CTbites Lunch Recap: Nicholas Roberts
CTbites and SuzySaid readers met up once again to enjoy a decadent prix fixe menu...this time at Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro in Norwalk. The small size of this dining space, and Chef Troilo's presence in his open kitchen made this a particularly cozy event. Diners from various tables introduced themselves to one another, and new foodie friends were made. The sun was shining. We had bottomless homemade lemonade. All was good with the world.
Chef Troilo created a beautiful $15 prix fixe menu, and with three diners at my table I was able to taste everything...just the way I like it. The simply prepared Seared Tuna Nicoise Style came with a wonderful black olive tapenade, a great salty counterpoint to the buttery tuna. The Spring Vegetable Risotto was voted the standout on our side of the room. Chef Nicole uses risotto preparation as her gauge for chef know-how, 
and proclaimed this one divine...creamy, smooth, and perfectly cooked. It featured farmers market fava beans, English peas, asparagus, and mascarpone. The Classic Caesar & Organic Chicken was lightly dressed and came with parmesan crisps and crisp brioche croutons.
When it came time to make our dessert selections, we once again opted for one of each. I have long been a fan of Chef Troilo's Coconut Carrot Cake. The candied ginger, pineapple and macadamia nuts give great nuance to a his wonderful take on a classic. The Goat Cheese & White Pepper Cheese Cake was lighter than your standard cheese cake and had lovely subtle flavor. The fruit compote drizzled over the top was a sweet addition. Chef Nicole, who makes a mighty fine chocolate cake herself, gave the rich Double Chocolate Bourbon Torte a "must order again next time."
I enjoyed meeting some of our readers and I look forward to seeing you at our next CTbites lunch event. More on that coming soon.
CTbites Lunch Events, Norwalk
Reader Comments (2)
Looking for a good sandwich this afternon I wandered into NR. Really lucky that one of today's special sandwiches was a Cubano. It was fantastic. Cheese, pork, pickles on a some great grilled bread. Highly recommend. They also added some roasted potatoes on the side which were excellent as well.
After going to NR for over the course of the last year, I am disappointed to report that things have gone downhill.
We were there for an early dinner last week after not visiting since the beginning of summer. We discovered to our dismay that the prices have skyrocketed and now are as high, if not higher, than most full-service decent restaurants in the area. (some entrees are $27.95 or higher) Additionally, our tuna tartare, and crab cakes had lost their luster. Tuna was bland, and crab cakes just tasted of fried food. We noticed that the chef was not there, and perhaps that is the reason. We never minded the "luncheonette" atmosphere because the prices were low and the food of high and inventive quality. However, when the prices shoot up like that they really should do something about the decor. We will be taking NR off our dinner list going forward. No value in it.