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Life with Chicken and Broccoli

Tag: recipes

  • Restaurant Review: Mix Prime – Danbury, CT

    Restaurant Review: Mix Prime – Danbury, CT

    We celebrated a very special family birthday at Mix Prime in Danbury, Connecticut. For weeks, my son had been saying he was “dying to go to the Mix!”, a running joke in our house ever since my brother-in-law had been raving about the place and its 40-day dry-aged beef.

    The restaurant is divided into two sections. One is a bar area with booths and high tops, and the other feels like it was added later by knocking down a wall into an adjacent unit. Our table for twelve was tucked into the back corner of the restaurant with a window view of the grill master at work.

    The ambiance has a high-end steakhouse feel, with rich wood finishes throughout. I imagined Ron Burgundy walking in and commenting on the rich mahogany and many leather-bound books. Our waiter was a seasoned pro; friendly, playful, and clearly knowledgeable. He recited the day’s specials from memory without missing a beat.

    Since we were making a full night of it and had a large group, we ran the menu from start to finish: appetizers, entrees, cocktails, and coffee variations.

    The bread service was solid, freshly baked, though not warm and served with an olive tapenade in what we hoped was light olive oil. It didn’t quite look like extra virgin. I considered asking, but also didn’t want to find out I was dipping into a naughty seed oil. We requested butter and received small decorative balls of it, straight from the fridge and difficult to spread.

    For our appetizers, we started with the escargot, Caesar salad, French onion soup, and Prince Edward Island mussels. I was especially excited to see escargot on the menu, it’s a rare find around here. It arrived sizzling in a special dish, each piece nestled in its own well of garlic butter. The escargot was rich, buttery, and everything I had hoped for. The French onion soup was another standout, made with sweet Vidalia onions that gave the broth a mellow depth. I also had my eye on the roasted figs, but those will have to wait until next time.

    We ordered a variety of steaks: filet mignon, ribeye, and New York strip. I was hoping my wife would go for the prime rib, but she chose the filet mignon Oscar instead, which came topped with lobster meat, asparagus, and béarnaise sauce. The sides were just as varied: mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, baked mac and cheese, and a steakhouse classic—creamed spinach, a house favorite.

    My wife and I are longtime steakhouse fans. We’ve visited many of the New York City staples and eventually decided that, for the price and consistency, Outback beat most of them. That was until LongHorn came along and raised the bar. That said, my 18-ounce dry-aged prime ribeye at Mix was cooked medium rare, came out sizzling with butter crackling on the plate, and was absolutely delicious. The quality of the cut was clearly superior, and the dry aging produced a noticeably more tender steak. Because of the thickness of the cut, I did need to season it with salt and pepper something I usually don’t have to do at LongHorn. Yes, it was about 60 percent more expensive than a LongHorn ribeye, but it was worth it. I’m not someone who enjoys paying more for gimmicks or pretension, and thankfully, that wasn’t the case here.

    My wife’s filet mignon was just okay in terms of flavor. We weren’t sure if the béarnaise sauce dulled the taste, but it definitely needed salt and pepper. It was ordered medium rare and came out rare in the center, which we actually prefer to it being overdone. We also sampled the New York strip, which was very good, but the ribeye was the clear winner.

    All of the sides ranged from good to excellent. My favorites were the creamed spinach, Brussels sprouts, and my baked potato; which was simple but elevated with all the right toppings. The restaurant offers three steak sauces: Cabernet, au poivre, and chimichurri. I tried the chimichurri, which was outstanding, slightly different than most in the best way, with a generous helping of scallions.

    For dessert, we brought our own birthday cake and pastries but did order coffees. The decaf cappuccinos were some of the best we’ve had in a while, less milk than usual, piping hot, and beautifully finished with a cinnamon dusting.

    The mood throughout the night was happy, relaxed, and celebratory. We weren’t the only birthday group there, and it’s clearly a go-to spot for special occasions. Another highlight was my brother’s deep songbird rendition of ‘Happy Birthday,’ complete with enthusiastic and slightly aggressive hand clapping. We’ll definitely be back for another round of steaks, and I can already hear my son: “I’m dying to go to the Mix!”

