Local Bites: South End: A welcome addition to the New Canaan scene / Jeff Schlesinger

Nearly two months of frenzied activity has confirmed the local appreciation that the creative cuisine of chef Nicholas Martschenko is alive at South End, the newest addition to the New Canaan restaurant scene.

Overseeing the front of the house is Keith Siskind, his business partner. The duo redesigned the interior at South End to create a relaxing atmosphere by intertwining rustic charm with modern comfort. The tables are carefully arranged to allow for pleasant conversation, and the overall noise level creates a vibrant buzz without overwhelming intrusion. With upwards of 85 seats, 30 of which are contained around the energetic bar area, South End offers a pleasant ambience to enjoy the wonderful cuisine that emerges from the kitchen.

The duo's ambition to create the "modern tavern" is a success. Siskind developed an excellent relationship with two local breweries, New Canaan's Charter Oak and Stamford's Half Full (Bright Ale), and both are prominently displayed on the taps overlooking the bar. In addition to these local brews, South End's taps are serving a pilsner from Brooklyn Brewery and Palm, a Euro pale lager from Belgium. The bar is also stocked with numerous beers, liquors and wines.

While enjoying a beer, wine or cocktail and perusing the menu, you may want to consider nibbling and sharing two of South End's appetizers: Nonna's Meatballs, which are absolutely delicious, or a selection of artisanal meats and cheeses, served on a piece of reclaimed wood.

One of my favorite hot appetizers was the trio of Prosciutto Wrapped Figs stuffed with goat cheese and served with blistered grapes and finished with Saba syrup. They were delectable, with an outstanding flavor combination of the sweet figs offset by the saltiness of the prosciutto and the deep sweet-sour composition of the Saba syrup.

The recently introduced Roasted PEI Mussels were served in a tomato and fennel broth that was slightly thickened with rouille and served with slices of grilled garlic bread. This dish delivered a fantastic combination of flavors, the tomatoes adding a sweet quality to the tender mussels, while the fennel added a delightful licorice accent to the broth.

I recommend South End's Heirloom Tomato Salad (end of the season upon us), that includes several varieties of seasonally ripe tomatoes, a touch of a tomato gelee, plus a tiny scoop of basil ice cream sitting atop a slice of mozzarella. The tomatoes were sweet and delicious, and when combined with the mozzarella and basil ice cream and a little of the pesto, created a wonderful balance of flavors and textures. This was a refreshing and delightful dish.

My favorite appetizer/entree was the Grilled Fresh Bacon, served atop mustard spaetzle, and paired with peach chutney and a sherry sauce. The meat was slow-braised and incredibly moist. The sherry sauce was brushed over the meat to create a balance of flavors and the slightly crisp edges of the spaetzle were a great offset to its soft texture. The peach chutney added a sweet and delicious complement to the slightly sour sherry sauce.

Martschenko's talent to create incredible pasta dishes was evident in several of the pasta dishes that I enjoyed. All of the pastas are house-made and show the passion he developed as the executive chef at I Trulli.

My favorite pasta was the Tagliatelle Bolognese, a version that should remain the cornerstone of South End's ever-changing menu. The pasta was the perfect thickness to handle the rich flavors of the veal-, pork- and beef-based Bolognese. The sauce was a traditional preparation and finished with rosemary and basil.

Another recommended choice is the Veal Cannelloni, house-made crepes stuffed with veal, spinach and ricotta cheese and served with a Sicilian pistachio sauce. A second recommendation is one of several variations of the orrechiette, whether with a delicious braised rabbit or ground Italian sausage. The sauce that accompanies the orrechiette changes often, and I have enjoyed the braised rabbit, as well as the sausage and broccoli rabe.

The entrees include selections of fish, meats and poultry. Three of the entrees that I thoroughly enjoyed were the Roasted Amish Chicken, the Grilled Pork Chop and the Scottish Organic Salmon.

The Roasted Chicken was described by Martschenko as "the epitome of the modern tavern" cuisine. It was served atop spinach, plus a wide assortment of mushrooms. The tarragon jus was a perfect complement to the perfectly roasted chicken. The chicken was succulent and the skin was crisped to perfection. The mashed potatoes were served in an iron crock and were whipped with oil and finished with butter and cream -- totally decadent and absolutely delicious.

The pork chop is first slow braised, then finished on the grill and served with diced potatoes (sweet and russet), plus spinach; the cooking method created a perfectly consistent and juicy doneness to the meat and the quick grill added a textural difference. The sherry sauce was outstanding, reduced almost to a consistency of a demi-glace, with intense flavors and perfectly complemented the pork, the crispy potatoes and the bacon. For a lighter choice, the salmon is a delightful option. The asparagus vinaigrette brought the entire dish together and was served with a variety of beans and peas, potatoes and a wonderful selection of mushrooms. The salmon was incredibly moist on the interior and the skin was perfectly crisped.

Markschenko is also preparing scrumptious desserts including the South End Sundae and Raspberry/Nectarine Cobbler. The sundae pairs pistachio and vanilla ice creams, a fudgy chocolate sauce, Luxardo cherries and roasted almonds, and is served with ananise biscotti. The ice cream was delicious, but the highlight was the Luxardo cherries, and when covered with some of the rich fudge, was a perfect ending to the meal. The cobbler delivered a perfect balance of crunchy and smooth, with the fruits baked to maintain a crisp texture; the sweet streusel topping added addition crunchiness and the smooth toasted almond ice cream created a perfect partner to the cobbler.

After a mere two months, South End is a welcoming restaurant serving delicious and constantly changing choices. Martschenko continues to develop flavors and combinations for his guests to enjoy, while Siskind has created a relaxing and friendly environment. The New Canaan restaurant footprint now extends to Pine Street with the addition of South End.

For information, call South End, 36 Pine St., New Canaan, at 203-966-5200 or visit http://southendnewcanaan.com.