Redding Roadhouse Gets High Marks For Cuisine, Affordability, Atmosphere

By John Voket

Maybe you’re looking for a great location to host an intimate dinner party, or an after work soiree. Or are you are looking for a great place to socialize and maybe check out some live music?

Perhaps you’re in the market for a reasonably priced menu that still has some spectacular diversity to impress a first date — or the in-laws are in town and you’re looking to show them a classic New England dining experience.

Well, there’s three words you need to remember: Squire’s Redding Roadhouse.

Just a quick hop, skip, and a jump from Newtown via the historic Hattertown district, the “Roadhouse,” as it is known to regulars, sits on the corner of Routes 107 and 53. Serving traditional steak and seafood, its staff also offers a satisfying selection of beers, wines, and cocktails, scrumptious apps and spectacular specials, all wrapped up in the cozy and quaint confines of this rustic restaurant and lounge.

Host Lou Macol told The Newtown Bee that as much as he strives to deliver the most appealing culinary experience to each and every visitor, he strives to do it at a price point most folks can afford in this day and age. To illustrate, he recommends starting with the butternut squash ravioli as an app or a meal.

“Patrons just won’t let us take that one off the menu, no matter what season it is,” Mr Macol confided. He also enjoys exploring the worlds of Asian and South American food, along with other ethnic delectables.

Other popular apps include a petite pork Osso Bucco lightly slathered in a spicy chipotle barbecue sauce; Prince Edward Island mussels steamed open and sautéed in garlic, red chili, lime and cilantro. Or how about a main course of the Redding Roadhouse’s zesty Chicken Scarpariello at $18; a flakey pistachio encrusted sea bass for $24; the popular brazed lamb shanks for $23, or a satisfying 12-ounce filet with daily vegetable and potato for $31.

There’s also pork with chili peppers, old-fashioned meatloaf, chicken pot pie, and even traditional fish and chips with a dash of vinegar to make the Roadhouse a perfect destination every day of the week.

On our visit we sampled the Mediterranean lamb meatballs, which blends the flavorful meat with Greek olives, feta cheese, garlic, and a tangy yogurt sauce. A sample of mouth-watering pan seared tuna was barely allowed to kiss the pan, and came decorated with a runny drizzle of wasabi, or a honey, cilantro, and red curry paste.

Mix them together for a spicy explosive finish!

And the grilled scallops over Asian sesame noodles combined the perfectly spongy, melty seafood, holding its own against the balanced sesame oil that was thankfully and thinly applied on, and not so thickly that it was saturated into, the delicate noodles.

Mr Macol attributes the Roadhouse’s successful formula of inviting atmosphere and desirable cuisine to an established and experienced staff, many of whom have been working at the location for decades. And especially in the fall and winter, a crackling fireplace in every room adds an incomparable touch of ambiance seldom found anywhere else in the region.

The Redding Roadhouse full menu is offered from noon until 9:30 pm weekdays and 9 pm on Sunday, with a late-night bar menu kicking in until closing — all the way to midnight on Friday and Saturday. And Mr Macol says the bountiful Sunday brunch is the talk of Fairfield County, served from 11 am to 1:30 pm every Sunday.

“People keep telling us it’s the best buffet around,” he said, with offerings including huge peel and eat shrimp, smoked salmon, a dozen salads, pastries and carving stations — all for just $22.95 per person.

At capacity, the Roadhouse can host private parties and weddings for 70–80 guests, and can add up to 20 more if the party bumps out to the three-season patio. Year-round, private event patrons also enjoy the secluded Mark Twain Room on the second floor, which also hold up to 70.

The restaurant prides itself on being both family friendly, and accommodating to adults and singles who are looking to meet or regroup after a hectic week. That’s why they happily offer a children’s menu — except on Friday and Saturday night, where kids are still welcome to graze from the “big boys’ and girls’ selections.”

And just because it’s Redding doesn’t mean you can’t roll up your sleeves and let down your hair, Mr Macol says.

“We couldn’t be more casual,” he affirmed, and with the addition of great live music Thursdays from 7 to 10 and full bands on the weekend starting at 9, there’s something for almost everybody to enjoy at the Redding Roadhouse.

For more information, check them out on line at reddingroadhouse.com, or to book catering and party plans, call 203-938-3388.