Based Foodie O.
Yelp
Elm in New Canaan was absolutely buzzing at our 8:30 reservation on Saturday night. In fact, buzzing so loudly that we could hardly hear each other, and it was clear that the wait staff was hampered by the volume of covers. That being said, the food was delicious.
For appetizers, we ordered the Iberico Ham ($29), the Spicy Tuna Tartare ($25) and Burrata ($26). The Iberico ham, drizzled with arberquina olive oil was a real treat, with a taste slightly milder than prosciutto, but without the gaminess that normally accompanies prosciutto fat. It was delectable, with the only drawback being the cut of the slices, which was just BARELY verging on the thick side. The Burrata sat in a pine-nut pesto, which needed some salt, but the cheese itself was perfectly creamy and perfect to spread on the crisp toasted bread it was served with. Our best appetizer was the tartare, which was served on top of a sesame-flavored sauce, with just the right amount of kick. The flavors were salty, sweet, smokey, and exotic all at once.
For entrees, we had the Smoked Half Chicken ($36), the Skirt Steak Frites (10 oz for $48), the Veal Piccata ($42), and one of the nightly specials, a Burger with Truffle Bordelaise ($34). The smoked chicken was so tender, it felt like cutting into some Japanese A5 Wagyu, and it tasted delicious, with the perfect amount of smokey tang. The skirt steak was nearly fork tender, a perfect medium rare, served with some rich bone marrow and perfectly salted fries. The only drawback was the roasted garlic it was served with, which was slightly undercooked and not spreadable onto the steak. My wife's burger was nearly flawless as well, and our veal was tender, if not slightly oversalted, but near perfect.
For dessert, we got Creme Brulee ($15) which was a perfect rendition. It was at this time that our waitress disappeared and we waited quite a long time for our check, even though the craze of the night was winding down. Overall, Elm is A-level food, with B-level service during busy evenings, (and C-level atmosphere, only due to the noise). But boy, that food would bring me back in a heartbeat.