Ready for a little PIK me up? Head over to PHO GARDEN at 1620 Post Road in Westport for some authentic Vietnamese delights! This brand new Asian dining offering, (formerly Zole'), has simple decor and an unimpressive neon sign outside the door, but don't let this turn you off. PHO GARDEN'S authentic menu is a welcome addition to the Westport restaurant scene. Plus, with Pho Mekong closing its doors across the street, PHO GARDEN is definitely worth checking out!
Tucked behind Cozy’s Cuts for Kids in Cos Cob, is a gem called The Drawing Room. It is a combined 12-seat tea room and home décor boutique, with a garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons. After many years of living and dining in Fairfield County, I thought I had exhausted all lunch possibilities, until a friend took me to The Drawing Room and I had one of those ‘aha’ moments where I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about it earlier.
Opened in 2005 by husband and wife, Michael and Kenleigh Larock, The Drawing Room is a perfect spot to meet a friend for a quiet lunch. And if the weather cooperates, you can’t beat dining al fresco on their cozy patio, amidst a small herb garden, where you might even observe your server picking a few mint leaves to garnish the daily selection of infused tea. On a recent balmy September afternoon, I sat on the patio and enjoyed just such a lunch and solid catch-up session with a friend.
I can deal with tomatoes that aren’t as good as I had hoped - there’s always tomato sauce; an inferior cut of meat can lead to a great stew. But fish that isn’t the highest quality or supremely fresh? That is just unacceptable in my book.
Fortunately, we have a number of fish market options in Fairfield County, many of which are very good. Markets like Pagano’s in Norwalk, and Superior Fish in Westport certainly have their followings, but after doing a thorough sampling, I have found that one stands apart from its peers: Fjord Fisheries. Fjord gets my vote on two counts: quality and selection.
I recently spoke with Jardar Nygaard, Fjord’s owner, who shared the secret to his outstanding product.
In Fairfield County, Vietnamese cuisine is not as plentiful as other asian cuisines, so you really have to dig deep, and go where the Pho is...wherever it is. I recently received a tip from a CT Bites reader that good Pho was to be had in Bridgeport at a small mom & pop restaurant called Pho Saigon. We rallied our enthusiastic tasters and headed out to Iranistan Street in Bridgeport, an area that is definitely "off the beaten path", but you do what you've gotta do for good food. You won't find this place in Zagats.
We entered what seemed to be the living room of a small corner house, furnished with gum-ball machines, plastic floral table cloths, and big pots of luke warm tea on the tables. Clearly, dining here was about the food, not the decor. We were greeted warmly, although not in English (which is generally a good sign that the food will be authentic), and escorted to a clean table piled high with squeeze bottles of fiery sauces and jars of fish paste. Lucky for us, the menu had translations, so we ordered half of the 21 item menu (as most dishes were under $7) and waited for the food to arrive.
UPDATE: Pho Mekong has closed. Shake Shack coming soon!
There are certain meals you just can't cook at home...especially as a white woman. We have tried in our local gourmet club to master the art of Asian cooking, but after a full day's search for the 30 obscure ingredients required for a basic dish like Pad Thai, we decided our next craving for coconut and curry would be better satisfied with take-out. We had heard rumors of a local favorite, Pho Mekong, on the Westport/Southport border. Needing a quick pre-movie bite last week, we headed over to find out if the food held up to the buzz....
Photo: Stephanie WebsterFairfield County women have a little secret… and it isn’t sweet. Don’t tell, but hordes of us find time in our day to sneak into Robeks to experience our daily rapture. Simply, it’s Tart - paradise in a Styrofoam bowl. Plain, unadulterated ecstasy, this frozen treat at only 112 calories for a small (157 for a medium) is hardly sinful. It is delicious on its own but can be smothered in coconut, dappled with raspberry, sprinkled with chocolate chips, textured with granola, the choices are endless. But the slightly sour, wonderfully light, frozen indulgence is best on its wicked own.
Ready for a little PIK me up? Head over to PHO GARDEN at 1620 Post Road in Westport for some authentic Vietnamese delights! This brand new Asian dining offering, (formerly Zole'), has simple decor and an unimpressive neon sign outside the door, but don't let this turn you off. PHO GARDEN'S authentic menu is a welcome addition to the Westport restaurant scene. Plus, with Pho Mekong closing its doors across the street, PHO GARDEN is definitely worth checking out!
