Norwalk Now: Norwalk Businesses Unite To Bring You The Best of Norwalk (sponsored post)

Features Norwalk

CTbites Team March 22, 2018

Introducing Norwalk Now: Norwalk Now is a collaborative marketing group comprised of Norwalk businesses who have come together to bring you their city – in real time. Founder, Linda Kavanagh shares the vision behind this exciting new marketing collective.

Every time I crack an egg open I can’t resist the temptation of putting forth my only-funny-to-myself impersonation of Julia Child a la “The French Chef -Elegance with Eggs” episode. She makes a mundane omelet worthy of an elegant dinner with an “added green salad, crusty bread, and white wine.” From the black and white TV cooking show days of this culinary grande dame to our current day food culture.

A visit to the coastal community of Norwalk and the restaurants of Norwalk Now proved to be a great place to illustrate the abundance of egg-centric preparations, a-typical and otherwise, finding their way onto our plates.

Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of March 24 - April 1

Features Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 21, 2018

On Monday, March 26, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana will kick off its "Good Neighbor Day" program. Each restaurant will donate 10% of all lunch and dinner sales made on March 26 to a deserving community partner.

Fairfield Cheese Company presents “Goat-a-Palooza” on Thursday March 29 from 7-9pm. $50 includes a tasting of different kinds of goat cheeses as well as wine pairings. Watertown Gridiron's 1st Annual Wing Competition will go down on Monday March 26! 7 local restaurants will compete to see who makes the best wings. Come by between 5pm and 9pm, taste some wings, and vote for your favorite. Tickets are $13 per person and children 5 and under are free.

On Tuesday March 27, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey will be at the Trumbull Library to discuss her seventeen year long journey into beekeeping and honey. Guests will have the opportunity to taste Red Bee honey, purchase her books, and hear from her. The event is free, but register online to guarantee seating.

Flavors of Connecticut is an annual culinary gala that spotlights 35 of our states hottest chefs and restaurants. This year, it will take place on Tuesday March 27 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. Edward Allen of Foxwoods Resort Casino will be the honorary chef alongside a line-up of local talent.

Chef Brian Lewis' OKO Japanese Restaurant Opening Soon!!

Restaurant Openings Westport Japanese Homepage homepage

Stephanie Webster March 16, 2018

Exciting news from Chef Brian Lewis and his entire team. Chef Lewis' new Japanese concept OKO will be opening soon

From Lewis: “I have been really inspired by Japanese cooking techniques, culture and ingredients for a very long time, studying and layering Japanese influences into my cooking for many years, but it was the introduction of the Okonomiyaki at The Cottage that was my real ‘a-ha’” moment in defining the direction for my next restaurant.

Introducing the Okonomiyaki, a savory, Japanese pancake filled with seasonally-inspired ingredients, was a whimsical addition to our menu - Japanese street food with some rarefied touches. Our guests absolutely loved this dish and it quickly became a Cottage favorite, which will likely stay on the menu as a Cottage Classic.

50+ Restaurants for Easter in CT: 2018 Edition

Restaurant Holiday Special Occasion

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 16, 2018

Even though snow’s been in the forecast, spring is actually on its way and Easter is right around the corner! Connecticut restaurants are celebrating the occasion with prix fixe menus, traditional dishes, brunches, buffets, and more. Click here to see all of the egg-cellent options… and don’t forget to reserve ASAP so some-bunny doesn’t beat you to it!

Hub and Spoke, Bridgeport: On Wednesday March 28, get into the Easter spirit at Hub & Spoke in Bridgeport. The Easter bunny will make an appearance for dinner at 4pm.
Homestead Inn, Greenwich: Dine on a 3 course Easter prix fixe menu at The Homestead in for $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point, Old Saybrook: They will serve an Easter Brunch from 10am to 4pm.
Harbor Lights, Norwalk: Harbor Lights in Norwalk will have a three course prix fixe Easter Dinner for $49 per person, plus tax, gratuity, and drinks.
Anthony’s Ocean View, New Haven: At Anthony's Ocean View, enjoy Easter brunch with seatings at 10:30am, 11am, 1pm, and 1:30pm or come for supper at 3:30pm or 4pm. Choose from a meal in the dining room or reserve a private family suite.
Madison Beach Hotel, Madison: The Wharf at The Madison Beach Hotel will serve Easter brunch from 10:30am-3:30pm. They'll have salads, breads and pastries, omelet and carving stations, entrees, house made desserts, and more. It is $54 per adult, $20 for children 6-12, and free for kids under 6.

