New Restaurant, Hair Of The Dog, Serves Hot Sauce, Rock 'N' Roll

A new eatery boasting house-made hot sauces and punny menu items named after rock n' roll classics has opened.

Hair of the Dog's "All Hellz Breakin' Loose" burger, an eight ounce patty topped with maple bourbon braised pork, bacon, pickled red onion, sharp cheddar, smoky remoulade, lettuce and tomato on a pretzel roll
Photo Credit: *Hair of the Dog on Facebook*

Hair of the Dog's outdoor seating area.
Photo Credit: *Hair of the Dog on Facebook*

11/18/2020 12:00 p.m.

Hair of the Dog opened to the public earlier this month on Bridgeport Avenue in Milford. The restaurant proclaims in its tagline that is it the "neighborhood bar that you wish was in your neighborhood."

"Thank you Milford for making our [first] official week an unbelievable success," wrote the establishment, owned by *Sandra DeRosa Briggs, on their Facebook page. "So busy we had to turn people away (I HATE doing that). So if you're looking to try us this weekend, reservations are HIGHLY recommended... Patio is open, heaters are ready. Reserve your spot, bring a blanket and we'll see you at The Dog."

Among appetizers at Hair of the Dog, called "Wanna Be Starting Somethin'" per the Michael Jackson hit, are:

The "Buffalo Sold Ya," comprised of Buffalo chicken dip rolled into an eggroll that is fried golden brown and served with bleu cheese dressing and celery
The "Hotel Cauli-fornia," cornmeal-crusted fried cauliflower served with Hair of the Dog's own spicy, smoky remoulade
The "Squid Row," a calamari dish
The "Curds So Good," breaded cheddar cheese curds served with marinara sauce

The restaurant serves a number of shareable dishes under the "Everybody Wants Some," named after a Van Halen song that debuted in 1980, including:

The "Livin' La Vida Taco," a generous taco plate with chicken, steak, and shrimp fillings, served with guacamole, pico di gallo, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream on the side and both tortilla and lettuce wrap options
The "Rice, Rice Baby," a Thai-style fried rice dish served in a bowl made of pineapple with
pineapple, scallions, egg, red bell pepper, peas and a choice of chicken or shrimp
The "Billy's Choir," a choice of three grilled proteins ad veggies paired with three house-made hot sauces, which vary daily

The eatery's salad menu, listed under "You Sexy Thang," includes offerings like "Nine Inch Kales," "Grilling Me Softly," and the "Burning Down the House" salad. Their soups, listed under the header "Heaven Must Be Missing A Ladle," include an always-available French Onion soup and a soup of the day, called the "All In All It's Just Another Soup On The Wall," and displayed daily on a chalkboard in the restaurant.

Their finger foods menu includes a number of burger and taco dishes and even includes a few vegan options like the "Livin' on the Veg" black bean burger and a vegetarian option for their "A Little Bit Of Sandra In The Bun" burger.

Hair of the Dog also makes pizzas in-house, with six different pies on the menu and, to pair with their many hot sauces, wings. On their menu, the establishment offers the following warning: "When we list a sauce as HOT, WE MEAN IT!"

"Great neighborhood bar with great vibes," wrote Perry K. of Milford on the establishment's Yelp page. "The service is excellent and many different food choices were nicely prepared. Will definitely going back."

According to the Connecticut Liquor Authority, the owner of the establishment filed for a liquor license, which was approved on Nov. 3. Per the liquor license, the restaurant has live music in its future and has permission to host non-amplified acoustic events, DJs, live bands, comedians, and karaoke.

*Correction: A previous version of this article misidentified the restaurant's owner. Sandra DeRosa Briggs owns Hair of the Dog.

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