TruNorth is a fresh, new, ship-shape restaurant in Black Rock. You might forget you’re in Bridgeport, with the wide, white shutters making Fairfield Avenue disappear. The clean nautical look in crisp blue, white and warm brown wood features a cozy bar with nice millwork. The marble bar is set with woven mats if you order food, which everyone was doing on a recent evening.
Members of the ownership and management team are affiliated with Spotted Horse Tavern in Westport, the Gray Goose in Southport and Little Goose in Fairfield, which have had success creating good-looking, contemporary American restaurants with bar scenes. The menu at TruNorth is familiar, with plenty of casual bar food like spring rolls, lobster sliders and mac ‘n’ cheese.
There’s a touch of Italian-American on the menu. The Arthur Avenue meatballs ($10.95), made with beef, pork, garlic and onions, are well-flavored, and further amped with toppings of ricotta and pesto. As a happy hour special, smaller meatballs are served in soft buns, tasty and satisfying sliders.
But drinks first. The bartender offers us tastes of a 7-hop IPA and a Hobbit Juice IPA from Stonington, which we prefer. From the cocktail list, a classic gin and tonic is sailor-sized, served in a pint glass. The dry rosé is from Provence.
With the drinks, we enjoy smoked cod fritters. They are golden brown little balls that balance fish and filling, served over slices of cucumber, with two mayo-based sauces, green jalapeno and orange habanero. They have some kick.
The “main” of Cajun grilled pork tenderloin is paired with soft, sweet cornbread, sweet baked beans reminiscent of Heinz, coleslaw and a side of BBQ sauce ($18.95). The pork tastes of the grill, yet is still tender. The crispy calamari salad ($14.95), an old Fairfield county favorite, is not crisp, and the sauce doused the vegetables in sweetness that lacked an Asian balance of heat, sour, and fresh herbs.
TruNorth has an older and more respectable-looking, crisply casual crowd than most of Black Rock’s funky neighborhood joints. The servers are super friendly — and busy. TruNorth, which serves late-night happy hour from 11 p.m. to close with a menu of grilled cheese, is also blessed with its own parking lot.
TruNorth Tavern & Table, 3171 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, is open Monday through Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Information: 203-690-1918 and trunorthct.com.
