Filtering by Tag: Fish,Beer Dinner

Hidden Gem: AMAI Sushi in Brookfield (Where CT Chefs Eat Sushi)

Restaurant Sushi Fish Japanese Sushi Bar Seafood Lunch Homepage

Jessica Ryan January 09, 2024

You’ll have to drive a little ways to find some of the best sushi in Connecticut. This one isn’t in any of the tony coastal towns. Incredibly you will find it in a small strip of storefronts in Brookfield. There might not be much to do in this sleepy little town, but there is some damned good sushi to be had.

You’ve likely never heard of Amai Sushi, we hadn’t. We were tipped off by CTBites friend Chef Jeff Taibe (Taproot Restaurant) who’s quite familiar with the area. When a chef tells us they’ve eaten somewhere really good, we’re all ears, especially when it’s someplace no one seems to have heard of. So last week we took a little road trip.

40+ Spots To Celebrate Oktoberfest In Connecticut 2023

Events Features Holiday Oktoberfest Brewery CT Beer Events EVENT Festival Beer Dinner Beer Festival Homepage

April Guilbault September 08, 2023

“Let’s get a drink”. “Come over for a drink!”. There’s nothing more convivial than sharing a drink together with a person or a whole group of favorite persons. And isn’t the ol’ saying -it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? Well, here’s a historical “reason” to raise your glasses high-Oktoberfest, the beloved, ancient event involving mouthwatering beers, so much (too much? never!) merriment and some fabulous lederhosen. Oktoberfest-ivities run pretty much the entire month of September and into October, so there are plenty of chances to raise that stein. And remember, we all put our lederhosen on one leg at a time. Prost!

Seamore's, Sustainable Seafood Restaurant from NYC Opening in Darien June 9

Features Restaurant Opening Darien Sustainable Seafood Fish American Homepage

CTbites Team June 04, 2023

Seamore's, the sustainable seafood restaurant group based in New York City, will expand into Connecticut with the launch of a location in Darien. Their mission is to make sustainable, local fish more accessible to everyone, with their entire menu featuring sustainably caught or farmed fish. Restaurateur Jay Wainwright has partnered with local chef Shannon Sturz to curate a menu that reflects local flavors and supports the local fisheries. Executive Chef Shannon Sturz, who grew up in the area, was previously Sous Chef at The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges. Seamore’s will make its debut at Darien Commons on Friday, June 9.

Friday Froth: Beer Dinners at Little Pub- Featuring New England Brewing

Features Friday Froth Beer CT Beer Beer Dinner Craft Beer Brewery

James Gribbon February 18, 2022

Anyone who's ever hit happy hour and subsequently remembered they hadn't eaten dinner while staring into a beer at another location sometime around midnight can probably feel the pain of the next morning right now, as you're reading this. Remember that? Well, let's not let that happen again, or allow ourselves to slap late night drive-thru - the FlexTape of Shame - over the leaky bucket of our decisions.

What we need is food with our beers, whether we're adding plates to pitchers and pints at the taproom, or exploring flavor combinations at home. Inspiration struck while I was at my first beer pairing dinner in over two years at The Little Pub in Fairfield, hosted by Greg Radawich, director of brewing operations at New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge. I'll get into what you can have from the brewery and pub, plus a few more ideas to serve as springboards for your own dives into brews and foods.

And if you missed this beer dinner, Little Pub will be hosting another beer pairing dinner with Fat Orange Cat brewery at Little Pub, Fairfield on Tuesday, March 1.

Ideal Fish: Delivering Sustainably Raised Fish Through Unique Recirculating Aquaculture

Features Ingredients Seafood Fish Fish Market Online Store Healthy Eats Delivery Local Farm

Stephanie Webster December 11, 2020

Launched in the spring of 2013, Ideal Fish, located in Waterbury CT, is a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture systems company dedicated to bringing fresh fish to local markets. As the only commercial-scale facility of its kind in the Northeast, their responsibly and sustainably raised fish gets from their waters to your kitchen within 24 hours of harvest.

While Ideal Fish has been raising branzino in its sustainable CT facility, and serving the area’s finest restaurants and grocers for several years. Now, for the first time, the company is adding salmon to its offering and providing a direct-to-consumer option for home cooks across the Northeast through www.idealfish.com. Both salmon and branzino are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and other important nutrients.

