Our Finds - Places we especially enjoyed finding in 2010-2011

*Hot Heaven Pizza - 33 East Main St. (Rt. 44, Old Avon Village), Avon. Almost everyplace in Old Avon Village is hard to find. But with Heaven, that may be a good thing. Only a chosen few deserve pizza this good in peace (or by the piece). The New York-style crust is just right and the toppings incomparable in this area. There's a modest dining room where you can also get a bunch of terrific pasta dishes for one or two or the whole family. It's a helluva deal. (BYOB)
860-470-0257

*The Elephant Trail - 39 East Main St, Rt. 44, Avon. Another little gem off the circuitous path through Old Avon Village. Owned by a large family who, as you would expect, never forget a customers face, providing gracious service and consistently preparing a surprisingly extensive Thai menu that's healthful, tasty ablue sky fond a bargain. BYOB too.
860-677-0065

*Blue Sky Foods 431 Main St., Rt. 44, New Hartford. Solidly in a bygone era filled with Jimmy Buffet, beach buggies and babes. Though you won't find any of them here, just their inspiration for interior design and fun food - loud colors, beachy kitschy, seafood shacky and surfy. Lovely whole bellies, lots of snappy fried fish and oysters, clams and their friends. Cubans you'll fall for, hamburger hunks and good old-fashioned. sweeties (shakes, sundaes, floats) for dessert. Guaranteed to turn your day around!
860-379-0000

Chatterly's - 2 Bridge St., New Hartford Center. You remember this place from your hometown. The place with the wood bar, where leaning against it on Friday nights, the salesmen, the storeowners, the factory workers all swapped stories about how lousy the economy was, where people you knew ordered chowder, fish 'n chips, pot roast or turkey with mashed potatoes, smoked cigarettes and drank Manhattans. You remember going back after college seeing many of the same people, having the same conversation. No smoking, instead martinis (dry) and still Manhattans. They ordered big burgers, pasta primavera, Caesar salads. You just went back. Still the same dependable delicious food - now marinated flank steak, crusted yellowtail or salmon, Cajun linguini, potato gnocchi; you think you still recognize a lot of the people and they're talking about how lousy the economy is and drinking Stella or Sierra Nevada or Bud Light, good wines, flavored martinis and Manhattans. It always feels good, smells good and tastes just great.
860-379-2428

Joey Garlic's - 372 Scott Swamp Rd., Farmington. Like his older brother in Canton (Joe Pizza) and the younger one in Simsbury (Joe Pizza), the Joes' philosophy is "more is better." They're good-spirited home grown spots that crank out New Haven pizza, Vinnie's South End eggplant fries, pasta and grinder specials borrowed from their pals in the Bronx and salads along with sides from all over. However, nothing even comes close to the burger, a luscious half-pounder with your choice of free toppings for just $6.95!
860-678-7231

Matthew's 55 Mill St., Unionville. The spiffy bar room discovered and claimed by a loyal following of regulars has made Mathews a welcome "Cheers" revival that can turn out some very good food from its eclectic menu of Continental, classics and Cajun-influenced dishes as well a plentiful selection of seafood. Accolades from Connecticut Magazine and others.
860-673-7373

Buon Appetito 50 Albany Tpke., Rt. 44, Canton. Lots of people swear by this place. At least a few swear at it. For 20 years the little outpost set back in a lonely plaza off RT44 in Canton has attracted a steady line of loyal fans with its garlic-heavy, creative Italian cooking. Others complain it's tacky. Too loud and too crowded. It's an acquired taste, but those who have it remain fans forever. BYOB too.
860-693-2211

Ferme - Avon Old Farms Hotel, Rt. 44, Avon. This is a farm-to-table concept situated in an unlikely place, a hotel. The food, which comes with a razzle-dazzle combination of country-culled ingredients, is excellent. There are 20 artisnal cheeses. The deserts are heavenly. This is stuff you can't find anywhere around here. We'd love to love it. Unfortunately the service sometimes spoils the kitchen's masterful performance.
860-269-0240

Char Koon 1800 144 Albany Tpke., Rt. 44, Canton. The landmark red clapboard Colonial era inn that had most recently been home to a Mexican place has been totally renovated by Char Koon, the long loved South Glastonbury Asian fusion destination. At the 1800 version, Chinese, Malaysian and Thai make the fusion (some with zesty spicing). As you would expect the Pad Thai is very good; the seafood dishes are outstanding.
860-693-8868

