It can be hard to keep up with what’s happening on the restaurant scene. Here are four new restaurants that have recently opened in the area, with one on the way for early summer.
G-Monkey
G-Monkey, a well-known vegan food truck, is moving to a brick-and-mortar location in West Hartford, at 625 New Park Ave., named G-Monkey Plant-Fueled Fast Food. It will open after Memorial Day. G-Zen, the affiliated restaurant in Branford, is closing on April 30. At G-Monkey Plant-Fueled Fast Food, dishes will include vegan Caesar salad, avocado toast, coconut maple bacon, black bean and brown rice burrito, Zen Buddha bowls, hand-cut sweet potato fries, chili-cheese fries, Feisty Monkey wild peanut cilantro soba noodles, raw tacos and grilled tempeh Reubens. g-zen.com.
Toasted OAT
The Toasted OAT Café at 1100 Main St. in Newington is the second Toasted OAT, the first one on Route 44 in Canton. The Newington location is takeout-only, serving breakfast sandwiches, scrambles, salads and bowl meals. Tater tots are featured in many offerings. The “Build Your Own Breakfast” is offered in a sandwich, bowl or scramble. Customers can go wild with their creations, with double or triple meat if they want. The shop also sells kids’ meals, hot drinks and bottled drinks, including CBD-infused Harney & Sons teas. Toasted OAT Café is open Tuesday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. toastedoatcafe.com.
Soul Bowls
The motto of Soul Bowls, at 489 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, is “Everything’s better in a bowl.” The bowl meals, $14, have rice, a protein such as fried chicken bites, fried or sauteed shrimp or pernil. Sides are collard greens; candied yams; french fries; a “soul veggie mix” of broccoli, carrots, bell peppers and chickpeas; or “krack and cheese,” an addictively creamy macaroni and cheese. “Soul rolls,” a combination of the candied yams and mac and cheese, are rolled up in egg-roll wrapping and deep-fried, served with sauce. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. instagram.com/soulbowl860.
La Flor Mix Kitchen and Bar
La Flor Mix Kitchen and Bar, 360 Franklin Ave., Hartford, has a full menu of Haitian offerings made by owner Drina Vaval, a native of Haiti, and another full menu of Peruvian offerings cooked by Nestor Vasquez, a native of Peru. Haitian specialties include fried pork griot, tasso beef, steamed salmon, whole red snapper, fried goat and spicy pikliz slaw. Peruvian dishes include ceviche, fried rice with shrimp, lomo saltado, skewered beef hearts, papas rellenas and many other items. BYOB. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends. facebook.com/CaribbeanAmericanandPeruvianFood.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, at 106 Royce Circle in Storrs, is the first franchise location of the automat in Manhattan that was founded last year. Though obscure now, in the early 20th century, automats could be found in many large cities. Dumpling flavors, starting at $5 a serving, include PBJ, pastrami, pepperoni, bacon cheeseburger, cheesesteak, kung pao chicken, short rib, French onion soup, crab soup, seafood, chicken and ginger. The Storrs site is open 11 a.m. to midnight Monday to Wednesday. It closes at 3 a.m. on Thursday and at 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. brooklyndumplingshop.com.