Favorite Food Finds of 2008

I follow several food blogs, and it seems as if everyone is putting together their "Best of 2008" lists this week. So, I decided to follow suit and create a list of my own favorite things from 2008. Think Oprah's "favorite things" show without all the fancy give-aways! Here it goes:

Favorite local restaurant: Osianna in Fairfield. Blogged about it ages ago---still love it.

Favorite lunchtime discovery: Roly Poly sandwiches. These sandwiches can be ordered cold or warm and have tons of interesting combinations to choose from. They are big too, so half a sandwich is more than enough. I'm especially excited about the new Fairfield location on the Post Road (next to Vincent et Isabelle French Bakery)! Where have I been all these years?

Favorite cookbooks I got this year: I've cut back considerably on cookbook purchases, but these I received as gifts and are great: 1. Mediterranean Fresh by Joyce Goldstein. A beautiful collection of salads and small plates with great photography. 2. Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's by Deana Gunn & Wona Miniati. The perfect book for the busy cook---lots of yummy recipes using great short-cuts available at Trader Joe's.

Favorite food-related tv shows: Everyday Food and America's Test Kitchen--both on PBS. I love these shows because they are so practical....not all the flash of some of the Food Network shows. Just good, straightforward cooking and tips any cook will appreciate.

Favorite new wines: Luzon Verde Organic Jumilla Red Wine from my favorite wine shop, Mo's Wine and Spirits on the Post Road in Fairfield. It is a simple red wine perfect for every night drinking...remember a glass of red wine a day is good for you! Plus, it's organic! At about $8 a bottle, you can't go wrong.


Favorite new cheese & crackers: Cambozola---- a fantastic combination of Camembert and Gorgonzola. I found it at Trader Joe's. And on that note, the Gorgonzola Crackers, also at Trader Joe's. Great on their own or with mild cheese.

Favorite new gadget: The Bialetti Mukka Express stovetop cappuccino maker my husband bought me for Christmas. It is just like the Bialetti "macchinetta" I blogged about earlier this year over at Season to Taste, but has the added attraction of a built-in milk frother for perfect cappuccini in under 5 minutes.

Favorite tip: This is from my friend Elena in Italy, whose family was in the restaurant business. If you have champagne left over, don't toss it. Put the handle of a spoon into the neck of the bottle and refrigerate. I've had it stay bubbly for an entire WEEK!

Favorite "can't wait" for 2009: From the owners of Fairfield's Fraiche restaurant, Fraiche Burger which will be opening in the early part of '09 on Main Street in Bridgeport.

What are YOUR favorites of 2008-----or things you can't wait for in 2009? Let me know by leaving a comment! I'd LOVE to hear from you!

Happy New Year and all the best in 2009!

Champagne photo by dotw.

Restaurants: Fairfield Favorites

When I discover a new restaurant (or one new to me, at least), I usually end up profiling it here on my blog. It was once pointed out to me that I never write a bad review--- and that would be a correct observation. I made a conscious decision that if I were going to spend time writing about an eatery, it would be because I liked it! Therein lies the beauty of this blog---no one is paying me, so I can write whatever I want, and skip the rest! I'm too busy to spend time slamming restaurants I don't like.

I do, however, have a few favorites which I've never profiled, mostly because I've been going to them for years and figured everyone else already knows about them. But since they are my absolute stand-bys, I decided it was high time to write about my good ol' Fairfield favorites.

Centro (pronounced "CHEN-tro"), located at 1435 Post Road in Fairfield is my absolute favorite place to go with the kids. It is bright and cheerful, and was recently redecorated and rearranged, so there are now booths and banquettes in addition to regular tables. I have probably eaten at Centro something close to 100 times over the past several years, and I've tried almost everything on the menu. I can honestly say I've never had a bad meal at Centro. The kids can color right on the tables, which are covered with butcher paper, so mom and dad can actually have a conversation (well, sort of). In the warmer weather, we love eating on the patio overlooking the Sherman Gazebo. We are regulars, and love that the waitstaff knows our kids by name and that we like a few packets of grissini on the table in addition to the yummy bread. Centro is definitely one of my very favorite Fairfield spots. You cannot go wrong here.

If we're going out without the kids, I love Quattro Pazzi, located right down the street at 1599 Post Road. Unless you go by about 6:00 pm on weekends, you'll almost certainly have to wait awhile, since it is a very popular spot and they do not accept reservations (hence the reason for going sans kids). Quattro Pazzi also recently underwent a facelift, with new tile floors, wall decorations, and seat coverings. Like at Centro, I've eaten just about everything on the menu at Quatto Pazzi, and have never once been disappointed. I'm always drawn to the fresh pasta dishes, but everything is truly delicious. The bar is lively and usually has my favorite Sangiovese wine by the glass, so I almost don't even mind waiting for a table. Quattro Pazzi's sister restaurant, Osianna, has quickly become one of my other favorite eating destinations, but I've already told you about that when I profiled it back in December.