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Meadow Asian Cuisine - Rte. 10/202 at Simsmore Square, Simsbury. You can't argue with all the online chatter and personal reviews that sing its praises. Superb fresh sushi, a large selection of excellent entrees, steaming soups, maki specials and flawless service make it the regular choice of those who know what's good. It's decked out with crisp linen table clothes, exudes a confident NYC vibe, and draws a spiffy young crowd at the nifty little bar. 860-408-9800

Ginza Japanese Cuisine - Wintonbury Mall, Bloomfield. This is a fine-tuned operation where you really can't find better Sushi and pan-Asian entrees. The Hibachi room is a Hibachi theater; there's a movie theater next-door. 860-242-8289

* The Green Papaya - Rte. 44 near Canton Green. Low prices for house specialties are easy to find on the wide-ranging menu of Thai/Laotian fare. An in-crowd has found this sparsely decorated spot where you BYOB. 860-693-9322

* Tan Wong Chinese - Rte. 167, West Street near Simsbury High School, Simsbury. You're stressed at work, stretched for cash. You're tired of pizza delivery, tired of take-out, sick of Subway, can't face the leftovers, and can't even face your dog. This is Tan Wong time. It's a mellow place with linen tablecloths, attentive service and all the familiar Chinese menu items; but our favorites are the no frills, fresh daily specials that are in the $9-$12 range. 860-651-4838

Sakimura Japanese Steakhouse - 10 Wilcox St., Fiddler's Green, Simsbury. Now in it's eighth year, Sakimura has endeared itself to its intensely loyal clientele. This is a tastefully decorated, welcoming hideaway for people who appreciate the ambitious sushi menu and exceptional service. Creative specials all the time, sake, Sapporo and martinis add to the appeal. The Hibachi room is popular with families.
860-651-7929

* Bamboo Grill - 50 Albany Tpke., Rte. 44 Canton. This cozy Vietnamese eatery satisfies even the most discriminating tastes with lots of fresh seafood and vegetarian selections, big portions and bargain prices. 860-693-4144

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Our Picks Breakfast / Lunch

Peaberry's Café - 712 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. A comfortable relief from Starbucks, this is a well-appointed local coffeehouse with leather sofas and a fireplace where young moms relax over lattes or a card game after their school drop-offs; where college students on vacation meet for non-Facebook face time and flavored coffees; a spot for serious business conversations over a breakfast sandwich. Or for a cappuccino with your computer. Old friends get together over bowls of tasty soups and sandwiches at lunch and young folkies hold open mike at night. 860-658-2930

Harvest Café - 1390 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. THE place for breakfast in the Valley keeps getting more popular because the food is so consistently good and portions are generous. A lot of weekends feature theme breakfasts, like Grateful Dead weekend with Cherry Garcia pancakes and Shakedown Street omelets. Nice, healthy lunch offerings and fresh bakery stuff too. Just expanded to offer more of the same great stuff and less of a wait for breakfast. 860-658-5000

* LaSalle Market & Deli - 104 Main St., Collinsville. The funky old country store atmosphere here always makes us feel like we’re in Vermont or New Hampshire. Legendary sandwiches, homemade soups, big breakfasts, pizza, prepared foods, comfortably mismatched furnishings and bargain prices make the scene. 860-693-8010

Fabiola's Fine Foods - 195 W. Main St., Avon. A somewhat secluded only-lunch spot serving absolutely super soups, sandwiches, crusty bread and stellar salads! 860-674-9113

Claudia's - 103.5 Farmington Ave., Farmington. A steady line of loyal fans march in as soon as the clock hits 12, ordering homemade soups, great big grinders, wonderful wraps and “Nancy’s Specials.” Pizza too. 860-674-9525

* Route 10 Pizza - 542 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. Yankees and Red Sox banter is the only thing that occasionally interrupts the smooth flow of grinders, pizza, calzones and basic Italian dinners for a steady line of lunch regulars that fill the simple storefront operation. Steve and Junior juggle cooking, serving, take-out calls, bussing and collecting the dough. No plastic please. 860-651-8363

* Toni-Ann's - 518 Salmon Brook St., Granby. Open for breakfast at 5 a.m. with down-home diner food including eggs any way, home fries, French toast and robust coffee. Toni-Ann’s handmade cheeseburgers pack a punch at lunch. And there’s kitschy country décor galore, signaling that the MA border lies just ahead. 860-653-5274

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Our Picks Classic

Grist Mill Restaurant - 44 Mill Lane, Farmington. Here you can expect always- delicious European and American cuisine served in one of the state’s most picturesque settings — a 1640 gristmill overlooking a waterfall on the Farmington River. Crisp white tablecloths and professional service are trademarks. Recipient of Zagat’s Distinction award and a top rating by The NY Times. 860-676-8855

