Community Table

Amazing food experience, so well seasoned and fresh. Service and food amazing. Menu changes monthly. Worth a visit if you are not a picky eater.

Went to Community Table 2 weeks ago. We sat at the bar and had an awesome cheese and charcuterie plate. My Dad had the leatherman drink and I had a nice glass of Pinot Noir. We liked that they didn’t offer your basic liquors and instead had other options that we normally wouldn’t have ordered. The bar atmosphere was very rustic, casual and comfortable. We had a great time and can’t wait to try it for dinner.

Wow, was the food fresh and wonderful! We’ve been hearing about this place from a variety of friends, and finally made it there.
The smoked trout spread was delicious. Not overly smoky or fishy. The hot sour dough bread was perfect. The kale, pecan, apple and blue cheese salad was fresh and crisp. We both had the organic salmon, served with multicolor carrots. There was a sweet glaze that was the perfect finish.
The service was great. Water bottles filled, plates cleared, by what seemed to be invisible servers.
We will definitely be back!

Community Table was recommended online as THE place in CT. to dine. Subsequent to our disappointing experience, I have spoken to locals who responded negatively – I should have spoken to them first. The oysters were inedible; the salmon overcooked; and the remaining ½ portion of the lamb ragu (excellent) was trashed, tho a request was made to take it home. To their credit, they prepared another serving to send home with us. Other than the young female who showed us to our table (very personable), the staff seemed bored and unengaged: maybe it’s the ethos of a Sat. night.

My wife and I had a wonderful meal here. Because of traffic it took well over an hour to get to this gem of a restaurant. It was more than worth it. The ambience, staff, food, all excellent. I have dined at several of the top rated restaurants in Connecticut as well as NYC. Even at five star restaurants, it is rare to have the kitchen evenly matched to front of house. Flawless throughout. One shining example was the knowledge our waiter had of wines. He described the best choices of both red and white wines to go with my duck. I was truly impressed with his answers. Although they were busy we never felt rushed… the staff has a knack of making you feel like your the only one dining. All our dishes were amazing… three standouts are: dill cured salmon appetizer, complimetary bread (OMG) and the pear and beer cake (woke up taste buds I didn’t think I had). If you like dining at a remarkable, memorable, unique spot, Community Table should not dissapoint.

As a vegan and a teetotaler, I wouldn’t count as a typical customer of this establishment, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a better meal, even at establishments dedicated to vegan cuisine.
I simply registered my dietary restriction when I made the reservation and then, at the restaurant, I ordered the 4-​course dinner telling the waitress to consider me (within my declared parameters) an adventurous eater. So let the chef do whatever seems right.
And everything I got tasted absolutely delicious.
The avocado ice-«cream» amuse-​bouche; a salad centered on some sort of pesto out of Brussels sprouts; a hen-​of-​the-​woods entrée that balanced a charbroiled crispiness at the fringes with the juiciness within you’d expect of wild mushrooms; and finally an exquisite dessert of elderflower sorbet with poached pairs and a salted plum. Everything came rich with complex and pleasing details too numerous to list (lingonberries — the chef comes from Denmark). The whole spectrum of flavors seemed original, carefully considered and certainly fun.
I make a point of writing reviews here when I have a chance to point other vegans to places that might not look promising from a glance at the menu. Of course some places just won’t accommodate a vegan at all. But others just pass off side dishes on hand that don’t add up to a meal.
If you can afford to splurge, you could memorably feast a vegan here, say to celebrate a birthday or the equivalent!

I have been to the CT a few times. We dined in the larger, new room in the back for the first time, I loved the décor. The service was very good. So, one could say «it’s one meal in your life, so what». There were four of us. We decided to split a salad and the mushroom toast. The mushroom toast was delicious ($ 14.00), but we were presented with 2 modest pieces of toast with mushrooms. The salad ($ 14.) was just enough for 3 of us to have a taste. I had the sea bass (4oz.) which was prepared perfectly. My veggies were over roasted dried up carrot and parsnip. The sauce was a vinegar base glaze, but way too much on the plate. I am not a quantity is better than quality girl or I wouldn’t have brought guests here, but come on.
It will be awhile before I return

Amazing seasonal food, beautiful décor, and fantastic staff. We dined at Ct yesterday and were artfully placed in a corner table spaced away from other guests so as to enjoy our table conversation. The entire staff was attentive and warm. Among the four of us we sampled the four oysters with bacon, the mushroom toast with hens of the forest (to die for!), pear and kale salad, and the smoked trout spread. Simply amazing. We then moved to our main courses: cauliflower soup with foie gras, savory meatballs, and scallops with apple cider vinegar and toasted pine nuts. We then wrapped with the Scandinavian pudding, and were given a special treat of maple ice cream from the kitchen.

