EatDrinkShopCook: Sampling area's new dining destination

Kaboom! Did you hear that? It was the explosion of recent restaurant openings in Fairfield. For some reason, the past year or so has brought a plethora of new restaurants to town. It used to be that, if you wanted to go out to dinner, you'd naturally head to Westport.

But suddenly, Fairfield is the place to be and be seen -- and eat.

Let's go over the list: Bonda, Colony Grill, Fairfield Café, Flipside Burgers & Bar, The Greenhouse Grill, Mackenzie's, Old Post Tavern, Pizzeria Molto, Safita, The Shack, Tomato & Basil Café & Pizzeria ... and I know I'm probably missing others.

So what gives?

"In Fairfield center, there's always something going on," said Jim Grace, owner of The Greenhouse Grill. "There's the Fairfield Theatre Co. and the old-time theater [the Community]. The multiplex doesn't make you say, `Let's do something fun.' So after the movie and before, there's always people walking around." That's certainly one of the biggest changes that Fairfield has seen since The Fairfield Store and Mercurio's, downtown's two big anchors, closed.

In danger of becoming a ghost town, the center was revitalized when Borders Books moved in and the Community Theater re-opened as a discount movie house. People started strolling around town again, making it a vibrant community.

"Westport used to have theaters," said Grace. "You would walk around and have a chance to explore. But then there was a phasing out of things to do." Grace says that part of Fairfield's dining success stems from the fact that people come from many different areas, from as close as the beaches to as far away as Trumbull and Shelton. He also points out that, while parking can be an issue during the day for some businesses, the evening is a different matter. There's always some place to park.

Dan Camporeale, one of the owners of Pizzeria Molto, says that Fairfield needed a change in the restaurant scene. "There was nothing here except the old stand-bys," he said. "The rage started in Stamford and New Haven, and worked its way to Fairfield, in the middle," he said.

Whatever the reasons, there seems to be a restaurant for any budget and any occasion in Fairfield.

Bonda: Fairfield's newest darling is actually out of the central hub and off in the Siberia of Greenfield Hill. Formerly located in Westport (part deli as Abbondanza and part restaurant), Bonda took with it many faithful diners, so it stands to do well. The eclectic menu can probably be best described as American fusion, with plenty of interesting combinations. There's a full bar here, as opposed to the former location, which only offered wine.

Colony Grill: The menu here is simple -- pizza. One size, $8.50, with each topping an extra $1.50. It might sound rather unexciting, but this is cult-pizza, the type that people will wait in line for. And they did, when Colony first opened its doors last summer. The crust is as thin as it's possible to get, but sturdy enough to hold all the meat, cheese and vegetables you could want. There isn't much in the way of atmosphere, but who needs candlelight and flowers when you have great pizza?

Flipside Burgers & Bar: Yes, they have salads and sandwiches. They even have seafood, but really, the burgers are what it's about. Choose your burger (beef, chicken or veggie) and load it up with cheese, vegetables and sauces. Flipside opened just over a year ago, and the menu recently expanded to include appetizers and wraps. Check out the Happy Hour, Monday through Friday, when they have half-price drinks and $5 appetizers.

The Greenhouse Grill: It's hard to miss the bright yellow façade of the restaurant and the attached all-glass "greenhouse." "We wanted al fresco dining," said owner Jim Grace, "but this is New England." So instead, he created a space that's warm in the winter and cool in the summer, where the sunlight is filtered by trays of herbs growing overhead. The menu ranges from salads and burgers to grilled diver scallops and their own dry-aged steaks. The kitchen is open throughout the day, from 11 a.m. straight through to 11 p.m. and they offer brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays.

MacKenzie's Grill: MacKenzie's used to be in Black Rock, then it was in the space under the Hi-Ho where Barcelona currently is. Now MacKenzie's is back in the former-Black-Rock-Tavern-which-was-formerly-Pizzeria-Uno spot on Black Rock Turnpike. Got all that? This is the latest of Fairfield's restaurants to open, so getting in on a Saturday night can prove to be a challenge. The menu is American pub-influenced, and the bar seems to always be hopping.

Old Post Tavern: Specializing in steak and seafood, the Old Post Tavern has a slice of prime real estate on the Post Road adjacent to the Community Theater. You could easily drop a pretty penny here, with appetizers such as the $68 Grand Platter (4 each of oysters, clams, jumbo shrimp, Jonah crab claws, jumbo lump crabmeat and a one-pound Maine lobster cocktail) and entrees such as the 22-ounce dry-aged rib steak for $36. But, of course, there are more affordable options, ranging from salads and burgers to chicken and pasta. Every Tuesday, bottles of wine are half price, and Sunday brunch is offered. They are closed on Mondays.

Pizzeria Molto: Don't let the word "Pizzeria" in the name fool you. This is no pizza joint. Rather, this is an upscale, funky, metropolitan kind of place where, yes, you can get pizza, but they're really known for their "Italian Tapas." Among the small plates (which range from $4 to $12.50) are crispy artichokes, baby lamb chops, grilled sea bass and roasted beets. Also on the menu are sandwiches, pastas and entrees. The pizzas can be made thin or New York classic-style, and sport creative toppings such as broccolini, potatoes, avocado and white beans. Two of the four owners will be opening a new restaurant, ZaZa, in Stamford later this year. On Wednesday nights, they have a DJ with dancing and cocktail sampling. Note: they do not accept reservations.

Safita: Offering a respite from the abundance of American and Italian restaurants in Fairfield is Safita, where the former Chat `n Chew coffeehouse was located. Serving "contemporary Middle Eastern cuisine," Safita's menu includes items such as spinach pie, stuffed grape leaves, falafel and shish kebab. Warm flat bread is served with olive oil and a small dish containing a mixture of herbs and sesame seeds. Sandwiches, such as lamb shawarma (spit-grilled and thin-sliced lamb) and kefta kebab (ground, spiced meat) are served with your choice of tahini yogurt sauce or creamy garlic sauce. Safita doesn't have a liquor license, so you're welcome to BYOB.

The Shack Hometown Grill: Formerly The Beach Café (and prior to that, Sidetrack's), the Shack bills itself as "Fairfield County's favorite family restaurant." The menu here is extremely accessible comfort food: burgers, wings, salads and (hooray!) Sidetrack's nachos. On Tuesdays, tacos are $2 and margaritas are $5. Wednesday is karaoke night and on Fridays, kids are invited to watch movies upstairs while their parents dine downstairs.

Tomato & Basil Café & Pizzeria: A welcome addition to Black Rock Turnpike, Tomato & Basil's menu boasts small plates, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, entrees and, of course, pizza. The difference here in the pizza is that it can be ordered double-thick, and the toppings include goat cheese, pancetta, seared steak and artichokes, in addition to all the usual stand-bys. They have a full bar and on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, bottles of wine over $40 are given a 30 percent discount.

E-mail Patti Woods at eatdrinkshopcook@gmail.com.