Basso — the tapas-and-more restaurant that moved to Westport from Norwalk in the middle of the pandemic — is closing.
An email sent yesterday from the Jesup Road spot that replaced Matsu Sushi says: “After nearly 19 wonderful years of serving our community, it is with mixed emotions that we announce the closing of Basso on Thursday, December 18.
“This decision was not made lightly; we have truly cherished every moment shared with you, our loyal guests and friends.
“We want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support, kindness, and the many memories we’ve created together. It has been an honor to be part of your lives—celebrating milestones, hosting your special occasions, and sharing countless meals and conversations.
“As we prepare to close this chapter, we warmly invite you to visit us one last time to reminisce and enjoy your favorite dishes. Thank you for being such an essential part of our story. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
I’ve long held a special place in my heart for Basso. The food has been delicious and creative; the hospitality is warm and genuine; the vibe has been great for the town.
Thank you, Renato, Ela, and all who made Basso a favorite destination.
Along with tapas, Basso featured pizzas, from its great wood-fired oven (rear).
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One (restaurant) door closes, and another opens: Westport will soon have another fast-casual, create-your-own-bowl-or-salad dining spot.
Naya arrives Wednesday (December 17), in the Gold’s half of Compo Shopping Center.
The offerings are similar to Sweetgreen, Just Salad, and the very similarly named Cava (click here for the menu). Naya, though, positions itself as “Middle Eastern.”
They’ve got more than a dozen locations in New York City and Long Island. This will be Naya’s second restaurant in Connecticut, after Darien — and its northernmost and easternmost site.
Click here for more information — and to win a chance for an opening day prize.
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Sticking with today’s food theme, there’s news from Pop-Up Bagels.
Like Basso, they popped up in Westport during the pandemic. In just a few years, Adam Goldberg turned his COVID hobby into a full-blown, award-winning business.
Outlets sprouted in Fairfield, Greenwich and Newtown. Then came New York — a bold (and winning) move — followed by Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida and California.
The latest Pop-up Bagels is in Portland, Maine. Chip Stephens — a 1973 Staples High School graduate and former Planning & Zoning commissioner, now chief enforcement officer for two Maine towns — spotted this on yesterday’s news:
They’re not stopping now. The next Pop-Up Bagels is planned for Wailea-Makena, Hawaii.
Which means they may need to rethink their motto: “Not famous, but known.”
From coast to coast — and beyond — everyone is learning about (and loving) Pop-Up Bagels.
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Also on the move — though this one is up, not out: a house on Danbury Avenue, near Soundview Drive.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
Like many in the oft-flooded neighborhood, it is being raised to become FEMA-compliant.
Which is a lot better than being razed, to become bigger, taller and broader.
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The first snowfall of the season was perfect: overnight, not overpowering, light and lovely.
Here’s an early morning look, off Whitney Street:
(Photo/Molly Alger)
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Westport celebrated National Wreaths Across America Day yesterday.
VFW Post 399 quartermaster Phil Delgado, Post 399 Auxiliary vice commander Patty Kondub, Joan Polayes, and Scout Troops 39 and 139 honored veterans with a tribute at Assumption Church’s Greens Farms Cemetery.
Post 399 members and volunteers lay remembrance wreaths on over 400 graves. Each wreath symbolized the community’s gratitude, respect and commitment to never forget those who served.
Scouts participating in National Wreaths Across America day (from left): Blake Schuler Ashley Charise, Preston DeRosa, Austin Charise, Will Bernard, Will Manes, Sam Pollack and Alec Mraz. Not pictured: Jacob Luna and Ian Curran.
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“A Sherlock Carol” — the family-friendly holiday show written and directed by Mark Shanahan, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, opened last night for its third annual run there. Click here for tickets, and more information.
The cast of “A Sherlock Carol” takes their bows …
… and writer/director Mark Shanahan is thanked by audience members, after the show. (Photos/Dave Matlow)
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Hanukkah begins tonight, at sundown.