When we're in the mood for take-out food, I always head to Senor Salsa (previously called La Salsa--but has the same menu). I usually stick to the salads (the Chili-Lime is my favorite), but when I feel like having a calorie splurge, I go for one of the fresh burritos (I love the Classic with steak or the Cancun Shrimp). I always make sure to load up at the fresh salsa bar----Fire Roasted Tomato for my husband, Avocado for me, and a few little containers of the crunchy carrots to share (and to counteract all the homemade tortilla chips we're injesting). Yes, this is a franchised chain, but I like it anyway.

Other favorites of mine include Fin for sushi, Caffe Quattro for lunch with grown-ups (and after-dinner coffee/dessert), WineKnot for pre- or post-dinner drinks, and Fire House Deli for lunch with the kids.

So go! Go out to dinner! You don't need to go far from home to enjoy fantastic food.

Restaurants: Osianna, Fairfield CT

Osianna opened its doors during the summer of 2007, in a space that seemed to have a somewhat unlucky track record. In the past several years it was a French restaurant (Voila), then an unmemorable seafood restaurant, and later a New England-themed eatery(Sherman's Reef). Finally, the owners of the wildly popular Quattro Pazzi and Cafe 4 Quattro restaurants claimed the space and turned it into Osianna, a "Mediterranean taverna". Named for one of the owner's daughters, Osianna has an airy, Greek-nautical themed interior, and serves a variety of "small dishes", salads, sandwiches, and entrees prepared in the Greek and Italian traditions. Their specialty is fresh seafood, but for landlubbers, there are plenty of other dishes to tempt your palate.

While most Americans have come to appreciate Italian cookery for more than baked ziti and pizza, most still consider Greek food to be what is typically found in a diner; Spanikopita, Gyros, and Souvlaki. If you travel to Greece, as I did on my honeymoon, you'd be surprised to discover that the cuisine extends far beyond what is commonly found in America.

At Osianna, you won't find Americanized versions of anything. The food is reminiscent of the deliciously simple dishes one finds in the Greek Islands and Southern Italy---- loaded with fresh flavors and excellent quality ingredients. On my several visits to Osianna, I've tried practically all of the "small dishes" which are like appetizers. Most times I like to select a few small dishes in place of an entree, in order to try a wider variety of flavors. However, don't let that steer you away from the entrees; they are definitely worth ordering.

According to a recent New York Times article, "small plates" (think tapas) are the new direction in food, while entrees are "near extinction." However, at Osianna, they manage to get them both right. There is a wide selection of small plates for the smaller appetite or people like me who like to eat a lot of different things, and a well balanced list of entrees for those wanting a more traditional meal. I have never once been disappointed with either option.

While the quiet dining room and white tablecloths may steer families away, I found the staff most accommodating when I dined with my two young children. Although they did not have high chairs or a children's menu, the kitchen was more than happy to make small dishes of pasta for my kids. If you are dining with little ones, it is best to go at lunchtime, or for an early dinner, (before 6pm) when it tends to be a bit less crowded. In addition, during the warmer months, the outside patio overlooking Reef Road is a perfect place to bring the family and watch the cars (and the occasional fire engine) pass by.

Osianna is a fantastic addition to the Fairfield dining scene, which is quickly becoming a dinnertime destination for people from all over the county. It has the know-how of a seasoned restaurant, an exciting menu, and an attentive waitstaff.. Three cheers to Osianna bringing fantastic, Mediterranean-inspired food to Fairfield in an attractive, upscale setting.

My favorite dishes:

Small Plates: Shrimp Saginaki with Tomato and Feta, Grilled Marinated Octopus with Rocket and Red Onion, and Baby Eggplant Stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Kasseri Cheese

Salads: Rocket and Romaine Salad with Grapes, Walnuts, Gorgonzola Cheese and Cranberries, and the Vine Ripened Tomato Salad with Olives and Feta

Entrees: Fresh Fettucini with Veal Ossobucco Sauce, and Branzino Fillet with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Tomatoes

Osianna

70 Reef Road (at the corner of Sherman Court)
Fairfield, CT 06824
(203) 254-2070

http://www.osianna.com/

Prices

Lunch: Small Plates & Salads, $7-15, Sandwiches, $8-15, Entrees, $15-19

Dinner: Small Plates & Salads, $7-17, Entrees, $22-37

Hours
Open every day for lunch (11-3pm) and dinner (5-10/10:30pm)

No reservations.