Valentine's Day Dinners: Where to Eat Out

Ok...I'll admit it. I'm not really all that romantic. I'm a practical girl. That being said, I relish any excuse for a good meal out, and I'm always happy to assist my nearest and dearest in making their Valentine's Day plans memorable. Given the deluge of texts and calls I have received recently asking for advice on where to take wives, husbands, or girlfriends, it seemed prudent to do a little research.

Here are some of our favorite restaurants offering "special" Valentines Day dinners on February 14th. A few places like leFarm and Harvest Supper, which are normally closed Sundays, will open their doors. Napa & Co and Nicholas Roberts have prix fixe menus, while others have half price bottles of wine. We are still waiting for details from a few chefs who haven't nailed down their menus. Take a look at the list below and see what works for your budget and your palate. 

Happy Valentine's Day...Enjoy the food...and other things. 

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The Great Stamford Taco Crawl

I have yet to meet a taco I don't like. Or so I thought when I began hosting a series of Taco Crawls in Connecticut last fall with some adventurous foodie friends.

Inspired by Jonathan Gold, considered the high-low priest of the Los Angeles food scene, and my favorite San Francisco neighborhood, the Mission District, I have become determined (read: obsessed) to discover the best taco in Connecticut. Fairfield County is no Mission District,  but I contend that there are some amazing pockets of authentic food in southeastern Connecticut if you know where to look. One shining example is the El Charrito taco truck in Stamford. Their devotion to the taco and other traditional Mexican dishes in their quality ingredients contribute to what I consider to be a near perfect taco.

A few things I've learned along the way is that the word ‘authentic’ or 'traditional' is tossed around entirely too often and can be deceiving. The only "real" Mexican taco you are going to experience is probably South of the border or in the kitchens of Mexican grandmothers. That being said, every restaurant expresses, interprets and defines their cuisine differently, and (with the exception of Taco Bell) I respect their efforts.

With the El Charrito taco truck in our sights, we decided to begin our culinary journey in Stamford,  Four taco joints would be no problem on a recent Sunday for four seasoned Taco Crawlers. Our destinations: 1. El Charrito, Richmond Hill (across from Beemers) Stamford, CT 2. Casa Villa 182 W Main St. 3. Tacos Guadalajara 217 Atlantic Street. 4. Ole Mole 1030 High Ridge Road.

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Granola 3 Ways: Let Them Eat Oats!

If you spend any time in any grocery store these days you can't help but notice a serious proliferation of high end granola. Everyone and their grandmother is packaging their "one-of-a-kind" recipe for this oat-some breakfast treat.  Many of these are high in fat, loaded with sugar, and quite frankly, not that good. We decided to consult our experts for their takes on this perennial favorite.

All of these recipes are highly customizable and have an endless array of add-on possibilities.  

Here is 'Granola 3 Ways." At long last...three reasons to wake up in the AM. 

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Farmer's Cow Ice Cream Naming Contest

We found this little info morsel over at The Fairfield Green Food Guide. All of you aspiring branding gurus, young and old...get to work. 

The Farmer’s Cow is holding an Ice Cream Naming Contest for their 10 new flavors starting February 1 so start thinking of names! For those unfamiliar with this local brand, The Farmer’s Cow is a cooperative of six family-owned CT farms that supplies milk to retailers throughout Connecticut and parts of New York and Massachusetts. 

Contest Rules:

You may enter up to 10 names, one per flavor, making sure that the names reflect something about farming and the benefits of local agriculture. Entries will be accepted online from 12:01 a.m. February 1, 2010. through midnight on February 14, 2010.

Ice cream flavors are: Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry. Cookies & Cream, Black Rasberry, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cup, Cherry Vanilla, and Coffee.

One lucky entrant will receive a summer’s supply of ice cream from Memorial Day 2010 until Labor Day 2010.

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Bustling French Bistro & Seafood Fare @ 1020 Post

Don't let the lace curtains and stately brick entrance fool you.  Behind the doors of this new French Bistro, named for its location on the Post Road in Darien,  is an airy room with coffered ceilings and a sleek zinc bar that buzzes--loudly at times--with the chatter of locals every night of the week.  Located within walking distance of the Darien train station, 1020 Post, which opened its doors a little more than a year ago, pulls people in like a magnet for dinner and drinks after work and lunch during the week.

