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59 BANK Reviews
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Litchfield County
Times Monthly |
A New
Milford Addition
By Abigail
Leab Martin
Staff Reporter
With its high ceiling
of patterned tin, expansive brick walls and gleaming
woodwork, the new restaurant 59 BANK features "a Soho
atmosphere at a New Milford price," in the words of
co-owner and chef Arthur Michaelsen, Jr.
He and his staff have revamped the former
Kaleidoscope on Bank Street in New Milford into a warm,
welcoming and polished space.
And what a space it is. The downstairs, which
previously could have been described as cavernous, has
instead been made cozy yet airy with the repainting of
the walls to a pale, cheerful yellow and the addition of
the brightening accent of large flowers - both as part
of a tapestry covering one wall and in an elaborate
floral arrangement situated in a colorful urn.
Upstairs, the focus of the restaurant is wood -
from the large, burnished bar to the luminous floor,
well offset by the subtle, attractive lighting. It is
obvious that a great deal of care and thought has gone
into redesigning this space.
That's hardly a surprise, given the years of
experience that Mr. Michaelsen has in the restaurant
business. About 16 years ago, Mr. Michaelsen and his
wife, Julia, 59 BANK's other co-owner, had a successful
eight-year run with Heibeck's Ice Cream in Georgetown,
CT.
That achievement was followed by the next
restaurant endeavor, Ridgefield's 33 & 1/3, which Mr.
Michaelsen ran with his sister Nancy Burke, and his
mother, Josie Connelly. The latter establishment's
popularity also explains his current spot's choice of
name. "Numbers work well for us and we have a
successful trend with them," Mr. Michaelsen explained.
The boldness of the renovation and the warmth of
the atmosphere of 59 BANK are very much an echo of the
chef's personality. The Culinary Institute of America
graduate is bursting with energy, enthusiasm and
creativity.
And his plans are manifold. Mr. Michaelsen has
already instituted a weekday happy hour from 4 pm to 6
pm that offers tempting and tasty items such as buffalo
chicken nuggets and fruit and cheese crudites.
He has also created an extensive brunch menu that
includes several tantalizing crepes and a variety of
elaborate egg options.
Along with rounding up more musical acts to feature
on Friday and Saturday nights, Mr. Michaelsen also noted
that other forms of entertainment were also under
consideration, such as an open microphone night on
Wednesday and a karaoke night on Thursday.
Amid that backdrop, Mr. Michaelsen is striving to
establish a restaurant that will please the palates of a
broad range of guests, from the most discerning gourmet
to an everyday bar food fan.
"We're going to try to meet everybody's needs as
far as what they'd like," the chef explained. To that
extent, he is even soliciting comments on a form
included with the check. "This is something that we
have always done," he said. "I think the only way to
run it (the restaurant) is to respond to the feedback."
Attempting such broad appeal can be daring and
tricky. The result so far is a qualified success.
Certain dishes on the menu are as flavorful and
innovative as any seasoned gourmet could hope for. The
flatbreads, delicate, crispy grilled pizzas laden with a
variety of toppings, are flat out fabulous. The veggie
version may be Mr. Michaelsen's most delicious creation,
with its generous mix of broccoli, zucchini, roasted
peppers, sauteed spinach and mozzarella, finished off
with a generous crumbling of goat cheese.
The blending of colors and textures also makes for
a dining experience that is most pleasing to several
senses simultaneously. The classic featuring pepperoni
is also quite savory. In fact, any of the nine versions
of flatbreads that 59 BANK offers would make an ideal
lunchtime takeout treat.
Salads are also an area in which 59 BANK excels.
The best of a delectable array is the Banker's Cobb. A
melange of colors, textures and flavors, the salad
incorporates tomato, hardboiled egg, red onion and
grilled chicken, but it is the tang of Maytag blue
cheese, the crunch of crispy bacon and the subtle
flavors of slivers of fresh avocado that elevate this
dish into something sublime. And the size of the salad
is so generous that it can easily satisfy the hungriest
customer over the course of two meals.
Other dishes are a little more hit and miss, though
the misses are just by a whisker. For example, the
baked bowtie al forno begins delightfully with a coating
of lightly browned mozzarella topping noodles that are
perfectly cooked to be soft and yielding rather than
limp and soggy or overly chewy. Delving below the
mozzarella, the mixture of parmesan and ricotta cheese
combined with caramelized onion and herb breadcrumbs is
pleasing and light. But the sudden appearance of
indelicate chunks of chicken seemed somehow incongruous,
almost like an afterthought. Their removal would
greatly improve an otherwise enjoyable dish.
However, it should be noted that 59 BANK has only
been open since Columbus Day and that many a restaurant
undergoes an initial period of adjustment before hitting
its stride. 59 BANK is getting very close and what it
does well, such as the flatbreads and the salads, it
does very well indeed.
In addition, the combination of prices and serving
sizes makes 59 BANK an attractive dining option - and
with approximately 59 items on the dinner menu, plus
specials, there is certainly something there to tempt
everyone.
Seductively ample portions are the norm and the
prices are such a party of four could have a satisfying
meal for $100. Appetizers range in price from about
$3.59 to about $9, while entrees run from $6.59 for a
burger to $14.59 for a 16-ounce ribeye steak.
Desserts are in the $6 range, and the wine list
offers plenty of good choices for less than $30.
As Mr. Michaelsen noted with gratitude, so far New
Milford's response has been overwhelmingly favorable.
59 BANK does not seem to be able to keep take-out menus
in stock and the weekends have seen the restaurant
bustling with business. "I think the most rewarding
thing is that on Saturday night we had a wave of people
waiting to sit down and eat dinner. That was very
exciting," said the chef with a smile. |
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