Nordic Fish Opens in Fairfield: The Freshest of Fish, Poke Bar, Sushi Donuts & Prepared Food!

Restaurant Ingredients Openings Specialty Market Fish Fish Market Fairfield Seasonal Sushi Poke Catering Clambake Lobster Bake

April Guilbault January 15, 2020

I have two words for you: Sushi Cake.

And two more words for you: Sushi Donut.

Hold on, two more: Sushi Burrito.

Wait! Three more words! (so many words).

Knowledge. Sustainability. Heritage.

How on earth do all of these, plus a fresh Nordic wind, connect?

They intersect on the Post Road in Fairfield at the Nordic Fish market.

Stamford's Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden Opens Dec. 6th

Features Beer Beer Dinner CT Beer Pop-Up Bar Stamford

CTbites Team November 30, 2019

Half Full Brewery and Mill River Park Collaborative announced today the return of Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden to Stamford, Conn.’s Mill River Park. The Winter Wonderland is intended to celebrate and unite local residents and professionals through a diverse and expanded slate of programming, which will run from Friday, Dec. 6 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2020.

East Rock Brewing Company Opens In New Haven

Features New Haven Brewery Openings Beer Dinner CT Beer

James Gribbon January 24, 2019

Pull back the hour hand on the clock of geologic time and the land in what was once New Haven begins to fill in. The sandstone rises up, glaciers come and go again in reverse, and the scenery levels off. The view across the water isn't Long Island - the glaciers pulled that land back with them - it's what will become Morocco. Now spin the clock forward again. The continents drift - ice, then not ice again - and the land erodes away until something seems to rise up again: the traprock scarp we know as East Rock. There's a lot of history here, and the newest bit to crop up is East Rock Brewing Company.

Beers & Bites August 15th Tickets On Sale Featuring Skinny Pines & Chef Geoff Lazlo

Features CT Beer Beer Dinner Food Truck Stamford Events

Stephanie Webster August 01, 2018

Half Full Brewery and CTBites are beyond excited to bring you this year's most creative and collaborative food and beer-pairing event series. Not to be missed, "Beers & Bites" 2018 pairs limited release beers from Half Full Brewery with totally off-menu food items from some of Fairfield County's best chefs and food truck operators. Tickets for our August 15th event with Skinny Pines pizza truck & Chef Geoff Lazlo are going fast, so get your tickets now!

Norwalk’s Catch of the Day Lasts All Summer Long sponsored post

Restaurant Norwalk Seafood lunch Fish Raw Bar

CTbites Team June 26, 2018

Photo Credit: The Cask Republic

Inspired by New England waters and international flavor profiles, Norwalk Now celebrates summertime with vibrant seafood dishes befitting that of a thriving coastal community. From raw bar favorites laced with hot sauce to butter-vs-mayo lobster roll wars, Norwalk restaurants embrace the season with a variety of classic, innovative, and over-the-top seafood dishes that add to our summer enjoyment.

Nibble: CT Food Events For April 29- May 6

Features Events Beer Dinner Pop-Up Dinner

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson April 25, 2018

The 5th Annual Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival in Ridgefield starts Saturday May 5 at 11am and runs through Sunday 5pm. The Event will be held at the Historic Lounsbury House at 316 Main Street. Tickets: $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under 12 are FREE.

Sunday, April 29th, Half Full Brewery is hosting a pig roast with Hoodoo Brown BBQ. Doors open at 12:00 for beers, starting at 1:00 Hoodoo will be serving up BBQ Wings (tossed in Red Bee Honey Sauce), and a Pig Roast that will feature a whole hog, apple-vinegar slaw, slider buns, cornbread, and mac and cheese. Reserve tickets here.

Tickets for The Schoolhouse at Cannondale’s Farm to Fork series go on sale May 1. Each evening includes a cocktail hour, a farm tour, and four locally sourced courses under the stars by Chef Tim LaBant. It takes place at Millstone Farm in Wilton, CT.

On Monday April 30, head over to Terrain Garden Café in Westport for “Dishing Local.” CTbites and the Westport Farmers Market welcome foodies to a food-focused evening and open forum in the terrain Garden Cafe. They’ll gather with some of the local food community's leading talents to discuss the latest trends, everyday eating, and tips and secrets from farmers and restaurateurs. This event is free and open to the public. Food and beverage available for purchase.