The first time I was there I was so in love with everything I ate but… this time the crackers served the trout were so hard they could break your teeth and had no taste. My dinner was decent but not worth the cost. Such a beautiful place, I think you need to revaluate your menu.

Been wanting to try this place and glad we did! Atmosphere is amazing the service is on point food is absolutely delicious.

Three and a half stars is a more accurate assessment of my times at Community Table, but I chose to round down, largely because Community Table never quite lives up to the expectations it sets for itself.
The restaurant itself is simply and cleanly decorated, reflecting the high end, farm-​to-​table restaurant’s commitment to good, honest food. In warmer months, you can even catch a glimpse of the gardening operation out back.
The service is impeccable: friendly, attentive, and informed.
Cocktails are inventive and delicious — highlights are Airmail and The Leatherman — and I’ve always been pleased with the wine list.
The food really shines in the first courses. I enjoyed a perfect beef tartare recently, and my companion raved about her smoked trout dip.
This is typical of my visits to Community table. Wowed by cocktails and appetizers, then inevitably left wondering why the main course is a step below.
Most recently, I ordered the pappardelle with hen of the woods mushrooms and cherry bomb peppers, figuring the two listed ingredients were the standouts of a more complete dish, especially considering the price tag of $ 29.
I was mistaken and disappointedly received a bowl of, albeit tasty and well cooked, fresh pasta with cream sauce, some mushrooms, and a suggestion of cherry bomb peppers. The food wasn’t bad, but in no way impressed. For $ 29 I felt… deceived. This isn’t Manhattan, after all.
Most of my main courses have similarly left me wanting. None was bad, each showcased impressive technique, but ultimately didn’t live up to expectations or the price tag.
Worth a visit, if you’re willing and able to drop a few hundred on dinner. For me, I’m motivated less and less to return.

Staying in the area to relax, we Unilocaled the local eateries, looking for a place with local cuisine. Community Table fit the bill perfectly. Cozy, modern country interior with professional service and creative food and cocktails.
We started with two cocktails — the Leatherman and the Bees Knees. The bartender took his time, like a true mixologist, crafting our drinks perfectly. Absolutely delicious and balanced.
After we sat at our table, the waiter (same friendly person as the bartender) brought out bread (warm), and a whipped butter that were both heavenly. Like from another dimension — awesome. Crisp crust and a soft interior.
Next came appetizers. Farm lettuces salad with yellow beets was so fresh it was like right from the ground — absolutely special. Heirloom tomato toast combined the crisp texture of whole wheat, thick toast and local tomatoes with a thin layer of flavorful spread.
As an extra side dish, they offer farm fresh, local radishes with long, green tails. Although they come with a green dip on the side, we merely rolled them into the thick salt on the table and bit down — phenomenal.
For main courses, we had perhaps the best venison I’ve eaten in years; cooked to the proper temperature, warm and tender. The Bella Farm chicken, with heirloom carrots and veggies, was crisp skin over the hot, tender deliciousness of local chicken. Scrumptious. Overall, this was true gem, and we’re lucky to have found it –thanks, Unilocalers!

UPDATE June ’15:
Last month the long time chef and the pastry chef of Community Table left. We went as many times as possible beforehand… thankfully. That man was magical. He was a unicorn of food creation.
Unfortunately, it’s not the same anymore. The prices have gone up (!!!) while the creative interesting dishes have dwindled. I used to love really anything they put in front of me. This was the first time we left disappointed. We always have two appetizers and two entrees and swap ½ way though. We had the oysters and beef tartar, then a chicken dish ($ 30) and a rib eye dish ($ 36). Compared to how oysters used to be done here, it was boring with just a little dish of juice in between to add. They used to do up each oyster in the most beautiful way with cool ingredients. The tartar was white because it was slathered in cream cheese… it was described as being accompanied by horseradish. I’m not a big dairy fan and this was too much for me. If it’d been described that way we would have skipped it. They used to be spot on with their menu descriptions… so what is happening now?! The chicken was cooked fine (my boyfriend said it was dry by the time he got it), but the side was sauteed asparagus and some weird mini pieces of lettuce on it. Pardon my candor but WTF makes that $ 30? The beef had a stalk of watercress with it. Literally, a small bush with leaves attached. Was I supposed to eat that with the mushy carrots? WHERE are the super cool otherworldly ingredients that I used to google that were delicious!!!
Lastly, we got the chocolate beignets to share. The pastry chef who used to be here was incredible… so inventive with his dishes. These were just naked little donut holes with chocolate in the middle. Blah.
The only thing that hasn’t changed is the service (still top notch) and the well crafted cocktails. We will try again in a few months to see if the food goes back to the impeccable dishes we were used to, but otherwise I won’t be making this splurge anymore and I’m kinda pissed about it. =(

