My Mix Creative Kitchen: Healthy Eats & Bold Flavors in Greenwich Restaurant Breakfast Lunch healthy Greenwich Salads To-Go Take Out Vegetarian Vegan Jessica Ryan December 31, 2017 Mix Creative Kitchen is the latest to grace the ever-growing and increasingly popular health-focused, quick serve restaurants in the area. Located near the bottom of Greenwich Avenue on Elm Street, a brightly lit café style eatery now occupies the longtime vacant space. The restaurant was created on the premise of bringing together “fast food” and “real food,” a theme that seems to be trending in Fairfield County. As I walked in and surveyed the premises, noting the salad and bowl areas as well as the items in the refrigerated sections I was reminded of other local favorites; The Granola Bar, Organika, B.GOOD and Freshii and was curious to see how this would stack up against the competition. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of January 1-7 Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 30, 2017 Several Connecticut restaurants are celebrating New Year’s Day, Monday January 1. For example, Shell & Bones in New Haven will have New Year's Day brunch from 11am-2:30pm. And pajamas are strongly encouraged at Butchers & Bakers New Years Day brunch! Entrees range from $9-$20, plus enjoy bottomless Mimosas, Bellinis, Whiskey Smashes, and Limoncello Collins for $20. Build your own Bloody Mary Bar.Wednesday January 3 is Cookie and Cider Day at the Thyme & Season in Hamden! Stop by all day on Wednesday for FREE SAMPLES of cider and store-made cookies! On Wednesday January 3, partake in an “Ice Wine Dinner” at The Inn at Woodstock Hill. It goes from 6-9pm and costs $75 per person. This just in… Multi-platinum artist, actor and entertainment icon Snoop Dogg is now scheduled to attend the Sun Wine & Food Fest at Mohegan Sun! Snoop Dogg will perform in Avalon on Saturday, January 27th and join Sunday Brunch with Martha Stewart as a special guest the following day. Tickets are on sale for that and other events that weekend now! “Sip & Savor” with a South American Wine Dinner at Breakwater in Stonington, CT. Wines from South America, paired with 4 courses from Chef Marcony inspired by South and Central American countries. It costs $50 per person, plus tax and an 18% gratuity. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks For Top CT Eats of 2017 Restaurant Features Best of CT Homepage CTbites Team December 29, 2017 2017...Ah, what a year. As we welcome 2018, full of promise, and hopefully, less national drama, it is important to celebrate the restaurants, chefs, dishes, and dining experiences that helped us get through 2017. 2017 heralded some great openings from both chefs we know and love, as well as some newcomers. Here's our list of Top Eats for 2017 from the CTbites staff. Every team member and contributor has chosen their own unique way to throw down their favorites. Enjoy, and start making your reservations for 2018. Read More
Barbacoa Smoke House Opening in Fairfield Restaurant Openings Fairfield BBQ CTbites Team December 27, 2017 FairfieldCitizen online has some great news for meat lovers. Trademark Fairfield, the first mixed used building constructed under the transit-oriented overlay on Commerce Drive, has its first commercial tenant.The Town Plan and Zoning Commission Tuesday unanimously approved a compliance application for Barbacoa Smoke House.The restaurant described itself in the ZBA application as “smoked barbeque with a Mexican overture.” its website tells patrons it provides “always fresh food with a pinch of cheeky fun.”“I, for one, am very happy to see they’ve landed a tenant for the anchor spot in this building, right on the corner,” Chairman Matthew Wagner said. “It’s really great to see.” Read More
