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The Do-Tell Hotel
Not only is it a real hotel,
it has a real restaurant, too
Templeton's, New Haven Hotel, 229 George Street, New Haven (498-3100). Open daily (breakfast) 7-10.30 a.m.; (lunch) 11.30-3 p.m.; (dinner) 5.30-9 p.m.
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Business New Haven
9/11/1995
By: Angelina Anderman
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Recently we told you about New Haven's best-kept secret and promised more. After this year's Volvo tennis tourney, when it was revealed that Andre Agassi was staying at the New Haven Hotel, the secret was out. The time is right to share what we discovered about this little gem downtown.
The hotel's owners began the development as a medical hotel but converted the property to a regular hotel, leaving one floor for medical guests. It is an elegant hostelry and one of the better places to stay in greater New Haven.
The New Haven Hotel is on George Street, opposite the Temple Medical Building. The hoterl has free valet parking (don't forget to tip) or plenty of garage space, as well as lot parking opposite. The quiet little restaurant, known as Templeton's, is on the hotel's second floor, accessible from the Temple Medical building via a bridge, as well as from the hotel lobby where (incidentally) there is a small coffee-and-light-snack kiosk with a few cafe tables.
The project began as a medical hotel, but now just one floor is exclusively devoted to recuperating patients. Besides well-appointed rooms, the hostelry has two wonderful indoor pools (which you can sneak a our way to the restaurant), one heated exercise pool and a larger lap pool. In addition, guests may enjoy a temporary free membership at the adjoining Downtown Health & Racquet Club, if they are into the exercise torure regime.
General Manager Steve Nigro recently joined the New Haven Hotel from Water's Edge Inn and Resort in Westbrook, where he was regularly trampled nearly to death by the hoards that descended for Sunday brunch. Nigro and his chef (also from the Edge) have begun a daily lunch buffet. Not nearly as splendid as in its former existence, but not nearly as expensive either, Templeton's all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is a mere $5.95. Including a cup of the soup du jour and warm rolls and butter, the buffet changes daily and includes at least three main dishes, salad and fresh fruit.
In the past, we have tried several seafood and fish offerings and different styles of chicken, beef, veal and vegetarian specials. There are always two choices of starches. On a recent visit, the buffet featured slivers of chicken breast in a spicy puttanesca-style sauce with lots of olives and capers, bean burritos, pasta and rice. We tasted everything, and it was all hot and fresh-tasting (not always the case with unattended buffets).
The regular lunch menu is concise: two appetizers and three soups. The appetizers sounded good: lobster cakes with sour cream and lemony beurre blanch ($5.95) and shrimp cocktail with lime sauce ($6.95). Soups included clam chowder ($2.75 a cup, $3.95 a bowl) and crab and lobster bisque ($2.95 a cup, $4.25 a bowl). This was deliciously creamy with large chunks of shellfish. The soup du jour, chicken with vegetable, is included with the buffet ($2.75 and $3.75 a la carte).
Sandwiches - a turkey club ($6.25), lobster salad ($9.95) and deluxe burger ($5.95) - come with spicy fries, pickles or fruit salad. Of the four salads, Caesar with chicken (a current trendy dish) is $6.95 for a generous portion. Seven main dishes are augmented by two or three daily specials. We tried a decadent veal scaloppini topped with mozzarella, baby shrimp and a brown garlic sauce. Served with mixed vegetables and rice, it was $10.95 for a large portion. Of the regular entrées, sole Dijon and breast of chicken (both $7.95) are slightly more dietetic.
After the all-you-can-eat routine, which included ripe kiwi fruit, we did not consider desserts, which start at $2.50. Coffee is $1.50 for surprisingly strong stuff. A glass of house wine is $3.75, and sodas are $1.50.
The décor of Templeton's is cool and green with an accent of tapestries on walls and scatter pillows. Tables are elegantly set with cloth mats and napkins. When you consider the $5.95 buffet in such calm and elegant surroundings, it's surprising that Nigro is not trampled half to death here, too. Templeton's is a real find. Go check it out and enjoy before the secret really gets on the street.
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