A Full Day in Connecticut!

Now that my DDD visits was in the 90's I really wanted to get to 100.  I was checking out places that I could go to that were quick trips from Dulles.  I looked into a number of places to try and decided that maybe getting to a few places in the state where I was born would just be the ticket - Connecticut!  I saw that Guy has visited 5 places there and I really had only one day to do it so it would be quite the task.  The flights to Hartford looked pretty good and although I would have to drive some distance to get to the places I wanted to try, Hartford would be easier than flying into New York as the drive is quite a bit easier.  In my planning I decided that I would have time only to get to 4 places so I mapped it out and away I went.

After a quick morning flight into Hartford I got the car and headed down to Southern Connecticut.  The first stop was in the first place I remember living, Norwalk.  I headed into a really great Venezuelan Restaurant called "Valencia Luncheria".  The small cafe is putting out some killer food and the place is always packed, when one table is cleared it is quickly filled.  I got a Pork Arepa, which is like a small, overstuffed sandwich, and a Beef Empenada, which is like a baked turnover, along with a Mango Smoothie made for a great lunch!  I headed into another town where I had lived when I was very young to visit two places Fairfield.  The first stop is a place that has been featured in numerous television shows including the first travel-food show I had ever seen, "Sandwiches That You Will Like" a great PBS show made by Rick Sebak (it gets shown during money raising times).  "Super Duper Weenie" started out as a truck operation but has grown into a popular restaurant.  I got the Slaw Dog and a Regular Dog, both were very good, I just wish we had a place this in then DC area, good hot dogs are hard to find!  I sat at the counter right in front of where the owner did his magic.  After seeing him in so many different shows I really looked forward to talking to him and as I watched, he seemed very open and outgoing to others (I was thinking that they were regulars) but when I I asked told him what I was doing and asked him to sign my book he signed it but really sort of blew me off and that was very disappointing, this was one of the first times that I was treated in in a negative manner, oh well, the food was good!  I went onto an unusual place for Connecticut, homegrown Southern Style Barbecue.  "Wilson's Holy Smoke Barbecue" is sort of a fusion of many types of Southern Barbecue.  I got the Burnt Ends and the meat tips is sauce was very good.  On to my last stop to the town of Westport and a very unique looking diner that appears to be on stilts just off the river and under Interstate 95.  The "Black Duck Cafe" looks like a boathouse and is putting out good burgers and seafood.  I was so full by that time that I tried the Oysters Rock, an oyster and spinach combo that was very tasty.  After getting the book signed it was back to the airport and a quick flight back home.

A few days later I was headed into DC for a meeting at the Air ansd Space Museum I decided to try a place that Guy went to in Falls Church.  This little place is attached to a small hotel called The Stratford.  The place is called "La Carquena" and specializes in Venezuelan and Peruvian Cuisine.  I got there when it opened and was lucky to get a single seat table, they take reservations and they are always full.  I got their version of a Arepa, there's is like a chicken salad sandwich and a very good Empenada. 

My DDD count was now at 96 and I had an upcoming cruise vacation out of Miami and was hoping to get to my 100th location.