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I was fortunate to be invited, with a select group of food media, to Bristol’s DoubleTree by Hilton
for a special dinner at The Willows prepared by executive chef Leo C. Bushey III. Before I went inside the gleaming edifice, I cast my eyes around the bucolic Bristol landscape, home to nearby ESPN, Lake Compounce Amusement Park and this windowless 38-story Otis Elevator testing tower.My dining companion and I headed inside the revolving doorwhere, drawing us to AYS (At Your Service) Associate, Janelle,was the smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, a DoubleTree trademark.The hotel was attractive and distinctive.We passed the sports bar area,which has an impressive menu of its own as well as a good selection of draft beers,on our way to the restaurant’s entrance.We were greeted by media consultant Bob DeZinno and director of food and beverage Aaron O’Connorhanded a glass of 2007 Laetitia Brut Rosé, Arroyo Grande Valley, California by banquet manager Amy Motta,and spoke further with O’Connor and Justin Smith, COO of Prestige Hospitality Group, the hotel’s management company..Director of sales Mark Lombardigave us the tour of the inn’s banquet capabilitiWhen the rest of the mediahad finally arrived, we joined them in a tour of a typical roomand the grand penthouse.By the time we returned to The Willows,we had worked up quite an appetite. We were dazzled by some spectacular hors d’oeuvre, including a forest mushroom ragoût,toasts topped with seared duck breast with lingonberry preserves,fried Connecticut Blue Point oysters with maple cream,crispy beef phyllo purses,\scallop ceviche with pickled peppers,and deviled eggs.Bushey emerged at the end of the hors d’oeuvre to meet the food press and talk about what he was planning for The Willows.For some of us, the Johnson & Wales graduate needed no introduction, because we were already big fans of his. I had loved his work at Acqua Oyster Bar in Vernon, the Emperor at the Linden in Hartford and the Hartford Club, and enjoyed bumping into him helping out at good restaurants like Backstage in Torrington and Carbone’s Kitchen in Bloomfield.
We sat down at our beautifully arranged place settingswith our special press dinner menus,where we were taken great care of by friendly staff like Nathaly Caceres.O’Connor explained the wines that accompanied our courses.We began with a 2010 Louis-Jadot Pinot Noir from Pommard, France,which accompanied a porcini mushroom cappuccino with white truffle foam that left us panting for more.A 2012 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealandescorted seared Stonington diver scallops served over a Gorgonzola polenta cake with cured tomatoes and a spring pea coulis.A 2010 Bastianich Vespa Bianco from Friuli, Italywas ideal accompaniment to roasted fennel pollen sea bass with pomme purée, young carrotsand maple cream that was poured at the tableto complete the dish.Next up was a gorgeous 2008 Cedar Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California,which married beautifully with rack of spring lamb served with a cranberry mint glaze, purple rice, warm grapes and haricots verts.And to pair with our dessert, a coconut panna cotta with a pineapple fruit strip and a vanilla crisp,we had a 2011 Hugel Riesling from Alsace.We even ate the flowers.
A great time (and an incredible meal) was had by all.Bushey came out of the kitchen to a round of applause,and we were bid farewell by Lombardi, O’Connor and catering sales manager Christine Malay.The Willows, DoubleTree by Hilton, 42 Century Drive, Bristol, 860-589-7766 ext. 683,
The Willows Restaurant
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