One of my favorite Connecticut restaurants is Sal e Pepe, which in Italian means “Salt & Pepper.”
Not surprisingly, salt and pepper shakers like the ones pictured above are a recurrent theme throughout the restaurant. You can view photos of much of the owners’ collection at the close of this article.
Sal e Pepe is conveniently located on Route 25 in Newtown.
In warm weather, the patio seating is so popular it can be difficult to secure a table.
Visitors receive a warm welcome at the hostess station.
A number of regulars actually prefer the camaraderie of dining at the bar,
where their needs are seen to by caring bar staff.
Personally, though, I find the regular dining areas so attractive that I rarely take my meal elsewhere.
Obviously, sunflowers
are another recurrent theme at Sal e Pepe.
Sal e Pepe’s intriguing wine list
is a great place to begin a meal.
Some nice warm rosemary focaccia
and olive oil will also help get you off to a good start.
During a meal with friends at Sal e Pepe not so long ago, my wife
and I enjoyed Blue Point oysters on the half shell,
a trio of soups (tomato vegetable with mussels, cream of asparagus, and butternut squash with sweet potato),
a watercress and endive salad with grapes, roasted pine nuts and creamy Gorgonzola dressing,
a special of marinated shrimp served over hearts of palm with pico de gallo,
an absolutely addictive balsamic calamari special,
slices of fig pizzette (dried figs, prosciutto, Gorgonzola and baby greens in balsamic vinaigrette),
and a pretty tuna carpaccio special.
For our entrées, we enjoyed fresh housemade shrimp ravioli with asparagus in a vibrant tomato sauce,
black sea bass in an orange and saffron reduction with caramelized endive served over sautéed spinach,
a 20-ounce prime-certified Angus porterhouse steak with smoked bacon, Asiago au gratin potatoes and grilled asparagus,
and a grilled French-cut veal chop in a red wine demi-glace topped with Gorgonzola cheese and served with mushroom risotto,
the meats courtesy of Newtown’s popular “Steve the butcher” at Butcher’s Best Market.
Desserts also delighted. We exclaimed over a chocolate truffle,
a limoncello tiramisù,
brandied cherries with ice cream,
and a molten chocolate cake.
We signed off with cappuccinos served with biscotti
and complimentary biscotti liqueur and housemade limoncello.
From start to finish, it was a terrific meal. Already Newtown’s most celebrated restaurant, Sal e Pepe is rapidly gaining a regional reputation. Now here are the photos of salt and pepper shakers which I promised.
Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro, 97 South Main Street, Newtown, 203-426-0805
www.salepeperestaurant.com
Butcher’s Best Market, 79 South Main Street, Newtown, 203-364-0013
www.butchersbestmarket.com