DINING; By Popular Cuisine: New Place for Italian
Written by Patricia Brooks
January 30, 2005 - NO matter how many Italian restaurants open this year in Connecticut, chances are there are more coming down the pike...
But not all the Italian restaurants that open with such frequency can match the quality and appeal of Cava Wine Bar & Restaurant in New Canaan...
Dishes at Cava are appealingly presented. For instance, a straightforward order of grilled calamari, with an aged balsamic vinegar edge, came with a fan of curly endive - providing a touch of greenery to please the eye and textural contrast for the palate. An order of pan-roasted diver sea scallops had a fresh basil leaf on top - adding a green foil to the lovely mahogany sheen of the scallops.
My favorite dish one evening was a special that didn’t require extra touches, though there were some. It was risotto with shreds of duck confit and, surprisingly, diced green Granny Smith apple. On top were three paper-thin wheels of crisp pan-seared apple. The risotto was nutty, creamy perfection, teased by its inventive accent of duck and apple...
The staff in the Cava kitchen - notably the chef Scott Eckenrod - clearly knows what its doing...
Yes, Cava Wine Bar & Restaurant is new and yes, it is Italian. It’s not “just another Italian restaurant,” but a very good one indeed.
Click here to read online review.