NEW HAVEN RESTAURANT WEEK—OUR EDITORIAL AWARDS

In just a year, with November and April installments, New Haven Restaurant Week has become so successful that it’s almost an institution. This November, twenty-nine participating restaurants created special, usually-three-course, prix-fixe menus priced just $29. For the restaurant-going public, this promotion provided an opportunity to try new restaurants or to revisit old favorites at an attractive price. Throngs of people from New Haven and the surrounding towns turned out for the event. Many restaurants were so jammed that the event became a test of their planning capabilities and their abilities to perform under extreme duress.

There are some key reasons why New Haven Restaurant Week has surpassed the other Restaurant Weeks around the state. First, in recent years, New Haven has become the top restaurant town in Connecticut. Second, the event has been well-organized. Third, the event has been aggressively promoted.

To all of the other Restaurant Week and Taste of This or That organizers out there, make sure you sign up enough premier participating restaurants, promote the event through multiple media, and get all of your restaurants and their menus posted on the internet early enough so customers can make reservations well in advance. If you don’t do all of these things, you won’t enjoy New Haven’s success (and you’re not likely to draw much coverage from our website).

That being said, there are a few changes that should still be implemented to improve New Haven Restaurant Week. Some of these rest in the hands of organizers, but most rest in the hands of the individual restaurants. The top improvement I would recommend to organizers is to adopt the two-tier price system used by Norwalk. Dinner prices for New Haven Restaurant Week are already half again what they are in Hartford ($29.00 versus $20.09), and while the New Haven restaurant scene may run much deeper than Hartford’s, Hartford’s top restaurants hold their own with those of any Connecticut town. A couple of lower-priced New Haven venues put together three-course menus that wouldn’t have cost any more if ordered separately. Obviously, if a restaurant offers a special price that’s not special, it’s a problem. Incorporating a two-tier system would encourage more mid-level restaurants to participate, alleviate the logjam at top establishments, and spread the wealth a bit more equitably.

The rest of my recommendations are aimed at the participating restaurants themselves. Most of them can be summed up under the exhortation—put your best foot forward! There are two kinds of people who will brave the crowds and parking challenges to visit your establishment during New Haven Restaurant Week—loyal customers taking advantage of the opportunity to revisit an old favorite and potential new customers who might be swayed into joining the first category. Which of these kinds of people would you not want to impress? Well, actually, there’s a third category, restaurant critics and food writers taking the opportunity to keep tabs on the Elm City dining scene, and don’t you want to make a good impression on these folks, too?

So my first recommendation directed at restaurants is to make sure your menu is sufficiently diverse. Offer at least two appetizers, entrées and desserts, preferably more. Remember that many couples like to order different things and taste each other’s food. As a food writer, I was trying to sample and photograph as many food items as possible during my restaurant visits. I crossed several good restaurants off my list simply because they advertised only one dessert.

My second recommendation is not to reduce your portion sizes. Restaurants that seemed to be going “all out” scored big points with their customers and generated buzz. In my blog pieces, I haven’t singled out any restaurants for shrinking their portions, but a close examination of my photographs will tell the story.

My third recommendation is to make sure that you offer attractive ingredients. Don’t make it obvious that you’re keeping your food costs low for the event. Either use premium ingredients and make up your narrower profit margin on volume of sales or center your dishes around ingredients with low food cost but high customer appeal.

Rather than seeing the event as a burden or challenge, canny restaurateurs embraced the opportunity to court new customers and reward loyal returning customers. They maintained their regular portion sizes, offered at least two intriguing choices of appetizer, entrée and dessert, employed top-flight ingredients, and in some cases even made some affordable drink specials available.

The Taste of Hartford was extended a second week, but in New Haven, there’s clearly no will to do so, or even to include Saturday and make the event a full week. Obviously, New Haven Restaurant “Week” is a bit of a misnomer. However, New Haven has installed two Restaurant Weeks, one in November and one in April. So fans of New Haven Restaurant Week will only have to wait five months for the next installment.

During a six-day event, I could only visit twelve restaurants. Naturally, I chose to call upon top restaurants whose menus sounded especially tempting. Based on these visits, I’m releasing my own editorial awards. I realize these accolades are highly subjective, but I feel it’s important to reward restaurants that did an outstanding job, to inform the public which restaurants those were, and to offer an incentive to all participating restaurants to expend the greatest effort to make this a successful and rewarding event.

