This winter, we will be reviewing all of the fine dining options in Connecticut, in the hope we can find the best of them. Up first, The Charles in Wethersfield.
The Charles is beautiful on the inside, with a working fireplace and a pure living-room feel (seeing as it is a house, this makes sense).
On to the food.
Whipped Ricotta
The ricotta is undersalted and overall a little bland.
The pickled grapes are good, and drizzle of honey helps.
The bread it is served with is fine enough, overall, not bad.
The Rating: Whipped Ricotta
6.5/10
Steak frites
The fries can be truffled, so why not?
But the truffle and parmesan added is super light, which is fine because the fries are very good.
A nice balance of crunchy exterior and tender inside.
The steak is very good, and tender, being cooked exactly as ordered.
The sauces they give are a little off-putting, but overall the steak frites are very good.
The Rating: Steak Frites
7/10
Rhode Island Calamari
These calamari have a heavy fish flavor.
Luckily, that gets whisked away by the excellent sauces (pineapple jerk glaze, lemon aioli).
The breading is similar to that of a well-salted onion ring.
The banana peppers are fine.
Overall very good.
The Rating: Rhode Island Calamari
7.5/10
Charlie Burger
This one came as a surprise.
We were here for fine dining, but the burger is amazing.
Everything about this burger was right.
The meat blend was flavorful, the cheese added body, the bacon was great on it’s own.
Excellent.
The Rating: Charlie Burger
8/10
Tuna Tartar
But the best of what we tried came in with the appetizers.
The Tuna Tartare was meaty, the ponzu dressing was tart and just wonderful.
The rice crackers (chips) even added a nice spicy flavor.
Overall, something not to be missed here.
The Rating: Tuna Tartare
8/10
The Recommendation: The Charles is a very nice place to visit. The interior feels very welcoming, and the food is all good. What’s more, there are a few amazing dishes that can be found.
Address: 161 Main St, Wethersfield, CT 06109
Sunday 11:30am to 11pm
Monday Closed
Tuesday to Thursday 11:30am to 11pm
Friday & Saturday: 11:30am to 12am
Menu