Cb5 Restaurant Group has put its imprimatur on so many interesting Fairfield County ventures, including Red Lulu in South Norwalk and Lolita, China White and Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse in Greenwich. And now, with cb5’s help, the Wilton space that once housed Mediterranean Grill has been repurposed as a Southwestern eatery called Cactus Rose Cantina.
Cactus Rose Cantina is owned by Maria Pertesis and her mother Katerina.
The exterior of the restaurant features a big patio.
In the foyer, there’s an appropriate cactus display.
Farther inside, there’s a nice bar area,
a sparkling kitchen open to view,
an adobe fireplace,
and a large dining room that got busier as the hour grew later
I spoke with Katerina and publicist Linda Kavanagh in the entry,
and then I joined my fellow press members in the bar area.
We were plied with some really nice drinks,
as well as some tasty vittles, including beef empanadas with ranchero sauce,
vertical nachos with refried black beans, Chihuahua cheese and guacamole,
and seafood cocktail shooters loaded with lobster, crab, shrimp, citrus, chile and tomato.
After our last guests arrived, we adjourned to a table in the dining room, where we were well tended by the restaurant’s staff.
Guests chose between a Villa Sparina Gavi
and a Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
And then, our meal began in earnest, with wilted greens with orange and jícama in a warm chorizo vinaigrette topped with an organic sunny-side-up egg.
That was followed by a corn and poblano chowder with potato, applewood smoked bacon and cilantro.
Next came tuna tostada with watercress salad, pickled jalapeño and cilantro aïoli.
Hot on its heels was a chile relleno with goat cheese, black beans and a red chile salsa.
After that we scarfed down a mini Wagyu burger with applewood smoked bacon, poblano pepper and Monterey Jack cheese plus a handful of French fries.
The slider was followed by an absolutely gorgeous slab of barbecued wild salmon in a green pepito mole sauce served over sautéed greens.
And the savory coup de grace was grilled lamb chops with a New Mexican ratatouille.
It would have been an unforgettable meal if it had ended right there, but sweets were yet to come. These occasioned quite a procession…
The desserts included jelly doughnuts with strawberry jalapeño jam and vanilla shakes,
chile chocolate pots de crème with whipped cream,
banana bandits featuring banana cheesecake “burritos” with chocolate ice cream,
and finally, sung to the Monty Python spam song, flan, flan, flan, flan, flan, flan, flan, flan, flannity flan. Except it wasn’t! It looked like flan but had a nice, slightly cheesy taste and texture and was actually leche asado with queso fresco and Maldon sea salt.
After this wonderful meal, we got to meet, question and praise executive chef, Lisa Varnberg, a 1996 French Culinary Institute graduate who worked five years for the Barcelona Restaurant Group.
The meal’s last flourish was a recognizable cb5 touch—cotton candy!
Cactus Rose Cantina, 5 River Road, Wilton, 203-762-8484, www.cactusrosecantina.com