Getting Reacquainted With The Goose

New restaurants are exciting. No matter which town they open up in, what types of food they serve, or who owns them, they breathe new life into a town.

The Goose, tagged as an "American Bar & Bistro," should really be called a "Darien Restaurant and Gathering Place." Its opening has had residents abuzz for months, as its predecessor, the Black Goose Grille, was a local favorite. After it closed, the space sat dormant for a few years while new restaurants opened around it, giving many misplaced Goose customers a new haunt at which to tip a few and grab a bite to eat.

Last week, The Goose returned. Different owners, a new menu, and a slight makeover—but what have remained the same are all the good qualities that we missed. Its alleyway entrance is accented by a charming patio with just a handful of seats. The interior décor is made up of dark, handcrafted wood, large paintings, and other stunning artwork. The large bar, which legend has it made its way from brewing magnate August Busch's home in St Louis, is the focal point of the room, highlighted by hanging amber glass light fixtures, an antique mirror, leather high-back bar stools, and high-top table seating. A corner fireplace brings a dash of New England charm to the room. Private dining towards the back of the bar area seats up to 30 people and is lit by a gorgeous skylight.

The dining room has a new look, primarily accomplished by a fabulous exposed stone wall that was recently uncovered during the renovation when the paneling was peeled away. Large paintings dress up the walls and comfy furnishings make it easy to linger over a leisurely meal.

Executive Chef Piergiorgio Nanni, formerly of Osiana Restaurant in Fairfield, has crafted an American menu of simple comfort foods. Soups and salads ($7-$14) include Vidalia onion and forest mushroom soup with aged gouda croutons; roasted beets with farmer goat cheese fritters; and a multi-layered salad of baby arugula, cranberries, Spanish Marcona almonds and pistachios, tomatoes, Belgian endive, radicchio Trevisano (purple endive), Farmer Stilton cheese, and truffle vinaigrette. We indulged in a rich and creamy crab and corn chowder with smoked bacon that was bold and flavorful with a buttery undertone. There was plenty of pulled (King) crab meat, sweet corn, and a hint of smokiness from the bacon.

The "Point Judith" fried calamari with Peppadew pepper aioli and a spicy tomato sauce came highly recommended, as it should have. Thick rings of fresh squid are lightly seasoned, coated, and flash fried, leaving the calamari tender and tasty. Dipping sauces are fun but not required, as the calamari holds its own. Other small plates include mussels with fresh herbs, caper berries, garlic, lemon, and a white wine broth; balsamic glazed BBQ baby back ribs with jalapeño corn bread; and a wonderful tomato and basil salad with milky Burrata cheese. Cheese lovers will be happy to know that there's also a daily selection of cheeses from our beloved Darien Cheese Shop.

Grilled pizzas ($9-$12) come in a single serving sizes. The crust is crispy but the middle does not live up; I blame the generous amount of toppings that are bestowed upon the dough. In this case, we ordered broccoli rabe and sausage.  I must return to try the pizza again—but with baby leeks, taleggio cheese, and black summer truffle. It sounds amazing.  

As we sunk into our comfortable chairs at the high-top tables in the bar's dining area, we noticed a lot of burgers and sandwiches ($10-$14) making their way through the room. They come with a choice of hand-cut fries, sweet potato fries or baby field greens. I like being given a choice of sides: a simple offering that goes a long way.

Creativity between the bread includs: roasted eggplant, zucchini, portabella mushrooms, and sweet pepper with ricotta salata cheese and kalamata olive tapenade on ciabatta bread; a hearty Angus New York strip with gruyere, truffle aioli, and caramelized onion on grilled panino bread; and a smoked turkey club with avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and Dijon mayo on multigrain bread.

These are no ordinary sandwiches, as they are prepared with the same attention to flavor and texture contrasts that entrees typically try to evoke. The Goose burger, a generous portion of certified Angus beef, came topped with thick cut smoked bacon, blue cheese, tangy horseradish cream, and crispy onions. If you like the flavor of grill char, clear red juices flowing from the meat, and salty accoutrements, then this burger is for you—and me! Shoestring fries were tasty but need to be crisped up a bit to take them to another level.

Entrees ($16-$26) at The Goose have a New England flavor to them, as with the fish and chips served with cabbage, jicama, and carrot slaw; the Nantucket bouillabaisse; a filet mignon with roasted cipollini onions, Bordeaulaise, and spinach gratin; and the orechiette pasta with sautéed garlic and extra virgin olive oil, broccolini, grape tomatoes, cherry peppers, and wild mushrooms.

Our menu sampling menu left us without room for dessert, though it was mighty tempting to give into the apple crumb with ice cream or crème brulee. Or, better yet, a hot coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream. The Goose is the type of place that makes you want to stay for a while. The old crowd is back, new faces keep popping in, and life is back to normal—or better than normal.