On Tuesday May 2, Fairfield Cheese Company presents “Cheese 102: Beyond the Basics with Arethusa Farm.” The class will expand on the basics and delve into cheese making, history, science, and more. Plus, taste plenty of cheeses and complementary wines. Tickets are $50 and the class runs from 7-9pm.

CLASP Homes 14th TASTE OF WESTPORT will take place on Thursday May 3 from 6-9pm at the Westport Inn. Enjoy samplings of specialty dishes from Amis, Harvest Wine Bar, Hummock Island Oysters, Pearl at Longshore, Saltwater, Bobby Q’s Cue & Co., Tablao, and more. There will be plenty to drink as well! Tickets are $75 prepaid, $85 at the door.

Recap: Beers & Bites at Half Full Brewery with Knot Norms and Hapa Food Truck

Features Homepage Dinner Events Beer Dinner CT Beer CTbites Invites

Andrew Dominick April 05, 2018

Did you ever hear the one about the food truck chef and the restaurant chef at a local brewery?

Wait, that’s a real thing. There’s no punchline.

What I’m talking about here is the first ever Beers & Bites event that was held on April 5, 2018 at Half Full Brewery in Stamford. Beers & Bites is a collaboration between CTbites, Half Full Brewery, local food trucks and chefs.

The idea behind Beers & Bites is to team a food truck chef and a restaurant chef to collaborate on a menu that gets paired with Half Full’s thirst-quenching brews. Think of it as a beer dinner where you won’t leave feeling overstuffed; it’s just enough food and drink. For $50 you get four-courses, four beers (refills were common so it’s a little more than four), a commemorative Beers & Bites snifter glass, and a damn good time in a non-pretentious, not overcrowded taproom.

Nibble: CT Food Events for April 2-9

Features Events Wine Dinners Beer Dinner Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 29, 2017

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford hosts A Taste of History 2017 on Monday April 3 at 5pm. The evening begins with a premier reception at 5pm and culminates with a food tasting, a cocktail tasting, music, a tour, and art inspired activities.

Fermented beverages are prevalent, but what about fermented foods? Learn about them and their health benefits at the Barrel Room in North Canton, CT on Monday April 3. The class will cover foods like water kefir, milk kefir and kimchi.

Connecticut Hops For Hope returns for its second benefit, Beers For Brittany, on Sunday, April 23rd. The event will be held at the brand new Counter Weight Brewing in Hamden, and 100% of ticket sales, in person donations, and on site raffle ticket sales will benefit Brittany Vellucci, a young woman fighting through brain cancer. Tickets go on sale tonight at 7p.m. RIGHT HERE.

Nibble: CT Food Events for Week of March 20-27

Features Events Wine Dinners Beer Dinner

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson March 17, 2017

On Monday March 20, Mikro Beer Bar in Hamden invites you to a Kent Falls Brewing Beer Dinner. Chef Mike Fox will create a four course dinner to complement craft brews. The event is limited to 50 people, so get your tickets soon.

Which is better: beer or wine? The question is difficult and divisive… but Fairfield Greenwich Cheese Company will help you decide! Beer and wine will go head-to-head alongside a cheese plate to see which makes for the best pairing. Join them at the Greenwich location on March 21 from 7-9pm and the Fairfield location on March 23 from 7-9pm. It costs $50 per person.

On Wednesday March 22, Cask Republic South Norwalk and Allagash Brewing Company are teaming up for a beer dinner. Chef Carl will prepare a five course menu that will be paired with six Allagash beers. It costs $85 per person and advanced reservations are recommended.

10 Questions with Fjord Fish Market's Jim Thistle

Ingredients Interview Recipe Chef Talk Fish Seafood Specialty Market

April Guilbault October 18, 2016

Oh so many fish in da sea! And that’s only the beginning....what kind of fish do you want to prepare? Do you know how to prepare it? Oh, yeah, and where should you go to get this fish, short of heading out into open waters yourself? And wait, and here’s the $100,000 question: is the fish you are buying everything it says it is? Good grief. It’s almost easier dating and looking for *those* fish in the sea. Well, fear not, CTBites sat down recently with one of the Big Fish out there, Jim Thistle of Fjord Fish Market, and he helped guide us through seemingly murky waters...

