Cafe Routier, Bistro & Lounge

Late to the party I know but first visit here last weekend for dinner — we sat in the dining room and had John as our waiter. After having VERY lackluster service at a new upscale place in New Haven (looking at you Shell & Bones) what a treat to have a waiter who was a total pro! We started with 2 craft cocktails — I had Green Monster my husband the dirty Martini — both very good.
Apps: We had the crab cake which was not served traditionally but with a cucumber salsa & a mustard sauce — best crab cake we have had in CT — total lump crab meat very little filler. I had the beet & Whipped goat cheese salad yummy.
Mains: Rack of Lamb & Hangar steak — good sized portions, delicious and perfectly cooked. Interesting sides. Wine with dinner by the glass was reasonably priced.
Dessert: profiteroles — great fudge sauce and an ample dessert for two to share.
We will be back to try the Summer Latin regional menu and maybe the lounge menu too. Wish they were closer to Guilford!

We had another great dinner here — demonstrating the consistent quality we have come to rely on. Our favorite spot to eat is in the bar which is a little more laid back of an atmosphere than the main dining room. We chose from each of the menus to make an awesome tapas-​style dinner: beet salad, tuna tataki, mussels, broccoli rabe. All excellent. Café routier is most certainly one of the best restaurants in this part of CT.

We originally made reservations through Open Table for the restaurant side, but when we arrived it was completely empty and the bar side look a bit more our style. Our only real gripe about this place was when we asked if we could eat in the bar instead they canceled our Open Table reservation, meaning we did not collect the points. It was pretty lame as we still spent our money there and given the place was empty save for one table it wasn’t like they turned away business for our reservation. Not a big deal really, but worth noting.
We ordered off the small plates menu and the food was surprisingly flavorful. The deviled eggs had a strong mustard flavor mixed into the filling and came topped with a slice of bacon, a slice of smoked salmon and caviar. The filling had the right consistency of being smooth but not to creamy.
The broccoli rabe with pasta and duck sausage could have used a tad more flavoring, maybe a hint of olive oil or seasoning salt, but overall a nice dish with just enough grease from the sausage to coat the noodles.
The Kobe sliders, were pink in the middle and had a nice rich flavor. I would trade the fois gras slider for one of the others, if given the opportunity, but the other two were very good.
The fries were perfectly seasoned and cooked to a nice crispy textures, paring nicely with the sliders.

Love this place, they have a menu that is always changing. The specials are always something interesting, and a peak into the new region that they will be featuring. The cheese platter is always great, and the salads are fresh and interesting. I like the bar area, but the dining room is great for big groups.
They have great beers on draft, and a great wine menu. Go you will have fun, and have wonderful meal.

Consistently awesome food, nice dining room, hip bar scene. I love the food here, and they change the menu often enough to keep me interested in coming back. Great place.

There on Tuesday evening when the Café was launching the new spring menu. Lucky us! Stellar meal in every way. The salmon was melt-​in-​your mouth delicious; the scallops spectacular – both in presentation and flavor. There is no restaurant in NYC that can beat Café Routier!

Ugh not.all.that. People really make this out to be the most amazing place around the os Westbrook Essex area. The menu is safe yet not interesting. Above average food for an average area. You can’t complain about that but I wish the chef would take some risks.
Excellent service.

