The Redding Roadhouse

Written by Fran Sikorski
Thursday, 13 August 2009 13:29

There are memorable dishes, simple to elegant, from wherever we dine, and they are what brings us back to enjoy a chef’s creativity.

As a pasta lover, I find one of my favorite dishes at the Redding Roadhouse: the housemade butternut squash ravioli with baby spinach, roasted garlic and a rich and creamy sherry sauce, available as an appetizer or entrée.

You can digress from your diet occasionally to enjoy this dish.

The Roadhouse is also known or its steaks and seafood, particularly the 18 oz. rib roast prime rib of beef au jus with horseradish cream served Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. On other days, my choice would be the 12 oz. filet mignon with sauce béarnaise.

For the hearty eater, a 28 oz. porterhouse steak is available. Other standouts are pistachio-crusted sea bass and grilled wild Atlantic salmon with a dill mustard crème fraîche, all served with a starch and seasonal vegetables.

Chef Mike Roberts is happy now that he has his own restaurant. He had worked in Fairfield County restaurants with his two partners, and when an opportunity came along to purchase the Roadhouse eight years ago, they started a restaurant venture of their own and Chef Mike’s creativity doubled.

A large selection of appetizers, $6.95 to $21.50, includes petite pork osso buco; duck spring roll; Moroccan fried calamari tossed in a sweet and spicy tamarind chili sauce; Caribbean jerk beef tenderloin with a Moroccan chili sauce and grapefruit yogurt; half rack of BBQ baby back ribs. Rather than selecting an entree, order tapas style, a much more exciting dining experience.

Sandwiches, $7.95 to $11.50, enhanced by housebaked Tuscan bread, are hamburger and classic turkey club, grilled vegetables, sliced N.Y. strip, spicy B.L.T., chef salad and French dip.

Salads, $4.50 to $14.95, are generous in size. Recommended are baby spinach with pancetta, toasted walnuts, sweet sherry vinaigrette, and Florida palm salad, diced greens, tomato, red onion, bacon, hearts of palm, shredded cheese, bell pepper, with tarragon-shallot vinaigrette.

Recommended desserts are coconut crème caramel, mousse trio, and chocolate torte. New menu selections are developed every season, but the favorites always remain.

Redding Roadhouse

406 Redding Road, at Routes 53 & 107
Redding, 203-938-3388

Serving lunch and dinner Monday to Thursday from noon to closing; Friday and Saturday noon to 11; Sunday brunch 11 to 2; dinner 12 to 9.

Reservations accepted; handicap-accessible; child-friendly; major credit cards; full bar, wine by the glass, $6.50 to $10, starting at $20 by the bottle; martini list, $8 to $12; New American steak house, vegetarian selections; off-premises catering; private functions; 10% food discount for seniors; children’s menu ($7.95 to $11.95) not served after 6:30 on Friday and Saturday evenings; entertainment; acoustic nights Wednesday; bands weekends; seasonal outdoor dining; parking adjacent to restaurant.

Side Dishes

Roy Kausik, chef/owner of Tawa Indian Restaurant and Bread Bar and co-owner JP Agarwal have moved their Stamford restaurant, opened in 2007, to 211 Summer, a space previously occupied by Ocean 211 and Dunn’s Loft restaurants. For more information, call 203-359-8977.