PUB25 American Grille

Provides Comfort Food And Drink In Sleek And Comfy Surroundings

By Nancy K. Crevier

From the lustrous 40-foot Brazilian walnut bar that stretches from front to back of the 1,400-square-foot PUB25 American Grille, and the 16-foot-tall river stone gas fireplace that dominates the wall opposite the bar, to the 18 wood topped tables neatly set with white cloth napkins and sparkling wine glasses, and each carefully plated “small plate” or entrée that comes out of the kitchen, it is clear that owners Kurt Popick, Todd Stephenson, and Mike Briganti have paid close attention to the details that are already drawing business professionals, families, couples, and the late-night bar crowd into the upscale casual pub.

Located in Plaza South at 266 South Main Street, PUB25 American Grille opened June 17, said Mr Popick, devoted to the idea of providing American classic comfort food with a twist, at reasonable prices, in a somewhat Americanized Olde English pub-style setting. The name of the pub reflects a lot of what it is all about, Mr Popick explained.

“We have 25 basic menu items; we try to have nothing on the menu over $25; we’re on Route 25; and during happy hour, 4 to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, premium well drinks, domestic drafts or bottles, or a glass of wine are Buy One, Get The Second One For 25 cents. Many of the prices also end in 25 cents.

“The idea really came from a good friend of mine,” said Mr Popick, originally a golf pro turned restaurateur (he formerly owned The Hole Scoop in Hamden, with made-to-order doughnuts, and The Last Drop Coffee Shop in Monroe), “and it is always something I wanted to do.” Mr Popick acts as the business’s front man, while Mr Stephenson staffs the bar and floor. Mr Briganti served as general contractor and is a silent partner in PUB25.

“We realized that people want the option of smaller plates, and good food at good prices. And whether the economy is good or bad, people want to go to a bar,” he said. The bar in PUB25 is purposely not divided off from the dining area, he said, to give those seated at tables the feeling of still being involved in the bar life. And although PUB25 is rapidly becoming a family favorite spot to dine, Mr Popick emphasized that the café license held by the pub requires anyone under the age of 21 to be accompanied by a guardian of legal age.

Despite soaring ceilings and an open floor plan, PUB25 retains a warm and intimate feel. The noise level is tempered by acoustical baffles suspended from the ceiling the length of the restaurant, and the repetition of natural wood throughout and low-lit dropped lighting over the bar softens the atmosphere further. Realistic logs will “burn” in the gas fireplace come winter, said Mr Popick, enhancing the overall welcoming effect, as do the six framed photographs of historic Newtown that hang on either side of the fireplace.

PUB25 is pleased to feature one of Connecticut’s first Touch Tunes, a high tech juke box not unlike a giant iPad.

“If you have a smart phone,” said Mr Popick, “you can actually pick songs without ever getting up from your table.” And it is unlikely that any song requested will not be available on the Touch Tune; it has the largest musical library ever gathered.

A garage-style door rolls up on one half of the front wall to provide entrance to the outdoor patio, where a fire pit and umbrella-covered tables provide seating for another three dozen patrons. A thermal heating system will allow customers to enjoy the outdoor patio nearly 12 months out of the year, said Mr Popick.

“We have had an unbelievable reception so far,” said Mr Popick, “to the point that we have doubled our expectations for next year. Everyone is raving about the food and the feel of the place.” He credits a lot of that early success to his staff of 25 on the floor and behind the bar, as well as the staff of five in the kitchen who assist head chef Eddie Martinez.

An experienced chef, most recently at Rainwater Grille in Hastings-On-Hudson, Chef Martinez said, “I see a lot of great things happening here. There has been a great response to the menu we are doing. People want the simple stuff at reasonable prices, the kind of food they remember from when they were kids. There is a little elevation to the recipes, but we want people to recognize it.”

“Everything we do here is fresh,” stressed Mr Popick. No frozen or prepared foods are used to create the simple but elegant meals. “We use local farms. Sticks and Stones in Newtown provides us with seasonal fresh produce, we use local fishermen, and Butcher’s Best in Newtown is our beef purveyor, providing special blends of meat for us,” he said.

The PUB25 menu offers many options, without being overwhelming, and the raw bar menu is the only one Mr Popick is aware of in the area. A daily selection of oysters tops the raw bar menu, followed by colossal white shrimp for $3.25 each, or Long Island little neck clams for $1.25 each. The raw bar menu is discounted during the Monday through Friday 4 to 6 pm happy hour, with items available for only $1 each. The true oyster lover will want to wash down his or her shellfish with an Oyster Shooter, made from PUB25 Bloody Mary mix and Peppar vodka, at $2.95 each, or six for $12.95.