Apricots - 1593 Farmington Ave., Farmington. At Apricots, the seasoned staff continues to operate as they have for more than 20-years - with quiet aplomb - consistently turning out expertly prepared specialties like rack of lamb, swordfish and delicious desserts for the sophisticated crowd of Ann Howard devotees. 860-673-5405

La Trattoria - Brass Lantern Rd./Rte. 44, Avon. Angelo Bettera and family have operated this polished Valley classic that has satisfied more than three generations with excellent traditional Italian dishes, twin-lobsters and other seasonal specials as well as absolutely professional service. 860-673-5000

First & Last Tavern Brass Lantern Rd. Rt. 44, Avon. Stick to the tried and true old Hartford First and Last dishes. They’re not all dressed up, but they’re a cheap date. You’ll choose from pasta and sauce, pasta with meatballs, shells with sausage, sausage and peppers, all at around $10-$15 for a fill up. Soak up the sauce with their focaccia. Remember not to whiz by the First and Last, which is set back a bit off speedy RT 44. It will take you back to a world before stone pies. They just renovated the Tavern. 860-676-2000

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Our Picks Casual

*Old Well Tavern - 20 Tariffville Rd., Rts. 202 and 315, Simsbury. The 80s dance hall has been transformed once more. New owners have split it in half with a nice family restaurant in back and a pool hall bar up front. Go Wednesday for the $14.99 go-for-broke prime rib dinner. Kid-friendly, good food for a low price. 860-658-0050

*Five Guys Burgers and Fries - Big Y Plaza, Rt. 44 Avon. That’s about it, except for a hot dog. But that’s all you need. Big juicy burgers with 15 no-charge topping options, ultra-good fries and a lot of them (I can’t finish a “regular”) Your kids can also throw unshelled peanuts on the floor, but you don’t have to do that with your money. 860-409-9100

*Tower Ridge Country Club - (It’s open to the public) 140 Nod Rd., Simsbury. Chef Angel works miracles. Great big burgers with fries $6.95, wraps $6.95, salads $6-$9, bountiful $12.99 weeknight buffets featuring stuff like pasta with mussels, BBQ cooked ribs and chicken, five-buck Pabst pitchers, appetizers like meatball sliders with fries ($5.95) – a whole meal by itself. Relaxing views of the hilly course. 860-408-4640

Da Capo - 29 Old Avon Village, Jct. Rt.44 and 202. A well-styled, polished-up bistro with savvy management, an up-to date menu offering thin crust pizza and contemporary Italian in small, standard or family portions (large bowls), all of it pretty good. It’s got a well-tended classic wooden bar with good wines and real drinks. The best thing is Da Capo Chips, a big plate of sliced fried eggplant and zucchini with plucky cucumber/yogurt dip. 860-677-5599

* The Village Café and Bistro - Canton Village Plaza, 220 Albany Tpke., Canton. No corner cutting here, except on price. This shiny spot turns out three major league meals daily starting with coffee and eggs and topping out with plates like encrusted fish and prime rib with flavor-filled mashed potatoes for dinner. In between, a superb lobster bisque, exceptional salads and hearty sandwiches join the all-star line-up. The web reviewers are screaming: “Wicked delicious!,” “Wonderful value!”, “If you haven’t eaten here you’re nuts!.” 860-693-4302

Portobello's - 107 Main St., Rte. 44, New Hartford. It’s refreshing to get out of the “red zone” along Rte. 44 for this Friday night favorite of ours. Take a hike down the pike any night, (actually a five-minute drive from Canton Village), and you’ll get down-home, well prepared meals here on the border (of New Hartford). It’s family friendly, budget friendly and turns out a huge menu of remarkably tasty Italian standards, big salads, burgers, grinders, pizzas, daily specials, you name it. Nice bar with a good variety of wines and beers. 860-693-2598

Cassille's - 232 Spielman Hwy., Burlington. When you’re tired, hungry and bored with the “same old stuff,” and craving a great meal at a fair price, this is where to go. Its huge selection of menu items has something to appeal to every taste: pizza, grinders, veal, seafood, pasta, steaks, prime rib and salads. 860-673-4337

Apollo Restaurant - 775 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. The Gods from Delphi have decreed a new life for this once old-line Greek pizza and pasta joint. Specials like scrod with artichoke hearts, and grilled rib eye join the standard Greek/Italian offerings. 860-651-3306