I have implemented some changes of my own since my Taste of Hartford coverage in August. In addition to selecting winners, I have recognized runner-ups, where appropriate, so more good performances could come to light. And I have significantly expanded the number of award categories from my Taste of Hartford coverage.

But in a few cases, I’ve had to drop categories. I’ve eliminated the Best Stick-To-Your-Ribs Food category because, unlike in hearty Hartford, I was able to go twelve restaurants deep into the New Haven dining scene and stay gourmet all the way, baby! But unlike in Hartford, no venue I visited could win Best Entertainment or Best Place To Enjoy Music With Dinner, because no one took the extra step of providing live entertainment.

No restaurant I visited in New Haven could win an award for Best Parking, as none had its own free parking lot. (In fact, it was an expensive stretch for me. In addition to money spent on parking lots, I fell prey to an aggressive tow truck operator from York Service for combining pharmacy shopping with lunch, and a few days later I was ticketed in New Haven for not having a front plate on my vehicle.) I dropped the Cutest Baby Award because I didn’t see a single baby in twelve meals, perhaps due to the pricier admission ticket, lack of easy parking, colder weather—who knows. I’ve dropped my Stalwart Dining Award, because this time I enjoyed the company of several dining companions, including my lovely wife, who has returned from a stint abroad. And this go-around, I’m denying myself the Extreme Dining Award, because six days of two-a-day gourmet dining near home proved much easier on my sturdy constitution than fourteen one-a-days had in hearty Hartford.

Yes, this time around the dining was the easy part, the writing, photo editing and publishing of each restaurant visit and especially this awards extravaganza the hard part. So here goes…

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT—IBIZA

First Runner-Up—Union League

Second Runner-Up—Bespoke

During this six-day event, I mostly tried to catch restaurants doing things right. Unlike in a review, it really wasn’t my goal to highlight any eatery’s shortcomings. Nevertheless, what’s said about one restaurant but omitted about another can’t help but convey something to the alert reader. Smart individuals know how to study the photographs and read between the lines.

Although the New Haven dining scene has diversified and deepened over the past decade, making it the hands-down best dining town in Connecticut, the “Big Three” still rule the Elm City roost. Contemporary Spanish restaurant Ibiza wins this year because it put its very best foot forward. Its Restaurant Week popularity stemmed not only from being one of Connecticut’s top restaurants but from knowing how to treat its customers. The quality of Ibiza’s food, service and ambiance were top notch. Ibiza offered some of its best dishes to diners and it didn’t shrink its portions one jot.

BEST NEWCOMER—GERONIMO

Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill was a fun and atmospheric place to grab a Restaurant Week meal. Their prix-fixe menu could use a little diversifying, but overall, southwestern restaurant Geronimo is off to a good start.

BEST OVERALL LUNCH VALUE—CENTRAL STEAKHOUSE

First Runner-Up—Foster’s

Second Runner-Up—L’Orcio

Several of the restaurants I visited offered good value (which, since price in this case is a constant, I define as good quality food in generous portions). L’Orcio and Foster’s stood tall for the quality of their food and the generosity of their portions. But Central Steakhouse was head and shoulders the best of the lunch venues I visited, and the only one to offer the exact same menu and portions at lunch and dinner.

BEST OVERALL DINNER VALUE—UNION LEAGUE

First Runner-Up—Ibiza

Second Runner-Up—Basta

Many of the restaurants which I visited for dinner also offered good value, including Miya’s Sushi and Heirloom. Union League nudges Ibiza and Basta by offering their trademark gougères (Gruyère-flavored cheese puffs) in addition to good bread, and by bringing out a little tray of petit fours after dessert.

BEST OVERALL MENU—IBIZA

First Runner-Up—Central Steakhouse

Second Runner-Up—Union League

Central Steakhouse and Union League assembled terrific Restaurant Week menus. But Ibiza wins this category for putting together a menu in which I wanted to eat every single item. And I did! Every dish was enticing, and not one was any executed with anything less than perfection.

