Food Innovation

WHAT’S IN A MENU? Ideally, it’s a virtual road map of a chef’s culinary travels or a glimpse into someone’s food culture. It’s sometimes a treasure chest of ideas – the good, the bad, and sometimes the outlandish. Ultimately, a menu will peak our curiosity, satisfy all of our senses, and have us wanting more. When was the last time you were wowed by a dish? We ventured into the eclectic dining scene of one of Connecticut’s most vibrant food destinations, Norwalk, CT, eating our way through this coastal community with our eyes, noses, taste buds, and an open mind.

Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint graces the Wall Street neighborhood with their Low-country inspired cuisine and fearless take on southern favorites. Because it’s always a pork “thang”, and deep fried foods make us happy, the County Fair Bacon is a joy to partake in. Crazy large chunks of smoky slab bacon are skewered and bathed in funnel cake batter, golden fried, and then laced with cracked pepper maple syrup and a sprinkling of Aleppo pepper. The outer crust cradles the melted bacon fat, presenting a juicy (messy) burst of flavor when bitten into. The end result is sinfully satisfying and easily addictive.

A welcome newcomer, Evarito’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar, is making quite a splash, turning south of the border cuisine on its head with the addition of a-typical ingredients and creative preparations. Evarito’s grown-up version of fajitas come in the form of wood-fired garden vegetables which includes whatever is seasonally fresh and flavorful such as beets, jicama, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash, accompanied by wood-grilled jumbo shrimp and steak. A marbling of blue and yellow corn masa tortillas are house made and serve as a delicious vessel for the meat and vegetables, dolloped with cilantro crema and salsa roja.

Call it trendy, vegan-friendly, or healthy, jackfruit is popping on menus across the country. Its faux-meat like quality and mild flavor make it prime for numerous interpretations. Bobby Q’s Cue & Co. gives this papaya-meets-hearts of palm-meets-pineapple textured fruit a slathering of their signature BBQ sauce and stacks the mock pulled pork with slaw and avocado between a bun to create a hearty sandwich. Enjoyed with the sweet background smell of real pitsmoked BBQ ribs, chicken, and brisket that Bobby Q’s is known for, herbivores may find themselves in a quandary.

Satisfying our initial visual food sense is a favorite guilty pleasure. It’s the moment you realize that something sensational is about to happen. It’s the work of art on the plate that seems almost too beautiful to disturb. Beach House SoNo, a globally inspired seafood-centric restaurant pays homage to the owner’s Japanese heritage and restaurant background with their beautifully constructed salmon summer role. Stainedglass in appearance, bright orange salmon, crisp white cucumber, fresh avocado, and fiery red tobiko are wrapped in clear rice paper, providing a window into the colorful mélange of ingredients. Instagram worthy and delicious too!

Written by Linda Kavanagh