Fresh, Healthy Dining Innovations Are on the Menu at McMuckle’s Market
New eatery offers clean food for all tastes
Chef Matthew Sadowski says he named his new restaurant in North Canaan after his dog, to inject a little whimsy into his patrons’ dining experience.
By Andra Moss
Those who have vowed to eat healthier this year can get a delicious jump-start on that resolution with a visit to North Canaan’s newest dining establishment, McMuckle’s Market.
Chef and owner Matthew Sadowski offers guests his take on healthy grains and vegetable-forward fare that still has something for every palate. Sadowski hails originally from Baltic, a 19th-century mill town in Connecticut’s New London County, where his family ran a café in the center of the small town. His travels in the culinary world took him away from the Northeast—he most recently worked as a chef in Florida—but, says Sadowski, “I’ve wanted to do my own thing for a long time, and I decided to come back and just do it.” After looking at properties in New York and Massachusetts, Sadowski found something that he says felt warmly familiar in North Canaan. “What really sold me on the space,” he says, “is how it is in the center of things.” The large storefront windows offer him the enjoyment of “looking out over the town, watching the traffic go by. You get to watch life go on around you.”
Since signing the lease several months ago, however, Sadowski hasn’t had much time to contemplate the view. He immediately remodeled the long, airy space “to give it its own identity.” That thinking extends to his cooking as well. “My menu and my place are new,” he says, describing how he prepares “everything I can from fresh ingredients.” There is no deep freeze filled with frozen appetizers and entrees at McMuckle’s. “Anything that I serve, I make,” Sadowski states simply. Sadowski’s menu centers on fresh, healthy vegetables, greens and grains, such as his various takes on “griddle rice” with the option to add a protein such as chicken, sea bass or shrimp. One of his favorite dishes is the Muckle salad—greens, homemade pickled vegetables, seasoned brown rice and “whatever they want on top,” he says. “I’ll make you a better rice bowl than you’ll find anywhere!”
For those not diving into the grain bowl world, Sadowski offers such classics as smoked kielbasa with house-made kraut and sweet pickled onion. Who needs freezer-to-fryer fries when there are rosemary-roasted baby potatoes arriving hot, salty and crispy out of the skillet? He does have a cheeseburger on the menu (“hand-formed for each order from fresh beef”), but burger fans shouldn’t be surprised if Sadowski asks if they’d like to “just try” a few complimentary pickled snips of cauliflower or brussels sprouts. The food at McMuckle’s reflects the desire of the chef to share his love of “clean food.” He definitely sees a place for his vibrant, flavorful, vegetable-centric dishes, saying, “I just want to do something different than others are doing.”
The buzz has begun. “A local group of ladies who meet weekly first came in in the middle of December, and they’ve been doing it every week since,” recounts Sadowski. “Once a few people try it, the word spreads. That’s what I’m seeing start to happen.” Located at 85 Main Street, McMuckle’s Market is open daily for dinner, Wednesday through Sunday, from 4 to 8 p.m. Those dining in are welcome to BYOB, says Sadowski, and takeaway can be ordered via the Toast app or by calling 860-453-4632. Anyone interested in lunch is welcome to stop by at midday to see if he’s around, offers Sadowski, noting that he’s usually in, keeping an eye on the world going by.
