By Steve Cooper
Foodie Foursome
Steve Cooper
The Bonfire Grille sits on the Woodmont location formerly occupied by Sloppy Jose’s and Oscar’s Woodmont Kitchen, which was sold to restaurateur partners Frank Basile and Rob Cyr in 2018. Basile and Cyr are also known for their culinary collaborations of The Bridgehouse Restaurant and Founders House on the Milford Green.
The Bonfire Grille is across the street from Long Island Sound. The extensive renovation of the previous restaurant gave way to a nautical ambience while embracing a cozy pub feel with a New England flare. The interior of the restaurant is designed with a bar area that caters to both indoor and outdoor dining. Bonfire has two outdoor dining areas for an al fresco feel. The patio outside is street level with a wood privacy fence and rooftop dining under a canopy with views of the Sound.
Cindy and I were there, on a rainy night in March, with friends Will and Deanna as we enjoyed a casual night out for some creative drinks and eclectic selections of pub fare. We started out with the appetizers. They have a $7 selection during happy hour. Basile, a Johnson & Wales University-trained chef, has his stamp on creative versions of classics in each of his restaurants. The menu is a mix of local Milford favorites, elevated beach fare along with great salads, burgers and sandwiches, shareable appetizers. There are great specials that allow the chefs to flex their culinary muscles.
We kicked off our evening with one of America’s favorite appetizers: wings. These were not just ordinary wings. They were brined, fried and grilled, yielding a slightly crunchy exterior, with great bite and a meaty, juicy interior with incredible taste. We tried several flavor options: Buffalo gorgonzola, barbeque dry rub, maple bourbon with bacon bits, and General Tso’s. As we discussed them among the four of us, we kept changing our minds about which would take the number one spot. It was a toss-up.
This was a perfect time for some libations. Lamar Tavaris, the restaurant’s manager, recommended several drinks designed by Bonfire’s mixologist. Each of the drinks had a different vibe, but what was consistent was how smooth and subtle the levels of taste were. We had the blackberry mint margherita, rum punch, maple bourbon old fashioned and the winter smash (blueberry vodka, fresh blueberries and blackberries muddled with lime and a splash of club soda).
Everything we had on this night – salads and entrees included – had it’ own style. There was a creative use of spice, sweetness and heat to create subtle notes of each that complemented each other for explosions of taste. This was evident with our next two choices, the trash can nachos and the short rib and beef chili. The first thing we noticed was just how crispy the tortilla chips were, probably because they were house cut and prepared. The tortillas were topped with jalapenos, black olives, fresh pico de gallo and a Monterey jack cheddar, then baked in the oven and topped with mounds of shredded chicken and sour cream. It was spectacular – even more so when we added some of their chili to a few bites of the nachos. The was made with both short rib and beef, along with red and white kidney beans, fire roasted tomatoes, peppers spices and topped with cheddar jack cheese. It was rich and flavorful.
Our next course was what Bonfire calls tossed greens. We chose two exquisitely composed and visually constructed “chopped salads.” The first was the zesty Southwest made with chopped lettuce, roasted corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, Monterey and cheddar cheeses in a chipotle lime honey dressing and topped with tortilla strips. The second was the roasted squash rainbow salad’s compilation of pieces of roasted butternut squash, julienne carrots, red cabbage, thinly sliced pears, chopped romaine, candied pecans and feta cheese tossed in a honey lemon vinaigrette.
Our entrée selections were eclectic yet worthy of any top-notch New England bistro. We started with twin lobster rolls and fish and chips. The lobster rolls were made with hand-picked lobster meat. The sizeable chunks of succulent lobster were simmered in butter, served in New England style rolls with French fried potatoes and a side salad. The fish and chips were excellent. There were three large pieces of beer-battered fresh cod also served with fried potatoes with house slaw and tartar sauce.
Our last two selections were the pad Thai noodle bowl and the street tacos. The three street tacos were chock full of shredded chicken tinga, and the others with slow-roasted pulled pork. They were topped with purple slaw, pico de gallo, cheese, cilantro and avocado and served with Spanish rice and refried beans. The pad Thai noodle bowl was served with tender slices of beef. The Thai noodles had the perfect bite and held the coating of the sauce to perfection. The noodles were combined with shredded carrots, cabbage, scallions, sweet peppers, peanuts and cilantro tossed in a Thai peanut sauce. This was tasty as an entrée, but as I am writing this column I am eating the leftover as a snack, and it’s just as good.
We ended our evening with a single dessert. Although there were many to choose from, the lemon berry mascarpone cake was recommended. It was definitely unique and a perfect choice. The vanilla crumb cake with fresh blueberries and lemon zest with a mascarpone cream filling topped with powdered sugar and a blueberry sabayon sauce was divine.
The food and service here were spot-on. Bonfire Grille is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It is located at 186 Hillside Ave. For reservations call 203-693-2777.
Steve Cooper is a local, national and international award-winning photographer, culinary influencer and executive director of the Milford Performance Center. Contact him at 203-723-3672.