Fujiya Ramen in Middletown: Tokyo-style ramen with New York vibe Restaurant Japanese Asian Ramen Middletown Openings Comfort Food Middletown Press December 26, 2017 Looking for great ramen? Middletown Press has the scoop on the new Fujiya Ramen...straight from Tokyo. Fujiya Ramen opened in August at 425 Main St. and already, the restaurant has become somewhat of a hangout for Wesleyan University students, according to Andy Liu, owner.Whenever there’s an event at the school, students come out to the restaurant to socialize, eat and take advantage of the wifi, he said. The vibe of the eatery, especially when the students are congregating, reminds him of similar establishments in New York City.“I go to New York a lot because in New York (ramen is) very popular,” Liu said. “Young people like it because ramen is really fast and pretty healthy food.”Liu, who has been in the restaurant business for more than 20 years and also owns Sakura Garden in Windsor and Royal Buffet in Manchester, was impressed the first time he visited a ramen restaurant. “I said this is a really good idea — really modern,” he said.He talked to a friend in Tokyo who has Fujiya Ramen restaurants in Tokyo, New Jersey and Albany, New York, and suggested they join forces. Liu found a head chef who was originally from Japan and his friend sent a crew from Japan, including additional chefs and servers, he said.“That’s why our ramen (dishes) are different because we have people from over there,” Liu said. “It’s almost the identical ramen as in Tokyo.” Read More
Gingerbread Recipes for Gingerbread Houses & Cookies via Sweet Lisa's Recipe Features Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly kids activity Kids Bakery Dessert Stephanie Webster December 22, 2017 'Tis the season, but when you get tired of shopping, take a break with your family, and enjoy some leisurely holiday baking. Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes has mastered the art of gingerbread (as you can see above), and they have been kind enough to share their recipes for Gingerbread Cookie Dough as well as a special (slightly more structurally sound) Gingerbread for Houses. It's a fine line when it comes to gingerbread.If you decide to embark on a house of your own, please share it with CTbites and send us a photo. Read More
60+ Connecticut Restaurants To Celebrate New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day Features Holiday New Years Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 21, 2017 It’s almost time to bid farewell to 2017 and say hello to the New Year! Connecticut restaurants are celebrating 2018 with epic parties, prix fixe menus, and hangover brunches. Here is what they have in store!Washington Prime, Norwalk Washington Prime in SoNo's NYE Dinner has 3 Seatings: 4pm, 6pm, and 8:30pm. It includes selection of appetizer, entree, and dessert and costs $65 per person plus tax & gratuity.The Cottage, Westport: The Cottage in Westport presents a New Years Eve Brunch followed by a New Years Eve Celebration Dinner from 5:30-10:30pm. The a la carte menu will include lots of caviar, truffles, and buttered lobster!Griswold Inn, Essex: The Griswold Inn has NYE Dinner Seatings starting at 5:30 pm and the Shiny Lapel Trio will play from 10pm-1am. Entrees include Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon, Roasted Long Island Duck, Roasted Prime Rib, and Filet of Beef Wellington. It costs $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity.Present Company, Simsbury: Present Company's 5 course prix fixe NYE dinner includes options like lightly roasted cauliflower carpaccio with black truffles and beef “wellington” with mushroom stuffing. It is $110 per person with wine pairings available for an additional $40.Harlan Publick, Norwalk: Beginning 12/31 at 9:30pm, dance the night away and enjoy craft cocktails and a chefs buffet at Harlan Publick in Norwalk. Read More
Traveling to Miami? Check Out Our Miami Restaurant Guide c/o MIABites Features Miami Road Trip ellen bowen December 20, 2017 The Holiday season is upon us and everyone is always asking us, "Where should I eat in Miami?" Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami and Miami Beach. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended and should be made in advance if possible.All of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuya at the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and PIzza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , The Dutch and Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION, the newly relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal. So by request, the MIAbites contributors put our heads together to flesh out the restaurant scene and to compile our suggestions for dining while in Miami. Read More
