Lewis masters the craft of balancing so many flavors and textures together. The Mushroom Cappuccino, which, to our surprise, not a cappuccino at all, but a wonderfully flavorful and aromatic mushroom soup that captures the season as well as the earthiness and complexity of the mushroom. This was pure comfort in a cup! 

Their brand new “Pho Lunch”, Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, with nuoc cham (a Vietnamese dipping sauce), scallions and Bok Choy offers diners another opportunity to sample Lewis’ love for and appreciation for Asian flavors in the ultimate comfort food for fall. 

The Teriyaki Salmon Power Bowl is one of the more straightforward items we enjoyed, featuring a piece of seared salmon served with wilted spinach, fennel, brown rice and red quinoa with a brown mustard smear on the plate. A little bit salad, a little bit main, it offers a nice lunchtime ratio of food and flavors.

Last but not least. (We thought we were done.) At least I thought we were done because I was stuffed, but Stephanie insisted on trying the veggie burger. The Veggie Burger has a little back story. For those of you unaware, in his early chef days, a young, talented and impressionable Lewis cooked for Richard Gere, yes, the Richard Gere, as in An Officer and a Gentleman and Pretty Woman fame. Gere wanted to know if Lewis could make him a veggie burger. And it couldn’t just be any veggie burger.  So this delicious burger made with veg and brown rice is served with guacamole, fennel, slaw, and local lettuce is not only Richard Gere approved, but CTBites approved! Meat eater or not this is a burger to be reckoned with. This is a serious player in the world of burgers!

The Cottage
49 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT
203-769-1220