McMuckle’s cures mealtime monotony

Matthew Sadowski serves Mario DiGiacomo.
Kathryn Boughton

Matthew Sadowski serves Mario DiGiacomo.
NORTH CANAAN—The window says it all.
There, McMuckle’s Market proclaims it is a purveyor of “yumminess,” and owner Matthew Sadowski works hard to deliver on that promise.
Word is spreading throughout the region about the quality of the food at the little eatery, located at 85 Main St. in North Canaan, since owner/chef Sadowski quietly opened his doors Dec. 2.
In an online review, Andrew Anderson, enthused, “Came in on a whim, though I had been hearing about this place for a little while. I tried the kimchi & kielbasa fried rice and WOW. Super unique and flavorful. … The service was good, and the ambience was lovely … .”
In another online review, Craig Whiting added to the praise: “Very unique, high-quality food at a great price with a calming atmosphere.”
In a town that once offered little other than Italian restaurants, the range and variety of North Canaan’s cuisine is becoming more nuanced with the glitzy Industry Kitchen and Bar, the cozy Blackberry River Bistro, and the homestyle New England meals served at the Olde School Deli. There is much more than pasta and pizza on the menu now.
“It’s amazing what you can do with fresh food,” Sadowski said as be bustled past with dishes for a neighboring table. “It’s not the fastest thing, but I make as much as I can from scratch.” He even creates his own mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauces.
Many in town watched and waited as Sadowski prepared the location for his new restaurant, taking a year to open. Finally, with the interior freshly redecorated in a lemony yellow contrasted by a dusky blue, a smattering of tables and a long communal bar down one side, Sadowski was ready.
He has been content to let word-of-mouth bring him customers and enjoys it when new patrons enjoy the experience he offers and return. But he does not obsess if people want something else.
“When I started, people wanted Pop’s Diner [the next-to-last restaurant in the space]. But that is not coming back. I like it when get people on board with what I am doing. When they come back, that is a huge compliment, but I don’t want to do what others are doing — let them have that lane.”
What he is doing is simple food, cooked simply and with great skill — with the occasional surprising twist. The product of a Polish home, where pickled foods were frequently served, and a long-term relationship with a Korean woman, he likes to season his foods with pickled vegetables that offer a piquant — but not overpowering — flavor.
“I was turned on to that funkiness as a kid,” he recalled. “It’s natural flavoring without using flavorings that are bad for you. It’s better food and I want to put out a quality product all the time.”
His menu consists of such starters as an egg, “by the each, any time, anyway, with anything” ($2); pickled vegetables, which he terms “yummy probiotic-filled treats to cure a craving and indecisiveness” ($6); a choice of cast iron skillet veggies seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon and fresh herbs ($7); or kielbasa, sliced and pan-seared with tangy mustard for dipping ($5).
A variety of salads are priced at $9, and his hot sandwiches range from $6 to $10. His most expensive entree is a spicy chili garlic shrimp at $19. The Mediterranean sea bass comes just behind at $17.
Sadowski is happy to have people suggest meals. “If you don’t know what you want, I will cook for you and surprise you,” he said. Because all his food is made to order, his biggest fear is becoming too busy and making people wait too long for their food.
Sadowski is used to a much faster pace and happy to have turned his back on it. A cook since he was 12, working at his parent’s mom-and-pop shop with its soda fountain counter service, he drifted into working at casinos in Connecticut and Florida, where he was executive chef at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
“Cooking in casinos is an odd environment,” he said. “You lose track of everything. The work is nonstop and they are not the nicest people.”
Now, in his own restaurant, he feels different as a chef and finds different ideas that “pop out of my head and are more healthy choices.”
McMuckle’s (named for his dog) is open from “about 11” through 8 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday.
The HVRHS boys rejoice around Jackson McAvoy after he scored the game-winning goal against Shepaug with just two minutes left to play.
WASHINGTON — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s boys varsity soccer team advanced to the Berkshire League tournament final after a 1-0 win over Shepaug Valley High School in the semifinal game on Friday, Oct. 24.
Jackson McAvoy scored the game-winning goal with just two minutes remaining.
The victory marked HVRHS boys soccer’s first victory over Shepaug since 2020.
“Finally,” said HVRHS Coach Adolfo Portillo after the game.
HVRHS will play top-ranked Nonnewaug High School in the BL final. Nonnewaug advanced to the title game by beating Northwestern Regional High School in penalty kicks (4-3) after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The championship game will be played at Nonnewaug beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.

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Students dressed in neon lined the soccer field for senior night under the lights on Thursday, Oct. 16. The game against Lakeview was the last in a series of competitions Thursday night in celebration of Homecoming 2025.
As homecoming week reaches its end and fall sports finish out the season, an air of school spirit and student participation seems to be on the rise across Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
But what can be attributed to this sudden peak of student interest? That’s largely due to SGA. Also known as the Student Government Association, SGA has dedicated itself to creating events to bring the entire student body together. This year, they decided to change some traditions.
Spirit week from Oct. 14-17 was unlike those of the previous years. From wearing Housatonic merch to Boomer vs Baby day, this year’s spirit week held a little friendly competition to see which grade could participate the most.
“I think that students are bored of the same old activities and events, so it’s good to switch things up even slightly to incentivize interest within students,” said SGA president and senior Mollie Ford. “Plus the point system is super beneficial because it gives students a reason to participate.”
The school spirit sentiment can be seen outside of just the school. Senior Simon Markow is known for his photography throughout the community, and has dedicated time to help Housy sports teams’ social media posts.
“Since I’ve started photography, I think school attendance [at sports games] has gone up,” Markow said. “I feel this year, students will be more aware of games and are more likely to be at the games.”
Whether it’s a pink-out volleyball game or an under the lights soccer match, it’s likely you’ll see some familiar faces.
Social media has played a large role in this over the years. Almost every student organization at Housatonic has an Instagram account, and it’s helped reach students more efficiently than a poster or email would.
“The increase of social media use, with the help from me but as well as the teams themselves has definitely increased student interest,” Markow said. “With Housy teams posting more about their upcoming games, and my help showing the cool goals, spikes, or touchdowns, it’s enlightened students to watch the games themselves.”
In a small school, promoting pride has proven to be a challenge. But this year’s senior class has made some adjustments in the hopes to change that.
“The SGA community has spent the last few years really focusing on student participation, because we think it’s the students who contribute to a better climate,” Ford said. While Housatonic’s student body may be small in size, it seems they certainly aren’t small in spirit.