Lorca Coffee Bar Opens Second Location in Cos Cob Greenwich Restaurant Cos Cob Greenwich Coffee Breakfast Lunch Specialty Market Homepage Stephanie Webster December 20, 2017 Lorca Coffee Bar has just opened their second location in Cos Cob, CT inside Fleisher's Craft Butcher shop. Coffee + Meat...works for me. The menu at Lorca Greenwich will be slightly different than that at their Stamford location. They will still be serving up some of the best coffee in CT alongside baked goods and breakfast treats, including their manchego, sage pesto, and egg breakfast sandwich. However, they have leveraged the new relationship with Fleishers's and improved upon their "classic" - bacon, egg and cheese by adding a house-smoked tomato jam and using Fleisher's bacon.They will also be adding empanadas made with Fleisher's chorizo, cheddar and salsa, and a Spanish tortilla that owner, Leyla Jenkins, has been making since she was a little girl. This is a typical Spanish frittata made with potatoes, onions, and eggs and served with a side salad and some smoked paprika aioli. Breakfast bowls and salads will be found on the menu in the near future. Lorca Coffee Bar @ Fleisher's Craft Butcher 160 E. Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob Read More
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Joint Opening In Original Swanky Frank's Spot Restaurant Caribbean Jamaican Norwalk Openings Stephanie Webster December 19, 2017 While it was sad to see the original Swanky Franks close its doors, 2018 will breathe new life into this old school roadside restaurant spot at 182 Connecticut Ave. in Norwalk. A Jamaican jerk chicken joint will be opening soon featuring a Caribbean menu complete with Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork and all the fixins. We will keep an eye out for the opening date, but it looks like you wont have to wait long Read More
Holiday Bar Cart Tips + Poinsettia Spritz Cocktail Recipe (sponsored post) Recipe Holiday Cocktails Recipe Catering Entertaining CTbites Team December 18, 2017 The Holidays are here...time to entertain. A well-stocked bar cart is an essential ingredient in any successful holiday gathering. Here's some tips from Festivities Catering to ensure that your holiday entertaining is festive, fun and filled with style. Holiday Cocktail Cart Tips:1. Create a "signature" drink that can be made in batches. Have some pre-made in pitchers that can easily be poured into glasses as guests arrive. We suggest a Poinsettia Spritz Cocktail. Poinsettia Spritz Cocktail Recipe: 3/4 cup vodka, 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice, 2 ounces St. Germain, 3/4 cup prosecco, cranberries & rosemary for garnish. Serves 6. Read More
DoughLuv Edible Cookie Dough Cafe Opens (+ Gluten Free & Vegan Available) Restaurant Features Dessert Bakery ice cream kids activity Kid Friendly Colchester Andrew Dominick December 17, 2017 One of this year’s tastiest food trends is edible cookie dough. One could argue that cookie dough was always edible, but the term refers to the use of heat treated flour that eliminates bacteria and pasteurized eggs to reduce the risk of food-borne illness. It’s likely something you never thought about as a kid when you scraped the cake batter or cookie dough bowl clean while mom did all the baking. If you’re reading this in 2017, eating all that dough didn’t harm you one bit, and you’ve seen a cookie dough resurgence in the U.S.—in “edible” form, of course—at supermarkets, dessert shops, and food trucks. In Colchester, Connecticut, there’s a sweet shop that’s dedicated to cookie dough and other cookie dough related sundaes, milkshakes, and pies...DoughLuv. Read More
25+ CT Restaurants for Christmas Eve & Christmas Brunch: 2017 Edition Restaurant Best of CT Holiday Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 17, 2017 Santa may love milk and cookies, but if you’re craving gourmet prix fixe menus and specialty cocktails this holiday season, Connecticut restaurants have you covered. These popular places are open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both. Get the gift of delicious food this Christmas!Washington Prime, Norwalk: Washington Prime's SoNo location will have a Christmas Eve brunch with seatings at 11am, 12:30pm, and 2:15pm. Later, join them for Christmas Eve Dinner at 5pm, 6:45pm, and 8:30pm. They will be closed on Christmas