A husband-and-wife duo will debut their first eatery Friday with the opening of Dino's Place on Black Rock Turnpike.
Dean Czaplicki and Ann Toles-Czaplicki of Newtown are looking to bring as-fresh-as-you-can-get seafood and other grill staples to Fairfield.
The couple -- married in January -- had a few dining experiences in which dishes advertised as "fresh" didn't actually taste fresh.
"We felt we could offer fresher alternatives to people," Czaplicki said.
So Czaplicki, a former training and QA manager for an alarm company, and Toles-Czaplicki, who worked in academics, spent a year researching and menu planning until Dino's Place became a reality.
"We put together the business plan and menu, and it just started to form," Toles-Czaplicki said.
Both Czaplicki and his wife have backgrounds in the restaurant industry.
The couple looked in towns like Branford and Guilford for a place to open, but were drawn to Fairfield with the intent to fill a void.
"We didn't see a lot of places for lobster rolls and chowder," Czaplicki said.
They felt this was unusual for a coastal town, Toles-Czaplicki added.
Dino's Place -- named for Dean, whose nickname is Dino -- will serve both a Connecticut lobster roll and a lobster salad roll. The former features hot lobster with butter, a sandwich you're not likely to find north of Connecticut.
The soup menu is comprised of both New England and Rhode Island clam chowders and shrimp gumbo chowder.
Landlubbers will find three types of grilled chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and lamb burgers.
All of Dino's breads are baked daily by the SoNo Baking Co.
While Czaplicki does the cooking, Toles-Czaplicki is busy coming up with specialty drinks: lemonade, limeade, and various iced teas made from Brookfield-based Simpson & Vail's loose teas.
The restaurant is set to open Friday, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow on Saturday.
Dino's Place (1485 Black Rock Turnpike) is open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. and closed Monday.
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