Stew Leonard’s Chocolate Bunny Milk is BACK March 20th

Ingredients Features Specialty Market Holiday Ingredients

CTbites Team March 16, 2018

Yup...It's back for Easter. A half-gallon glass jug of Stew’s Chocolate Bunny Milk will be available for $5.99 starting on March 20, 2018 at all six Stew Leonard’s locations. Stew Leonard’s signature farm fresh milk is mixed with creamy milk chocolate to create a sweet, irresistible chocolate milk that tastes just like a classic chocolate Easter bunny. Stew Leonard’s milk is delivered fresh to our stores from award-winning dairy farms in upstate NY and is free from artificial growth hormones (rBST) and antibiotics. The milk will only be available for a limited time.

Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of March 18-25

Features News Events Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 15, 2018

Woodbury Restaurant Week is here! It takes place from March 19-25 and includes Al’s Best Pizza, Carlito’s of Woodbury, Carole Peck’s Good News Café, The Charcoal Chef, Constantine’s, The Curtis House Inn, John’s Café, Market Place of Woodbury, The Olive Tree, Papa’s Main Street Deli, San Remo, The Split Rail, The Woodbury Brewing Company, and The Woodbury Diner. .

Stew Leonard’s Norwalk store is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt Eggs-Travaganza starting at 4 pm on Monday, March 19. Children under 9 will be given a map of Stew Leonard’s and a bag to collect eggs from costumed characters throughout the store, including Wow the Cow, Cynthia Chick, and Daphne Duck among others.

South Avenue Butcher in New Canaan continues their Butchery Classes on Tuesday March 20. Mike The Butcher will teach you everything you need to know about the animal, as well a knife skills, techniques, and recipes.

It's A Woman's World: Red Bee Honey's Carla Marina Marchese

Features Interview Chef Talk Interview

Jeanne Muchnick March 14, 2018

Fairfield County is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Which is why, with 2018 being proclaimed the Year of the Woman, we felt compelled to honor the pioneers among us.

Our new series, “It’s A Women’s World’ is devoted to Fairfield County female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths and setting examples for those who follow.

How'd they do it? Read on. So far, we've highlighted Silvia Baldini, the first female chef in Fairfield County to win “Chopped,” This week, our focus turns to Carla Marina Marchese, founder of Red Bee Honey in Weston. Have a suggestion on someone you’d like to see featured? Email steph@ctbites.com.

Visit Clarke Now and You May Win a Day with Chef Lidia Bastianich

Features Kitchen Gear

CTbites Team March 13, 2018

Clarke, New England's Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen, is pleased to announce a unique offer for homeowners who make their first visit to a Clarke showroom between now and May 1, 2018. This offer is designed to inspire homeowners who are considering Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances to take the next step in their exploration. When you enjoy your first visit to a Clarke showroom in Boston Seaport, Milford, Mass. or South Norwalk, Conn., during March or April, you will be entered into a drawing to spend a day on the television set of Chef Lidia Bastianch on May 17th.

No Leftovers Jamaican Cuisine Now Open at Former Swanky Franks Location

Restaurant Norwalk Jamaican Delicious Dives To-Go Take Out Kid Friendly Comfort Food Homepage

Andrew Dominick March 11, 2018

Throw me into the mix of longtime Norwalkers who were shocked and saddened when the iconic Swanky Franks abruptly closed less than a year ago. What’s done is done. I’ve come to grips with the notion that I’ll be forever sour that I can’t order a ripper with chili and a pile of fresh cut fries heavily drizzled with ketchup. I grew up eating there so I’m entitled to hold onto that nostalgia. That doesn’t mean I won’t support what’s there now.

About six months after Swanky’s called it quits, a banner appeared on the front of the building. It advertised a new roadside joint called No Leftovers featuring Jamaican food. When No Leftovers opened at the start of 2018, I noticed the parking lot was usually full, or close to it, multiple times throughout the day. That’s a good sign. And seeing how I really like jerk chicken, I knew had to check it out.

Ken Tuccio Teams Up With CTbites for "FOOD & DRINK" Podcast Launching May 17

Features Podcast Openings

Stephanie Webster March 11, 2018

We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new podcast series only on CTbites! Starting May 17th Ken Tuccio is joining the CTBites family when he begins hosting FOOD & DRINK, a CTBites Original Podcast!

Ken Tuccio first gained popularity as the host of Welcome To Connecticut, a weekly podcast which focused on conversations with unique personalities in the state of Connecticut. He also served as host of the documentary series The Local Drinking Show with WTNH News Channel 8 and the morning drive show First Thing Fairfield County with 95.9 The Fox.

Beginning on May 17th Ken Tuccio will bring his brand new show, FOOD & DRINK, to CTBites. This show will feature in depth personality driven conversations with the most successful and interesting personalities in the culinary and beverage world. Award winning chefs, successful restaurateurs, popular breweries and wineries, as well as other individuals with unique ties to the food world will all sit down with Ken Tuccio for long form conversations that focus on their life, career and passion for what they do.

