Friday, April 1, 2011

Swooning for the Dressing Room


Today I'm very excited to share a guest review from my friend E! While I love to eat out as often as I can there are a ton of restaurants on my "to try" list and the Dressing Room is one I haven't yet gotten to. When E told me she dined there a few weeks ago I asked her to share her experience! I think this bumps it to the top of my list - enjoy! 

Opened in 2006 by Paul Newman and veteran chef and cookbook author Michel Nischan, the Dressing Room in Westport serves up “American heirloom recipes” on the grounds of the storied Westport County Playhouse. 

A great Friday crowd and a roaring fire in the barn-paneled interior made for cozy perfection on a recent late winter’s night.

I started with the “Use a Spoon” Chopped Salad, a creative twist on the classic with a super-fresh mix of celery root, winter squash, sunchokes, Sea Island peas, local goat cheese, pears, dried cranberries, candied pecans and a mustard vinaigrette.  Then came a Duck Ragout, served over linguine with the slightest hint of crunch from spiced breadcrumbs.  My husband had the “Millstone Mix” Salad – local lettuce, apples, cheddar and a Meyer lemon herb vinaigrette -- followed by a chicken pot pie that was out of this world good.

Our table shared a handful of sides – each better than the last – pan roasted Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, kettle macaroni and cheese made with farmstead cheddar and cured pork belly, and, oh my word, the corn bread. I’m usually fairly ambivalent about corn bread.  This stuff was sublime.

I’m ashamed to admit that I was so wrapped up in my luscious duck, that I have no idea what our friends ordered, but we all felt, well, spoiled by what was easily the best meal I’ve had since we moved back East from San Francisco.

We finished things off with a Skillet Apple Pie with caramel rosemary ice cream.  In the end it was all just a delicious blur – simple, unpretentious food in an atmosphere that was warm in every respect.  I’m dying to go back to try their burger. 



The Dressing Room 
27 Powers Court, Westport (adjacent to the Westport County Playhouse)
203.226.1114 
Reservations also available at www.opentable.com 

2 comments:

  1. Looks like guest posts are a big hit! 145 views so far for E's review! If you'd like to write a review or have a suggestion for a post feel free to email me at fairfieldcounty411@gmail.com

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  2. Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It's the little changes that make the biggest changes. Many thanks for sharing!

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