A Change of Eatery

Located on Main Street in Middletown, O’Rourke’s Diner boasts an eclectic menu of homemade classics with a twist. Originally established in 1941, this cozy Irish diner reopened a few years ago after enduring some disastrous fire damage in 2006. Around Thanksgiving, I had plans to meet a friend at O’Rourke’s (the wonderful Kelly Vass, as some of you in the Twitterverse may know as @foodinphilly) and was excited to experience the eatery’s Irish-inspired dishes for the first time.

Within moments of walking in from the blustery wind (and even before being seated), the waitress stopped me in my tracks and overwhelmed me with the best decision I’d had to make all week. “Ok. We’ve got mulled cider warming on the stove, hot chocolate & tea, and eggnog milkshakes. What’ll it be?”

I was sold on the cider and smitten already.

mulled apple cider

Before I go into detail about my meal, I’ll share a bit about the breakfast side of the menu. You should know that I come undone over any place that serves dreamy Irish brown bread (yes, it’s different from soda bread)  so I was in heaven from the start.

Menu highlights include the Babka french toast, the Irish Trilogy of French Toast (3 breads of the day topped with homemade jams and clotted cream), and incredible omelet list that rivals the creative concoctions offered at Cosmic Omelet in Manchester (yeah, I dared say it). In the list of sides, the selection of breakfast meats includes lamb sausage, Irish bangers, Kielbasa, corned beef hash, smoked salmon, house baked pork, and spicy jalapeno bacon.

Spud Benny

Since I’ve never had eggs benedict until this point, I decided to spring for one of O’Rourke’s variations on the classic dish: I ordered Spud Benny- poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce, served over veggie hash with a side of hearty brown bread and Irish bacon. I, of course, substituted the latter with jalapeno bacon, craving that spicy kick. The meal was fantastic, but I could’ve done without the veggie hash.

I’d go back to O’Rourke’s Diner in a heartbeat, and I plan to return soon. For more details about their menu (especially lunch/dinner, which I haven’t touched on) and restaurant hours, check out their website.

O’Rourke’s Diner

728 Main Street, Middletown CT

860-346-6101

Back in November, my power foodie team and I paid a much-anticipated visit to Polytechnic ON20 in Hartford. This sophisticated restaurant is located on the 20th floor of the Hartford Steam Boiler Building, which provides diners with sweeping panoramic views to complement their superb dining experience. We opted for the a la carte dinner, which is only offered on Wednesday and Friday evenings. This was truly one of the most extraordinary meals I’ve enjoyed this year- if ever. Not to mention my delightful company: Amy (CT Bites), Leeanne (Fun With Carbs), Cindy (Fix Me A Snack), and Nick (Nick Caito Photo).

Instead of providing a full recap, I’m going to direct you one of my fellow diner’s post from a few weeks ago. Leeanne certainly captured the full effect of this impeccable culinary experience: On20- On The Level.

Otherwise, I’ll let the exquisite photos do most of the talking:

Photo credit: Nick Caito

“A shot of luxury”, as Leeanne describes. Even though this was the amuse-bouche, it was truly a highlight of the meal. Okinawa sweet potato soup with chili-infused foam and a foie gras bon bon. Luscious, velvety heaven.

Quail egg raviolo with spinach, pancetta and burgundy black truffle.

Maine day boat scallops with cauliflower gratin, currants and toasted pine nuts and orange glace de veau.

My decadent grand finale.  A trio of chocolate, including Flourless Chocolate Torte, Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream and Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Tart.

ON20 is undoubtedly one of the most unique restaurants I’ve ever visited. The menus are inspired weekly to offer seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients at their peak of freshness and flavor. An a la carte lunch is offered on weekdays, as well as a grand tasting menu available by appointment only. Each innovative tasting menu is customized to provide a memorable experience– take a look at some past dishes, showcased in Nick Caito’s CTNow photo gallery.

Polytechnic ON20

One State Street, 20th floor . Hartford, Connecticut . 860.722.5161

If you still have some holiday shopping left and are (wisely) making every effort to avoid mall madness, I’m going to recommend one of my favorite recent discoveries. Take a ride to Manchester and pick up some exquisite truffles from Divine Treasures chocolatier. This incredible shop features an array of organic Belgian dark chocolates made with gluten-free, dairy free and vegan ingredients. If you read my blog, you know perfectly well that this organic stuff doesn’t really matter to me- flavor is what counts above all. And I will say this- Divine Treasures is the most appropriate name I can possibly imagine for this spot.

chocolate case

If you’re not a vegan, don’t let the “gluten/dairy free” stuff scare you off. The gourmet chocolates are absolutely decadent, with rich, luscious ganache and magnificent layers of flavor. Diane Blanchette-Wagemann, Divine Treasures owner and chocolate extraordinaire, uses organic, high-quality Belgian dark chocolate, and fruits/nuts from a local natural food merchant in her tasty homemade creations. The shop also has a case dedicated entirely to sugar-free Dutch truffles.

gift box made entirely of chocolate

fruits & nuts

Last week, I bought a holiday assortment for my childhood friend, Emily, the resident chocolate connoseiur in my life- she’s a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (majored in baking and pastry!)- and makes some of the most killer truffles I’ve ever eaten. Needless to say, I respect her opinion more than most when it comes to chocolate. She loved the Divine Treasures sampler. The creative selection of flavors included Thai delight, Lavender Blues, Spicy Rum, Mulled Wine, Peppermint, Mocha and Mimosa, among several others. Total win.

My personal favorite so far-I think it was called Ginger Explosion or something to that effect– a spicy dark truffle with smooth, rich ganache and a candied ginger center.

Pay them a visit! For  a list of some of the shop’s most popular products, check out their website.

Parkade Plaza  –  Middle Turnpike West, Unit 404  –  Manchester, CT 06040  –  860-643-2552