Mario Batali's Tarry Lodge Opens in Westport July 19th!!

Restaurant Pizza Westport Lunch

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster July 18, 2011

Tarry Lodge Enoteca and Pizzeria opens tomorrow in Westport at 30 Charles Street. For more on this, read our recent interview with Joe Bastianich and check out a few photos and our take from our visit during a Saturday night preview, below.

Very similar to Tarry Lodge, slightly more informal. Pizza and antipasto will be a major component. Lighter style and more grilled items. We'll adapt our food purveyors so its also done locally. The pizza will also be a focus. Our pizzaioli is Mario LaPosta who will be there full time, he's very talented.

--Joe Bastianich

A quick preview of the Tarry Lodge Enoteca menu reads as Tarry Lodge light. Think greatest hits of its Port Chester location.

An heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad, Tuna Tartare, Grilled Octopus, Porcini Arancini, Baccala "Livornese," and Soft Shell Crabs with lemon aoili are a few of the "Insalate" and "Fritti" offerings. The pastas and proteins look formidable and familiar, a Brown Butter and Sage Gnocchi, Fettucini Carbonara and Goat Cheese Agnolotti with Fennel Pollen are three of the eight pasta dishes and a Whole Branzino, Ribeye (with pepper almond pesto) and Rock Hen Al Matone are just three of eight "Secondi." It seems a fitting, if cautious menu for the launch. The wine list, similar to the menu, is a curated list of Port Chester classics, with the Bastianich label front and center.

Mario LaPosta, Tarry Lodge pizzaiolo

Artisan, Farm to Table Opens in Southport at Delamar

Restaurant Farm to Table Local Artisan Southport Farm Fresh Lunch

Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster July 13, 2011

Artisan, a "farm to table New England-inspired" restaurant opens tonight, July 13, 2011 at the Delamar Hotel in Southport, CT.

“We wanted Artisan to feel comfortable, as if you have been invited to enjoy a weekend in the country,” says Chef Kieffer, a native of Paris and resident of Fairfield County. “And we want the food to match the feel of the restaurant; a place that is casual and very comfortable yet that also reflects quality and excellence.”

Previewing the space during an opening party is a biased occasion, admittedly, but it’s also one of the best ways to understand intentions as well as gauge reactions. Dining experience non-withstanding, mission accomplished Artisan.