The Bloomfield Curse?

Republic

39 Jerome Ave.

Bloomfield, CT 

Republic is the latest tenant of an ill-fated building on Jerome Avenue in the center of Bloomfield. In our lifetimes, the building has housed, among others, a Saybrook Fish House and a W. B. Cody's before burning down in its penultimate incarnation as the mediocre Mediterranean grill Mavi. Culinarily speaking, Bloomfield, like the building on Jerome Ave., is a bit of a grab bag. There are a lot of mainstream national-chain restaurants (think Ruby Tuesday's), but you can also find some gems like Ginza for reliably tasty sushi and hibachi, Pasticceria Italia for delicious cannoli, and some small mom-and-pop ventures that come and go. When we found out about Republic, which calls itself a "gastropub," we thought it was worth a trip. Could it be a worthy competitor in the Hartford County restaurant race? Could it actually draw diners away from the juggernaut of West Hartford Center? Could it beat the curse of Jerome Avenue?

In short: we think yes. 

Republic's parent company, The Mill on the River Restaurant Group, has totally recreated the interior to reflect that "industrial farmhouse" aesthetic currently in vogue with the youngish, stylish set: exposed ductwork and brick, wooden beams, hardwood floors, chalkboard walls, right down to the dishtowel napkins.

Urbanized rural.

The effect doesn't feel contrived or overly trendy, however. When we arrived on a Monday night before the 4th of July, the convivial chatter of the small crowd in the bar, along with the low lighting and warm wood accents, made the place seem cozy and welcoming. As reluctant yuppies, we felt right at home.

The menu was also intriguing. We both had trouble deciding what to order because it all sounded good. There were the dishes that you'd expect to find in a pub--hamburgers, mac and cheese--but also some unexpected details, like Catalonian pan con tomate, Vietnamese banh mi, and a Kobe beef burger.

Upscale international comfort food.

We finally settled on mushroom and fennel crostini, grilled skirt steak with chimichurri and the apple-glazed pork confit. The crostini was unremarkable, and completely overshadowed by the fresh-from-the-oven, still-steaming focaccia that was served with grassy green olive oil. The skirt steak was cooked perfectly and served with a vinegary, herby, totally decent chimichurri, three crispy fingerling potatoes, and an avocado salad that did not skimp on the avocado. The pork confit must have been delicious because one of us licked the plate clean without sharing with the other.

 Almost as good as going to Argentina for steak and chimichurri.

Pork confit and creamy polenta.

We washed down this very tasty meal with some of the house special drinks--something called an "1880" that featured rye and bourbon, and a "Cold Toddy" made of bourbon and cinnamon--and a glass of jammy Malbec. The drinks were stiff but not cheap at $9, while the wine list was varied and economical with glasses running between $7.50 and $9. We noted the well-chosen microbrews on tap and in bottles on the beer list, though we didn't try any of them. We weren't impressed by the dessert menu (tapioca soup? no chocolate? really?) and skipped that course. 

The portion sizes may be a point against Republic. We both cleaned our plates and were full, but those who have large appetites or like to take home a doggie bag may not find Republic to be a good value. For three drinks, a shared appetizer and two dinners with no leftovers, we paid just under $100. However, the menu does have a variety of price points; we ordered entrees in the $20-$25 range, but there is plenty on offer for $10-$15, like sandwiches and small plates.

The service was a little slow, but otherwise attentive and friendly. We waited a bit for the hostess to seat us and for our drinks and food; that may have been inevitable as a new staff irons out the kinks, or due to the fact that we were sitting upstairs, far from the kitchen. The manager stopped by our table to ask how we liked our food and also sent us off with a cheerful farewell. Our waitress was friendly and willing to answer our questions, and knowledgeable about the menu even though the restaurant had only been open for a couple of weeks.

The verdict? We're going back, and we hope you do too. Maybe Republic will finally break the Jerome Avenue restaurant curse.