Steve Stein welcomed some early visitors yesterday:
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More times than not, I’ve had good interactions with Optimum’s customer service.
Yesterday was one of those “not” times.
The (very) short version: I called the “retention” department to ask for a lower rate. I’ve been a customer since 1993 — I was one of the first dozen or so in Westport to sign up for a cable modem — and this is a ritual I now go through every few months.
The first question — after giving the same information twice, to a bot and a human — was “if we get disconnected, what’s the best callback number?”
(I’ve always found it odd that a company that provides phone service worries about disconnected calls, but whatever.)
I provided my cell number. She read it back to me. On we went.
She spent 15 minutes (supposedly) researching the best retention option. I’m sure she was juggling 3 or 4 other calls at the same time.
Then we got disconnected.
I expected a call back.
It never came.
I finally called again. This time, the customer service representative may have asked again for a callback number. I could not tell though, because whatever language he was speaking, it was not English.
Finally — a full 1 hour and 12 minutes after I began — I got a (middling) retention offer. I’m saving about $30 a month, and will have to go through the same dance again next year.
Was it worth it? I bill my writing clients $200 an hour, so 12 months to save $360 is a bit of a savings.
Weighing in the agita factor, though … probably not.
PS: If anyone at Cablevision is reading this and wants to contact me — well, someone there has my number.
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Years ago, the group below would spend weekday mornings teaching, writing lesson plans, meeting with students, and dealing with administrators and parents.
These days, they do none of that.
And every so often, these ROMEOs — Retired Old Men Eating Out, all of whom spend decades in the Westport schools — get together for breakfast at the Monroe Diner.
How many can you name? Answers below the photo.
From left: Jim Wheeler, Al Jolley, Jim Honeycutt, Bruce McFadden, Toby Watson, Steve Rexford, Bob Selverstone, Werner Liepolt, Ed Bludnicki, Pete Van Hagen, Stan Rhodes.
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There’s always something cooking — or going on some other way — at Wakeman Town Farm.
On tap for January:
- Healthy Whole Foods Cooking Class for adults (January 8, 6:30 p.m.)
- Winter Seed Sowing Class with Alice Ely (January 26, 8 p.m.)
- Winter Cooking Classes, Grades K-2, 2-6
- Adaptive Music & Movement Classes for kids
- Martin Luther King Day Vacation Day Camp (January 19, 9 a.m. to noon)
- Winter Kids’ Farm programs.
Click here, then scroll down for more details and registration information.
Kids learn to cook — and not in your kitchen.
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Yesterday’ Roundup story on the Eartha Kitt/”Santa Baby” composer connection left out one key detail: That it happened at WEST, the Post Road East store owned by the singer’s daughter, Kitt Shapiro.
Here it is again. Hopefully it makes more sense this time:
More than 70 years after its release, “Santa Baby” remains one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time.
Eartha Kitt sang it in 1953. She later moved to Weston, where she died of colon cancer on — coincidentally — Christmas Day, in 2008.
Her daughter Kitt Shapiro now owns WEST, a very popular women’s shop, on Post Road East.
An older woman came into the store on Thursday. Her name was Joan Javits — and she co-wrote “Santa Baby,” all those years ago. (She’s 97 years old — though she sure doesn’t look it!)
Kitt Shapiro and Joan Javits, at WEST.
It may not be the Christmas miracle of 2,000 years ago.
But it’s still pretty amazing.
PS: Among the lyrics Eartha Kitt sang were:
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany’s.
I wonder if after leaving WEST, Joan Javits crossed the street and walked a few yards west.
To buy some decorations at — you know the rest.
Nancy Vener was up early yesterday. She photographed the fiery sunrise over Burritt Cove, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature:
(Photo/Nancy Vener)
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And finally … to all the customer service agents at Optimum (story above):
(Your favorite restaurant may be closing. Your internet service provider may drop your call. But “06880” will always be here for you — so long as you click here to support our work. Thanks!)