MOST EXOTIC MENU—MIYA’S SUSHI

First Runner-Up—Foster’s

Second Runner-Up—Zinc

Zinc’s menu included some ingredients unfamiliar to many lay persons, including farro and sambal sauce. Foster’s menu was even more intriguing, taking standards and turning them on their heads. Butternut squash ravioli were fried, avocado was grilled, a lemony dressing was made with limoncello, salmon was served with pear, cheesecake was peanut-butter-and-jelly-themed, and crème brûlée mimicked a s’more.

But no restaurant could rival Miya’s Sushi in pure exoticism or wild imagination. Its more than 10-course sushi extravaganza included rolls with names like ride the wild donkey roll, rabbibaba, and kiss the smiling piggie roll. Sushi roll ingredients included everything from coconut to Brie cheese to mango chutney to Chinese black beans to papaya to foraged grape leaves. Miya’s Sushi occupies an alternate universe, one which I like to visit frequently.

BEST BREAD & ACCOMPANIMENTS—BESPOKE

First Runner-Up—Union League

Second Runner-Up—Pacifico

Several restaurants offered noteworthy bread, including Basta which served housemade Italian bread with an addictive white-bean-and-roasted-pepper purée, Union League which served two nice breads with good hotel butter plus their Gruyère-flavored gougères, Pacifico which served good bread with chef Rafael Palomino’s trademark sun-dried tomato chimichurri, Zinc which served corn-and-fennel-seeded flatbread with a roasted yellow pepper sambal sauce, and Ibiza which served good bread with wonderful Spanish extra virgin olive oil.

But dichotomous Bespoke/Sabor carried the day by offering good crusty bread that was an ideal platform for its garbanzo bean purée (Bespoke) or a sop for its chimichurri-like pebre sauce (Sabor). I appreciated having both bread accompaniments, the former being more filling, the latter more palate-cleansing.

BEST SOUP—IBIZA—caldo Gallego

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio—zuppa di polpette

Second Runner-Up—Miya’s Sushi—it’s the great pumpkin, miso

Good soups abounded during New Haven Restaurant Week. Miya’s Sushi has lifted the miso soup standard to new heights. And who can resist meatballs? L’Orcio’s zuppa di polpette was as full of flavor as it was of meatballs. But Ibiza’s hearty caldo Gallego with potato, white beans, broccoli rabe, smoked bacon, chorizo sausage and chicken was the Galician cure to winter.

BEST SALAD—BESPOKE—goat cheese and roasted beet salad

First Runner-Up—Ibiza—ensalada de temporada

Second Runner-Up—Union League—endive, apple and frisée salad

When it came to salads, the “Big Three” had the best I tried. Union League offered a pleasing endive, apple and frisée salad in a walnut-and-Brie-cheese dressing. Ibiza’s seasonal salad featured a lovely mix of Boston lettuce, endive leaves and other greens with tomato and red onion in a honey-mustard vinaigrette. But the winner was Bespoke for its salad of mixed greens, baby beets, Marcona almonds, orange segments, grape tomatoes and goat cheese tempura, a combination which set up exciting contrasts in texture and flavor.

BEST CHEESE PLATE—BASTA—ricotta di Natale

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio—Pecorino cheese plate

Although some restaurants that I visited (e.g. Zinc) normally offer terrific selections of artisanal cheese, only two offered anything I would term a cheese plate on their Restaurant Week menu. I enjoyed L’Orcio’s plate of Pecorino cheese served with pears and walnuts and drizzled with honey. But the nod goes to Basta’s ball of locally produced, hand-packed ricotta with infused honey, organic apple, berries and almonds.

BEST PASTA—L’ORCIO—tortelli al ragù

First Runner-Up—Foster’s –deep-fried butternut squash ravioli

Second Runner-Up—Geronimo—penne con pollo

Geronimo’s southwestern-style penne con pollo made good use of pasta. Foster’s was first runner-up in the pasta category for its deep-fried butternut squash ravioli in a sage-pecan brown butter. But L’Orcio took top honors for its housemade potato ravioli tossed in a pork-veal-and-beef meat sauce topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. Never mind mind-blowing housemade pastas like its roasted rabbit and sautéed sunchoke ravioli in balsamic radicchio, which were not part of its Restaurant Week menu.

