Review: Ten Twenty Post

When the Black Goose closed its doors a few years ago, there was an obvious void in the restaurant and bar scene in Darien. I missed the neighborhood feel of the place and the large rooms. It was one of the few places in town where there was space between the tables, room at the bar, and high ceilings. When Ten Twenty Post arrived on the scene, life was good once again.

Part of a larger restaurant group that is responsible for such hot spots as Elm Street Oyster Bar in Greenwich and The Rye Grill & Bar, Ten Twenty Post, tagged as "Oyster Bar and Bistro," is located in the newly developed brick walk section on the Post Road. The restaurant's understated façade gives way to a bright and airy dining room and bar, replete with tile flooring, dark wood furnishings, red leather back banquette seating, and a high-top communal table that is the centerpiece of the restaurant. The décor is modest, but charming, and brings to life that of an urban bistro.

My numerous visits to Ten Twenty Post have all been met with a great energy, whether for lunch or dinner, or even for those late afternoon cocktails or quick bites. I tend to dine out more during the week, thinking that there will be smaller crowds. Not here though. Mondays seem to be the new Friday.

Happy to return to this thriving restaurant and hungry after a busy day, we settle into two bar stools and visit with Rick and Chris, both long time local restaurateurs. In true bistro form, there are numerous wines by the glass to choose from as well as an impressive list of draught and bottle beer. While nursing an oaky chardonnay, we nibble on 1020 Chips with truffle oil and herbs (and I believe a sprinkling of parmesan cheese). I first had these at a Darien Chamber of Commerce event where Ten Twenty Post was a featured restaurant. They prepared these tasty crispy treats for well over 300 people. They were, once again, fabulous. The homemade chips are perfectly fried and then tossed with the aromatic truffle oil and fresh herbs. While light and crispy, the flavor is rich and sinful.

Frisee & "Crispy" Poached Egg/bacon, blue cheese & croutons ... $12

On a mission to indulge in all-things French, and a few dishes that I haven't had in a while, the Frisée Salad with "crispy" poached egg, bacon, blue cheese and croutons is one of the few salad creations that I find truly satisfying. Here, a large mound of fresh pillowy frisée greens lay the foundation for tons of flavor. The fatty salty bits of "lardon" are a wonderful contrast to the creamy blue cheese. In place of the traditional poached quail egg found in the French version of this salad, Chef Roland Coulombe has fun with his own interpretation, which is a deep fried poached farm egg. I give it an A for inventiveness and taste and an A++ for keeping the yolk gloriously runny even after the deep fry!

Moules with saffron-cream, bacon, mushrooms & caramelized onions … $12

The presentation of this dish is fantastic. A large white platter comes with a big bowl of mussels, a pile of pommes frites, a side of ketchup, and a metal bucket to toss the shells into. One of several preparations, the mussels were perfectly steamed, not overly seasoned, but with plenty of creamy sauce to get soaked up by the grilled buttered bread. The salty, crunchy capers added a tasty contrast. (Next time we'll try the saffron-cream, bacon, mushroom and caramelized onions version). The frites were so crispy and flavorful that I had to ask how it was done. The chef shared with me the cut and soak process of releasing the starch from the potatoes, then the double fry process of cooking the fries half way then double frying them when ordered. To coin a phrase: How bad can that be?

Cassoulet/garlic sausage, braised lamb, duck confit & white beans ... $26

Our journey continued into the South of France with this popular peasant food dish: a white bean stew of sorts, consisting of various meats, slow simmered into a rich and hearty stew. The menu lists garlic sausage, braised lamb, and duck confit as the meat components, and while the richness from the fat was beautifully incorporated, I felt that for $26 I would be biting into some succulent pieces of meat. No such luck. Still, rather satisfied with all of the other dishes we devoured, we simply appreciated the reduction of flavors and soft beans and scooped them up with our toasted bread.

Taste of four different dessert selections … $21

It was that time. You know that time, when you sit back in your chair, reminisce about the meal you just enjoyed, grab those lasts sips of wine, and approach the idea of dessert. No sooner do we ask Rick about some sweet options, Chef brings over a tasting of four desserts, garnished with big vibrant berries.

A buttery warm slice of White Chocolate Bread Pudding topped with a deep amber bourbon sauce was dense and scrumptious, and a nice pairing with the coffee. Classic Crème Brulee is creamy, not overly sweet, with the traditional torched hard sugar topping. Warm Molten Cake with vanilla ice cream is done nicely here. The dark bitter chocolate and its oozing center paired well with the milky sweet vanilla ice cream.

Our favorite was the Chocolate Pot de Crème, a dessert not found on many menus. Likened to a cross between mousse, panna cotta, and regular pudding, the velvety smoothness of this dark chocolate indulgence had me making plans to return to Ten Twenty Post for the dessert alone.

Ten Twenty Post has indeed hit their stride, and by the looks on any given day or night, have found their audience. The crowd is diverse and the energy in the room is always upbeat. We will return—but without a notepad and camera.