Foundry Kitchen & Tavern Opens for Business in Sandy Hook

"We are officially open!!!" 

With that announcement on their Facebook page, the Foundry Kitchen & Tavern opened its doors to its first customers after weeks of work, much of it documented in the photos on the page.

Since graduating from the Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts, owner Chris Bruno has run three restaurants -- Fiddler's and Chris's American Restaurant in Brookfield and Village Social in Mt. Kisco, NY -- all of which he describes as "progressive American, with a tavern twist." With a fully stocked bar, Foundry is in that vein, Bruno says. And when it comes to food, he focuses on variety.

"We have relationships with farms, and we change our menu daily," said Bruno. "So [the menu] ranges from seafood with certain accompaniments based on what we pick up on the way to work."

This means fresh food every day from local and regional farms, including Shortt's Farm and Garden Center in Newtown and Daisy Hill Farm in Mt. Kisco. He says he plans to keep bringing in fresh food and seasonal dishes, and keep looking for surprises.

"I remember they asked Wayne Gretzky why he's always around the puck," said Bruno. "He said, 'I don't go to where it is, I go to where it's going to be.' Those words have resonated ... It gives us something to shoot for. We try to stay current and evolve."

Bruno worked with head chef Cory Siegel, a graduate of the Culinary Insitute in New York, and his sous-chefs to craft the menu. Many of his favorite dishes are on the appetizer menu, he says, including Shishito peppers and pretzel crusted tuna.

"We're able to marry ingredients from different regions and kind of incorporate them into American cuisine," said Bruno. "I hate to use the word fusion, though ... We're not just being creative for the sake of being creative."

The storefront is in a central spot at 1 Glen Road in the heart of Sandy Hook. It was previously the home of Stone River Grille, which closed on the first day of the new year. A friend of Bruno's noticed the property in January, and when Bruno visited, he decided it would be a perfect fit for a new venture. Since then, residents have kept an eye on renovation work around the building in anticipation of the opening.

"Our goal was May 1, and we're hitting it," said Bruno. "The landlords have definitely made it much easier for us -- they've been very supportive, and they're doing the work for us. They're very efficient, reliable and a pleasure to work with."

This is the fifteenth restaurant opening Bruno has been involved with in some form or another, between being an employee, owner or consultant.

"And this is the smoothest opening I've experienced up to this point."

"First and foremost, it's word of mouth. It's giving people the value they expect. We don't want to take anyone's money here -- we want to make sure they get the better part of the deal."

Bruno says he and his team are looking forward to working in the "small, tight-knit" Sandy Hook business community, and getting to know their customers.

"We're very approachable as far as cuisine goes," said Bruno. "This is a place where you can have a burger and duck breast at the same table, and feel comfortable doing so. You can come in on a Tuesday night and have a couple beers and split a sandwich, and we welcome it. We just want people to come here, and we just love to cook. It's a hospitality business, and we love to make people feel good."