THE DISHGoing out to dinner? Here’s the word on what’s heating up the dining scene

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Fairfield County is home to some fabulously good restaurants, catering to every taste and serving good eats prepared by some of the top chefs in the business. Whether your menu favorite is farm-to-table, international cuisine or small plates, the following pages will deliver what’s new and what’s hot in our local kitchens. BON APPETIT!

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Fairfi eld County region and beyond.

My favorite dish on our menus is… the grass-fed, all-natural Slope Farms beef burger.

Best change to Fairfi eld County in the last decade… the infl ux of new restaurants and the rapidly growing restaurant industry, which brings more customers to all the towns here in Fairfi eld County.

My fi rst job was... and I learned... busboy; always be grateful and empathetic.

Person I’d most like to meet is… we just love to meet new people, especially those who share our passion for wine and food.

As answered by Vicente Siguenza

Customers here will always fi nd… a fi ne dining experience in a relaxed, cozy setting. A place that feels comfortable, where you can enjoy great food and exquisite wine at affordable prices, with pleasant customer service.

Biggest change in our restaurants is... the introduction of more locally sourced ingredients, and implementing the use of ingredients from our own vegetable farm in Weston.

The hottest thing at our restaurants now is… the grass-fed beef directly sourced from Slope Farms in Upstate New York.

I’m hoping… for more growth opportunities to serve our outstanding customer base here in the

Best advice I ever got is… stay humble because you may be drinking wine today, but you could be picking the grapes tomorrow.

I’m always inspired by… Entrepreneurs—people with passion and dedication.

I couldn’t live without… great food and wine!

A truly great day includes… happy, satisfi ed customers and staff!

Anything else you want us to know? Tell us here:We love what we do! We feel blessed beyond measure, and we want to thank all of our patrons for their continued business!

Harvest Burger

Harvest Mussels

Kleber, Nube and Vicente

Kleber Siguenza, Nube Siguenza and Vicente Siguenza 55 WINE BAR & RESTAURANT 55 Miller Street, Fairfi eld | 203.256.0099 | 55winebar.com

1104 Chapel Street, New Haven | 203.777.2500 | harvestwinebar.com372 Greenwich Avenue , Greenwich | 203.869.4080 | harvestwinebar.com

1077 Post Road, Darien | 203.662.3226 | scenawinebar.com

2 Forest Street, New Canaan | 203.966.6946 | cavawinebar.com

HARVEST WINE BAR & RESTAURANT

SCENA WINE BAR & RESTAURANT

CAVA WINE BAR & RESTAURANT

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TV and games. In the cooler months, people are drawn to the cozy ambience inside, and to our menu that becomes more entrée- and dessert-driven as the temperatures drop.

The hottest thing at my restaurant now is… the private tap room for up to twenty guests, where you can pour your own beer from three taps. It’s a great location for showers, birthday parties and other special events.

I’m hoping… that we will be able to open more restaurants in locations where we feel like we’re an integral part of the neighborhood and invested in the community.

My favorite dish on our menu is… duck confi t with a coconut carrot puree. It’s a blend of fl avors from Asia and Malaysia, fl avors you don’t always associate with this dish. Like so many of our menu items, it crosses a lot of borders.

Best change to South Norwalk in the last decade… has been the resurgence of a fi ne dining scene. Years ago, people came to SoNo for high-end food, but then it went through a period when bars and music were the draw for a younger demo. Now, with more luxury apartments and condos, there’s a demand again for more great food. When it comes to the quality of the dining experience, the bar is being raised.

Stephen LewandowskiOwner/Executive Chef

HARLAN PUBLICK 20 North Water Street, South Norwalk203.831.0727 | harlanpublick.com

Customers here will always fi nd… a great atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, and creativity coming from the kitchen and bar.

Three words to describe my restaurant are… fun, social and energetic.

The “personality” of my restaurant is… an unpretentious place where the focus is on coming together to socialize and engage in great conversation over good food. We think of it as a modern version of the old public house in the center of town, where locals met to discuss everything from politics to community to schools.

Biggest change in my restaurant is... when the seasons change. In the spring and summer, we have our patio open, and it draws people who want to be outside, sharing plates and socializing. It’s really popular because there’s nothing else around that’s quite like it. There’s music,

My fi rst job was... and I learned... at the Gotham Bar and Grill in Manhattan, where I learned how to organize a kitchen and run a restaurant effi ciently.

Person I’d most like to meet is… the Pope. I’ve cooked for a lot of famous people—Bruce Springsteen, Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, which was a huge honor. It would be an amazing experience to cook for the Pope.

Best advice I ever got was… while working with restaurateur Drew Neiporent. He always said, ‘the proof is in the pudding.’ I believe that what you put into something is what you get out of it. That holds true for everything from cooking to relationships

I’m always inspired by… I have a team of amazing chefs and we constantly explore new dishes and push each other. That’s where great new fl avors come from.

Stephen Lewandowski