50+ Restaurants & Bars for St. Patrick’s Day in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Restaurant Holiday Bar

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 10, 2018

Corned beef! Guinness! Carbombs! Let’s be honest, March 17 is as much about the delicious food and drinks as it as about St. Patrick. Connecticut restaurants, bars, and venues will be serving up plenty of Irish-themed specials in honor of the holiday. Get out your green, and head to these 50+ spots!

Tigin Irish Pub, Stamford: Tigin is always St. Patrick's Day headquarters, and this year they are shutting down the area behind the pub for a giant block party! There will be live bands, outdoor bars, Guinness, and Irish whiskey. less
BJ Ryan’s, Norwalk: St. Patrick's Day is a weekend long affair at BJ Ryan's in Norwalk. On Saturday March 17 they'll serve up corned beef and a full Irish menu. On Sunday they'll host a recovery brunch until 3pm.
New England Cider Company, Wallingford: On March 17 from 10am-12pm, partake in a St. Patrick's Day Brunch at New England Cider Co. The meal will showcase barrel-aged and cask ciders alongside Irish classics like Shepherd's pie, Irish sausage, cabbage, potatoes, 12 hour smoked corned beef, and more.
O’Neill’s, South Norwalk: O'Neill's in Norwalk always puts on an epic St. Patty's Day bash. This year, they promise an Irish breakfast, drinks, Irish dancers, bag pipers, and live music all day.

WIN FREE TIX to Ruth Reichl & Sam Kass at Westport Public Library + Q&A With Moshe (Creator of FLEX Experiences)

Features Events Giveaway

Fairfield County Foodie March 10, 2018

Wanna WIN FREE TIX to meet culinary luminaries Ruth Reichl & Sam Kass at The Westport Public Library? We are giving away 1 ticket to enjoy celebrity lunch with Sam Kass, former Obama White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition ($150) and 2 tickets ($75) to hear a Q&A with gourmet guru Ruth Reichl. The former editor of Gourmet Magazine and best selling foodie author.

TO WIN: Comment below and tell us why you need to attend these events.

Find out more about the creator of Westport Library;'s new FLEX experiences in the Q&A With Moshe Aeylon below..

Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of March 11-18

Features Events Wine Dinners

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 09, 2018

Two Roads Brewery in Stratford invites you to an “Open Roads Beer Dinner” on Monday March 12 at 6pm. Christie Caters- Farm to Table Catering will provide tasty food and each course will be paired with an 8oz pour of a Two Roads brew. The menu theme is "Around the World.”

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Artisinal Burger Company in Manchester will have an Irish whiskey dinner on March 14. Tickets are $65 per person.

Aditi Goswami of Calcutta Kitchens will teach you how to make simple everyday Indian at Wakeman Town Farm on Thursday March 15. Learn to prepare a quick chicken curry, a vegetable curry, and rice pilafs. Don’t forget to BYOB! The class is limited to 16 and costs $65.

Max Amore Restaurant in Glastonbury hosts An Italian Wine & Food Pairing Dinner featuring the wines of Di Majo Norante on Tuesday March 13. The evening will begin with a reception followed by a five course meal prepared by Chef David Stickney. It costs $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

It’s a Woman’s World: Connecticut Female Culinary Influencers: Silvia Baldini

Features Chef Talk Chef Best of CT

Jeanne Muchnick March 08, 2018

The hospitality industry has always been cut-throat, especially for women, and more specifically for those behind the kitchen burners. Now that the gender conversation has exploded via the #MeToo movement, and with 2018 being proclaimed "The Year of the Woman," we at CT Bites choose to celebrate the influential and aspirational women among us.

With March 8 marking International Women’s Day, this seemed like the perfect time to announce our new series "It's A Women's World" featuring Connecticut female influencers who’ve blazed their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.

Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, starting a public relations, gourmet foods or catering business or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking broads have set a new definition of women’s work, forging new paths and setting examples for those who follow.

This week we’re starting at the top—with Top Chef Silvia Baldini of New Canaan’s Strawberry and Sage, the first female chef in Fairfield County to win “Chopped.”

Danny's Drive-In, Stratford: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, And History

Restaurant Burgers Hot Dogs Delicious Dives Comfort Food ice cream Diner Take Out To-Go Stratford Openings Homepage

James Gribbon March 07, 2018

Food, like any other aspect of human culture, has its landmarks. Local touchstones, the food you grew up with can be felt from great distances away, even by people who didn't grow up nearby. Ask just about anyone across the world what constitutes American food and chances are "hamburger" will be in their top two answers. The burger's invention at Louis Lunch in New Haven is well known and, regionally, so is Danny's Drive-In in Stratford. This is why a "For Sale" sign on the building has met with such concern - it's only been seen twice before in 83 years.

Local Ingredients: The Araucana Egg, A Wild Blue Wonder

Features Ingredients Ingredients Local Farm Specialty Market

Luke Shanahan March 06, 2018

Writer Luke Shanahan contemplates the virtues of a truly excellent fresh egg with Lloyd Allen of Double L Market.

