Bar Ordinary Opens in New Haven

Rarely is 400 years of history and presidential name-dropping relevant to a CTbites review, but allow me to digress.

Bar Ordinary, New Haven's newest incarnation of its oldest bar, sits on a storied site on the corner of Chapel and College Street. Nearly 400 years of New Haven history converge on this location, beginning with its role as the town’s first ordinary, or tavern, in 1659 where it hosted a few early visitors you may recognize, including the infamous Benedict Arnold as well as General George Washington as he made his way to command the Continental Army in 1775 (other presidential visitors may have included Lincoln in 1860 and Taft in 1914). In subsequent centuries it was known as The Beers Tavern (18th), the New Haven Hotel (mid-19th) and the Taft Hotel (beginning in 1910), serving as the locus for the city's social stratum for the greater part of the twentieth century.* By the 1980’s, The Taft Hotel's bar room became Richter’s, a popular spot owned by Yale grad and crew instructor Richter Elser who embraced its layers of historic patina, keeping much of the wood paneling and its original plaster ceiling until it closed in 2011.

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Zinc: Modern American Farm-to-Table in New Haven

Zinc has been a fixture on the New Haven green since 1999, well before farm-to-table restaurants became the sought-after reservation.  Even then, Chef Denise Appel was designing plates that changed with the season, and "continued to do so even when people in town wondered if she'd ever make her mind up on a menu," laughs co-owner Donna Curran, who has worked alongside Chef Appel for more than two decades. 

Named for the traditional zinc bars in European bistros, Zinc has successfully become a well-known neighborhood gathering place over the past dozen years. Warm and welcoming for its minimalist design, the restaurant is long and narrow, as expected in an urban setting. Yet with a profound cherry bar, generous seating and plenty of quiet nooks, you know you’ll gladly stay a while.  

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Hot-tail Happy Hour at Parallel Post

Parallel Post has launched a "Hot-tail Happy Hour," a week-day cocktail list of of three steamy concoctions that can be paired with their usual happy hour specials, available Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Although it will take more to transport me from the Trumbull Marriott to the slopes of Val d'Isère, at $7 each, these après-ski cocktails are a nice alternative to the usual glass of wine. In addition to their full menu which I wrote about last week, I have become a fan of Parallel Post's wallet-friendly happy hour menu and this new cocktail addition.  

The man behind these inventive drinks is a familiar face to Fairfield County, lead mixologist Greg Genias who is the man behind Barnum Publick House's epic Bloody Mary Bar. For Parallel Post, Greg has created a full menu of original cocktails, featuring many house-made liquor infusions. A native of Jamaica, Greg comes to Connecticut by way of Utah, Greg's preference leans toward classic cocktails like Manhattans and brown liquors served neat. In addition to these new concotions below, don't miss Gregory's Bloody Mary made with an infused spicy vodka and a blend of roasted vegetables.

Parallel Post Hot-tail Menu

Hot Buttered Popcorn: House-blend herbal tea and popcorn-infused rum

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Celebrate National Margarita Day w/ Fresh Orange Margaritas

Yep...today is National Margarita Day, and in honor of said "holiday," we suggest you celebrate with this delicious recipe for Fresh Orange Margaritas c/o local blogger, The Parsley Thief. 

I consider myself to be a very good margarita mixer and have made many different types over the years. One thing is always a constant and that is - Patrón tequila. Along with with the good tequila you must also have some sort of orange liqueur. Mostly, I use Cointreau {pricey!}...other times Triple Sec {when money's tight}....and once in a blue moon {usually because it's all I have laying around}, I'll use Grand Marnier. While I am sure this recipe would be equally delicious using blood oranges - I opted to use fresh Florida juice oranges because they're in season at the moment and I just so happened to have a 25 lb. box of them laying around.

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The Winner of the Cocktail Naming Contest Is...

The wait is over. South End Restaurant has reviewed the 75 creative entries in the Cocktail Naming Contest, and a winner has been named: 

Mighty Aphrodite is the winning cocktail name and will be featured on South End's cocktail menu.

Congratulations to Jodie (who needs to contact us to receive her prize). 