Day.Basso Cafe, Norwalk: Basso Café in Norwalk will have a Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve, December 24. Join them from 5pm onward.Fresh Salt @ Saybrook Point Inn, Saybrook: Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas Eve brunch will take place from 10:30am-2pm. On Christmas, join them for a special buffet from 11am-5pm.L’escale, Greenwich: L'escale is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Days. On both days, they will offer a 3 course prix fixe menu for $75 a person.J House, Greenwich: J House in Greenwich is open on Christmas Day for both brunch and dinner. The 3-course prix fixe dinner will last from 5-8pm for $60 per person. Brunch is from 10:30am-2:30pm and is a 2 course prix fixe for $45. Read More
Chefs Hit the Right Notes at Reverie Kitchen in Branford via New Haven Register Restaurant Branford Lunch Breakfast American Comfort Food CTbites Team December 15, 2017 This just in from The New Haven Register.When Paul Staley, the celebrated chef and owner of Branford’s Reverie Kitchen, was growing up in Madison, he had a paper route. One Thanksgiving, he folded a menu for rolls and pies into each New Haven Register. Soon, his customers were asking if he could make them the same for Christmas.“I used the money I earned to pay for cooking classes with Jacques Pepin,” said the genial 53-year-old, who went on to hone his skills at the Culinary Institute of America, then worked as a sous chef in all-world restaurant Nikolai’s Roof in Atlanta, where the five-course prix fixe dinner once had a one-year waitlist.“The food was elevated,” Staley said with palpable enthusiasm on a recent afternoon at Reverie Kitchen, the Branford Hill bistro with the sublime cuisine and the improbable location alongside a cleaners, one story below a nail salon, and amid a throng of fast-food joints.“We used everything with the best ingredients. We were constantly pushing the envelope,” said the Madison resident, who was also a pastry chef at Robert Henry’s (now Union League Cafe) in New Haven and once cooked for Pope John Paul II. Read More
Nibble: CT Food Events For Week of December 17-24 Features News Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 14, 2017 Hardcore Sweet Cupcakes in Oakville invites you to a “Hardcore Sweet Holiday Cake Class” on Friday December 22 at 7pm. The beginner cake class is great for pre-teens and young adults. Tickets are $60 per person, and participation is limited to 10 people. Valencia Luncheria will have an Ugly Sweater brunch on Saturday December 23 from 10am to 4pm. Guests in Ugly holiday sweaters receive a complimentary brunch punch. For the first time ever, Amis Westport will be recreating the renowned Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner celebrated by Amis Trattoria in Philadelphia yearly. Taking place on Dec 23, this four course prix-fixe menu will feature classic seafood dishes created by Amis Executive Chef, Brad Spence, and prepared by Westport Chef de Cuisine Matt Langston. The 4 prix-fixe menu IS $65 pp, plus tax and gratuity. A $35 beverage pairing is also available. Garelick & Herbs introduces their new black and white .... donuts. Homemade in their in house bakery, the new black and white donuts are made with pure Belgian white, milk and dark chocolate. And just in time for the holidays, Garelick & Herbs is also baking homemade raspberry jelly donuts. $2.75 each. Southport store only. Read More
Stew Leonard's Christmas Cookie Milk Back For The Holidays Ingredients Features Holiday Specialty Market Ingredients Kid Friendly Kids Stephanie Webster December 14, 2017 Stew’s Christmas Cookie Milk will be back in stock at at all Stew Leonard's stores in Connecticut this week. This is the second consecutive year they’ve sold this special milk. Stew Leonard's Christmas Cookie Milk is sweet, creamy milk that has the same flavor as a sugar cookie that’s been dunked in milk. It comes straight from award-winning dairy farms in upstate NY and is free from artificial growth hormones (rBST) and antibiotics. This milk goes from the farm to each of our stores in as little as 24 hours. Stew Leonard's Christmas Cookie Milk is available only for a limited time and is sold in a ½ gallon glass container for $5.99. Read More