BEST SEAFOOD DISH—UNION LEAGUE—pan-seared rainbow trout with sauce Nantua, trout mousseline, potato and leek fondant, and basmati rice

First Runner-Up—Basta—pan-seared Italian branzino with roasted garlic, organic white beans, white wine and organic lemon.

Second Runner-Up—Ibiza—grilled Atlantic salmon in a pistachio vinaigrette with potato confit and sautéed spinach

Of course, I define “seafood” loosely, as restaurants tend to do, to include not only marine but brackish water and fresh water species. There were so many great seafood entrées among the restaurants I visited. Among appetizers, there was Foster’s terrific tuna tartare in a grilled avocado shell with limoncello dressing. There was Heirloom’s superb Maine crab cake in vermouth butter with roasted tomato and fennel. There was Central Steakhouse’s delightful pan-seared sea scallop with caramelized pear and pineapple-Riesling reduction. And there was Basta’s beautiful Prince Edward Island mussels with garlic and parsley in a Pernod-accented San Marzano tomato sauce with a touch of cream.

But all of the winners I selected were main dishes. In particular order, Ibiza is second runner-up for its grilled Atlantic salmon in a pistachio vinaigrette. Basta is first runner-up for its surprising pan-seared Italian branzino fillet with roasted garlic, organic white beans, a touch of white wine and organic lemon. But Union League wears the crown for its pan-seared rainbow trout fillet in a sauce Nantua (crayfish béchamel) with trout mousseline, potato and leek fondant, and basmati rice.

BEST POULTRY DISH—UNION LEAGUE—coq au vin

First Runner-Up—Basta—Campanian chicken

Second Runner-Up—Geronimo—penne con pollo

Compared to the seafood category, the number of poultry offerings was relatively paltry, but the items I tried were far from fowl. Chicken pastas normally bore me to tears, but Geronimo’s southwestern take on it—penne pasta with pulled chicken, fresh jalapeño, applewood smoked bacon, roasted corn and sweet cream—was a lot of fun. Basta’s Campanian chicken with sautéed free-range chicken breast, roasted garlic, roasted grape tomato, Greco di Tufo white wine and a touch of cream was an even greater delight. But the clear winner was Union League’s traditional coq au vin with sautéed mushrooms, pearl onions, lardons and creamy polenta.

BEST PIECE OF MEAT—CENTRAL STEAKHOUSE—eight-ounce strip loin au poivre

First Runner-Up—Heirloom—cider-braised pork chop

Second Runner-Up—Foster’s—crispy chipotle BBQ pork belly

While exploited individuals commonly complain that they “sometimes feel like a piece of meat,” I just about always feel like a piece of meat. During New Haven Restaurant Week, those who felt like a piece of meat would have been especially gratified to chow down on Foster’s crispy chipotle BBQ pork belly. Heirloom’s cider-braised pork chop with sweet potato hash and winter greens would also have sated a caveman craving for meat. But my favorite direct injection of protein was Central Steakhouse’s delicious eight-ounce strip loin au poivre with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

BEST VEGETARIAN SELECTION—MIYA’S SUSHI

First Runner-Up—Central Steakhouse

Second Runner-Up—Basta

Although I do periodically eat vegetarian and even vegan meals, as a committed omnivore, the kind of vegetarian food I prefer is the kind that’s so satisfying it never dawns on one that one hasn’t consumed any meat. Miya’s Sushi is the easy winner of best vegetarian selection for offering a ten-course, fully vegetarian line-up for the protein-challenged. Of the restaurants I visited, the next best vegetarian selection was probably Central Steakhouse (three starters, two entrées) or Basta (two starters, two entrées).

BEST DESSERT SELECTION—UNION LEAGUE

First Runner-Up—Bespoke

Second Runner-Up— Zinc

I am only counting desserts that were posted in advance on participants’ Restaurant Week menus, even though Basta’s addition of a slice of Claire’s cake and Central Steakhouse’s un-posted desserts rendered both lineups delightful. Zinc did a nice job with a Tahitian vanilla crème brûlée, a pumpkin parfait and a chocolate hazelnut torte. Likewise Bespoke, which offered a chocolate banana semifreddo, a trio of housemade sorbets and gelatos, a deconstructed plum tart, and a green tea flan.

