Kronick Wino Review
55 Degrees Wine Bar & Restaurant - A Wino Favorite
January 8, 2009 - What used to be the crazy Rattlesnake bar, and later, supposedly, a short-lived Italian eatery, is now a semi-well-known secret of great food, atmosphere and lively action in an astoundingly classy joint. Tucked into a little corner of downtown Fairfield, Connecticut sits 55 Degrees Restaurant & Wine Bar. The restaurant is run by two suave gentlemen, Vicente Siguenza and Mario Lopez, who you’d think had Italian running through their blood from birth, but in fact are from Ecuador! Who knew!? I’ve been to this place probably more times than I can count. Typically, you’ll find me sitting at the beautiful dark wooded bar where the crowd is friendly, classy and i can nosh on house-cured olives. This place is right off the northbound side of the train station in downtown Fairfield, so it also makes for a great happy-hour location in town. And I keep going back, why? Because it's one of the very few places that I a know, without a doubt, that I am going to have an amazing dinner. Maybe I’m hopeful, but I have yet to be let down.
So what’s here? Well for one, the pasta! It’s so delectably delicious! In my numerous experiences there, one of the dishes that immediately pops into my gastronomic head is the Handmade Ricotta Gnocchi served with a Bolognese sauce. These puffy little clouds of heaven melted in my mouth with each bite. Other pastas include tagliatelle with broccoli rabe and sausage, pappardelle served with lobster and shrimp and freshly made tortellini.
Equally amazing is the Rabbit “Saltimbocca” that is oh so tender, served with prosciutto and sage and coated in a light lemon caper sauce. WHOA! Your taste buds are going to soar, and I was pretty sure I didn’t like rabbit… Most recently I enjoyed one of the house specials - a Long Island Duck Breast, pan seared and served up medium rare, perfectly cooked to my taste, with some fresh lentils, julienne pear, kale and brandy-pear butter.
Appetizers worth noting are the Eggplant Parmesan which is a more modern take on the traditional dish served slightly disassembled with fresh, giant leaves of fragrant basil, large slices of wonderful buffalo mozzarella, and lightly breaded eggplant. All served up with a homemade tomato ragu. The Tuna (and sometimes Salmon) 2-ways is an excellent starter dish or palate cleanser between courses, usually served as a tartar and smoked slices or seared. One of my favorite apps, as Chef Jacob Hamilton is well aware of, is the Carne Crouda. Admittedly, you have to love a little steak tartar to enjoy this one. It's a luscious dish of very rare ground sirloin mixed with fragrant herbs and spices, served up with two toasty pieces of brioche bread and a creamy, dreamy buttery Parmesan sauce. And the best part? The fresh quail egg placed right on top. It’s a food-lovers fantasy on a plate… did I mention I love it? But alas, it was part of the summertime menu. Shrimp & Grits is on the customer favorite list there, but I have yet to try them.
Price points are GREAT here. You can find most appetizers to run anywhere between $8-$13 and entrees $19 - $32, depending on the specials that night. A nice detail is that there is something on this menu for everyone, even the vegetarians, who may enjoy the crispy artichoke salad or the butternut squash panzotti.
Let’s not overlook one thing: WINE. These guys took the time to pull a list together of wines that really reach out to the tastes of their customers. The wine list actually matches up to the menu and, in my opinion, is a rare trait of restaurants these days. The wine list boasts a lot of Italian wines for obvious reasons. I was a big fan of the Valpolicella wines and some of the Chiantis on the list. The California / US selection is excellent in the way that it is not full of all the ‘big commercial’ wines. You’re going to be looking at more boutique classics, like the Benton Lane 2007 Pinot Noir - Red Wine or a jammy syrah blend out of Central Coast, California. And fear not! Vincente knows his wines, so when in doubt, get his opinion! Markup on wine here is also something that stood out to me - it’s not outlandish, unlike some restaurants I’d like to ‘educate’ …but I digress.
Only downsides on my list:
- Service tends to be slowwww. Do not go there if you’re in a hurry to leave. On the flip side, it’s also a place you will feel relaxed and welcome.
- The place is LOUD and could do with a some music in the bar and sound panels on some of the barren walls.
- You have to ask for the bread, and THAT is something to NOT be missed! They make their own foccacia with caramelized onions and their own Italian bread. MMMMMM!
My favorite parts:
- The olives at the bar with really good Extra virgin olive oil
- The gigantic mirror situated on the bar wall to discreetly allure you to any interesting strangers walking in.
- The Homemade bread! Do not leave without trying some!
- The Wine list (by the glass you’re going to get some quality wines; no cheap stuff here, but expect to pay about $9 / glass).
- The clean, sleek lines and cavernous feel of the bar area. Equally enjoyable - the dining room, situated on 2 additional levels with cathedral high ceilings and beautiful wall hutch layered in dark wood along the back wall.
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