Here's what she had to say about how she came up with her name: "Because rosemary was draped around Aphrodite as she rose from the sea. The Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the 'Rose of Mary' - Wikipedia"

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Krust Pizza & Bourbon Bar in Middletown

We are excited to begin bringing you even more content from across the state of Connecticut, welcoming new voices into our mix, and experimenting with the occassional shorter, more tactical posts. To that end, we are pleased to welcome Emily Cahill, the newest addition to the CTbites team covering one of our favorite new spots in Middletown. - Stephanie Webster + Amy Kundrat

Photo: Nick CaitoKrust Pizza Bar

Cuisine: Wood-fired pizza, Bar
Price: $10- $15
Our Highlights: Specialty pizzas, bourbon and cocktails
Hours: Mon – Closed. Tues-Thur 4pm – 1am, F&S 4pm-2am, Sun 4pm-1am
Online: http://krustpizzabar.com/

Wood-fired pizzas, a softly lit interior, and a seemingly infinite bourbon list sets the stage for NoRa neighborhood newcomer Krust. Owners Rich Garcia and Kevin Wirtes introduced the Middletown eatery in mid-January 2013, showcasing a concise but creative menu of beautifully executed artisan pies. Whether it’s the rustic pine paneling, amber glow of bar shelves brimming with bourbon bottles, or smoky aromas permeating the space from the wood burning oven, one thing is evident: Krust is a delicious and welcome addition to Middletown’s bar and restaurant scene.

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Cocktail Naming Contest: Win Dinner for 2 @ South End

WIN a FREE Dinner for two @ SOUTH END in New Canaan. Here's How...

This is your chance to name South End's new signature cocktail. All you need to do is come up with a catchy name for the drink combining the following ingredients.

"Your Name Here" Cocktail Ingredients:

-House-infused Rosemary Vodka
-Candied Kumquat Simple Syrup
-Fresh Citrus
-Chives for garnish

If your Cocktail name is selected, you will receive a FREE Dinner for 2 complete with the new signature cocktail @ South End in New Canaan. 

Cocktail names must be submitted by February 14th.

Post your submission below (include email).

Fine Print: Tax, tip & alcohol - not included in the Dinner offer

[Photography courtesy of Jane Beiles Photography]

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Bedford Post’s Signature Spiked Hot Chocolate

Meng Chiang, Beverage Director at Bedford Post has created a savory spiked hot chocolate that will warm you up on even the chilliest of winter days.  Inspired by a chocolate truffle, the decadent drink is a twist on traditional hot cocoa with Stolichnaya Vodka Salted Karamel and raspberry framboise.  A swirl of White Godiva Liqueur Whipped Cream and a sprinkling of chopped macadamia nuts on top are sure to satisfy any sweet-tooth.  

Bedford Post’s Signature Spiked Hot Chocolate

1 cup of hot chocolate, preferably dark chocolate or salted dulce de leche

1/2 oz Stolichnaya Vodka Salted Karamel

1.0 oz Clear Creek Distillery Raspberry Framboise

Topped with White Godiva Liqueur Whipped Cream, chopped macadamia nuts optional

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The Spread in SONO: Beautiful Food...Hip Spot

Word of mouth, and great word at that, brought me to The Spread, a spanking new dining hot spot in Sono. Two months young, the restaurant is the result a partnership of four guys, all with two decades-worth of bar and restaurant experience combined, plus one young and very talented chef, Arik Bensimon. Formerly the Executive Chef of Napa & Co., Chef Arik brings the food in this rustic yet hip joint to a level of excellence and seriousness not seen in Fairfield County in some time. The Spread’s menu is global in scope. It represents a range of cultures--Arik’s Moroccan background and French training, the partners' of Costa Rica, Italy, and France with a dash of New York and California in the mix. Indeed, the menu is all over the place, locally sourced and international, but somehow this eclectic mishmash works. Though dishes are simply titled on the menu, they are, in fact, complex and beautifully executed.

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Bodega Taco Bar Opens in Darien

The upscale, inspired Mexican street food and vibrant bar scene that Bodega has ushered in to Fairfield, has migrated south, opening in Darien this past weekend. The trio behind the original Bodega—Michael Young, Luis Chavez and Mario Fontana—have continued to perfect a brash menu that embraces the Americas, skewing from South America to North, and settling centrally on Mexico. In a markedly larger setting, the new Darien outpost has successfully duplicated much of the same menu, from antojitos to mezcal, with a few noteworthy additions. Bodega will be officially open starting Monday, November 12 at 5 pm for dinner, and will be open 6 nights a week Monday through Saturday, and open for lunch and brunch beginning January 6, seven days a week.

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