MECHA Noodle Bar Takes Over EGGZ Food Truck For The Winter Restaurant Food Truck Breakfast Asian Lunch Homepage Stephanie Webster December 13, 2017 Did you hear the one about the #tapas place and #noodle spots taking over the #breakfast #foodtruck?!?! The team from MECHA Noodle Bar as well as Mézon and Pho Vietnam has taken over the EGGZ food truck this Winter Fri-Sun 8AM-12PM on Holbrook Farm aka EGGZ TAKE OVER. They will continue to serve EGGZ Truck's “brekkie sandos”, as he calls it, and adding some Mecha-Mezon flavor into the daily inspiration side. They will run the truck until January or until they "can’t take the cold any longer."When we asked MECHA owners Tony Pham and Richard Reyes, WHY, Pham says "Things came together where Matt was going into hibernation for the Winter and we saw how important the truck was to Holbrook. We also wanted to have some fun and work with the elements. It’s not everyday you can make a camp fire, see the sun rise, and hear chickens in the background." Go check out this amazing mashup of Asian inspired breakfast eats at Holbrook Farm in Bethel Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 8AM-12PM. Read More
Local Chocolatier, Truffle Shots of Essex CT Named Country’s Best Chocolate Gift By Forbes Magazine Restaurant Essex Chocolate Dessert Specialty Market Gift Guide CTbites Team December 12, 2017 Forbes magazine recently named local chocolatier, Truffle Shots of Essex, Connecticut among the country’s best chocolates for gift giving this holiday season. Forbes "loved the Fig and Balsamic shot—with aged balsamic and fig ganache as well as the Chipotle Cinnamon—dark chocolate ganache with a whiff of cinnamon and a slight kick from the chipotle."Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles are the Chocolate Award-winning creation of mother-daughter chocolate lovers in Essex, Connecticut. The duo has replaced the chocolate shell of a traditional chocolate truffle with a sealed shot glass to create new levels of truffle indulgence.The decadent, silky ganache of Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles melts on the tongue in sensory bliss in 30+ amazing flavors like Fig Balsamico, Tellicherry Cardamom, Caramel Beurre Noisette, Bumbleberry, Miel Habanero, Castelvetrano Olive, and Ginger, to name a few. Read More
Celebrate Chanukah w/ Spinach Feta Latkes c/o Kosher Like Me Blog Recipe Recipe Holiday Homepage Liz Rueven December 12, 2017 Many students can tell you the connection between the miracle of oil in the Chanukah story and why we indulge in deep fried latkes (potato pancakes). Here, Westport blogger, Liz Rueven, focused on a lesser known story as she created these Greek inspired spinach and feta latkes with a savory creamy topping. (Read her complete blog post here) Read More
Swyft Opens in Kent From Award Winning Chef Joel Viehland w/ Adventurous Comfort Food Features Kent Pizza American Openings Comfort Food Amy Kundrat December 08, 2017 Swyft, historic Kent’s new restaurant featuring wood-fired pizza, is now open offering creative small plates, pastas, rustic entrees, and a large selection of craft beers and natural wines. Swyft is the brainchild of chef-owner Joel Viehland, formerly of the award-winning Community Table in Litchfield County. The historic 18th-century building is divided to house both a modern tavern and a fine dining restaurant. Swyft, a 40-seat tavern and bar, will offer seasonal comfort fare, with ingredients largely coming from nearby Rock Cobble Farm. Through a separate entrance is Ore Hill, where eventually Viehland will serve a tasting menu that draws upon his experience cooking at Noma, Gramercy Tavern, and other renowned restaurants.At Swyft, the focus is on adventurous comfort food. Small plates include baby back pork ribs with guanciale-spiked XO sauce, a salad of lightly charred brassicas with crispy grains and pomegranate, and pickled wild mussels on saffron aioli toast, while entrees range from wood-fired chicken for two to rabbit milanese with cardoon gribiche or a burger with old-school tallow fries. Swyft will offer a selection of seasonal pizzas, wood-fired in a Pavesi oven from Naples, Italy. In addition to classics like margherita, Viehland will offer a kale and potato pie, with both the greens and the milk for the housemade ricotta coming from Rock Cobble Farm just minutes away. Read More