“We can’t believe the popularity of our Pub Calamari,” said Mr Popick, one of 14 items listed under “Not so… Small Plates.” Spinach artichoke dip served with hot, grilled flat breads, apples, and vegetables, for $9.25, is a favorite of regular diners already. Other small plate items include mini tacos (fried tortillas, all beef chili, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, and cheese with pub sauce for $8.25), fresh mozzarella and cherry tomato skewers with a fresh basil, oil, and Balsamic drizzle, $7.25, yellow fin tuna (served seared with a black sesame seed crust and soy cilantro vinaigrette, $12.25), and Nana’s turkey meatballs, $9.25.

A bowl of PUB25 seafood and corn chowder sells for $7.25, American onion soup is $6.25, and Chimney Watcher chili — “with a little kick” — is $6.25.

The Wedge, PUB25 salad, California Cobb, and classic Caesar salad can all be ordered with additions of grilled chicken, flat iron steak, grilled shrimp, or yellow fin tuna.

Under “Burgers & Sandwiches” it is the PUB25 burger, a 9-ounce burger on a grilled brioche roll with fried pickle chips, that is the best seller, Mr Popick said. His own favorite menu item, “The Lazy Cowboy” meatloaf sandwich, is also found here. Lettuce, tomato, frizzled onions, and spicy ketchup turn this classic, served on hearty white bread, into something special, he said.

A buttermilk fried chicken sandwich comes on a torpedo roll with a crunchy Dijon vinaigrette slaw on the side — a picnic on a plate, for $9.25. Or choose the veggie burger, hand formed on site from market vegetables, with Gruyere cheese and fresh avocado, $9.25.

A pub has to have pub food, and PUB25 does not disappoint. Order fish ‘n’ fries with Sarson’s malt vinegar, $11.25 at lunch, $16.25 at dinner, chicken pot pie made from Murray’s chicken in a buttermilk biscuit crust, $12.25, lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, $16.25, or owner Todd Stephenson’s top choice, The Steak. The “Cowboy Cut” steak is an 18-ounce rib-eye, hand trimmed, and dry rubbed. It is the one of only two items that excede the “Everything under $25 rule,” priced at $27.25. Just squeaking in over that mark, as well, is the clever clam bake bucket, an actual bucket filled with seaweed, clams, shrimp, corn on the cob, and a lobster peeking over the rim, which sells for $25.25.

For diners not filled up on the main course, or who just cannot resist, PUB25 “Sides” include hand cut fries, sweet potato waffle fries, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, farm stand salad, colossal baked potato, grilled market vegetables, or beer battered onion rings with a zesty tiger sauce, ranging in price from $4.25 to $6.25.

As comforting as the main courses, are the desserts, including the Tollhouse cookies and milk jug, for $5.25.

Whether seated at a table or one of the nearly two dozen bar stools around the bar (where purse hooks are conveniently located just beneath the bar in front of each stool), PUB25 comes alive with a late night crowd, said Mr Popick. The pub has a broad selection of beers and ales on draught, each listed on a giant blackboard at the end of the bar.

“Microbrews are very popular now, but we wanted some name brands that people recognize, too.” Quaff a Guinness, Bass, or BBC Steel Rail, or enjoy a tall, cold Blue Point Lager, Otter Creek, Steen Brugge, or Calvary beer among them. Standard brews are available by the bottle, as well, and Oktoberfest and Pumpkin Ales are on hand for the fall.

An extensive list of red and white wines by the glass includes Blackstone Merlot, Gouguenheim Malbec, Mirassou Pinot Noir, Kendal Jackson Chardonnay, Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, and Monticello Albarino.

Wines by the bottle include Bortoluzzi Pinot Grigio ($32), Sonoma Cutrer Charndonnay ($44), and Carmel Road Pinot Noir ($36). Sparkling wines and Champagne are included on the wine list for those special occasions.

“We tried to go with enjoyable fruit forward, low tannin wines that can be enjoyed by the majority, and tried to keep the list as American as possible,” Mr Popick said.

“We can’t wait for the upcoming year, and the rest of the plaza to fill up,” said Mr Popick. “Things seem off to a good start.”

PUB25 American Grille is open Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 am to 1 am, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 am to 2 am. For reservations or takeout service, call 203-270-3435. For more information and a complete menu, visit www.pub25newtown.com.