    Final Verdict: 8.45 out of 10

  • Restaurant Review: Tambascio’s – Newtown, CT

    Restaurant Review: Tambascio’s – Newtown, CT

    We have a saying when we’re out: “Don’t say home, say Tambascio’s.” Tambascio’s is our local spot, truly just down the road from our houses. We go through phases where we visit often, then somehow forget it, only to find ourselves saying, “Why didn’t we just go to Tambascio’s?” I think part of the reason it gets overlooked sometimes is its proximity to home. Familiarity doesn’t breed contempt in this case, just a kind of complacency when deciding where to eat.

    This review isn’t completely impartial, but the statements are 100 percent true.

    We went on a Wednesday night around 5:30 PM, and the restaurant was relatively quiet. We were greeted by the owner, who we know, and a friendly hostess. John, the owner, quickly told her to seat us at Table 23. I thought to myself, “Michael Jordan’s table in the corner.” I don’t think there are 23 tables in the place, so maybe he’s holding out hope that MJ strolls in after a stop at the Creamery and says, “I need a table.” To which John will respond, “Right this way, Mr. Jordan. We have a special one just for you.”

    Most restaurants these days don’t have the owner on the floor or in the kitchen, and I really appreciate John’s presence and love for his restaurant. It shows in the little things, which are geared toward the patron rather than the restaurant like spacing people out so they aren’t on top of one another.

    At Tambascio’s, they have someone designated for water and bread. I’m sure there’s an official title, but I’ll just call her the “Bread Lady.” Unfortunately, this Bread Lady wasn’t quite as warm and fresh as the rolls she delivered. But that’s okay, because we had Dale as our server. Dale is a local who has been there for years. He’s outstanding, professional, and friendly.

    Since it was the Wednesday after Mother’s Day, the specials menu still had “Mother’s Day” printed at the top. That initially made me hesitant, especially because I had my eye on the Paella de Valencia. As my father used to ask when it came to seafood: “Is it fresh?”

    My son, now graduated from the kids’ menu, ordered the Chicken Saltimbocca Milanese. My wife chose the New York Strip and Shrimp Marsala instead of just the lonely strip.

    Dale asked if we wanted to add a soup or salad to our entrées. I wasn’t planning to, but then he mentioned they had a homemade clam chowder. We also ordered the grilled sausage and broccoli rabe as an appetizer.

    We were starving despite having eaten that day. We’re just the “always hungry” types. We went through two baskets of bread: the first with rolls, the second with sliced bread. I wondered if the first basket was the “show pony,” and the second was like, “Come on, guys, this is a linen-covered table, not a flop house.”

    The broccoli rabe and sausage appetizer was delicious. The rabe was cooked perfectly; sweet, with just enough bite and texture without fighting your teeth. The sausage complemented the greens really well.

    The white clam chowder, which I shared with my son, was also very good. The texture wasn’t as thick as a diner-style chowder, which I appreciated. It had a smoother mouthfeel, more like a Manhattan-style chowder, something few places do anymore.

    The entrées all arrived on time and piping hot. After our first bites, we looked at each other and said what we always end up saying: “Why haven’t we been here more often?” The food was outstanding. My paella was overflowing with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and andouille sausage over fragrant saffron rice. One thing that always impresses me about Tambascio’s is the quality of the seafood; it’s a notch above even most seafood-focused restaurants.

    My wife’s entrée was also excellent. Normally, ordering a steak at an Italian restaurant is a huge mistake, like the Goldbergs ordering trout at Beefsteak Charlie’s. But the quality and consistency of the cooking here surpass 90 percent of dedicated steakhouses. After we had finished, John came over to check in. We told him how much we appreciated the food, especially the seafood and steak. He let us know they cut the steaks fresh to order, and that they actually had a new cook preparing them that night.

    The final piece of the puzzle is the price. For both the quantity and quality, Tambascio’s is exceptional better than most alternatives, especially for a nice dinner out.

    We ended the night with two decaf cappuccinos and two tartufos: one for my wife and me to share, and one for our son. Content and satisfied at lucky Table 23, we didn’t see Michael Jordan, but honestly, he couldn’t have made the food any better.

  • Restaurant Review: Mangia Mi East – Sandy Hook, CT

    Restaurant Review: Mangia Mi East – Sandy Hook, CT

    Saturday night before Mother’s Day and we arrive at this beautifully renovated house-turned-restaurant on the hill in Sandy Hook, CT. Taking the Missus out the day before Mother’s Day to avoid the crowds and share just a small token of the gratitude and thankfulness I have for her.