Kind of a stodgy older crowd, but the food usually makes up for it. Trouble is, the head bartender, who’s been developing something of an unpleasant attitude for a couple years now, seems finally on the verge of a full cantankerous breakdown. We actually had to walk out recently before ordering dinner, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever done anywhere. Here’s what happened:
We walked into the bar around 7 PM on a saturday night and got on the seating list (yes there’s a seating list even for the bar), then ordered a few minutes later. The head bartender gave us drinks promptly and said he would give me the tab later (I believe he’d recognized me as we tend to go for dinner about once a month). So far, so good. 15 – 20 min later, the hostess seated the two of us at the bar – right up against the bar station actually, so we were very easy to spot. That’s when everything started to fall apart. Right as we sat down, the bartender happily said «you made it!». To which I replied something friendly, adding that «we’d love some water please». I expected him to pour it right away since he was just stacking glasses I think and water is quick to pour. In retrospect, I believe this actually annoyed him. The mere fact that I had the gall to go and ask him for something. I’d noticed previously that he tends to get irked at being flagged for anything. The worst is reminding him for something. That really gets his goat. He is the Maître D’ of the room and every order must be taken on his terms.
And so our epic wait began. The counter wasn’t cleaned and the previous check, glasses, napkins and crumbs remained there for a very long time – well after the second couple sat down next to us and was immediately taken care of. This felt like a bit of a snub, but we decided to brush it off as the place was starting to get busy. A bit later, the next four seats along the bar were vacated. So, sensing a break in the energy, I asked him very nicely if we might have some water. He snapped back that he would get to us and that he had to take care of the people who just walked in and were standing at the bar. That seemed a bit odd to me as we had been sitting against the bar station a while already and water takes no time at all. But still, we continued to sit quietly. Then after about 10 minutes or so, after he’d cleared the counter for those four, seated them, and served their drinks, he finally cleaned our counter and mentioned the dinner specials. We very nicely asked for water once again. This must have offended him because we had to wait another 10 minutes at least.
Finally, after roughly half an hour’s total wait time, he came back, saying «so kids, have you decided yet?» We’re actually in our mid forties and this sounded flippant. So I just looked him in the eyes and simply said – ironically but not rudely or loudly – that we were «still waiting for our waters». That was clearly the last straw. Simply a step too far that we would have such gall to insist on water! He turned away in disgust and had another bartender deliver it to us. Sensing we might now never be served dinner, we began quietly considering our options. After another 10 min or so of being ignored, we just left cash on the bar and went elsewhere.
So be warned, the head bartender rules with an iron fist. Don’t you dare flag him for anything. He takes no prisoners and will make you pay dearly for the offense.

We went here last night for my birthday dinner and had a very nice time! The restaurant had 3 menus combined into one: one was from a region which changes every 6 weeks, one is the seasonal menu, and one is the classic menu that they’ve had since they were opened.
I enjoyed the venison with blueberry glaze. It was outstanding. Not too sweet,
Perfectly cooked, and paired with earthy vegetables (Swiss chard and parsnips). It was just… great! Someone else got the scallops, another the halibut. My husband got the duck, which was delicious!
Dessert was great! I got a turtle cake, and other got the pear flan and Crème brûlée.
My only… observation…I arrived 5 mins late and i asked if a party of 6 arrived. It was the start of dinner and the place was
Still empty. The host gave me a look and then said, really sarcastically, «well,
If you give me the last name, maybe I could help you.» I felt dejected. Most hosts would have immediately asked me for a last name. He pointed to the table and I just kept walking. That was a stupid start to the evening, hence the 4 stars. I’ll consider coming back, and hope that he’s not there to «help» me or my guests.
5+ stars for food and waiter service. 0 stars for the unhelpful host and unhelpful
Staff when i walked in.

Nice spot if you like to spend money and are impressed by surfaces, but didn’t strike me as very special culinarily. Usually not my favorite combination of things…
The hostess was borderline rude/bored/I’m too pretty to be here/​your shoes suck. We opted for more casual fare, sliders, bar snacks and cocktails such. Food was small based on price and not particularly impressive To justify this.
During this quick snack it seemed a little cliché, pricey, place to be seen, and trendy, but I’d be willing to try it again with some main dishes, Except $ 30 a plate is a little dissuading after what I tasted.
if there’s more under the shiny plastic surface I may have just missed it.

Café Routier never disappoints, from the excellent service to the sublime desserts of Nancy, possibly one of the great unsung pastry chefs. Always leave room for dessert — you’ll be glad you did. CR’s menus are creative and eclectic, changing seasonally and representing foods of different American regional cuisines and internationally, as well. Always lots to choose from and there’s a «permanent» menu that never changes if the current diversity is not to your liking. That menu always has steak and fries, meat loaf, vegetarian risotto, and «camp style» trout (FYI: it’s looking at you!). Their French fries are simply divine and if you order them as an appetizer, they arrive at your table in a large wine glass with a delicious dipping sauce. Irresistible! CR is always a treat. Go!