* Elizabeth's - 32 Main St., Tariffville Center. The menu is primary Italian, an ambitious variety of appetizers, soups, salads pastas, chicken, veal and seafood. There are 19 wines by the glass at the vintage village storefront. Recession-proof prices and a Kids’ menu to boot. 860-651-4214

* Tower View Pizza - Riverdale Farms, Avon. Goes far beyond pizza and grinders with a nice selection of Italian dinners including Chicken Marsala, Fettuccini Alfredo, Veal Parmigiana and Shrimp Primavera. Open M-F until 10:30, Saturday ‘til 11. And they deliver! 860-677-7993

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Our Picks Pizza

Little City Pizza - 926 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. Soccer Moms and hockey Dads always know what’s best for their kids and that’s why they bring them here (or grab take-out). Excellent thin-crust pizzas, good grinders, home-style soups, satisfying salads, daily lunch and dinner specials and some beer and wine for the parents. 860-658-4001

* Joe Pizza - 140 Albany Tpke., Rte. 44, Canton. How can you go wrong at a place where Pizza is the owner’s last name? The Joe Pizza, New Haven style, is a thin-crusted knockout. The Joe Burger is a two-fisted, hand-slammed, downright primitive hunk of fresh meat at a prehistoric price. The indescribable décor doesn’t deter faithful fans. 860-693-1265

Luna Pizza - 530 Bushy Hill Rd., Simsbury. Luna is a legend in the pizza world around here. Consistently outstanding reviews from everybody for their thin-crust pies made with fresh ingredients. Eat in, take out, or delivery. 860-651-1820

Harry's Bishops Corner Pizza - Bishops Corner, next to Waldbaums, West Hartford. This place has people raving about it for one reason — the pizza is absolutely terrific. They keep it simple, no long list of fancy-Dan combos. Seasonal specials this fall were layered with fresh tomatoes, basil and red peppers from nearby Rosedale Farm — whole wheat dough if you want; 21 bottles of wine are priced from $10 (yes!) to $17; pitchers of beer for $11. Expect a wait on nights near the weekend. 860-236-0400

Naples Pizza - 838 Farmington Ave, Farmington. Generations of Miss Porter’s students can’t be wrong: This is the real deal — top of the line pies (New York style), nice salads, calzones. 860-674-8876

New England Pizza - 518 Salmon Brook St., Granby. Granby folks seem to always end up at this homey place when they don’t want to cook at home. Why should they? The pizza, pasta, seafood specials and generous dinner entrees here are better than homemade! 860-653-4447

Flatbread Company - The Shoppes, 110 Albany Tpke. Canton. It’s a repro package of the Vermont-born American Flatbread Company that somehow landed in this national brand plaza. The scene is simple, like a campground picnic area with a wood-fired pizza oven. Almost everything is organic and fair trade. Usually it’s “all good.” When sometimes it’s not so good, the eager young staff makes it all better. 860-693-3314

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Our Picks Pubs

The Iron Frog Tavern- 6 Wilcox St., Fiddlers Green Simsbury. A hot spot for a younger crowd looking for an amiable place to meet up when they come back to town and young families with tadpoles looking for standard pub grub and kid grub. Live music, sports-bar specials and holiday parties add to the action. They even have frog legs on the menu, not the iron ones; and Pond Juice is a specialty drink. The place is jumpin’. 860-408-9626

Cambridge House Brew Pub - 357 Salmon Brook St., Rte. 10, Granby. New owners have corralled this hip roadhouse that has attracted more than a bevy of regulars in its six-year stint. Best known for their big selection of award-winning house-made brews, they also have an impressive selection of great pub food favorites that make it a good choice for families and groups of friends or just a lonely soul trying to find a friend or watch a game. 860-653-2739

Grist Mill Tavern - 44 Mill Lane, at The Grist Mill Restaurant, Farmington. The cozy, tavern room at the 1645 landmark restaurant sits above the river offering tasty contemporary pub fare along with three-course specials for under 20 bucks. 860-676-8855

Plan B - 4 Railroad St., Simsbury. As you already know, looks and prices can be deceiving. What pulled into the old Simsbury train station 3 years ago, still looks like the laid back burger and brew joint they promised. But they’ve really polished up the concept so that the burgers, a little expensive at $9.99 to $14.99, are better than promised as are the beer selection (about 70 choices), sides and “large plates.” And they’ve added another B to the plan in a big way – 60 kinds of Bourbon, small batch, very small batch, sustainable, up to 141.8 proof, from $6.50 to $29.50 for three fingers (horizontal outside the glass), or nips which are about a shot. The best is the 141.8 proof, though at $21.50 it’s not the most expensive nor is it, as you might guess, sustainable. Stick to the nip. 860-658-4477

