Masa

22 Bayview Ave., No. 8, Velvet Mill, Stonington

(860) 501-3249

masa-ct.com

At Masa in the Velvet Mill, chef and owner Jorge Baldiviezo is paying tribute to his native Latin America.

He has adapted classic flavors with local ingredients to transform them into modern and creative dishes with a Latin flare such as pollo a la brassa (chicken with rice and greens), smoked barbecue ribs with torched macaroni and cheese, and beef tongue tacos.

His menu is displayed on chalkboards, and there are daily specials as well as house-made favorites, like his empanadas (make sure to try the onion soup version), his Peruvian chicken sandwich on basil bread with salsa verde and potato sticks, and his fall-off-the-bone tender chicken wings.

Masa is typically open for breakfast, lunch and early dinners and closes at 6 p.m. But on Monday, Aug. 26, it will host its second five-course dinner, this one A Night in Brazil, $60 per person and BYOB. A similar one last month, A Culinary Tour of Buenos Aires, sold out in just days. If you want to go, call ASAP, or you may have to wait for Baldiviezo’s next pop-up dinner.

— Ann Baldelli

Thimble Island Brewing Company

75 Main St., Old Saybrook

(203) 208-2827

thimbleislandbrewery.com

Raise a glass to Thimble Island Brewery’s new set-up in Old Saybrook! The Branford-based brewer took over the space at 75 Main St. (formerly Gargano Pasta & Italian Market) earlier this year to offer pub food, fresh beer and plenty of people watching to the shoreline east crowd. And even I, a fussy beer drinker, found a pint to enjoy in the Lime Lager ($8) and Sunday Morning Blonde ($8) — one a lightly tangy and light beverage, the other, toasty and smooth.

Beers, of course, go very well with pizza and burgers, and Thimble Island thoughtfully offers both on the menu. We heartily recommend the Margherita pizza ($16, small), topped with very good tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and garlic, which rest upon a soft, flavorful crust, and the Thimble Smashburger ($16; comes with fries or side salad) — or burgers in this case. At TIB-CO, you’ll get two 3-ounce burgers loaded with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and the brewery’s special sauce on a sesame bun.

May we also suggest the Steak Bomb sandwich ($17, comes with fries or side salad)? It’s a savory and satisfying dish, thanks to a tasty mix of shaved steak, mushrooms and beer-braised onions, cheddar cheese, cherry peppers, arugula and mayo on a grinder roll.

Hungry? Thirsty? You know where to go.

— Marisa Nadolny

Pick Pockets Deli

214 Route 12, Groton

(860) 910-0235

pickpocketsdeligroton.com

Pick Pockets is located in a building constructed by early settlers in the 17th century as a prototype for what, in the future, they envisioned — as one diarist wrote — “A fine dwelling for what might be convenience food such as pizza whenever such a thing is invented. Hey! Is that a witch?!”

Well, yes, the place DID used to be a Pizza Hut and other shorter-lived culinary experiments, but it looks happily like the Pockets folks are here to stay. Though the majority of the fare comes in the form of wraps with Middle Eastern roots, the possibilities are extensive and global.

My wife Eileen, for example, loved the Jumbo Plate ($13.50 with choice of eggplants, falafel, grilled chicken of gyro), which comes in a multi-compartment serving container including flavorful tabouleh, savory hummus and a delectable serving of whatever main item you select.

My favorite wrap was The Husky ($11.20), which boasted huge chunks of white meat chicken, Buffalo sauce, blue cheese dressing and — get ready! — a generous stuffing of French fries. Insert heart-catastrophe joke here, then order it anyway.

The folks at Pick Pockets are very kind and you can eat in or, as most customers seem to opt for, in takeout fashion.

— Rick Koster