Oh mannnnn, I was really hoping to find a hidden gem here at Café Routier. I had heard positive things from a foodie friend and read solid Unilocal reviews before deciding to make the drive out here from New Haven for our date night a few weeks ago. And while the service was fantastic and none of the food was particularly bad, there just wasn’t that wow factor that would keep me coming back for more and raving to friends that this is a must-​try restaurant. It was the entrees that really missed the mark for us, and when you’re paying $ 30 per dish you really don’t want to be disappointed. Another Unilocaler said Café Routier is far better than Bar Bouchee, and I have to vehemently disagree. Granted I’ve only had a handful of meals at Bar Bouchee, but each meal has exceeded our food snob expectations with their expert french culinary technique shining through each time. That said, there are still lots of positives about this place and I’ll focus on those first:
1. The main dining room is really warm and inviting. The dimly lit room creates a really romantic setting to have an intimate meal with a loved one. Perfect date night setting. We made a 8:30pm reservation because most restaurants we frequent require that for a Saturday night meal, but when we arrived most of the tables were empty or eating dessert. Maybe it was the post-​Christmas timing of our meal.
2. The appetizers were the highlight and we followed the guidance of other Unilocalers and got the home made fries to start along with the elk bolognese from the regional menu. The fries most definitely live up to the hype with that crisp yet not greasy outer shell with a creamy inner potato center. The dipping sauce is probably some kind of crème freaiche that resembled a runny sour cream. Dipping the fries in the sauce reminded me of eating sour cream potato chips in the bestest of ways. Yum! The elk bolognese was really well done and I wish I could have got this as my entrée. Served in a rich red wine sauce with home made pumpkin pappardelle, ricotta cheese, and grana padano shavings, I highly recommend you try this out if you are a meat and red sauce lover. The elk was so mild and pleasant that you’d be hard pressed to detect any sort of gaminess to the flavor of this red meat.
Great start and we expected the same level of quality and enjoyment out of the entrees, but neither lived up to the verbal menu descriptions and advice from our really sweet waitress:
I ordered the butter poached lobster risotto and for me it lacked the richness and savoriness that you seek in a well done risotto. It bothered me that they used a non-​traditional long grain rice instead of the usual arborio rice, because the consistency of the risotto was off for me. But I could look past that if it tasted good and this dish simply didn’t have any flavor. Bland and very boring. when I wanted it to be bold and delicious. Maybe the chefs were rushing to get this out because we were one of the last tables on a quiet Saturday service, but I found myself reaching for the salt shaker quite often to impart some flavor in this $ 30 dish. The lobster claws were very small, and while they came de-​shelled, both claws still had that piece of cartilage hidden within the flesh that connects the top and bottom part of the claw. I learned the hard way by biting to what I thought would be a cartilageless piece of lobster claw, only to be unpleasantly surprised that this inedible piece wasn’t removed. Come on!
My wife loves scallops and ordered the seared bomster scallops, which came with a roasted butternut squash, maple-​ancho bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds, and argula vinaigrette. Man these scallops were over cooked to death! Scallops are such a delicate creature that only needs a quick, hot sear on each side, but these scallops were burnt and subsequently very rubbery upon each bite. The rest of the ingredients to this dish just didn’t compliment the overall flavors, and my wife ended up only eating about half her plate. You know the saying, happy wife, happy life…
Again, I’m basing this review on a singular, insular experience and the tasty appetizers we got here give me hope that they do produce a quality dining experience. But for the price and distance for us, we’ll probably keep venturing the opposite way on I-​95 and keep eating our way through The Whelk’s menu!

Very nice … Tried vegetarian risotto which was excellent and tasted just perfect … European style.
On a previous visit I have tried meatloaf which was excellent as well.

A surprise awaits when entering their ‘lounge’ area. Its what one would expect when staying in a New England or Upstate New York inn. Its an old ‘colonial-​type pub’ with a wonderful layback vibe. How fun! And there was a seat for me at the bar. Yay. The barkeep was courteous and helpful. They were busy that night and I’ve heard they often are. I sampled sips of two different wines and chose the Riesling. A suggestion as to white wine. It ought NEVER be served TOO chilled as its true bouquet is lost. The wine poured was a fair priced complement to my dinner plate. I ordered duck and the plate came out laden with food. A sizable portion of duck was served over a steamy fresh sautee of wild rice and kale. Easily the win win on that plate, I gobbled each & every grain. I had asked the waiter about how the duck was served, and he asked me how I would like it cooked. I said ‘medium pink’ but the slices were very cool and very pink. The confit was not warm enough either. A disappointment but the duck was so plentiful, I had no problem boxing it up for our next morning’s egg stir fry. Value is important to me and I can not complain at all in this regard about this Café. All in all, a lovely experience. Everyone seems happy to be there and there is no stuffiness or pretense which precludes a newbie from being welcomed. I look forward to future meals there.