Although my wife and I dine out quite a bit, for whatever reason, we had never been to Community Table. Therefore, we were looking forward to visiting the restaurant, which we went to with another couple.
The host greeted us pleasantly, and we were shown to our table in a comfortable dining room, with adequate space between tables. However, the comfort was soon shattered when an infant sitting with his or her parents at the adjacent table let out a shriek that was well above high C and that achieved an impressive level of volume. This happened again at regular intervals, having the same effect that nails on a chalkboard do, except much louder. This, of course, was not the fault of the restaurant but rather of two clueless parents, who blithely ate their dinner while their offspring damaged the hearing of everybody within half a mile. The host finally approached the table and gave the child a warning look, but, for some reason, the infant failed to pick up on the social cue and shrieked away.
As to the food and drinks:
The women ordered gin and tonics, and my friend and I ordered Manhattans. The latter were quite good (so, it was reported, were the G&Ts). However, the cocktails were served in communion-​size glasses. I find this particularly insulting. Cocktails these days tend toward the one-​equals-​DUI level, but this was overcompensating. It’s a form of stinginess that reflects badly on a restaurant and that makes me resist ordering more than one. It’s a cheap, transparent attempt to pad the bill, and it’s rather classless.
As to the food, my companions were reasonably happy with their dinners; I was not. I ordered a fish dish. The big problem with fish in restaurants, and at home, is overcooking. However, my entrée suffered from the opposite problem. It verged on raw, and it was not a fish (black cod) one would serve sushi-​style. Its consistency was that of barely set custard, and it was red when I separated the flakes with my fork. I can enjoy fish that is just cooked; this wasn’t. I sent the dish back, and when it was returned to me, it was just about the same as it had been before. Our friends, who had been to the restaurant before, told us that the chef resists diners’ requests related to doneness and does things as he sees fit. Had my wife and I been there by ourselves, I would have asked for another dish. Instead, I just pushed the barely congealed fish around on my plate.
The restaurant seems to have quite a bit of potential, although our friends said that it is quite inconsistent. What sticks with me are Insultingly small cocktails that show contempt for customers and a refusal to correct a dish that has been ineptly prepared.
I don’t know whether we will give the place another try. In any case, they seem to be doing quite well without us.

We wandered in last Sunday without reservations and sat at the attractive U-​shaped bar after a lovely drive in the area. We were pleasantly surprised that it was Happy Hour. HH is everyday 5 – 6:30p and includes some drink and food specials. This was my first time here and I initially was struck by the ambience. I loved the Scandinavian inspired décor. The hostess was kind enough to refrigerate some beautiful cheeses a friend had just gifted us.
We started with a couple Blood&Sands. So good! In fact, all the drinks were good. Michael is an amazing, informative, personable, and professional bartender — a huge asset to this place. We also had a Negroni off the HH menu, but then I had a Ct Martini off the regular. If you read this, and the smoked potatoes with caper anchovy aioli is still on the HH menu, GET THEM. They were absolutely divine.
From the regular menu we ordered Connecticut sweet shrimp with Rhode Island squid, skate wing, leeks, and uni cream, which I didn’t have because I am allergic to shrimp but the guy said he liked it. I had spring vegetables in a rich broth and I loved it, but he didn’t. We shared the potato gnocci with slow roasted tomatoes, leek, maitake mushroom, garlic confit, and parmesan — also very good. There is a good chance we will be back when in the area again.

Every aspect of our meal was amazing! The menu, the food, the noise level, the knowledge of the staff, the wine list, the service… even the bus boy! This is a spectacular meal, well worth the price!