But Union League’s bakery-quality confections carried the day. One was a slow-baked Gala apple on a Brittany cookie crust with caramel mousse and apple sauce; another a choux pastry filled with Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, warm chocolate sauce and caramelized almonds (which I didn’t see or try but assume was similar to a profiterole); and yet another layered bittersweet chocolate mousse, salted Piémont hazelnut caramel and crunchy hazelnut biscuit. Yum!

BEST DESSERT—BESPOKE—deconstructed plum tart

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio—lemon tart

Second Runner-Up—Union League—slow-baked Gala apple

Although Union League’s desserts were collectively the best, its slow-baked Gala apple on a Brittany cookie crust with caramel mousse and apple sauce takes only second runner-up honors. L’Orcio’s came close to achieving top honors with the best lemon tart I had ever tried (and I’ve had so many). But Bespoke’s deconstructed plum tart with almond-date cake and housemade Devonshire gelato was simply sublime.

BEST USE OF CHOCOLATE—UNION LEAGUE—bittersweet chocolate torte

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio—flourless chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato

Second Runner-Up—Pacifico—Colombian semi-sweet chocolate cake

Somehow I have managed to select a top three desserts without including anything with chocolate. That betrays the fact that, while I love chocolate, unlike most people, I like a few flavors—savory and sweet—even better. Among those flavors could be found foie gras, truffles, mushrooms, bluepoint oysters, ankimo, toro, a really good burger or steak, and certain fruits.

Nevertheless, numerous chocolate desserts were offered in the restaurants I visited, several of which were terrific. Even narrowing just the chocolate desserts down to three is challenging. My final selections reflect my personal bias against overly rich and fudgy desserts and in favor of chocolatey but not overly sweet creations. Second runner-up goes to Pacifico for its Colombian semi-sweet chocolate cake, a delicious individual cake even if I suspect it of being Colombian in name only. First runner-up goes to L’Orcio for its flourless chocolate cake served with hazelnut gelato.

However, top honors go to Union League’s entry, which so desperately needs a name that I’m christening it a bittersweet chocolate torte. Power of the press, baby! This dessert layers bittersweet chocolate mousse with salted Piémont hazelnut caramel and crunchy hazelnut biscuit.

UBIQUITOUS INGREDIENT—Pumpkin

This go-around of New Haven Restaurant Week, the ubiquitous ingredient was pumpkin—especially pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Pumpkin is an intriguing and versatile ingredient that reflects the fall season and is readily available in early November when Restaurant Week was held.

In just twelve restaurant visits, I ran into pumpkin six times! I found the fruit used in both savory and sweet applications—in starters, in entrées and in desserts. Miya’s Sushi used it to enrich its signature miso soup. Zinc even utilized it in two dishes—a spiced butternut squash soup with pepitas and a pumpkin parfait with roasted apple, pumpkin ice cream and whipped cream. Most amusing of all, Union League and Zinc made startlingly similar use of the ingredient. I guess great minds really do think alike.

Underscoring the ingredient’s ubiquity, I also found pumpkin in use at two restaurants I didn’t have the opportunity to visit—at Scoozi Trattoria & Wine Bar in a farm salad and at Tre Scalini in a cheesecake.

BEST USE OF PUMPKIN—IBIZA—pumpkin risotto with roasted pumpkin seeds and shaved Parmesan

First Runner-Up—Central Steakhouse—pan-roasted halibut in a coriander-pepitas-butter sauce with asparagus risotto

Second Runner-Up Tie—Union League—butternut squash velouté with toasted pumpkin seeds and pumpernickel croutons—Zinc—spiced butternut squash soup with pepitas

Ibiza was the one restaurant to incorporate both pumpkin and pumpkin seeds into the same dish. It was the only restaurant to incorporate pumpkin as the central ingredient of a vegetarian entrée. And its pumpkin risotto with roasted pumpkin seeds and shaved Parmesan was absolutely delicious.

But Central Steakhouse’s use of pepitas to accent a sauce applied to its pan-roasted halibut was quite clever, and Union League’s and Zinc’s use of pepitas to garnish their butternut squash soups was quite sensible.

