Modern Italian Cuisine at Terra of Danbury

My husband and I moved to Connecticut a little over a year ago, and although we are lucky to have quite a spectrum of restaurants here in Danbury, the addition of Terra Ristorante has filled a niche that we happily welcome! Great cocktails and simple twists on classic Italian dishes in a modern, upscale setting make this new place a hip and trendy stop for those who might enjoy a classy night out on the town.

We ate at Terra several times before I decided to write about the restaurant, and each visit seemed to have a different feel. There’s no doubt about it, the interior space is gorgeous: a big city feel in a smaller town. The place could capture the hearts of hipsters and fine diners alike. From our multiple experiences, the restaurant still seemed to have a few service kinks to work out, but we attributed it to its early stages – as each visit seems to get better and better.

While the wine list offers a nice selection from around the world, every person we dined with loved the strong, well-mixed cocktails from the bar. The full cocktail menu isn’t readily offered at the regular tables, but it is available upon request. When I inquired about this, Adam Zakka of the Z Hospitality Group replied that they “tried to limit the specialty cocktail menu to the bar area in an effort to maintain quality and consistency at the start” but that they “are slowly expanding the cocktail offerings to the entire dining room.”

My favorite drink was the ‘Paper Plane’ featuring Bulleit bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nino, and lemon; perfectly balanced so the bourbon wasn’t in any way overpowering any of the other flavors. While the ‘Italian Stallion’ was my husband’s drink of choice (rather appropriately named for his Italian background) made with Michters Whiskey, ginger, lemon, Lazzaroni Amaro, and Jerry Thomas bitters topped with a lovely piece of candied ginger.

On to the food! There were lots of hits, and a couple misses, but overall every dish had something that we really enjoyed. Some were just more exceptional than others! The absolute favorites all seemed to include roasted or grilled aspects. For antipasti, the charred Spanish octopus was cooked to perfection with no chewiness whatsoever, and the olive oil roasted cauliflower steak had these great crispy edges served with a perfectly spiced peanut romesco sauce. We also swooned over the mussels with red curry cream and fava beans: we all wanted more bread to soak up the rest of the sauce in the dish!

A wonderful option for either a starter or entrée is their house-made pastas. (Tip: they let you order half portions!) All the ravioli are made in house, while the long pastas are brought in fresh. The kobe beef and spinach ravioli with mushrooms, marsala wine, and Calabrian chilis were absolutely luscious … although I wished for a bit more heat. Meanwhile the fresh pappardelle was cooked perfectly, served with a braised sauce that was incredibly satisfying and comforting. Their winter menu featured a wild boar and root vegetable ragù, while their new spring menu offers braised lamb shoulder and fava beans.

Their entrées brought some interesting mixed results. We tried the pekin duck, grilled bronzino, plus a few of their daily specials from the winter menu, but were a bit underwhelmed by them. While the duck seemed a bit over-cooked, the charred kale sprouts served with them were absolutely amazing. Then the bronzino had perfect crispy skin, yet the spaetzli and roasted apple ‘sauce’ was not quite the companion I was searching for to go with the fish. In the new spring menu, however, there were many more inspiring combinations. Including (my personal favorite!) the eye-catching & tongue-pleasing salmon a la plancha with ramp gremolata, grilled asparagus, and roasted chiogga beets. I may be slightly biased because I *love* ramps (did you catch my ramp pesto recipe?), but even my husband’s perfectly prepared veal medallions with cheesy baby pea + asparagus risotto and grilled ramps (!) could not compare to how well done my salmon dish was.

Last, but never least, dessert! The tiramisu was classic, as well as the affogato, but the bread pudding was unfortunately too dense and square for my liking. Their chocolate peanut bar, however, surprised me with its airiness: it was more like an expanded kitkat crossed with a Reece’s peanut butter cup and fluffy chocolate cake. However the biggest hit (every. single. time.) was the olive oil cake… Served with orange curd, blood orange compote, and little meringues – all of which weren’t necessary, but wonderful accompaniments to the moist cake.

It seems clear that Terra has become a popular spot, and why not? The sleek interior, good drinks, and hip vibe could woo a slew of customers upon arrival. Their thoughtful food will continue to lure those in search of fresh yet classic dishes. I look forward to many more meals there as the weather warms up: especially once they open up their outdoor space! Perhaps for their prix fixe lunch, happy hour, or brunch (featuring an option for bottomless mimosas or bloody mary’s).

** I was not sponsored in any way for this post. All opinions and photos are mine.