Milford Living
lifestyle magazine
Restaurant review
Autumn 2014
"A Reason to Celebrate"
by Barbara Park
Celebrating tradition is perhaps New England’s foremost stock in trade, and the 375th anniversary of Milford’s establishment as a colonial village this year has brought parades, ceremonies, exhibits, concerts, and other opportunities to reflect on the past and savor today’s treasures. Downtown’s Stonebridge Restaurant joins the celebration in marking its twenty-fifth year as a family-owned, hometown favorite. Many locals remember that Richard Conine’s father established a seafood shack next to the memorial stone bridge in the 1940’s; today, the sprawling, eponymous restaurant that spans a block of Daniel Street is run by Richard and his son, Phil. Within its spacious, sleek and uncluttered surroundings, the menu embraces tradition by offering Milford’s invention, the hot lobster roll, surely among the finest iterations of this oft-copied New England staple. Stonebridge understands the simplicity of house-shucked, lobster claw meat poached in butter and nestled in a soft bun, offered year-round and perfect alongside hand-cut fries—updated with truffle oil and a dusting of Parmesan.
Their recognition of the need to balance culinary tradition with modern American tastes is perhaps the key to Stonebridge’s longevity. Executive chef Brett Keating, a CIA graduate, is attuned to culinary trends while remaining attentive to what his customers want. A runaway summer favorite, his miniature flour tortilla enveloping a thick slice of expertly seared and blackened Ahi tuna laced with a red pepper aioli and anchored with mashed avocado and minced purple onion has made the transition to the fall menu. Stonebridge specializes in seafood, including local and regional hauls of clams, oysters, shrimp, calamari, scallops, swordfish, and Maine lobster as well as soft-shelled crab from Maryland and PEI mussels. The Seafood Tower ($78.50), a colossus of tender and succulent blue crab meat, a dozen oysters, a dozen clams, a trio of enormous shrimp cocktail and chilled, freshly shucked lobster calls out for sharing alongside a glass of wine, beer, or a signature cocktail made with pure squeezed juices from New Haven’s Ripe. “Whatever is local, we get it,” Chef Keating says, adding that he will often “purchase the whole catch of Milford shellfisherman Robert Granfield”.
The Original Downtown Salad, a signature offering in both full and half-portions, features a tender and moist grilled chicken breast atop mixed greens tossed in a piquant white balsamic vinaigrette and studded with diced fresh apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese and house-candied pecans. Chef Keating points out that using pecans to offer a richer taste than walnuts is but a single, simple example of Stonebridge’s insistence on the integrity of its ingredients, including locally-sourced cheeses and produce. Burgers are a steakhouse blend of Angus chuck and brisket; a menu standout is the A1 Peppercorn (4 oz., $7.50, 8 oz., 12.50), a burger rubbed with peppercorns, basted with A1 steak sauce, and finished with sautéed mushrooms and the mild bite of creamy, melted gorgonzola.
As the cool days and evenings of autumn beckon diners in from alfresco dining on the patio and decks overlooking the Wepawaug River, menu offerings are tweaked to reflect savory, heartier fare. Diners enjoy the large windows of the recently renovated pub room with its long tables, spacious booths upholstered in rich brown, and wood toned floors or opt for the more formal but equally comfortable dining room with its fireplace and white tablecloths. Braised, tender short ribs of beef alongside house-made gnocchi, steak au poivre (an Angus New York strip grilled, sliced, and served with béarnaise, $32.50) or an 8 ounce balsamic- roasted filet mignon topped with lobster meat poached in butter, with roasted garlic and whipped potatoes ($45.50) paired with a full-bodied red from Stonebridge’s thoughtfully composed wine list offer the antidote to falling temperatures. Swordfish makes the seasonal transition blackened with a racy Cajun gorgonzola sauce as a small plate ($13.50) or eight ounce portion ($25.50). A sweet finish includes silky, house made chocolate mousse or authentic key lime pie, a recipe Chef Keating brought from an externship on Captiva Island, the latter providing an echo of summer or the lure of a gulf coast vacation.
