The Georgetown Saloon

Written by Fran Sikorski
Thursday, 12 February 2009 12:05

Georgetown Saloon owner Nancy Silverman is introducing Erik Erlichson, her new executive chef, who has designed a new contemporary American/Asian fusion menu including many pleasant surprises with flavors that are kept simple. For “regulars” at the Georgetown Saloon, which features live music  every evening, many favorites, especially BBQ dishes, remain with a twist.

Chef Erlichson attended the New York Restaurant School, and  enhanced his culinary talents working in restaurants in New York, Paris, Australia and Connecticut for 27 years before coming to the Georgetown Saloon. Sous chef is Juan Valverde, assisted by John Newton.

Among the items on the new menu are a basil risotto cake with fire-roasted red pepper emulsion; vegetable tempura with kaffir lime and wasabi sauce; warm goat cheese salad with French cheese croutons served with mesclun lettuce tossed in olive oil and red vinegar.

Thursday BBQ specials are chicken and shrimp combo with beans and corn bread and swordfish skewer in a tangy barbecue sauce with Mexican rice. A favorite luncheon salad is the Saloon Cobb with applewood smoked chicken, Swiss and gorgonzola cheese, bacon, tomatoes, black olives, carrots, peppers, egg and onion with a choice of dressing.

New entrees are steak au poive with sweet potato fries; pan-roasted free range chicken with olive oil, fresh herbs and natural juices; twice-cooked Texas dry-rubbed Angus beef short ribs in barbecue sauce; and rigatoni alla buttera, with hot Italian sausage, olive oil, garlic, fennel seed, tomato, crushed red pepper flakes and white wine.

A three-course Valentine’s Day menu, $49.95 per person, will offer a choice of  appetizers, Maine lobster bisque, field greens salad au naturel, fried oysters with New Orleans rouille, shrimp cocktail, warm garlic sausage in puff pastry, and terrine of foie gras over artisan bread with sweet and sour fruit compote.

Entrees are vegetable lasagna, seared diver scallops, vanilla peppercorn chicken, fricassee of lobster in champagne sauce, and prime rib of Angus beef au jus.

Chef Erlichson’s new desserts making a debut are wild raspberry bavarois with crème anglaise and ginger tuile, black and white chocolate mousse, and passionfruit crème brûlée. An a la carte menu is also available.

Other delicious desserts drawing raves are bananas Foster with crunchy peanut brittle, apricot caramel bread pudding served with caramel sauce, and Granny Apple and wild berry crumble.

Unless otherwise advertised, there is no cover charge for music Friday and Saturday evenings when you have dinner or spend a minimum of $15 per person for food. If you’ve just come for the music there is a $5 cover charge that includes one drink, a house pour house wine or Miller Lite.

Chef Erik Erlichson’s new menu will appeal to many tastes.

Side dishes

A new a la carte Sunday brunch menu at Bon Appetit, 5 River Road, Wilton, is served from 11 to 2.  Lunch is served from 11 to 4, and dinner Tuesday to Saturday starting at 5. Reservations, 203-563-9002. The Institute of Wine and Food will present a wine dinner at Bon Appetit on March 3. Non-members are welcome. For more information, call 203-967-6238...A large  painting of Venice along the Grand Canal titled The Basilica of Santa Maria by Fairfield artist Karl Soderlund has been installed at 55 Degrees Wine Bar & Restaurant at 55 Miller Street in Fairfield.