    We were fortunate enough to call at 5:10 PM and get a reservation for 5:30. However, when we arrived, most of the interior dining area was sparsely filled. It was a beautiful spring evening and we wanted to sit outside, though we hesitated as the building faces west and we didn’t want the setting sun in our eyes. Fortunately, the front porch area is spacious and there was a four-top right beside the exterior door that provided shade and a warm breeze.

    The outside area was more lively, still about halfway to capacity. There was a table of four beside us that was a little boisterous, probably due to some well-deserved spring daydrinking. One of the cocktails of choice that I overheard reordered was a Jack Daniels on the rocks, which I can only describe as Sandy Hook chic.

    The restaurant location is pleasant. However, sitting outside, there is a construction site adjacent to the porch which you can’t do anything about. The property line of the restaurant could use some landscaping TLC maybe a mow, a bed of flowers, or even a well-shaved bush.

    My wife’s family is Italian and they are all exceptional cooks, so we really need a draw to go out for Italian food. I was hoping for a large seafood entrée like a Zuppa di Pesce with all the bountiful umami of the sea. Mangia Mi does make their own pasta, which is so critical when you have so many Italian restaurants and ever-increasing, inflated costs. How can you justify a $35-plus entrée for dry spaghetti that costs two dollars a pound?

    The wait staff was all younger local kids. They were very friendly and helpful. Our waitress was especially kind and knew the menu well, able to help with questions or assist with a selection.

    We decided on the Roasted Brussels Sprouts with crispy pancetta and shaved pecorino, and my wife wanted the Blistered Cherry Tomato Crostini. I feel like the price point on these was $18 for the sprouts and $13 for the crostini, which is important because there was a vast difference between them not unlike Alfredo’s Pizza Café and Pizza by Alfredo.

    The Brussels sprouts were delicious, cooked through so they were soft but still had a little char and crisp from the roasting heat. The shaved pecorino provided a complementary texture, along with the salty and generous cubes of pancetta. My mild case of OCD kicked in, separating the food to get each bite to include a trio of the ingredients.

    Now, as lovely as the Brussels sprouts were, the crostini was disappointing in the other direction. It reminded me of when my mom used to do cheese and crackers for the daycare kids except I would have much rather preferred those. For thirteen dollars, you got three small pieces of crostini, a tight smear of cheese, and around six to nine small cherry tomato halves. There was no flavor and it was just blah. It hurt my frugal heart.

    For our entrées, I got the Shrimp Fra Diavolo over homemade linguine, and my wife got the Crispy Chicken Piccata with capers, lemon, and wine over tagliatelle. My entrée was good, but I can only describe it as and now I know what it means to say one dimensional. The pasta was cooked well but had no flavor. The fra diavolo sauce was good but again, just missing something. It felt like some red sauce with a nice bit of heat, but I wanted to add salt, pepper, and garlic. The shrimp was also very well cooked but lacked seasoning and depth. It felt as if each part had been cooked separately, and when combined, they weren’t feeling one another  so they kept their distance. There was no love, no sweet Italian serenade on my plate.

    My wife’s entrée was another story. The ingredients were old friends. They had obviously been hanging out and enjoyed one another’s company. The crispy chicken was thin, flavorful, and pan-fried wonderfully. The piccata sauce with capers soaked into the chicken and tagliatelle, with a beautiful lemon freshness dancing around shouting “Look at me!” It had that mangiami (eat me) attitude. I ended up taking parts of her dish and incorporating them into mine to bring out some flavor, and it worked nicely.

    After our meals, my wife was excited to get a dessert called banana bread pudding which she had before. However, we found out it was part of the seasonal menu and they didn’t have it. That was okay because we were content to have our decaf cappuccinos, however we found out they don’t have those either. In the end, we were sitting quietly on the deck and thought it would be nice if they had some light background music, when all of a sudden “Make It with You” by Bread started playing from somewhere.

    The gentle breeze and warm tune lifted us up and carried us quietly back across town.

    Final Verdict: 7/10
    This was our second visit, and I’m hopeful that they will pull it all together for a third-time’s-the-charm experience.