Nighttime music has long been a part of the dining scene at Stonebridge, and Phil Conine clearly enjoys overseeing the eclectic acts that draw enthusiastic crowds year round. Phil calls Stonebridge “a true chameleon” that moves effortlessly from smooth jazz to a 12- piece funk band to local favorites Rum Runners and The Bernadettes. Happy hour from 4 to 7 offering discounted drinks and $5 tapas is popular with the after work crowd. Bartender Maria has been behind the bar for twelve years and avows that “I love my job…we’re a family here.” With Sunday brunch, 2 for $29 dinner specials and banquet facilities rounding out their specialties, Stonebridge provides plenty of reasons to make this Milford mainstay the place for a celebration of your own.
lifestyle magazine
Restaurant review
Autumn 2014
"A Reason to Celebrate"
by Barbara Park
Celebrating tradition is perhaps New England’s foremost stock in trade, and the 375th anniversary of Milford’s establishment as a colonial village this year has brought parades, ceremonies, exhibits, concerts, and other opportunities to reflect on the past and savor today’s treasures. Downtown’s Stonebridge Restaurant joins the celebration in marking its twenty-fifth year as a family-owned, hometown favorite. Many locals remember that Richard Conine’s father established a seafood shack next to the memorial stone bridge in the 1940’s; today, the sprawling, eponymous restaurant that spans a block of Daniel Street is run by Richard and his son, Phil. Within its spacious, sleek and uncluttered surroundings, the menu embraces tradition by offering Milford’s invention, the hot lobster roll, surely among the finest iterations of this oft-copied New England staple. Stonebridge understands the simplicity of house-shucked, lobster claw meat poached in butter and nestled in a soft bun, offered year-round and perfect alongside hand-cut fries—updated with truffle oil and a dusting of Parmesan.
Their recognition of the need to balance culinary tradition with modern American tastes is perhaps the key to Stonebridge’s longevity. Executive chef Brett Keating, a CIA graduate, is attuned to culinary trends while remaining attentive to what his customers want. A runaway summer favorite, his miniature flour tortilla enveloping a thick slice of expertly seared and blackened Ahi tuna laced with a red pepper aioli and anchored with mashed avocado and minced purple onion has made the transition to the fall menu. Stonebridge specializes in seafood, including local and regional hauls of clams, oysters, shrimp, calamari, scallops, swordfish, and Maine lobster as well as soft-shelled crab from Maryland and PEI mussels. The Seafood Tower ($78.50), a colossus of tender and succulent blue crab meat, a dozen oysters, a dozen clams, a trio of enormous shrimp cocktail and chilled, freshly shucked lobster calls out for sharing alongside a glass of wine, beer, or a signature cocktail made with pure squeezed juices from New Haven’s Ripe. “Whatever is local, we get it,” Chef Keating says, adding that he will often “purchase the whole catch of Milford shellfisherman Robert Granfield”.
The Original Downtown Salad, a signature offering in both full and half-portions, features a tender and moist grilled chicken breast atop mixed greens tossed in a piquant white balsamic vinaigrette and studded with diced fresh apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese and house-candied pecans. Chef Keating points out that using pecans to offer a richer taste than walnuts is but a single, simple example of Stonebridge’s insistence on the integrity of its ingredients, including locally-sourced cheeses and produce. Burgers are a steakhouse blend of Angus chuck and brisket; a menu standout is the A1 Peppercorn (4 oz., $7.50, 8 oz., 12.50), a burger rubbed with peppercorns, basted with A1 steak sauce, and finished with sautéed mushrooms and the mild bite of creamy, melted gorgonzola.
As the cool days and evenings of autumn beckon diners in from alfresco dining on the patio and decks overlooking the Wepawaug River, menu offerings are tweaked to reflect savory, heartier fare. Diners enjoy the large windows of the recently renovated pub room with its long tables, spacious booths upholstered in rich brown, and wood toned floors or opt for the more formal but equally comfortable dining room with its fireplace and white tablecloths. Braised, tender short ribs of beef alongside house-made gnocchi, steak au poivre (an Angus New York strip grilled, sliced, and served with béarnaise, $32.50) or an 8 ounce balsamic- roasted filet mignon topped with lobster meat poached in butter, with roasted garlic and whipped potatoes ($45.50) paired with a full-bodied red from Stonebridge’s thoughtfully composed wine list offer the antidote to falling temperatures. Swordfish makes the seasonal transition blackened with a racy Cajun gorgonzola sauce as a small plate ($13.50) or eight ounce portion ($25.50). A sweet finish includes silky, house made chocolate mousse or authentic key lime pie, a recipe Chef Keating brought from an externship on Captiva Island, the latter providing an echo of summer or the lure of a gulf coast vacation.
Nighttime music has long been a part of the dining scene at Stonebridge, and Phil Conine clearly enjoys overseeing the eclectic acts that draw enthusiastic crowds year round. Phil calls Stonebridge “a true chameleon” that moves effortlessly from smooth jazz to a 12- piece funk band to local favorites Rum Runners and The Bernadettes. Happy hour from 4 to 7 offering discounted drinks and $5 tapas is popular with the after work crowd. Bartender Maria has been behind the bar for twelve years and avows that “I love my job…we’re a family here.” With Sunday brunch, 2 for $29 dinner specials and banquet facilities rounding out their specialties, Stonebridge provides plenty of reasons to make this Milford mainstay the place for a celebration of your own.