Rainbow Gardens Restaurant & Bar
117 North Broad Street
Milford, CT 06460
203-878-2500
In 1996, Heather, John and Meg Profetto opened Rainbow Gardens, a cheery inn-like dwelling in the heart of Milford Green, across from the central gazebo. Nearly 14 years later, guests couldn’t be more satisfied. Myself included.
The spectrum of shrubs, azaleas, ivies, roses, hanging baskets of pansies and of course, the gamut of Greek, Italian, Asian and American items on the menu show you that this quaint little eatery was certainly named appropriately.
My friend and I had lunch there on a Saturday afternoon. The warm wind coaxed us to dine on the front porch.
Everything about the place–the calico fruit-patterned tablecloths flapping in the breeze, the brandished flatware wrapped in soft, plum colored napkins, the clean, butter-colored walls, and the immaculate, crumb-free white floorboards–put me in a state of bliss, especially after a hectic week. I felt like I was on retreat from the second I walked onto the property.
The chefs at Rainbow certainly have an appetite for creativity. The menu is impressively eclectic and diverse, with endearing names for dishes such as the “Lovin’ spoonful soup,”corny-but-cute plays on movies like “Beauty and the Beef,” some, more celestial and exotic, like “Tuscan Fairy Tale” veal shank with Parmesan risotto, and others that seemed to be more sinfully appetizing than their titles suggested (i.e. the “Garbage Can Trio” – potato wedges, onion rings, and sweet potato fries).
Other entrees seem more like sophisticated spa cuisine, such as “Floridaaffair,” the Lavender-crusted Tilapia filet that serves as both an aphrodisiac and tension tamer, the “East Meets Guest” Asian veggie spring roll, and the Yoga Black Bean Burger, a West-coast spin on the GardenBurger–but with an extra zing of zen.
For those who want to keep it simple and traditional, there’s the generously portioned gut-busting beach favorites: coconut shrimp, fried calamari, Cape Cod Salty Dog (battered cod filet on a crusty roll with lettuce, tomato, and coleslaw), Louisiana style crab cakes, and Roast beef with red peppers and boursin cheese.
There’s also the Thank God it’s FRY DAY special: onion rings and fries ranging from $3.50- $4.00. Thank God there are healthier options on the menu.
My friend ordered the raspberry chicken explosion, and I, of course, got to taste it: a bevy of fresh, crisp mesclun greens bedecked with berries, dried cranberries and raisins, apples, kiwi, orange wedges, slivered almonds, flecks of gorgonzola and crowned with a sliced grilled chicken breast that broke apart easily with a fork…served with their raspberry vinaigrette: a sweet, ruby-colored gelee to complement the savory chicken.
The meal looked like a bridal shower centerpiece. The combination of flavors was a marriage made in heaven:
Although everything on the menu looked scrumptious, I wanted to test the staff and see if the chef would accommodate me: I asked for grilled chicken and grilled vegetables with a side of their signature lemon vinaigrette.
A few minutes later, a smiling waitress brought out a steamy plate: exactly what I ordered.
Pictured: the motley of multicolored grilled veggies flecked with paprika and lightly kissed with oil—supple, part-charred green and red peppers, soft-yet-crunchy julienned carrots, thick slices of mellow, vulnerable eggplant, blackened zucchini and summer squash, and tangled asparagus—all cut into thick, rustic pieces arranged on the plate like a painter’s palette.
After dinner, I did peek into the dessert alcove. In this homey and humble mini bakery, heart-shaped copper pots and pans were staggered on one wall, and an archipelago of grayscale Profetto family photographs lined another.
The sun poured through a pastel-stained glass window like a nimbus over the glass showcase of cakes, pies, brownies, and pastries that would’ve made Julia Child swoon. The Profetto’s old-fashioned peanut butter pie, for example, is as thick as one of the old Dickens novels that sits on the shelf in the back dining room.
But there’s a hipper, more sultry side to this place, a.k.a. The Cocktail Lounge: a dimly lit rotunda with a contemporary, concave cathedral ceiling, iron chandelier and mini lampshades that subdue the bright white light. It’s definitely the perfect place to sip a martini with your best girl friends on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday afternoon, or after work (until about 8 or 9 p.m. when they start to close).
Altogether, despite the bizarre blend of sounds, scents and sights (i.e. the musky aroma of Shalimar perfume with Lisa Loeb and Alanis Morissette tunes piping softly in the background, an armada of Red Hat Society ladies munching on lunch and sipping tea beyond the open window with mismatched glass teacups dangling from the top…whew…I had to let it all out in a single breath), this place is a gem.
Hours: 11a.m.-9p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 11a.m.-10p.m. on Friday and Saturday; 4p.m.-8p.m.(ish) on Sunday
Food: Nothing pretentious, nothing convoluted…simple, fresh, colorful ingredients presented beautifully
Prices: Moderate– About $4-11 for “Appeteasers,” $10-14 for salads, sandwiches and paninis, $13-20 for “Endless Pastabilities,”$12-25 for poultry, beef and fish
Allergy Friendly? Staff members are accommodating; just inform them first.
