My twelfth and final Westport Restaurant Week visit found me at Café Manolo,
saving for last what I expected would be one of the best. We were warmly greeted by the hostess,
then led downstairs into the packed
and attractive restaurant,
where most of the evening the only available seating appeared to be at the communal table.
Reservations are highly recommended during Restaurant Week events.
Everyone around us seemed to be in excellent spirits,
including this attractive young couple.
My companion, Monica, and I couldn’t resist ordering some wine.
Our waiter, Rob,
brought a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to Monica,
and a glass of a Spanish Garnacha to me.
Baguette slices and a chickpea purée set in good olive oil
restrained our appetites, if only briefly. Four appetizers were offered on Café Manolo’s Restaurant Week menu. We didn’t get to try an organic mixed field green salad with a Dijon-mustard-and-honey vinaigrette or a vegetable antipasti with marinated onions, roasted cauliflower and marinated mushrooms. That’s because we were too enthralled with this octopus salad with celery, olive, piquillo pepper and lemon,
and this country pâté served with various accoutrements.
Café Manolo provided four main course choices on its Westport Restaurant Week menu. We didn’t get to try the chicken Milanese with a roasted-pepper-and-olive relish or the pasta with sweet Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and white beans in a garlic broth. However, we were more than pleased with grilled Atlantic salmon with saffron-and-citrus-infused fennel and smoky paprika oil
as well as steak frites in a sherry-and-green-peppercorn sauce with crispy potatoes.
Desserts continued our good fun. One dessert was a flourless chocolate and praline cake with vanilla gelato and chocolate sauce,
the other a crème caramel with Grand Marnier-spiked blueberries.
All in all, the meal was a fitting finish to a great week of dining.
Credit where credit is due. Managing the front of the house most capably was Matt Davies,
while the back of the house’s terrific performance can be directly attributed to chef/owner Pedro Garzón.
Café Manolo, 8 Church Lane, Westport, 203-227-0703