Community Table & Kent Falls Brewing Co. Host Beer Dinner July 26

Restaurant Beer Dinner Brewery Washington

Amy Kundrat July 20, 2016

Community Table & Kent Falls Brewing Co.  are teaming up for a special evening of food and beer on July 26. Executive Chef Marcell Davidsen has collaborated with Barry and Derek at Kent Falls Brewing Co. on a summer-inspired menu fit for Connecticut locavore beer lovers.

"We are very excited to host this event, and share some great beers and great food. And there might be a few surprises too," said Marcell Davidsen.

We have a sneak peek of the menu, which at last count is 7 courses and 6 beers, and as many reasons to get excited for this evening at Community Table. Tickets are $75 per person. Reservations are available on OpenTable.com.

July 26 Menu

Sourdough Bread
Toasted hay butter

Smoked Trout & Squash Blossom
Hazelnut crème

Beer: Lade Øl 4.8 % Abv.

A farmhouse ale brewed with smoked hay. This beer takes on delicate notes of sweet grass, vanilla and spice notes from the hay complementing our house yeast culture.

Friday Froth: Two Roads Nor'yeaster Preview + "Junk Food" Pairing via Marcia Selden Catering

Beer Beer Dinner CT Beer

James Gribbon May 06, 2016

Flowers are popping up everywhere this spring, even in our beer. Tomorrow, May 7th, will see a special bottle release at Two Roads Brewing Co. in Stratford, featuring their newest creation, Roads Garden. The spring Nor'yeaster event will also include limited supplies of Framboise Noir, a black raspberry lambic, and Road 2 Rouen, the brewery's "wild, Franco-Belgian IPA," based on Road 2 Ruin DIPA.

A sold-out, ticketed preview event was held this past Monday, when the brewery's tasting room is regularly closed, and CTBites was able to taste several of Two Roads' smaller production run beers, paired with "re-imagined junk food," via event partner Marcia Selden catering.

Recap: Kent Falls Brewing Visits Little Pub in Ridgefield

Restaurant Beer Beer Dinner CT Beer

James Gribbon March 02, 2016

This March only marks a year since Kent Falls Brewing Company released their first beer, and somehow it doesn't feel too early to call them "renowned." The Litchfield County operation has already become one of Connecticut's most productive, releasing 37 different beers and variants in their first ten months. That level of output is preposterous, and all the more remarkable not just due to the high volume of recipes, but for their excellence. Small wonder then, that Little Pub in Ridgefield chose to host the Kent Falls crew for a rare beer pairing dinner event early this February.

Friday Froth: Tres Hoppy w/ Olde Burnside, Kent Falls & Two Roads Breweries

Ingredients Beer Dinner CT Beer Friday Froth

James Gribbon January 29, 2016

This week will be an all Connecticut-brewed, and intensely hopped version of Friday Froth. We start by wishing happy birthday to one of our state's early modern craft brewing pioneers, Olde Burnside Brewing Company, which turned 15 years old this month. Olde Burnside was initially highly visible due to selling their Ten Penny Scottish Ale in 64oz. growlers at retail in area liquor stores, which was 1) a great deal, 2) useful for refilling with anything you chose, and 3) garnered a $1.50 reimbursement when returned, if you weren't so inclined. This came in handy during the years when Connecticut had around five breweries, instead of our current 30ish, and growler filling stations were rare as sober nights at Owl Farm.

Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House Opens in Port Chester

Restaurant Fish Port Chester Seafood

Jessica Ryan September 27, 2015

Last week I accepted an invitation to experience the newly opened Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House which recently opened in Port Chester just over the Greenwich border. Located in the beautifully restored Willet House Building which has been redesigned and transformed into a bright contemporary restaurant with a wealth of historic nautical charm. The bar area, vibrant, energetic and spacious has a modern yet traditional feel. An impressive raw bar sits at the center, welcoming patrons as they settle in ready to place their drink orders. Two televisions sit on the opposite side of the bar so that sports enthusiasts can cheer on their favorite teams. The dining room, despite its grand and impressive size, is warm and welcoming. The antique hay lifts and wood beams retain the space’s history. Handsome black and white photographs of fishermen at sea capture authentic coastal life. The elegant yet rustic lighting casts a warm glow off the brick. The restaurant isn’t quiet; a lively energy permeates the air.