Bailey’s Backyard In Ridgefield Has Renovated And Kicked It Up A Notch

I picked up my dining companion from her Westport shoreline home, which fortunately fared a little better during Hurricane Sandy than this one just down the street, now in the process of rebuilding.

My companion and I headed to Ridgefield to dine at Bailey’s Backyard, which itself recently underwent substantial renovations, not due to any kind of storm damage, happily.

This close-up is of a flower in front of the restaurant.

The renovation in Bailey’s Backyard paralleled a change in chef and shift in direction. Owner Sal Bagliavio

hired Forrest Pasternak, former chef of Morello Bistro in Greenwich, whom I can’t show because he was off the night I visited. Pasternak has introduced a fun, innovative and often surprising farm-to-table menu.

But before I show you the menu, let me show you the renovated interior.

We liked the floor pattern

and the pickled vegetables arranged on this high shelf,

which are available for sale.

My companion and I ordered a nice Chardonnay, which you see with a wine breather decanter attached

and placed in an ice bucket.

A nice cornbread brushed with citrus butter,

to which I couldn’t resist adding regular butter,

held our appetites in check while we considered the new menu.

There was also an interesting market table tasting menu, with tempting three, four and seven course options.

We began by sharing an order of wonderful fried green tomatoes in a chipotle mayonnaise.

For her starter, my companion ordered a salad of Boston Butter lettuce from Maplelane Farm in Cheshire, blue cheese, North Country bacon and crispy egg from Lauder’s Farm in Lancaster, PA,

while I enjoyed the chilled foie gras and donuts with apple and Black Velvet Apricot jam.

For her entrée, my companion ordered the prime beef filet mignon with foie gras, local marble potatoes, citrus carrots and red wine jus, except that she substituted Brussels sprouts for the potatoes.

I chose a Kobe beef short rib special with crispy summer squash and purple Okinawan sweet potato,

to which a server added this jus.

From an appealing list of desserts

and after dinner drinks,

my companion ordered decaf coffee

and I cappuccino,

ideal accompaniments to our Nutella mousse

and a cinnamon French toast special

to which pumpkin was added

to finish it.

We finished by thanking our host and the talented young sous chef and CIA graduate, Kristina Rogers, who so well executed Pasternak’s menu.

Bailey’s Backyard, 23 Bailey Avenue, Ridgefield, 203-431-0796, www.baileysbackyard.com