BEST OVERALL DISH—IBIZA—baby back ribs marinated with herbs and honey

First Runner-Up—Union League—rainbow trout in sauce Nantua with trout mousseline, leek fondant and basmati rice

Second Runner-Up—Miya’s Sushi—hot-headed cowgirl roll with a coconut exterior and an avocado, cream cheese, papaya, burdock root and hot pepper interior

I didn’t have to think hard about this award. After trying dozens of dishes throughout New Haven Restaurant Week, one dish stood out as the very best. Trust the folks at Ibiza to take an American standard like baby back ribs and prepare them so beautifully that you’d just about swear off barbecue for them. Ibiza’s baby back ribs are marinated in herbs and honey and served with a barbecue sauce aïoli and smoked bacon mashed potatoes wrapped in Savoy cabbage.

But Union League’s trout dish also was memorable, as was the hot-headed cowgirl roll from Miya’s Sushi.

BEST WINE LIST—CENTRAL STEAKHOUSE

First Runner-Up—Zinc

Second Runner-Up—Union League

Central Steakhouse wins this category comfortably, and had I been able to visit all twenty-nine participating restaurants, its greatest competition would probably have been its sibling, Bentara. Thanks to owner Hasni “Jeff” Ghazali’s wine sensibilities, these two restaurants have set the standard in New Haven for the last decade with their wide-ranging, intelligently chosen, accessibly priced wine lists.

But Zinc also scores well for its emphasis on fine wine and a deep selection, including a changing lineup of wines by the glass. Finally, Union League takes third for its broad array of French vintages offered at surprisingly affordable prices.

BEST DRINK LIST—GERONIMO

First Runner-Up—Bespoke

Second Runner-Up—Zinc

Let me say at the outset that, beyond wine and beer, I’m not much of a drinker. And not to dim the luster of this award, but I know that if I had made it to 116 Crown, it would have been tough to beat in this category. Then again, I can’t be everywhere at once, and it’s up to restaurants to draw in customers (including me) with their menus.

But I also know that Geronimo was deserving of this award because it had a terrific drink selection, and its Tequila offerings were particularly strong. Bespoke also did a great job with drinks, and in fact recently won a bar-tending competition at the Omni New Haven Hotel with its intermezzo, an uplifting concoction blending white wine, balsamic vinegar and muddled strawberries. And Zinc had a strong drink list and deserves to be on drinker’s radar as well.

BEST HOUSEMADE SPIRIT—Foster’s—espresso-infused Tequila

First Runner-Up—Miya’s Sushi—ginger beer

Second Runner-Up—Miya’s Sushi—firecracker sake

In this category, Foster’s takes first place honors for its Tequila infused with espresso beans, cinnamon sticks and brown sugar. Running a close second is Miya’s Sushi for its housemade ginger beer. Coming in a scorching third is Miya’s Sushi—again—for its firecracker sake loaded with hot peppers. It’s surprisingly good, but not for the faint of heart or stomach. Sip the sake, then douse the flames with the ginger beer.

BEST PLATING—IBIZA

First Runner-Up—Bespoke

Second Runner-Up—Foster’s

Given New Haven’s extraordinary collection of chefs with surnames like Franco-Camacho, Vuillermet, Romero, Appel, Palomino, Ghazali and others, I thought I would see some gorgeous plate presentations. Or at least some that were as attractive as those done by the chefs in Hartford. I realize that a smart chef won’t design dishes that require a lot of time to plate when he or she’s doing hundreds of covers per meal. But the plating during New Haven Restaurant Week was merely competent, with no one’s standing out head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. Desserts tended to be plated more attractively than starters and main dishes.

In a photo finish (pun intended), first-place honors went to Ibiza for dishes like its bread pudding in strawberry sauce, second place to Bespoke for dishes like its deconstructed plum tart, and third to Foster’s for dishes like its tuna tartare with grilled avocado and limoncello dressing. Maybe a real artist will emerge next year…

MOST COLORFUL CHEF—DAVID FOSTER OF FOSTER’S

First Runner-Up—Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi

Second Runner-Up—Arturo Franco-Camacho of Bespoke

The New Haven restaurant scene is full of colorful individuals. Many of them are in the front of the house—but some are in the back. (And some may be in the back but come out front often.) Two of New Haven’s more colorful chefs are Arturo Franco-Camacho of Bespoke and Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi.

