App's West Haven
What an exceptional dining experience! I have lived in Connecticut for 49 years and am still pondering how it took me so long to find this gem of a restaurant. We heard about this place through word of mouth back in November, from a couple who have been dining at App's for years. We were on the subject of prime rib, and they urged us to go to App's for their regular Monday night prime rib special. That was the original plan. But when I saw the board of specials upon entering on the Monday before Christmas, the plans changed fast.
The specials included Prime Rib "au jus" with mashed potatoes and gravy for $24.95, ground strip steak, veal, and pork Bolognese tossed with rigatoni for $26 and picked lobster meat and shrimp over linguine in a choice of either red fra diavlo or white sauce for $36. Because I couldn't get a small sampler of each (I tried!) we just ordered all three. And wow, was that the right decision!
After our drinks, which came out almost immediately, followed a simple but delicious warm loaf of bread with butter. A salad, fresh and chilled, arrived next with a lovely house dressing. Then came the most tender and tasty fried calamari with a side of really, really, really good red sauce. OMG, I'd go back for those things alone.
But then came the entrees!
Because I hadn't been able to choose between the fra diavlo and white sauces for the lobster dish, I had asked if the rigatoni Bolognese could be prepared fra diavlo style, which they were able to do for me. That came out concurrently with the lobster and shrimp in white sauce. Right behind was the prime rib - to medium rare perfection with mashed potatoes and gravy that were quite literally the best I've ever had in my life! Each entrée was better than the last.
An unexpected bonus to the whole experience was our waiter, Justin, who was attentive, engaging, personable, and extremely helpful in helping us make good decisions. He was also the inventor of the cocktail of the night, a creamy gingerbread martini with a kick, which we enjoyed for dessert, as we were too full to eat anything else after all that food.
The restaurant itself was a lovely combination of classy, clean, and sophisticated while still being clearly a beloved and favorite place by locals. We arrived right when they opened at 4 p.m. and stayed until 8, leisurely eating, drinking, and watching the patrons (clearly lots of long timers) come and go.
The ambiance, the comfort, the attentiveness of the staff, and the food made it a night to remember. We'll be back for sure. Five stars without hesitation. read more