Spotted Horse Tavern Opens Today in Westport
Last night, the CTBITES crew along with 100 (or so) other Westporters attended the "opening" of THE SPOTTED HORSE TAVERN, the latest and GREATEST by restaurateurs Kevin McHugh, Pete Mennona and Tommy Febbraio. (The Gray Goose in Southport is also one of theirs!) And I am placing all my bets on this HORSE! With former Manolo chef Pedro Garzon as head jockey, this SPOTTED filly is bound to cross the finish line in first place.
This restaurant is just what the doctor ordered as far as Westport's downtown dining doldrums are concerned. Situated on Church Street, across from the YMCA, the renovated 1802 Sherwood House has an utterly charming exterior. And inside? Fireplaces, beamed ceilings, gas lanterns, reclaimed horse stall doors and, of course, beautiful photographs of - you guessed it - horses! The views of an old church out one window and URBAN OUTFITTERS out the other, exemplify the SPOTTED HORSES style - mixing the reclaimed, restored past with classy, urban chic.
And the menu? Very similar to THE GRAY GOOSE (at 246 Old Post Road in Southport), Chef Garzon will offer New American Cuisine at very reasonable prices. Chicken and black bean empanadas, lobster and avocado BLTs, grass-fed beef burgers and spicy tuna tartare are some of the items to choose from and the prices are just right. Last night, champagne flowed freely along with passed hors d'oeuvres including hangar steak skewers with chimichurri sauce, shrimp and chorizo with garlic aioli, mushroom and goat cheese pizzettas and chicken empanadas. Just a delicious sampling of what is yet to come. Stand by for a full review of this thoroughbred next week!
THE SPOTTED HORSE TAVERN is NOW OPEN - 7 days a week for lunch and dinner! Giddy-up!!!
THE SPOTTED HORSE TAVERN 26 Church Lane, Westport.
Beer, Burgers, Lunch, Westport, comfort food, kid friendly
Reader Comments (15)
This place looks amazing!! I can't wait to check it. Westport is turning into quite the restaurant scene with so many more on the way...
Looks like a perfect place to host a Derby party this year
What has spots and is not a pig like April Bloomfield's totally famous restaurant in New York City?
Thanks for the great write up..can't wait to try it! Are reservations required for lunch and dinner?
Nancy - They DO take reservations for lunch and will take reservations for dinner for parties of 6 or more only. Enjoy!!!
I am so happy we are getting better and better dining options each and every day around Fairfield County. And, also delighted Westport has been updating their P&Z regulations to bring more community to the town versus having it simply be about shopping.
They relaxed a bar law that allowed Luxe Modern, the upscale wine bar, to open on Main Street. What a great place that could easily be found in New York or Los Angeles.
And, they will allow pop up dining extending onto the streets.
This all brings more community to the town, which is a sorely missed element in today's modern society.
Wonderful that another dining option has opened in downtown Westport! Continue the good work.
Giddy up. Perfect for post rehearsal cocktails.
Dinner tonight.
Their bacon-cheeseburger made a major statement to be included on the 2012 CTbites list of recommended hamburgers in Fairfield County.
Nice job all around from the decor, to the service to the vibe.
Shocked to see the bartenders are young girls with tight jeans, low cut blouses and ghetto earrings. REALLY? In Westport? If you are trying to attrach a younger, roughty crowd then you'll succeed I guess. Let me remind you that older men don't want to flirt with their daughters and older women don't want to be reminded of what they "used " to look like. You need someone their age to "connect" with them as well. Mix it up! Remember the old Westporters are the ones with the CASH to spend. Try selling an $80 bottle of wine to a 20 something yr old! I for one as a person over 50 didnt like the vibe at all, nor did i like being called "babe" by a girl my daughters age. Classy restaurant, don't loose that with the wrong help!!
Just what we need....Another trendoid joint where you feel out of place driving anything less that a two year old BMW, and to not order alcohol brands you as a pariah from the first moment.
I admit Kevin has a genius for creating successful restaurants, but what IS that success formula?
If involves
A) Stealing the name of another, more successful restaurant in another town or country (Spotted Horse is a very well known U.K. joint)
B) Pricing the drinks so that they cost less than anywhere else around (by making them double-sized) and then charging "full" price for the food. That way, no matter who walks in and no matter what they order, the joint makes money. And really, you do feel like a bit of a wanker going to places like the Goose and not drinking....It's really what the place was designed around.
C) Selling the place at the top of the market. This is the true genius behind these restaurants.....An uncanny ability to cash out at the top (remember Match? Nobody else does except the guy who bought it during the credit bubble.
I tip my beret to any kind of financial success......So kudos to the founders.
One last thing.....Does the "Horse" even have an online menu with prices? I have looked and I don't think so. Not seeing prices in advance is, probably, another part of these guys plan....Cause hey...If you have to ask, you can't afford to be a poser, right?:)
to De La Vega -
The prices at The Spotted Horse are INCREDIBLY reasonable so I am not sure to which prices you are referring... Hardly ANYTHING there costs more than $20. Also, went in last week with my 87 year old mother and the wait-staff was nothing but cordial, helpful and extremely courteous. Are you sure you went to the right place? Trendy? Maybe. Not sure that's a bad thing, though.
And MATCH? One of the best, most reliable joints in the area with delish food and great atmosphere.
hmmm....
To De La Vega
I do not drink and I have experienced "that look" many times when I have asked for my normal glass of water and if I want to splurge, a glass of sparkling water. And when my wife and I went to Spotted Horse, neither occurred. Incredibly cordial service.
As far as the prices, the basic burger I think was $12 (plus $1 for bacon), and a salmon dinner is $22, so very reasonable, and I do not remember anything striking my "are you kidding" meter.
I do agree with you that the vibe was hip, but in a positive way. The bar area was filled with 20-30's at 530 on a Thursday night, but we can have a separate discussion on what that means. The dining room was filled with a 2-top in their 50's (that would be me) a family of three genrations and others of varying ages.
And thanks for the tip of the UK Spotted Horse. Looks like another line on the Food Bucket List.
What you guys don't get is, I was trying to be complimentary. I truly recognize the guys' genius. That was my point.
What you guys don't get is, I was trying to be complimentary. I truly recognize the guys' genius. That was my point.
To the idiot that left the comment concerning the bartenders, the answer is - yes your husband actually does having a pretty young girl as a bartender and having someone your age would be idiotic. Not a chance an oldererson could handle the volume not to mention the physical exertion would leave you with your hip broken. Sorry you're old and grouchy