The regular menu at bartaco offers small plates rooted in Mexican tradition, incorporating bold, spicy flavors from Asia, the Mediterranean and beyond. Inspiration for weekly chef specials at bartaco Westport, however, comes from Fairfield County’s flourishing local food movement.

Each Thursday, Executive Chef Michael Hazen shops the Westport Farmers’ Market where the season’s bounty inspires his “market” specials. Tacos, salads and other dishes appear on the menu that day and are offered until they sell out. Chef Hazen, formerly executive chef at Barcelona New Haven and the original Barcelona in South Norwalk, brings a fresh eye and a keen focus to seasonal cooking with honest, simple, clean flavors. For example, in early June, a salad of rainbow chard, radishes, bok choy and scallions sourced from Sport Hill Farm in Easton and Fort Hill Farm in New Milford was simply dressed in an Asian vinaigrette of soy sauce and sesame oil flecked with black sesame seeds. 

Chef Hazen will offer chef specials featuring ingredients from the Westport Farmers’ Market through the fall. 

For more information, visit bartaco.com or call 203-222-8226. Bartaco Westport is located at 20 Wilton Rd, Westport.