Cracker Barrel Pub - 30 Main St., Tariffville. A Tariffville institution with its big, boisterous bar, informal dining room and comfortable deck draws an eclectic crowd from here and there, between and beyond. Some good grub for lunch and dinner. Fifteen beers by the pitcher. 860-651-0598

Maple Tree Café - 781 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. This venerable venue for great blues and excellent grub rolls on with a big deck and party room and a big menu of Greek, Italian and dressed-up comfort food. Eat, drink, dance. 860-651-1297

Crown and Hammer - 3 Depot St., Collinsville. Housed in the miniature old wooden Collinsville train station, this is a neat spot to rendezvous with friends, or meet up with a craft beer and juicy burger or sample from the well-done contemporary-working-person’s menu that offers such things as fried battered green tomatoes, crab cakes and zuppa de clams and lobster tortillas. 860-693-9199

Apricots Pub - 1593 Farmington Ave., Farmington. This Euro-style pub, downstairs from Apricots Restaurant, is a commuter oasis that can serve some of the tastiest comfort food around. Meatloaf, chicken potpie, grilled fish and shepherd’s pie are among the highlights. 860-673-5405

The Olive Bar - 9 School St., Rte. 4, Unionville Center. he old reliable George’s Pizza has spawned this “Cheers” bar with reliable food, a constant flow of good drinks and live music that doesn’t interfere with continuous conversation about life’s good, bad and unresolved. As they say, it takes a pizza place to raise a child but you need a pub to keep him happy. 860-673-0421

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Our Picks Upscale Contemporary

Max-a-Mia - 70 E. Main St., Avon. Consistently excellent food and superior professional service are the hallmarks of this very popular Valley veteran. The comfortable, trendy neo-Tuscan menu ranges from superb, salads and stone pies to grilled steaks and veal chops. The bar is the place to be seen for Valley professionals and their friends. On a recent night fresh mussels in a steamy red broth punctuated with chorizo and the pasta special, fresh-made ravioli plump with tender lobster filling, put us to bed with the courage to believe 2011 will be a great year. 860-677-6299

Metro Bis - 928 Hopmeadow St., Simsburytown Shops, Simsbury. A top-rated French Country-styled American bistro where acclaimed Chef Chris Prosperi creates a menu drawing from the latest culinary trends for foodie palates. He gives his latest insights on Faith Middleton’s public radio Food Schmooze. 860-651-1908

The Mill at 2T - Tariffville - Ryan and Kellyanne Jones, once local caterers, have brought to Tariffville one of the recent dining concepts developed in NYC and foodie-magnet Portland, Me. What’s it doing in Tariffville? Well the key ingredients in the “Chef’s Bar” concept are an obscure location, limited hours, lots of menu changing to take advantage of fresh foods and not the customers, hard-to-get reservations, a small space heavy on context (here mill features), a limited menu and a difficult to see sign. 2T’s got all of these. So if you can overcome the hard-to-get marketing approach and get a spot to sit, especially at the six-seat bar, it’s well worth the effort. The food and wine are generally well above and beyond the Valley’s best. 860-658-7890

Abigail's - 4 Hartford Rd., Rts 185 and 202, Simsbury. The old Pettibone Tavern, rescued from serious fire damage, doubled the size of its parking lot since it opened as Abigail’s about two years ago. Undoubtedly the Valley’s most popular restaurant, Abby’s gives the people what they want. A lunch, brunch, tavern and dinner menu with a comfortable mélange, mostly dishes you’ve probably seen before. Anyway, you can get anything from stone pies to filet mignon, pasta fish, chicken, apps, sandwiches, soups, salads and more. Prices hover in the digestible range with stone pies around $11-$12, apps $9-$15 and entrees $16-$32. There are two bars — up and down stairs. 860-264-1580

Feng Asian Bistro- at the Shoppes, 110 Albany Tpke., (Rt. 44), Canton. The titan from downtown Hartford has conquered the huge, long-empty space at the front gate of The Shoppes with a deft display of warm fusion. They’ve actually sliced up the interior into four separate restaurants. There’s a full bar, a sushi bar flanked by two dining areas, then a hibachi room with eight tables. The menu is fusion-genius, moving from a not-too-exotic sushi selection to a dim sum platter, Pad Thai, Wild Salmon with risotto in a lobster sake sauce, Thai Diver Scallops, Chilean Sea Bass, Shanghai Osso Bucco and so on. 860-693-3364

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