55 Degrees: Hotter Than it Sounds

Remember when Fairfield's 55 Miller St. was once occupied by Rattlesnakes Mexican restaurant? Or maybe you recall Rattlesnakes' antecedent, Mulino's, the white tablecloth, Italian trattoria. Either way, 55 Degrees, the newest inhabitant of 55 Miller St. is a place worth getting to know.

There is familial warmth about the place. Cousins and co-owners Vincente Siguenza and Mario Lopez most likely impart it through kindred osmosis.

But that can't just be it; the room itself has charm. There are faded sage green walls, a cathedral-like ceiling that's vaulted high and plastered with terracotta panels, a stone tiled floor. The bar is homely, clad with exposed brick, a rubbed-wood countertop and a front-face that matches the stone floor.

In the summer months, the choice of dining al-fresco is yours. Quaint is the slated terrace, almost pictorial of an Italian villa: red umbrellas, a white picket fence and rustic lampposts encircled by verdant greens.

But with the latest heat wave that ripped through the county, where was their air-conditioning system when we needed it most? And why were the ceiling fans on? Inside the air was sluggish, hot and thick as the outside. I could feel my cheeks taking on a rubicund hue, matching the umbrellas outside; my water glass constantly depleted.

Fortunately, on the hottest day of May, the service was attentive; water glasses were replenished without delay. On another visit, though, it took a cattle prodding to move the service along. The weekends are tough.

Slow service won't be enough to keep you from enjoyment though. If anything, while waiting to be served, the panoply wine list is worth perusing, whether you order a bottle or not. Honoring both Italian wines and those from California, the list tops out at a $300 bottle of Napa Valley's Bond St. Eden. Of course there are lesser bottles as well that hover in the $40 range. If you pass on the bottle, you can find a decent wine-by-the-glass selection; the 2008 Eidosela Albarino ($9) is a quaffable white: stone fruit, floral nuances, a complementing herbaceous quality. The orange peel finish was pleasantly unexpected.

The wine list, the reasonably-priced food and its inherent classiness all help to draw in eclectic groups. At one table, a family graduation party, there are business execs meeting up for an after-work libation at another, and long-lost friends hold reunions. Trios of cougars linger by the bar.

What to eat: a cast of truffle-dressed beef gems to start, joined with two Shrek-sized croutons, a satiny Parmesan cream and a raw, speckled quail egg that's nestled on a bed of sea salt. Tip: fix a crouton with the raw beef, a dollop of Parmesan cream and a smear of raw egg for maximized tartar hedonism ($12.) Montauck calamari ($8) is quickly seared, holding on to a wisp of grill smoke and joined with just-heated cherry tomatoes, starchy white beans and fragrant rosemary.

Don't miss out on the grilled asparagus ($11) that's lightly charred and tender from stem to tip, paired with an unctuous poached egg, a shaving of crisped prosciutto and a dousing of a creamy, truffle vinaigrette. Do however pass on the strawberry and arugula salad ($9). The balsamic dressing is ascetic and overbearing, covering up the peppery arugala and ambrosial strawberries.  It burns slightly on the way down.

Homemade butternut squash panzotti ($18) are folded handkerchiefs of pasta, made swollen with a puree of the orange flesh and accentuated with just-browned butter, toasted almonds and a scattering of sage. The rack of lamb ($30) is spring: a blooming core of moist, roseate meat, a scattering of abalone-textured king oyster mushrooms with sweet pea and mint filled ravioli.

If you are going to stay for dessert, which isn't a must, skip the banana foster bread pudding. It's really just a ramekin of warm banana bread and a saucer of far too-caramelized caramel. But the passion fruit sorbet ($7) is safe, consisting of three scoops of unadulterated, tropical bliss. Creamy, concentrated, cold.

If the saying "the third time's a charm" holds any truth, 55 Degrees won't have to shutter its windows, forcing another restaurateur to fall victim to the unyielding industry. Let's hope the saying is right. I like this place.