5 PLACES FOR...
Guilty Pleasures!
April 25, 2007
ctnow.com
You know it's bad for you. You know you should be ashamed of eating it. But there are times when you crave the greasiest, fattiest, most non-nutritional item on the menu. And you know what? That's OK. We want some, too. Here are five places serving up some "guilty pleasures."
Side Street Grille
15 Dickerman St., Hamden
203-407-1539
The Big Kahuna, $17.95
Fried Twinkie, $4.95
When I eat healthy for a few days in a row, I feel wonderful. I feel like I could run in a marathon, or build a house. My attitude completely changes and I seem to be filled with newfound energy. But sometimes, I'd just rather eat whatever I want, whenever I want.
Side Street Grille in Hamden gets this. The local family restaurant and bar, which is literally off a side street of Whitney Avenue, serves up burgers, nachos, and any other food you want fried. They serve the food on big, plastic plates with paper place mats that make you feel like you don't have to use your manners.
I suppose The Big Kahuna could be shared by a bunch of weak eaters, but for brave diners, this meal's for one. And it is anything but innocent. The colorful platter offers onion rings, jalapeno poppers (with sour cream inside), mozzarella sticks, wings smothered in a not-too-spicy buffalo sauce, and barbecue ribs. Four different dipping sauces come on the side.
The jalapeno poppers were as addictive as nicotine, but the ribs were the highlight of this dish. The meat melted right off the bone, and the rib itself was smothered in a barbecue sauce that had the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. The plastic plate was even lined with lettuce, and one of the two potato skins had broccoli melted into the cheese instead of bacon (so this meal wasn't completely unhealthy, right?)
To wash it all down, I got the "Anna Nicole's Fried Twinkies" for dessert. Expecting a soggy, greasy Hostess mess, I was pleasantly surprised by a fancy-looking dessert plate. Two Twinkies, cut into fours, were creatively displayed, drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
They were absolutely delicious, though together The Big Kahuna and the Twinkies should be served with a defibrillator.
-- MICHELLE COLLINS
Senor Pancho's Authentic Mexican Restaurant
Union Square, Southbury
(203) 262-6988
Sloppy Nachos $7.95
Strawberry Margarita $5.50
The first sign of spring and warm weather instantly makes me think of my favorite guilty pleasure - margaritas. Senor Pancho's is a great place to indulge in the frozen tequila concoction. The Mexican-style eatery has the perfect atmosphere to overindulge without feeling a hint of guilt. With loud Mexican music playing, stucco walls and a mural dedicated to Jose Cuervo, you will feel like you just stepped into a south of the border fiesta.
I didn't need the menu to order my drink because I wanted a frozen strawberry margarita. However, I did need to check out what other guilty pleasures I could gorge on so tequila wasn't the only thing in my stomach. I decided to go for the Sloppy Nachos: mounds of chips smothered with cheese, beans, olives, jalapenos, sour cream, and Ranchero sauce.
My heaping plate of nachos came out the same time as my margarita, giving me an overload of sinful choices. After one sip of my strawberry margarita, I was surprisingly grateful that the drink only came in one size, as I could taste the Cuervo with every slurp. After a few more sips, I cleansed my palate with the loaded nachos.
The crispy chips were buried under cheese, beans and sour cream, with a mound of guacamole on top. The nachos and the margarita provided a nice melody of sweet with a hint of salt and spice.
After nonstop crunching and drinking, I got to the point where I couldn't consume another bite. Full and happy, I made my way to the door with a desperate need for a siesta.
-- RENEE C. TRAYNOR
Woody's Fish Tank
915 Main Street, Hartford
860-278-5499, www.woodyshotdog.com
Fried Dough Pizza with "the works", $5
Two great tastes that taste great together. Pile on a generous assortment of tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and bacon, not to mention extra cheese, and now you're really talking.
When the call came down for "guilty pleasures," things that you know you probably shouldn't eat but that sometimes just taste too darn good to pass up, this greasy, cheesy, and oh-so-tasty offering from Woody's Fish Tank on Main Street in downtown Hartford immediately sprang to mind.
