Chef Owner Vincent Chirico honed his craft working with such notable chefs as Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Marcus Samuelsson, Rocco DiSpirito, Georges Blanc, Paul Bocuse, Michel Guérard, and Stephen Starr before going out on his own. An experienced restaurateur, Chef Vincent Chirico has owned other well-received restaurants in New York City. The Luke Brasserie * Bar * Café is his first restaurant in Connecticut, and for that, we are grateful.
Chef Owner Vincent Chirico
We had a wonderful dinner at The Luke on Saturday, November 26, 202, which had its ribbon cutting on November 15, 2022. Although the restaurant was very new, the restaurant team worked seamlessly together to provide attentive, without being intrusive, service to create an excellent dining experience.
Once the Taft Hotel, (built in 1911 and later converted into apartments), the 152-seat, two-level restaurant is stunning with its rich architectural details, fluted square columns, soaring coffered ceiling with elaborate medallions, and original small tile floor that bears testament to its age with stress cracks and "scars" that you wish could tell tales of the past. Sconces grace dark wood walls, and ceiling lights softly illuminate to create an inviting ambience. The restaurant is perfect for individual dining as well as for small and large parties and special events. The well-curated bar also offers a fun menu for more casual dining options.
Welcome to The Luke
After a gracious welcome of a glass of sparkling wine, our server seated us at one of the round red leather banquettes for a more intimate dining experience. There are also well-spaced dark wood tables adorned with glass votive candles able to accommodate larger groups.
Baguette with Ricotta Spread
Our first welcome taste from the kitchen was a warm and crispy small baguette accompanied by a rich ricotta spread sprinkled with paprika, that was delicious and introduced us to Chef Vincent’s culinary style.
Bartender Benjamin Regan wiill craft a cocktail for you
The menu is designed for sharing tapas style, and while the restaurant has an interesting wine list with wines offered by the bottle or by the glass, the restaurant also has a well-stocked bar, and we decided to try two of their signature cocktails, the Anjou Pear Basil Vodka Martini, which was shaken, and their Local Maple Old Fashioned, which was stirred. Both cocktails were imaginative, well-balanced, well-crafted, and designed to pair perfectly with the tapas-style menu.
Local Maple Old Fashioned & Anjou Pear Basil Vodka Martini
Our next taste was Hamachi Crudo presented in a deep bowl on a bed of cubed avocado, radish, preserved ginger, and garnished with Thai basil, which Chef Vincent finished by pouring the sauce tableside. The Hamachi was fresh and delectable with a clean finish on the palate.
Hamachi Crudo
We continued with Yellowfin Tuna served with brown butter, lime, and white soy, where the brown butter wafted in the air stimulating our palates before the dish arrived at our table. Chef Vincent’s deft use of sauces to enhance and complement his creative and imaginative recipes elevated both the Hamachi and the Yellowfin Tuna to star quality.
Yellowfin Tuna
We also tried one of the soon to be on the signature cocktail menu, a Mezcal cocktail, called Smoke and Fire, which was well-crafted and delicious with its "smoke" derived from the smoky nature of the Mezcal, and "fire" from the spicy kick from the jalapeño.
Mezcal cocktail – Smoke and Fire
The Gulf Shrimp with Fire Roasted Fresno Pepper and Marcona Almond was another well-prepared and visually stunning presentation with the large shrimp stacked on top of one another on a rich and flavorful sauce.
Gulf Shrimp with Fire Roasted Fresno Pepper
We have spent a lot of time in Europe where the white asparagus season is heralded and celebrated especially in Germany where chefs will create memorable menus centered around this very tasty seasonal vegetable. Chef Vincent’s White Asparagus with Pecorino, Cashew, and Truffle Dressing was indeed a celebration of taste and style and had us fondly remembering many wonderful dinners in Germany. Served chilled, the white asparagus was shaved and dressed to perfection.
White Asparagus with Pecorino, Cashew and Truffle Dressing
Our tasting continued with the Mascarpone Enriched Polenta with Fresh Burgundy Truffle and Maitake, which was another standout dish. Presented in a deep bowl, the white polenta was rich and creamy from the mascarpone, surrounded by a generous amount of maitake and crowned with a soft egg. This dish was especially flavorful with the addition of shaved truffle and shaved cheese added tableside.
Mascarpone Enriched Polenta with Burgundy Truffle
We finished our dining experience at The Luke with a dessert of White Chocolate and Strawberry, which was a delightful pairing of thin white chocolate paired with fresh strawberries, strawberry granita, and ice cream. The dessert was light and luscious and perfect after a selection of our very tasty, shared tapas. As a final note of gracious and elevated dining, our server brought us a plate of mignardise comprised of dark chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit.
White Chocolate and Strawberry
Although we did not try them on this visit to the restaurant, other interesting "For Sharing" items on the November menu included Burrata with Speck, Red Grape, Sicilian Almonds and White Balsamic; Littleneck Clams with Calabrian Chili, Cilantro, and Pancetta; and Casarecci with Apple Wood Bacon, Chestnut, and Fontina.
From the "2 or More" section of the menu there was Florida Red Snapper with Broccolini, Castelvetrano Olive, Caper, Pistachio, and Tuscan Kale; Rib Eye of Beef with Parsnip Mousse, Baby Turnip, and Truffle Sauce; and Maine Lobster with Choy, Coconut, and Turmeric, providing us with more reasons to return to dine at The Luke.
Pull up a seat and have a cocktail!
Located near the corner of College and Chapel Streets, next door to the Shubert Theatre, and across the street from the College Street Music Hall, the restaurant is easily accessible by car with on-street (metered) parking as well as in nearby parking garages. It is also easily accessible by Metro-North train (to New Haven’s Union Station) as it is only 1-mile from the station to the restaurant.
While this was our first visit to The Luke, we look forward to returning to this impressive restaurant, where Chef Vincent Chirico has brought elegant, fine dining level cuisine and service to his contemporary and stylish setting.
Until next time, Bon Appetit!
For more information on The Luke Brasserie * Bar * Café please visit their website: www.thelukebrasserie.com.
You might also like to read theChefs’ Recipes section for the interview with Chef Vincent Chirico and who graciously provides his recipe forMascarpone Enriched Polenta/soft egg/maitake mushroom/24-month Parmesan and fresh black truffle to tempt your palate into making a reservation at The Luke for yourself.
The Luke Brasserie * Bar *Café (located in the Taft Building)
261 College Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Telephone: +1-475-666-8001
Email: thelukebrasserie@gmail.com
Website: www.thelukebrasserie.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lukebrasserie
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