Corrected: Fairfield's SBC Gains Another Title in Westport's Chowdafest

Corrected: This article was corrected by the author at 3:47 p.m. Sunday to reflect that Mansion Clam House is in Westport and that Rigo Lino, its executive chef and co-owner, is a veteran of Chowdafest.

Sleet, rain and just-above freezing temperatures were hardly deterrents for true chowdaheads.

A crowd of nearly 1,500 ardent New England Clam Chowder fans congregated in Westport's Bedford Middle School on Saturday for the 3rd annual Chowdafest, a fundraiser for the Connecticut Food Bank.

"The rainy day probably helped," said Jim Keenan, chairperson of Chowdafest. "How else would you want to spend your day other than slurping some soup and seeing some friends? It's better than waiting for snow!"

And while the forecast for snow never transpired, some serious soup slurping did. Chefs from 17 local restaurants proffered a total of 26 assorted chowders, bisques, and soups for judgment, hoping to win one of the three 2011 Chowdafest titles - "Best Classic New England Clam Chowder," "Best Creative Clam Chowder" and "Best Soup or Bisque."

Styles ranged from the Guinness and chorizo chowder offered by Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro in Norwalk - a silky, hedonistic combination of steamed clams, chorizo sausage and Guinness stout - to Da Pietro's Mediterranean chowder - a Provençal infusion of grouper, clams, potatoes and a hint of saffron.

Dave Rutigliano, executive chef at Southport Brewing Company in Fairfield and the incumbent creative soup champion, brought to the table his B.L.T. bisque - a futuristic-like notion that concentrated the flavors of a B.L.T. sandwich into a cup of soup. But it wasn't this innovation that secured him a victory for two consecutive years. This year he took the title of Best Creative Chowder, deposing last year's victor, The Ginger Man of Norwalk, with his corn and poblano chowder.

While Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro didn't win with its Guinness and chorizo chowder, they did win the category of Best Soup and Bisque with their lobster bisque. Rigo Lino, a veteran of Chowdafest and executive chef and co-owner of Westport's Mansion Clam House, also brought the thunder, taking the title of Best Classic Clam Chowder.

Among other favorites were The Riverhouse's seafood chowder and Liquid Lunch's buffalo chicken soup. "The buffalo chicken soup was surprising," said Joe D'Anna of Westport. "It wasn't too hot or salty."

And while the financials haven't yet been calculated to discern whether enough money and canned goods were donated to surpass the 15,000 meals created by the 2009 Chowdafest, attendance records were set.

In 2009, the event was spread over a two day period, Nov. 27 to 28, and set a record of 800 people attending in one day. This year's one-day marathon tasting brought nearly 1,500 people, acheiving in one day what 2009's event had achieved in two.

"I think we'll surpass [2009's] 15,000 meals," said Keenan. "But right now I'm still trying to digest from yesterday."