There is a lot to like about Café Routier. I have been here twice and each time I go I really try my hardest to love this restaurant. And there is a lot to love about this place– the attentive wait staff, the atmosphere, and the overall ambience prepares you for what could be a memorable dining experience. Alas, I ultimately find myself wanting more at the end of the meal.
The food, of course, is the most important thing for any restaurant. And it is here where Café Routier falls just a tad bit short. The seared Bomster scallops are good, served on a colorful ratatouille of fresh vegetables. However, there is nothing memorable about the dish– the seared scallops I make at home are indistinguishable from this dish. Mom’s meatloaf is even more lacking– the beef and pork loaf is bland, and the sauce that it is served on is not sweet enough to rescue the dish. The steak and frites was just that– a decent strip steak accompanied by their trademark French fried potatoes, fried in duck fat. The fries were the most memorable food I have eaten here. Everything served was good– good, but not great. Leaving you wanting just a bit more. I’ll probably return and eat another good meal, hoping that this time the food is elevated to the next level…

One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Everything was extremely fresh and well prepared. The frozen key lime torte was summer perfection.
The staff was very friendly and attentive.

Now this is the place to be on the shoreline. Great staff and great food. Emily and john along with Pedro make the it where you always want to keep coming back .
Where a restaurant hires great people a long with great food that equals a place to sit with friends and have a good time.

The service was great. So was the atmosphere for the most part.
Every single thing put on our table other than the water, bread and brandy was disappointing.
1. Cocktails
A rum-​based old fashioned that was over-​diluted, and an aviation with waaaaaaaay too much maraschino and crème de violette.
2. Fried Oysters.
Assumedly excellent oysters breaded super thick like jalapeño poppers and served with a chipotle aioli dip so you can’t taste the oyster. This is a great way to get, say, a 9 year old to eat their oysters. But as an adult, I prefer something more delicate.
3. Bolgogi
I was expecting strong flavors – spicy seasoned beef, sweet potato noodles, red bean paste, kimchi, etc. It MAYBE had some soy sauce. Even with a bunch of added salt, it was lacking.
4. Lamb Osso Bucco
The menu included the word ‘braised’ but the dish was missing those deep caramel flavors and a nicely reduced broth. This was very likely pressure cooked, so the lamb didn’t taste braised as much as… soggy. The broth was unpleasantly sour and funky. You’ll get ‘em next time, Grandma.
5. Tiramisu
Oddly unsatisfying for a dessert that is so easy to make delicious.
Maybe we ordered the six bad things on the menu?

Café routier is a superior dining establishment separated by a café lounge which serves the option of ordering a bar menu and the main dining room which is more upscale. The numerous times we have eaten here it has been in the café area which you can also order from the main menu if you wish.
Last night we ate in a restaurant in Madison called Café Bouche. I can clearly tell you that Café routier is much better. The quality and the consistency here are phenomenal.
Not to mention the service is really outstanding as well.
On this trip we ordered numerous small bites from the bar menu that included many Kobe burgers topped with delectable foie gras. They were cooked to perfection in the meet was top-​quality.
We also had the muscles with the red coconut curry and they were some of the freshest muscles and the sauce you could just eat a bowl of the sauce alone it was so delicious!
We also ordered some hanger steak which was tender and seasoned perfectly.
To finish off we had the crème brûlée which was done absolutely correct and it’s a difficult task they use real vanilla bean cream and they burn the top at the very end.
I’m a foodie from New York City and it’s not easy to make me hundred percent happy with everything including the service the quality of the food and the consistency of the food and here it is just five star outstanding you cannot get from this good in New York City unless you will pay triple this amount.
This is definitely my favorite restaurant in the tri-​state area. And I congratulate the owners on doing such a fine and consistent job.
I do not usually give out five stars for dining but this is highly deserved.

5 Star Café
Walked in and Surrounded by dark wood, dim lighting, friendly professional staff, and chill world music gently pulsing in every room.
Had warm fresh homemade bread with olive oil to start. Washed it down with a fine light Beligian Farmhouse Ale: Saison DuPont. Next time I hope to bring a designated driver and try some of their impressive wine selection.
Next had delicious steamed PEI mussels in tomato shallot based sauce… Very tender and sweet. the sauce is so good you’ll finish it like soup with a spoon, or sop it up with their fresh made bed.
After that I tried the Kobe beef sliders served with gherkins and with different toppings /​cheeses etc.
Their little slider buns are fresh made and their miniature thick beef patties are juicy and because mine was served rare it, melted on my tongue.
Last I had the campfire grilled trout, Cooked perfectly and served over sautéed onions and thin sliced potatoes in a white sauce.
Total Damage = 56 $
totally worth it