But New Haven’s most colorful chef—literally and figuratively—may well be David Foster of the eponymously named Foster’s. Foster can usually be found in clothing that is best viewed through Ray-Bans, and he has the lively, ebullient personality to match. Like his clothing, his “eccentric American” cuisine is the natural extension of his colorful personality.

HOTTEST CHEF—BUN LAI OF MIYA’S SUSHI

First Runner-Up—Francesco d’Amuri of L’Orcio

Second Runner-Up—Arturo Franco-Camacho of Bespoke

There’s little question that if a poll had been taken a decade ago, Arturo Franco-Camacho would have won the award for New Haven’s hottest chef in a walkover. Franco-Camacho’s still a very handsome man, but other studly chefs have stepped to the fore, including Francesco d’Amuri of L’Orcio and Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi. Bun Lai, a former college wrestler who reportedly turned his back on a modeling career to take the helm at Miya’s, wins an award that would better have been decided by the ladies than by me.

TOP CHEF—ARTURO FRANCO-CAMACHO OF BESPOKE

First Runner-Up—Manolo Romero of Ibiza

Second Runner-Up—Jean Pierre Vuillermet of Union League

New Haven has a stunning crop of chefs at the helm of its restaurants, which is why it’s far and away Connecticut’s top restaurant town. When talents like Denise Appel of Zinc, Hasni “Jeff” Ghazali of Central Steakhouse, Rafael Palomino of Pacifico and others can’t crack the top three, you know what kind of lineup the Elm City boasts.

Arturo Franco-Camacho of Bespoke, Manolo Romero of Ibiza and Jean-Pierre Vuillermet of Union League are easily three of the top ten chefs in the Nutmeg State, maybe top five. And in my eyes, Franco-Camacho and Romero are two of the three best, with Noel Jones of Polytechnic ON20 their strongest competition.

Romero is an incredible talent. It says something profound that Ibiza has never missed a beat since Luis Bollo, Esquire Magazine’s nationwide chef of the year for 2003, gave up the commute from New Jersey and took a position in a Garden State restaurant. But I give the nod to Franco-Camacho for his tremendous skill set, his reservoir of knowledge, his challenging dual-cuisine menu at Bespoke (contemporary American and Nuevo Latino), his versatility as demonstrated at numerous restaurants over the years, his quick thinking and great sense of humor. Franco-Camacho is a major star who deserves his own national television show.

BEST OVERALL SERVICE—UNION LEAGUE

First Runner-Up—Ibiza

Second Runner-Up—Bespoke

In determining the award for best overall service, it’s not incredibly surprising that it came down to the “Big Three” of Union League, Ibiza and Bespoke. What is surprising, however, is that several other restaurants I visited, including Zinc, Central Steakhouse, L’Orcio, Heirloom, Foster’s and Pacifico, were performing on nearly the same level as the “Big Three.” It’s Union League in a push for seeming cooler under Restaurant Week fire than its nearest Elm City competitors.

BEST SERVER—MARIO MONTES OF IBIZA

First Runner-Up—Geovanny of Union League

Second Runner-Up—Renée of L’Orcio

The award for best individual server, however, is another matter. Mario Montes of Ibiza won this award for exhibiting a perfect demeanor that was in equal parts friendly and professional. Montes won for never failing to anticipate our every need. He not only came through with well-timed plate and silverware changes, table crumbings, wine and water pourings, napkin refoldings, and bread and olive oil restockings, but he also gave knowledgeable descriptions of our foods and wines and beautifully controlled the timing of our courses.

HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS—UNION LEAGUE

First Runner-Up—Zinc

Second Runner-Up—Heirloom

Jennifer of Union League exhibited poise and presence than few could imitate. She had a no-nonsense way about her coupled with an ability to turn on the charm. These traits made her perfectly suited to handling hordes of guests, like a New Haven Restaurant Week crowd.

BEST FRONT OF THE HOUSE PERSON—TIE—JEAN-MICHEL GAMMARIELLO OF UNION LEAGUE—JUAN CARLOS GONZÁLES OF IBIZA

Second Runner-Up—Donna Curran of Zinc

Zinc co-owner Donna Curran earned second runner-up honors for doing a great job with the front of the house. But two front persons stand head and shoulders over their remaining Elm City counterparts, resulting in a first place tie. Also partners in their respective restaurants, Jean-Michel Gammariello of Union League and Juan Carlos González of Ibiza run the front of their respective houses with such charm and assurance that, for many, they have become the faces of those vaunted establishments.