On a chilly Tuesday night, I arrived with four friends to find packed tables and a bustling bar, which was lined with large glasses of Malbec and Pinot Noir. Nearby, people dined on bar stools at one of two tall community tables, where small groups can enjoy a quick bite without a reservation

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Chef Talk: Chef Rob Troilo, Nicholas Roberts

Many of us at CTbites are loyal followers of Chef Rob Troilo and the inventive fare served up at Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro. His food is creative, yet not overdone, and always exceptionally delicious. Last week I had the pleasure of dining with him for lunch and encountered this special; Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Roasted Fennel & Caramelized Pear Stew. The fennel in this dish is very subtle, and the squash and pear work nicely together to create a richness that does not come from 2 sticks of butter, but from the depth of the ingredients themselves. Rob's preparation of these Winter fruits and vegetables almost makes you forget about missing Summer.

Now if I can just get ahold of the recipe for Rob's Maker's Mark Mac-n-Cheese...

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Beautiful Baked Goods @ CakeSuite

Westporters have had their cake prayers answered with the recent opening of Michelle Klem's designer cake boutique and bakery storefront  CakeSuite.  Actually, given CakeSuite's proximity to I-95, pretty much everybody in Fairfield County should be feeling pretty lucky.

CakeSuite opened just before Christmas but launched officially last week with a festive tasting event. Eager to sample the goods at this new sweet shop, we arrived hungry. The retail space is a bright, pristine, white tiled bakery with a glass case filled with trays of cookies and other elegant treats. The work area of this bakery is in full view for all you cooking voyeurs. For this celebration, Michelle had prepared a generous variety of miniatures to taste. Supporters and cake lovers mingled in the bakery, sipping champagne and nibbling on the irresistible cookies and cakes. The tiered trays were piled high, but S. and I managed to taste everything.

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CTbites Votes: Best Italian in Fairfield County

Who needs Zagat's? Our 5000 CTbites readers have spoken, and they have rated Fairfield County's Italian offerings. Let's check out the numbers: 

Quattro Pazzi  21%

Strada 18  17%

Pasta Nostra  16%

Paci  11% 

Columbus Park Trattoria  9%

Tutti's Ristorante  11%

Molto  6%

Liana's  9%

Watch for our next CTbites Votes poll coming soon.

Cult Pizza Following @ Colony Grill in Stamford

What is the attraction of Colony Grill in Stamford? What creates almost a cult-like fascination, while simultaneously evoking harsh criticism? Why do regulars protect their turf so dearly? And most importantly, what is a Hot Oil pie?

Colony has a pizza reputation that extends for decades. The walls are adorned with numerous Military and team photos from the 50’s and 60’s plus other local heroes. Twelve stools, six booths, four TVs and two video games occupy the room with a long and always occupied bar, while the second room contains ten booths and twelve additional seats around tables. The kitchen is in the back where you can see a stack of oven-ready pies, each awaiting the requested toppings. The bar offers four beers on tap plus other varieties in bottles housed in the refrigerator behind the bar.

Colony ONLY serves pizza. Upwards of 1,000 in-house and take-away pies are created on a normal Saturday or Sunday

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Don't Miss "Food 4 Haiti" January 30th

On January 30, food world celebrities will band together to raise money for the United Nations World Food Programme's Fund for Haiti under the direction of a Westport resident and with the sponsorship of Saugatuck Nursery School and Saugatuck Congregational Church.

In an atmosphere of Caribbean music and food, the fundraiser's emcee, Food Network’s Daisy Martinez, will auction dinner for four with her at famed Puerto Rican dining establishment Don Coqui in New Rochelle, N.Y. She will also personalize two copies of her latest cookbook for two winning bidders.

Up for bid will be signed copies of “Julie & Julia” from Julie Powell, food writer and cookbook author Molly O’Neill’s “New York Cookbook” and “Mostly True,” cookbooks from Rick Moonen of “Top Chef Masters,” and a cookbook signed by its illustrator, "The New Yorker" cartoonist Ed Koren.

All proceeds will go to the United Nations World Food Programme's Fund for Haiti.

Auction winners will be announced at 3:15 p.m. the day of the fundraiser.

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