Business & Tech

Norwalk's Match & Loft Owners Open 'Tavern' in Monroe

Scott Beck and Derrick Lee start a new restaurant, 'Tavern,' in northeastern Fairfield County.

Cooks prepared burgers, steaks, baby back ribs and other comfort foods Wednesday during the "soft opening" of Tavern, the new restaurant replacing Rivalry Sports Grille at 262 Main Street.

Old fashioned horse posts adorn the parking lot outside the building, which is white with brown trim, and visitors entering Tavern could still smell the fresh paint on the black, wooden doors.

"Oh it's amazing," said Scott Beck, who operates the restaurant with his business partner Derrick Lee. "It's a funky, cool, well-designed tavern with modest price-points and a bit of everything for everyone."

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Beck and Lee have been in business together before, opening Match restaurant in South Norwalk in 1999. Beck is also co-owner and managing partner of The Loft, a martini lounge in SoNo.

Steve Matsis of Newtown, senior managing director of Pyramid Restaurant Group, a Stamford firm specializing in the sales and leases of restaurant locations throughout Connecticut and Westschester County, brokered the deal in January when Beck and Lee took over the 4,100-square-foot Monroe building they are leasing from David Sippin.

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Following five months of renovations, Tavern opened for friends and family on Tuesday night, then for patrons on Wednesday.

"It's a soft opening. No promotions," Beck said, adding it is to allow the staff to "ease into things."

The restaurant had Jack Daniels whiskey barrel staves shipped in and the wood adorns the hostess area and the front of the bar. Three flat-screen TVs hang on the walls. The barrel staves are also on the walls and ceiling of a room in the back.

Tavern is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and the bar is open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Tavern will serve brunch on Sundays.

'Awesome burgers'

Though Beck is excited about the New England atmosphere Tavern offers, he believes it is the food that will keep patrons coming back for more.

"The food has been great so far," he said. "A few people came in for a tasting. We have awesome burgers and an eclectic menu of comfort food."

Some of the hamburgers include the Tavern Burger with bourbon glazed cipollini onions, apple wood smoked bacon, Vermont cheddar, mayo and pickles on a toasted brioche onion roll; and the Bacon Egg & Cheese Burger on an over-sized toasted English muffin.

Among the meals are meatloaf, baby back ribs, steak, chicken and fish and chips.

Different varieties of chicken wings are included in the appetizers. Two other offerings are Tuna Tartare and Devils on Horseback. The latter is apple wood bacon wrapped jumbo scallops served with an apricot glaze over almond fennel and orange chunks salad.

In keeping with the comfort food theme, one of the desserts is "ice cold milk with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies."

Editor's note: This article originally was published by Monroe Patch.


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