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Everything New
Is Old Again
‘Old' New Haven still getting up to speed
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Business New Haven
2/9/1998
By: Angelina Anderman
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Old New Haven Restaurant & Bar,
4 Orange Street, New Haven (203-624-6662). Open 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. daily (later on demand, esp. weekends).
It is probably safe to say that everyone was both delighted and relieved when the Old New Haven finally opened in the Ninth Square neighborhood following weeks of delays. The newly redeveloped area was in sore need of a hangout. It will also be a Godsend to Coliseum attendees of all varieties, as it is located right next door. All would seem to bode well for the Old New Haven.
The large space is nicely laid out, dark and clubby in style. The floors of the entrance and extensive bar area - which includes its own dart-playing section - are tiled in black and white reminiscent of old New York bathrooms, but it works and matches well with the mahogany look that predominates. The rest of the décor is black and grey, with comfortable furniture (even the table mats and drinking straws are black).
The dining areas have been divided into small sections by wooden partitions which makes the layout of space interesting and easy to service. The back walls are of brick, which contrast well with the rest of the décor. It's a big place, serving just under 250 persons, and offers a small private room.
The menu is equally large and specializes in Cajun-style food. We were itching to try the gumbo which reports had eulogized but alas it was “out” on the day of our (pre-noon) visit. Called Gumbo YaYa, it is $2.75 for a small bowl and $3.75 for a large. Instead we had a small soup of the day - chicken stew - which was creamy with a good consistency but without much chicken and not nearly hot enough. A full page of starters that double nicely as bar food includes two varieties of chicken wings with a choice of three or four sauces, plus celery and bleu cheese ($5.95 and $6.95 a dozen).
Bo's chili served in an edible bread bowl is $5.75, fiery nachos to share $8.25, beer battered onion rings $3.95, and lots more stuff to help a draft beer (starting at $2) slide down easily. At Thursday and Friday happy hours we understand that there are complimentary goodies.
Back to our lunch: We selected from the “classic American entrées” page a Southern-style deep-fried catfish which came with hush puppies, fries and “riverside” cole slaw ($7.95). It also included a small salad of red leaf lettuce, cucumber and tomato with a choice of eight dressings. Our friend, a catfish lover (don't ask), reported that this dish was kinda okay, but he thought that the fish was probably frozen and the hush puppies were very dry. The accompanying tartar sauce was freshly made and came in handy for dipping fries and chips.
Other entrées from this page ranged from $7.95 to $18.95 and include items like hickory smoked prime rib, Southern-style barbecue ribs, shrimp and two chicken dishes.
From the “classic American sandwich” page we made two selections. The first was Otto's Smoker, which sounded interesting: thinly sliced smoked roast beef served hot with provolone cheese, onion sticks, special sauce on a fresh baked roll ($6.95). It didn't quite live up to expectations: The beef (which had strings of fat and gristle around the edges) might have been smoked but was certainly not hot, with chopped raw onions, some melted cheese and no sauce at all. The roll was hard and dry.
The second, Gulf Coast tuna, fared better. Served on a choice of bread toasted Texan style (fried, perhaps?), there was plenty of regular canned tuna in a plentiful mayonnaise with a slice each of tomato and provolone cheese ($5.50). This made the sandwich a bit soggy, but it was edible. Both sandwiches came with Old New Haven's own homemade chips which are large, thickly ribbed and decidedly crunchy, plus the “riverside” cole slaw.
There are plenty more sandwiches including a Texas-style grilled cheese ($3.95) with an average price of $5.95. Add a page of burgers billed as grilled on an open hearth (averaging $6.75) and lots of classic American salads ranging in from $4.50 (Caesar) to $8.95 (“Jim's Alabama seafood salad”) and you have a very comprehensive menu that should appeal to many.
Desserts change daily and on our visit were pecan pie, peanut butter pie, chocolate mousse cake and turtle cheesecake (all $3.95). Regular coffee is $1; the espresso machine when up and running will offer cappuccino at $2.50 and espresso at $1.50. A simple wine list with a selection that goes well with Old New Haven's hearty food has wines by the glass from $3.75 and by the bottle from $14. Bottled water and sodas are $1.50.
Menu items are named for Old New Haven personalities like Bo, Mo, Jay, Jim and the aforementioned Otto. Are they the chefs, and if so, which of them was in the kitchen on the day of our visit? The Old New Haven has the makings of a successful and much-needed watering hole. Just because a mid-week lunch may not be too busy, patrons still deserve the chef's best effort if the restaurant expects to build a loyal, year-round customer base.
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