Consider the egg.

Any serious cook knows its singular importance in the kitchen. Many cooks—serious and novice alike—remember the egg as the first thing they ever learned to cook.

In the book The Next Course, rock-&-roller chef Marco Pierre White, who at 33 became the youngest cook ever to be awarded three Michelin stars, reveals his country side when he suggests that scrambled (gulls) eggs with celery salt served with mayonnaise—an emulsion of egg yolk, acid and oil—may be a worthy last meal on earth. (Here's a handy list of local CT farms that produce fresh eggs.)

6 Must Eat Sandwiches at Winfield Street Italian Deli in Westport

Restaurant Lunch Breakfast Comfort Food Westport Deli Coffee To-Go Take Out Homepage

Andrew Dominick March 04, 2018

When Breno Donatti took over the almost century-old Winfield Street Italian Deli back in 2015, one of his goals was to infuse some new school life into the menu while upholding some of the delis traditional recipes and values. What Donatti has excelled at since opening is using his background in fine dining as both an owner and a general manager to improve the business. He uses fresh, local ingredients from nearby farms whenever possible. He and his cooks have tinkered with recipes of deli classics, so you know after your first bite, that you’re not eating a bland, ordinary sandwich.

Culinary Corner Pub Crawl & Fundraiser in West Hartford: ARTISAN, FLORA, INDIA, The Cook and The Bear, and VINTED

Features Events

Stephanie Webster March 03, 2018

CTbites is excited to be a sponsor for the 2nd Culinary Corner Pub Crawl in West Hartford. Connecticut beer, wine, and cocktail enthusiasts can raise a glass for a good cause on Saturday, March 10th from 12-5pm at the 2nd West Hartford Culinary Corner Pub Crawl hosted by Eat IN Connecticut.

The 2nd Culinary Corner Pub Crawl will help to raise funds for local charity, Johnny's Jog, an annual event that raises money for three local non-profit children's organizations.

Enjoy FOOD SPECIALS in addition to 1/2 OFF DRINKS from 12-5PM at participating restaurants ARTISAN, FLORA, INDIA, The Cook and The Bear, and VINTED. The crawl will be an OPEN FORMAT event again where Pub Crawl participants can go to any of the 5 participating Culinary Corner restaurant locations in any order.

Clarke Intros, Demos and Classes Bring Wolf Appliances to Life (sponsored post)

Features Kitchen Gear

CTbites Team March 02, 2018

For decades, New England homeowners would shop for appliances by walking down a line of different models and make their selections based almost entirely on price and aesthetics. All they knew about the operation or benefits of an oven or cooktop was what they could read in product signage and learn from talking to the salesperson.

In the 1990s, Tom Clarke, founder of Clarke Distribution, changed all of that for Connecticut homeowners when he opened a Sub-Zero and Wolf showroom in South Norwalk. This Clarke Showroom not only won national awards for its extraordinary design, but also for offering homeowners the opportunity to cook on these appliances in order to make a much more educated buying decision. In fact, it is not unusual for a homeowner to make a Clarke Showroom appointment to bake her favorite pie or loaf of bread in multiple ovens to decide which model has the features and provides the results she desires.

Nibble: CT Food Events For Week Of March 4- 11

Features Events News

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 02, 2018

During the month of March, Artisan Restaurant in Southport will feature “Bon Voyage Menus.” Chef Frederic Kieffer has created four menus highlighting four distinct global cuisines. First up- Italy from March 1-11! The prix fixe menu is $19 for lunch and $45 for dinner.

Upgrade your Wednesday night out with Brasitas Stamford's five course dinner paired with Patron Tequila cocktails at their Tequila Tasting Dinner on Wednesday, March 7th at 6:30pm. $70 Per Person Plus Tax & Gratuity. Seating is Limited!. Reservations Contact: Stamford@Brasitas.com

Mystic Restaurant Week spans from March 5-11. Restaurants like Go Fish, The Engine Room, Go Fish, The Irons, and more are presenting special menus for lunch and/or dinner.

The Westport Farmers’ Market, Fleishers Craft Butchery, and Patagonia Provisions will present a screening of the award-winning Sundance documentary LOOK & SEE, a powerful cinematic portrait of Wendell Berry- farmer, activist, and undoubtedly one of America’s most significant living writers. The film will be screened on March 5 at Fairfield Theater Company.

On Monday March 5, The Spread in Greenwich will host a Tequila Dinner at 7pm. The evening includes a welcome cocktail and a 5 course meal created by Chef Carlos Baez for $75/ per person. Space is limited, Reservations (203) 900-1887

Tuesday March 6 is “Teacher Appreciation Night” at Brewport! Show your teacher ID between 3:30pm and 5:30pm for free pizza.