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Business & Tech

Sprouting Toward a Full Bloom

Fairfield's Newest Restaurant, The Greenhouse Grill, Opens its Doors and is Worth a Visit

It's a shame when a new restaurant cuts the ribbon to its front door without campaigning for a successful opening. No website, no Facebook page, not even a press release in circulation. It's like a touring band driving 600 miles to a venue they've never played without sending show posters prior. No one will know about them. They will end up playing only for themselves.

But The Greenhouse Grill's unadvertised start is no oversight. They want to take the first month slowly, easing into things. Considering a nascent restaurant often needs a grace period to work out its initial kinks, it's not a bad idea.

Until the official grand opening that's slated for mid-September, they will glean their clientele from inquisitive passersby, window-shoppers, commuters hopping off the Metro-North prowling for a post-work joy. If the lemon painted building itself doesn't attract attention, perhaps a slight breeze blowing across its lavender-filled window boxes will.

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Or, maybe they'll be lured inside by the intriguing, adjoining glass room, which wasn't built just for architectual frippery. The "greenhouse" serves not only as dining space, but it also houses the restaurant's fresh herbs. Each morning the chefs make their rounds to the suspended herb pots and the tableside planters, clipping a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and sage as needed.

Crackling, fried sage leaves mount the bursting bellies of handmade pumpkin ravioli. Sauced with a roasted chestnut cream, the crumbs of chestnuts are first soaked in brandy, eliciting a soft tingling sensation across your tongue, warming you slightly. Pair this with a mid-autumn chill.

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A thick, bone-in pork chop is saddled with pickled peaches and melting apples, which adds an underscore of sweetness to the moist, succulent pork. Yukon potatoes fall somewhere between smooth and rustic; they, however, are short of warm.

Each entree is served with a side salad or soup, and it's far from a remiss effort. The complimentary roasted eggplant soup is cozy, with goat cheese crumbles turning into a molten cream on the surface; a crostini floats atop, becoming slowly saturated with the purée.

There is a light-wooden bar wedged between the dining area and the kitchen, illuminated with track lighting and studded with high-set chairs. Even though ESPN is projected on the side wall, don't come expecting to find macro-beers on tap, it's not that kind of bar. No draught Bud Light or Bud Heavy here, mostly micro-brews by Hooker and Blue Point Brewery.

For wine, consider a glass of the Austrian Felsner Gruner Veltliner that's aromatic of tropical fruit and golden apple, a softness of white peach and cracking of white pepper. Paired with the goat cheese, fig and prosciutto pizza, the wine's creamy richness and vibrant acidity is like thread, stringing it all together. The crust  is of the supple kind, something to sink your teeth into; salty, crisp strips of prosciutto pleasantly contrast the goat cheese's lemony pep.

Innovative is the melon granita served with skewered, grilled, tasso-wrapped shrimp. But, it falls short of a success. By the time the icy granita makes it to the table, it's reminiscent of the dregs from an unfinished slurpee: a pool of colorful, flavored liquid and only an occasional chip of ice.

The waitstaff is knowledgeable and friendly, taking the time to answer your questions, shed a smile and engage in amiable small talk, almost as sweet as the desserts themselves.

Try the pistachio cheesecake with its dense, thick and unblemished goat cheese filling. It's tangy and sweet; the pistachio bejeweled crust braces the filling with its mature nuttiness. Marinated berries come glistening, and pomegranate molasses dots the plate like a pointillist's design.

For now, The Greenhouse Grill is still sprouting, but it won't be long before it's in full bloom.

The Greenhouse Grill

12 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT (203) 571-6131

ATMOSPHERE: You can dine under the stars in the adjoining glass "greenhouse," or sit in high wooden chairs at high, glossy tables. There is a section of upholstered banquets that adds a casual, diner-ish feel to the room.

SOUND LEVEL: It's not acoustically treated, conversations can bounce.

RECOMMENDED DISHES: Prosciutto pizza, pumpkin ravioli, roasted eggplant soup, pistachio cheesecake.

WINE LIST: Not overly extensive, but there are some good values. Try: Felsner Gruner Veltliner (notes of: peach, tropical fruit, white pepper and golden apple), Layercake Malbec (notes of: blackberry, currant, boysenberry, black pepper and brown sugar.)

PRICE RANGE: Appetizers, $4 to $11; entrees, $17 to $28.

HOURS: Lunch and dinner, Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

RESERVATIONS: Call: (203) 571-6131

CREDIT CARDS: All major cards accepted.

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