I have an unwritten Unilocal rule that I review once I’ve dined on — at minimum — three occasions. Tonight marked thrice at Community Table and it happened to be our favorite of these occasions.
BRAVO to the hostess; an absolutely sweet young lady that went out of her way to seat us on a busy Saturday night when the bar was full. Rather than curtly dismiss this pair of latecomers, she graciously juggled her reservations to seat us in the new bar room and assure us that we relax and enjoy our time.
Beautiful, warm and soothing atmosphere. Love the grey flannel cushioned banquets and the fur pelts draped on the chairs. On this 4 degree winter night, it was like snuggling in your own living room. Perfect lighting, curious décor and I can’t help but mention — great soundtrack tonight. (This girl loves hearing vintage Cure with her Cote d’Auxerre…)
Friendly, attentive and unobtrusive service. The restaurant was well staffed so that our server could interact with us often, promptly and with a lighthearted smile that many locales have forgotten is important.
The bread was SO FRESH. A crisp crust with spongey multigrain served with homemade butter that was seriously worth the additional cost for the second basket. My husband and I then shared the kale & beet salad which was interspersed with soft butter lettuce which brought a delicate balance to the plate, very good.
For dinner, I had the turbot which was dressed in a yummy miso honey glaze accompanied by chanterelle mushrooms and sun choke purée. The chef did a fine job of cooking the turbot through as requested. The hubs enjoyed pappardelle with guanciale. As we cure Italian meats for a living, he has a highly selective palate with regards to charcuterie and he was very happy with the quality of the guanciale which can be fatty. Excellent homemade pasta cooked to the exact texture that he prefers.
After a pot of unfortunate French pressed coffee (why so weak?) we were resolved by the dessert course. He chose the chocolate beet cake with mascarpone gelato and I opted for the thyme ice cream. LOVED the ice cream; a real standout in a region famous for its homemade gourmet ice cream.
And if all of this wasn’t wonderful enough a plate of homemade chocolate bark with black salt was served with the check. Looking forward to many more visits to Community Table — particularly the new Happy Hour!

It may have taken me years to get here, but it will be many more before I forget the meal I had last weekend. There’s not much need to reiterate what everyone else has said… but I will: Ct is a very special place.
A great drink in the bar before dinner, and then: we split the kale, lettuces, and beet salad (I’d seen it at another table and it was huge), which was dressed every so lightly (and we didn’t even have to ask!); I loved the smoked potatoes with aioli and black crack (read: garlic); the pal thoroughly enjoyed the elk tartare; I had the sea scallop for dinner and the pal had the sea trout — both presented beautifully and cooked to perfection; I finished with the best dessert I’ve ever had. Yes, ever. Warm dark chocolate and beet cake. Fan-​effing-​tastic.
There’s plenty of parking now, there’s a great wine list, the Scadinavianly-​clean interior belies the plain exterior of the building, the service was on-​point, and the cost is in no way prohibitive (where do those complaining of price actually dine?!) and frankly, just worth it.

A delicious farm to table experience from start to finish!
We were warmly greeted by the staff as we entered the restaurant. Our table is located in the bar section of the restaurant which had a Scandinavian feel. (The sheepskins on the back of the chairs were an amusing touch to make the chair backs more comfy)
I had the mixed greens with peaches. The balance of flavors and textures, especially when I tasted the first peach, were «mmmm» sound inducing. My husband had the heirloom tomato salad with burrata and enjoyed every bite.
For our entrees I tried the amberjack fish and he had the duck. More delicious blends of flavors. Perhaps a little overdone on the cabbage like accompaniments but all in all a good meal. Fish was very well prepared. My husband loved the duck.
For dessert… the simple but lovely peach crisp. It is served in a hot mini skillet pan. So tasty we had a hard time waiting til it was cool enough to eat. I appreciated that they didn’t over sweeten the fruit before putting on the crunchy sweet crumble.
Service was warm and accommodating. They ask about food allergies up front and make accommodations and suggestions to help.

This unassuming restaurant tucked away in the hills of Northern Connecticut serves up some of the finest food in New England and undoubtedly deserves a Michelin star or two.
In every way, from beginning to end, my girlfriend and I were delighted by this restaurant. That is, in every way except the restaurant’s exterior, which at first glance may not bespeak a five-​star dining experience. I think this was mostly due to the fact they were doing a lot of construction at the time. However, once you enter this unlikely little white building you enter a wonderland of food and finery.
The interior is muted but elegant, with deep grey styling set off by bright bursts of colorful wallpaper and dark wood accents. The seats even have these cool lambskins draped over the backs.
As for food, wow. My girlfriend and I seriously could not decide which dish we liked more over every single course. A cuttlefish appetizer that was rich and creamy or a salad of bright, picked vegetables. Two different fish dishes in distinctive and really stunning presentations wowed us for our mains and for dessert, a warm cinnamon spice cake with buttermilk ice cream and a chocolate pot de crème were both absolutely satisfying and perfectly balanced.
Oh yes, so at the end they give you a few pieces of this chocolate that they make in house. It is like white and milk chocolate mixed in a marble pattern and interspersed with bits of toasted almond bits. It is the best chocolate bark I have ever had in my life. It really is. I need to buy large amounts of this or I will start crying when I wake up in the morning.
The service was perfect. The food was perfect. This is, as of this moment, pretty much the best food I have had in the state of Connecticut. I really just want to commend the chef if he is reading this and strongly suggest all others to head to this absolutely awesome restaurant.