Fairfield Area Ice Cream Favorites

Summer is almost officially over.... but there is still plenty of time to indulge in some ice cream! I recently completed an exhaustive search for some of the best ice cream for Fairfield Magazine. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it! Here are some excerpts from that article, which appears in full in the current issue of the magazine (Summer 2008, p. 10).

When it comes to homemade ice cream, Timothy's Ice Cream at 2974 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, is a winner. Named "Best Ice Cream" in the Fairfield County Advocate an astounding twenty-two times during its twenty-four years of business, and also chosen as one of the "Top 10" best ice cream parlors in the country (yes, the country!) by Epicurious.com (run by Bon Appetit and Gourmet Magazines), it's no wonder I love it so much. Timothy's has twelve flavors of hard ice cream, six of which are standard favorites like chocolate and coffee, and the other six specialty flavors rotate on a daily basis. Black Rock (French Vanilla ice cream studded with chocolate covered almonds), Caramel Crunch, and Peppermint were among the tempting specialty selections on one of my recent visits. Because all the ice cream is made in small batches, customers are always assured of the freshest product imaginable.

For a heaven-sent dessert experience, head to Caffe 4 Quattro (1603 Post Road, Fairfield) for some fantastic gelato! Gelato is, hands-down, my all-time favorite dessert, and Caffe 4 Quattro gets my vote for the best around. Caffe 4 Quattro hits the nail on the head with their perfectly creamy, velvety smooth, completely authentic gelato. It is made fresh on the premises almost every day, using imported Italian ingredients. The most popular flavors include Panna Cotta, which translated literally is "cooked cream", but is similar to vanilla, Ciocolatto, made with fine Belgian chocolate, and my mother’s favorite, Stracciatella, which is an Italian version of chocolate chip. Gelato is served at the cafe year round, but in colder months, try having your gelato "affogato" style, which is a shot of espresso poured over the top of a scoop of your favorite flavor, and then topped with freshly whipped cream. It may be one of the most simple but delicious "grown-up" desserts on earth!

For fantastic, hand-packed pints of homemade ice cream and sorbet, The Pantry (1580 Post Road, 259-0400) has you covered. Yes, there is ice cream at The Pantry--- and it is wonderful. The owner states, "we use a base that has the same percentage butterfat as Haagen Daaz, so it is really good.” All the traditional favorites are available, like mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and chocolate, but if you’re looking for something different, try the pina colada or mango-lime sorbets, or the coffee with peanut butter cup ice cream. There’s something for everyone.

Check out Fairfield Magazine for more Fairfield-area favorites, including Sunny Daes and Helado Vasquez!

Photo above by QuintanaRoo.

Restaurants: The Best of Bridgeport

Living in Fairfield, we are right next door to Connecticut's largest city, Bridgeport. Luckily for us, it has some fantastic eating destinations. If you're looking to liven up your weekend, head for the border and check out one of these great Bridgeport eateries!

In the past few years, several sections of Bridgeport have seen lots of positive development. The Black Rock Historic District has seen an influx of eateries in recent years, and has become downright (dare I say?) quaint. The section of downtown near the courthouse (Fairfield Avenue/Main Street) also has a slew of great restaurants, some new, some old, but all worth a visit.

In Black Rock, I recently ate at Dish Supper Club at 2889 Fairfield Avenue. It is by reservation only, and currently only open for dinner on Friday nights (although it serves breakfast on weekdays). It works more like a supper club than a restaurant, and you almost feel like you're part of a fabulous dinner party at someones home. The fixed price, set multi-course meal is served in a casual setting, at shared tables. During the summer months, the menu featured a New England Clambake---complete with wonderful clam chowder, mussels, clams, a whole lobster for each person, corn, potatoes, purple cabbage cole slaw and dessert (homemade ice cream sandwiches from Timothy's Ice Cream--YUM). It was really excellent...and I can't wait to go back in the fall to see what Janet, the chef/owner cooks up in her open kitchen. BTW, it is BYOB and will also open for private groups on other days of the week. This is a place NOT to be missed.

Other notable restaurants in the area are Cafe Tavolini (nice decor, nice Italian menu), Viale (classic, upscale Italian restaurant feel, very good food), and Home on the Range for breakfast (you'd pass it if you weren't looking---very small but a great breakfast!). Don't forget dessert---either at Timothy's Ice Cream (a mainstay---mentioned above) or the new Helado Vasquez for great, homemade gelato and sorbetto (all on Fairfield Avenue in the Black Rock section).

In downtown Bridgeport, Cafe Roma at 269 Fairfield Avenue is a relative newcomer to the scene (opened in 2006), and is owned by two Italian-born Fairfielders. The space is excellent---- two story ceilings, exposed brick, perfect lighting, and a friendly staff. The service is a little on the slow side, but it didn't seem incompetent---maybe just more of a laid-back European style. The food was really good, and the portion size perfect. Just the right amount so everyone leaves happy (not in a food coma). They even have an "economic stimulus plan" where if you pay in cash, you get a 10% discount!

Also in the same area of downtown Bridgeport is Ralph 'n Rich's (815 Main Street). It is a large, airy space with great energy and serves up excellent Italian food (in huge portions!). It's great for large groups too. Joseph's Steakhouse (360 Fairfield Avenue) has a traditional, old-school steakhouse feel to it, with excellent service and top-notch food (just keep the wine flowing so when the check comes, you don't have a heart attack). After eating at any of these great spots, head over to Two Boots for some live music (or go earlier for some great pizza).

What are you waiting for? Start eating out in Bridgeport! You'll be happy you did!