After a short move across Forest St. and a lengthy renovation to the former Bistro Bonne Nuit space, Farmer’s Table quietly re-opened for business last week.
“I love it here, it’s really, really nice,” chef/owner Robert Ubaldo told NewCanaanite.com. “We’re kind of moving along slowly here because we have to accommodate all the changes we’re going to make. “
Farmer’s Table on Forest Street in New Canaan. Credit: Terry Dinan
The most notable change is the space itself. The new Farmer’s Table has 46 seats, nearly three times as many as the previous restaurant. Former patrons of Bonne Nuit will notice a substantial change in the remodeled dining room, with an open floor plan, brighter design and a wide-open kitchen–a feature Ubaldo says has been a hit with diners.
Farmer’s Table on Forest Street in New Canaan. Credit: Terry Dinan
“People really love the open kitchen for some reason,” Ubaldo said. “We have people who ask to sit in the corner by the kitchen, and they like to watch. It’s the oddest thing. We have people who watch pretty intently, it’s almost a little bit scary.”
Another notable change will be the addition of items on the menu. With expansion of the space comes expansion of the cuisine, and Ubaldo is using the first few weeks in the new space as a testing ground for new dishes.
Farmer’s Table on Forest Street in New Canaan. Credit: Terry Dinan
“We changed the menu a little bit by adding a couple of things,” Ubaldo said. “But what we’ve been doing is running a bunch of specials that we are going to be putting on the menu and seeing how it works. So every night there’s about four or five different ones, and we’re seeing what sells.”
Some of Ubaldo’s early hits include pan-seared duck breast–sourced at brother John’s farm in New York’s Hudson Valley–and some carefully selected seafood dishes. Diners familiar with Farmer’s Table will be happy to discover staple dishes such as the beet salad, tacos, grilled chicken and the cheeseburger remain on the menu. True to its name, the restaurant will continue to feature locally-grown, seasonal ingredients from “John Boy’s” Farm and Ubaldo’s own garden in Weston.
Ubaldo also envisions being able to utilize the new space for purposes other than wining and dining.
Farmer’s Table on Forest Street in New Canaan. Credit: Terry Dinan
“I’d love to do something on Sundays that would be interesting to people, like a bread-making or gardening class,” Ubaldo said. “People think gardening is really hard, that it’s really hard to grow vegetables. And it’s really not if you have a little bit of help. It would be great to have people come and learn to put a garden together.”
Farmer’s Table: 12 Forest St., (203) 594-7890