Bartaco, Portchester Opens ... Stamford is Next

Warning. Entering the new sprawling beach shack-inspired restaurant bartaco in Port Chester may leave you with a case of geographical amnesia. Between the five steps it takes to reach the bar from the door, you’ll be transported to a surf shack in Montauk or Baja, any memory of the city of Port Chester erased once you’re surrounded by its white washed walls. And better (closer) yet, a land-locked version will be coming to Stamford soon.

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Behind The Scenes @ Bar Rosso's Stamford Opening

In case you haven't noticed, something is afoot in the old Bennett's Steak House on Stamford's Spring St. as the countdown begins on one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in Fairfield County, a venture that brings together the restaurant  acumen of Napa & Co.'s Mary Schaeffer, and the culinary talent of Chef Dan Kardos, most recently of Harvest Supper in New Canaan. Combine this team with an inventive rustic Italian country menu (including a wood burning oven), a bar-centric two-story space, inventive homemade Italian inspired cocktails, and the buzz amongst the foodie obsessed is warranted. CTBites had an exclusive sneak peek into their pre-opening plans, interior renovation, and the much anticipated working menu of the inventive interpretation of traditional Italian fare that will become Bar Rosso.  

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Reheated: An Epic Week for Taco Lovers

Reheated is a twice-weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. 

In Connecticut...

El Charrito, the beloved taco truck located in Stamford's east side, has opened a take-out space in Greenwich.

And not to be left out, Casa Villa, that other beacon of tacos and Mexican fare has opened a second location at 886 East Main Street in Stamford.

As reported last week, bartaco is open in Port Chester, and soon to open in Stamford with tacos and fare inspired by Mexican street food.

Going, going ... The Sun Winefest 2011 is being held on January 29. A great day trip for sampling wine & food from the region. Info via MohegunSun.com.

All you can eat pancakes at participating IHOP's until February 27 (Stamford location may be the closest). What New Year's Resolutions? Via A La Carte Dining Blog.

A perfect tower of tuna tartare at Bernard's in Ridgefield. Via The Feast/Connecticut.

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Kids Review: Rye Ridge Deli in Stamford

Carly Monson is our roving 10 yrs old food critic. She hopes to get Fairfield County kids excited about eating in new venues like this one...

Are you starving for some classic deli food?  Then get in the car and head on down to Rye Ridge Deli in Stamford, CT.  As soon as I got there I knew exactly what I was going to order, Matzo Ball Soup and half a sandwich of corn beef and half a sandwich of pastrami on white bread. Before the waiter even came to take my order we got two bowls of pickles one bowl had half sour pickles the other had sour pickles.

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Reheated: Crumbs Opens & New Canaan Food Scene Expands

Reheated is a twice-weekly round-up of bite-sized food news in Connecticut and beyond. 

In Connecticut...

A book signing & reception at Fairfield Cheese Company on Dec. 17 from 5 to 7 pm with Angela Miller, author of HAY FEVER: How Chasing a Dream on a Vermont Farm Changed My Life. Call for info: 203.292.8194.

Crumbs in Greenwich is finally open and will give away 1,000 cupcakes on Sat., Dec. 18 beginning at 8 a.m. Info The Feast.

Breaking food news in New Canaan includes a new fro yo joint, an expansion for Chef Luis and a new Italian market. Info Patch.com.

SoNo Baking Company's John Baricelli shares a grown up recipe for ginger snaps. Recipe via RidgefieldCTBlog.com.

The Stamford Advocate is reporting there will be a new grocery store opening soon in Stamford's Springdale section on Hope Street. Info Stamford Advocate.

There are lots of NYE bashes, but only Thali will celebrating with an Indian DJ, Bollywood Masala songs, and an Indian grand buffet dinner at $70 pp. RSVP @ Thali.

...and beyond.

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Monster B's "Hall of Foam" in Stamford

I have lived the vast majority of my life in Fairfield County, but one of the most important lessons in food I ever received happened in rural Georgia. A group of friends and I had taken a camping trip in the general vicinity of Vidalia, where the onions come from, and were in the midst of a long (and severely fire-ant-bitten, in my case) ride back home when we saw a rough, plywood sign appear on the side of the road, leaning against a stack of cinder blocks. The sign had three letters on its face in runny, black spray paint: “BBQ.”

What followed was, without any sort of doubt, the best BBQ I’d ever had in my life. We ate three times as much food as anyone should eat at one sitting without having previously drawn up a will. It was a great reward for taking a chance at an odd location 

Significantly closer to the reactor core of urban life that is the New York Metropolitan Area is Glenbrook Center in Stamford. Heck, there’s even a Metro North stop, and across from that stop on the New Canaan line is Monster B’s.

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Fairway Wines & Spirits Opens in Stamford Dec. 15th.

As if the opening of the renown grocery mecca Fairway Market wasn't enough to make a foodie faint, Fairway Wines & Spirits (689 Canal Street), a 6,500 square foot store will open on Wednesday, December 15th next door to the new Fairway Market (699 Canal Street).

The shop will feature approximately 2,500 wines, more than 600 varieties of spirits from around the world and over 500 different specialty and traditional beers.  Need assistance? A highly qualified staff of specialists and sommeliers will be on the premises to help customers with their wine and spirit selections.

Let's talk wine:  Wine selections will include the large national brands, local wines, kosher wines, organic and biodynamic wines, sparkling and dessert wines and a variety of esoteric wines from smaller vineyards. Fairway also intends to carry wines from different parts of the world that will be exclusive to Fairway Wines & Spirits.

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Stamford's Tappo Restaurant via Slice

If you haven't checked out Stamford newcomer Tappo yet, you should.  Although I've reveled in their tuna entree and sipped a few delicious negronis at their bar, it's their pizza that keeps me coming back. The cozy spot and its warm Italian welcome inspired me to review Tappo's pizza for my first contribution on Slice, America's favorite pizza blog in case you didn't know.

"A modern yet cozy Italian trattoria, Tappo's approach is regional Italian cuisine, with about a third of the menu given up to Neapolitan pizza worship. If the menu at Tappo was suddenly culled to that one page, a beacon of 14 pizza offerings, we wouldn't mind too much. It's not that the rest of the menu doesn't deserve its own nod—in fact, it does. But the pies at Tappo are good enough to make us believe this corner of Connecticut is serious about staking a claim to excellent Neapolitan-style pizza."

You can catch my full review of Tappo's pizza, in all its cheesy carb glory over on Slice.

Behind-the-Scenes at Stamford's Fairway

With over 80,000 square feet, a staff of 500 passionate employees and 77 years of experience, Fairway Market’s newest location in Stamford at Harbor Point is poised for success and sure to draw the grocery-getting masses. The store will officially open on November 3 with a grand opening party but we were lucky to get an early behind-the-scenes tour with CEO Howie Glickberg, the grandson of Fairway founder Nathan Glickberg. 

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Navaratna: Vegetarian Indian in Stamford

Given the "Worth It" rating from the NY Times, it was easy to rally a group of hungry enthusiasts to join me at Navaratna for lunch last week. Navaratna is the newest Indian restaurant in the ever expanding dining scene in downtown Stamford. This packed lunch spot is unique in that it features Southern Indian cuisine that is strictly vegetarian (and certified Kosher).  As a lover of Indian food, I was intrigued, and we descended upon Navaratna to explore its distinctive menu.

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