In Cos Cob, Wildacre Rotisserie has found its place in what founder Ben Pote describes as the new patchwork of Cos Cob cuisine.
The comparison is apt. With Island Fin Poke and Nit Nois having recently joined Fjord Fish Market, Pastaficcio and Mumbai Times in Cos Cob’s hub, and Mike’s Organic soon to open nearby, foodies from all parts of town have yet another choice with the addition of Wildacre Rotisserie.
Pote said the response to the food at Wildacre has been great.
“That’s all that matters,” he said, adding that while there is a bright, spacious dining room overlooking Mill Pond, and the food is served on china with real silverware, he has been surprised at the demand for carry out.
“And we’re seeing a lot of repeat customers, which is so nice…The whole idea driving the menu is a varied experience,” Pote said, adding that dinner time has been the busiest, especially on Sundays and Mondays.
During GFP’s visit we ordered a quarter of a pasture-raised rotisserie chicken with bay leaf, oregano, fennel and fresh lemon and found it far superior to typical rotisserie chicken. (On orders of a quarter chicken, customers have the choice of white meat or dark meat.)
We enjoyed dipping the chicken in a side of Tahini sauce.
Pote explained there’s no wrong way to enjoy the dipping sauce – dip, pour or drizzle!
A side dish of rotisserie roasted Cauliflower, seasoned with salt & pepper, extra virgin olive oil and za’atar, was outstanding, especially paired with a side of herby Salsa Verde dipping sauce.
The crispy Brussels sprouts dish was our favorite.
“We fry them,” he said. “We lightly season and drizzle them with tangy date syrup and sprinkle them with sesame seeds. It’s crispy, savory and sweet.”
The popular dish, Pote said, was a happy accident.
“We hadn’t planned to serve fried Brussels sprouts here. I put them in the rotisserie, but then the attachment fell out. So we threw them in the fryer – and that was it!”
Pote said customers have been eager to learn about the chicken and willing to pay a little higher price, knowing they can feel good about where it’s coming from and how it’s raised.
A proprietary, heritage breed of chicken, called the Pioneer Bird, is certified humane, pasture-raised without antibiotics and verified non-GMO, and comes from a specialty farm in Arkansas called Cooks Venture.
“I sought it out, and it’s a chicken I am really proud to serve,” Pote said. “Once people taste the chicken they’re hooked. The meat itself is delicious.”
“It’s a slow growth bird,” he explained. “They grow the way nature intended, rather than being pumped full of hormones to grow quickly which is what you find in a lot of conventionally commercially raised chicken.”
“Because the birds are certified pasture raised, they’re out in the woods. They’re up on tree limbs eating bugs and twigs, and have room to roam. It’s a product I can feel really good about.”
Pote said when customers ask whether the chicken is certified organic, he explains that although they are not, the “pasture-raised certification” is a more stringent qualification and reflects a higher quality of life for the birds.
“Organic doesn’t hold as much weight,” he said. “The supply chain is a little muddy and doesn’t necessarily equate to a high quality life. An organic bird can spend its whole life indoors.”
Pote, who is originally from Nashville, Tennessee, and moved to Fairfield County with his family by way of California, said he was very grateful to have found a location in Greenwich.
“This has been a life long dream of mine,” he said. “To have it finally come through and in a community like Cos Cob has been everything I could have wanted. The reception has been wonderful and the community has been very supportive.”
Wildacre Rotisserie is located at 147 E Putnam Ave, Cos Cob, CT 06807
Customers can order online through the Wildacre Rotisserie website and specify what time they’d like to pick up. There are numerous vegetarian and vegan options.
They also offer delivery within 5 miles of Cos Cob, which includes parts of Stamford and almost all of Greenwich, for a flat fee of $4.00.