BEST RESTAURANT OWNERS—FRANK & CLAIRE CRISCUOLO OF BASTA

First Runner-Up—Arturo & Suzette Franco-Camacho of Bespoke

Second Runner-Up—Hasni “Jeff” Ghazali of Central Steakhouse

It’s almost painful to choose best restaurant owners, because I’ve lived in the New Haven area for years and have tremendous fondness for so many of its restaurateurs. But there are few people on this earth with bigger hearts than Frank and Claire Criscuolo of Basta (and Claire’s Corner Copia), and they have been serving the New Haven food scene for thirty-four years. Arturo & Suzette Franco-Camacho of Bespoke are big-time talents who deserve great praise for the key role they played in elevating New Haven’s food scene. New Haven—and Yale University—should thank them. Hasni “Jeff” Ghazali of Central Steakhouse (and Bentara) awoke New Haven to the possibilities of upscale Asian cooking. Ghazali has also done much to raise the profile of the Ninth Square neighborhood.

BEST PORCH OR PATIO DINING—GERONIMO

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio

Second Runner-Up—Bespoke

Geronimo won our best porch or patio award for its generous porch overlooking all of the activity on Crown Street, with heat lamps that extend its seasonal use. L’Orcio took runner-up honors for its attractive, capacious and private patio. Bespoke also merited mention for its small patio seating on College Street and its rooftop seating.

BEST LOUNGE SPACE—BESPOKE

First Runner-Up—Heirloom

Second Runner-Up—Foster’s

This award wasn’t even close. Of the restaurants I visited during the special promotion, Bespoke had by far the most secluded, spacious and attractive lounge space. Second place went to Heirloom’s lounge space beyond the hostess station and in the bar area. Third place went to Foster’s lounge space by the bar. I’ve said these words before, but if I had made it to 116 Crown, it coulda been a contender.

BEST BAR AREA—BESPOKE

First Runner-Up—Pacifico

Second Runner-Up—Heirloom

In selecting Best Bar Area from the restaurants I visited, I favored restaurants with a well-separated bar area. Bespoke’s striking bar area took the top spot, with Pacifico and Heirloom taking first and second runner-up.

BEST FIREPLACE—GERONIMO

First Runner-Up—Bespoke

Second Runner-Up—Union League

Geronimo won our Best Fireplace Award for its adobe-style fireplace which lent southwestern atmosphere as well as warmth to its dining room. It was an easy decision because it was the only fireplace in use. Bespoke’s pretty translucent marble fireplace, which was lit with candles, secured second place, and Union League’s massive fireplace took third.

BEST DÉCOR—BESPOKE

First Runner-Up—Foster’s

Second Runner-Up—Basta

Of the twelve restaurants I visited, Bespoke easily had the best décor. Give credit to Suzette Franco-Camacho for her impeccable taste. After Bespoke, it was pretty close between several establishments, and I went back and forth on my choices. I narrowly chose Foster’s next for its clean modern lines. Basta took third for its many cozy little touches.

BEST AMBIANCE—IBIZA

First Runner-Up—Union League

Second Runner-Up—Bespoke

Ambiance is a product not just of décor but of numerous other intangibles. Citing intangibles means I’m not going to make much effort to justify my choices. Ambiance is based on feeling, not intellect.

Other factors that may influence ambiance include an atmosphere of exoticism or conversely hominess, table spacing, sound levels, music choices, lighting levels, staff appearance and comportment, and especially, the customers themselves. According to the latest Zagat Survey, Ibiza is first in Connecticut in people watching, and Union League not far behind. So it goes…

MOST ROMANTIC—BASTA

First Runner-Up—L’Orcio

Second Runner-Up—Union League

Many people I know choose Union League for a romantic date, and with all of the extra little amenities like gougères to start and petit fours to end the meal, it’s undoubtedly a good choice. But smaller, more intimate venues seem even more romantic to me. L’Orcio won runner-up honors in the most romantic category, and tiny charming Basta took top honors.

CUTEST YOUNGSTER (Found at Miya’s Sushi)