Woody's is primarily known for its footlong hotdogs, but when I stopped in a couple of weeks ago to scope out the scene at the newly opened bar and dining area (the Fish Tank) I was very, very intrigued to find this item listed on their menu. And also a little curious as to how many calories and artery-clogging cholesterol consuming one would actually pack on?
Well, after taking one bite of this sinfully delicious concoction that owner Gary Walker said he dreamed up one afternoon as a not-so-healthy alternative to such standard barroom cuisine as hot wings and fried mozzarella sticks, I'm happy to report that I didn't particularly care. Soon after, the Fried Dough Pizza with "the works" had all but vanished from my plate.
Leaving only a few small crumbs and a fairly large puddle of grease at the bottom of the pan as the only indication that the Fried Dough Pizza had ever been there at all. And a nagging feeling that I really need to get to the gym.
-- DAVE MORAN
Stockbridge's Gourmet Cheescakes & Delectables
412 Roosevelt Drive, Derby
(203) 734-7853, www.stockbridgescheesecakes.com
Cheesecake topped with cherries, $14.95
Cheesecake isn't the healthiest dessert, but the one's made by Stockbridge's Gourmet in Derby is worth every calorie.
I've had cheesecake from Stockbridge's several times, but on the last occasion I ate it for my 22nd birthday. Since my dad was recovering from surgery, my mother and I brought it with us to the rehab facility to share. Each cheesecake from Stockbridge's comes perfectly packed with your topping of choice and a small envelope containing fishing line. What's the line for? To cut the cake, of course. Sliding the line through instead of a knife gives you the perfect slice with no mess.
The three of us ate almost the entire thing. We topped our cheesecake with juicy red cherries in syrup (like they would come in a jar). Other to-go toppings include strawberries and blueberries ($3 each). We offered the leftover slices to the nurses on duty. They devoured it.
Stuffed, we left the facility only wishing we'd had a cup of good coffee to go along with it.
Stockbridge's offers 45-plus flavors of creamy cheesecakes ranging from amaretto to white chocolate raspberry ($14.95 - $40). Other "delectable" confections made at the Derby shop include flaky, bake-at-home scones ($9.95/dozen), huge chunky-chewy cookies ($10/dozen), brownies, 7-layer bars, macaroons ($12/dozen) and other cakes like Strawberry Short cake and the popular Linzor Torte cake ($25.95-115).
All of their treats at the tiny, tucked-away store have become so popular, in fact, that Stockbridge's is slated to open an entire "dessert diner" of sorts on Howe Avenue in Shelton in a few months. The bakery/café'-style establishment will allow patrons to see everything, pick out what they want and have a place to eat it on the spot rather than place an order (as is the case with most of the menu items now).
Sweet-lovers can slink away in guilt after just one mouthful of these insanely delicious desserts.
-- DANA A. OWEN
Chili's Grill & Bar
1085 N. Colony Road. Wallingford
203-697-9313
Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie, $5.49
In the dating world, some of us are attracted to people we know are bad for us but we just can't resist their not-so-good charms. Food can be much the same way. We all have that one food we absolutely adore. Yes, it may have tons of calories and tons of fat but the taste surpasses the flaws. It's that one food that can make a bad day better (for a little while anyway).
My guilty pleasure is the chocolate chip paradise pie at Chili's. Not to be cheesy, but the name doesn't lie. One bite of this chocolate goodie is like consuming a bit of paradise.
The chocolate chip paradise pie is a warm chewy brownie-like bar full of chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut. It doesn't stop there. On top of the warm bar are two cold scoops of vanilla ice cream. The ice-cream mounds are drenched with warm hot fudge and caramel, and then it's all topped with bits of nuts. It's a mix of hot and cold and is the answer to my sweet tooth craving.
If you really feel guilty for eating this "guilty pleasure" ask for two spoons and force your dining partner to dig in with you. If they say "oh I'll just have a bite," they are lying.
-- ERICA DASILVA
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