Filtering by Tag: WIne,Bethel

Ore Hill Offers Elevated Micro Seasonal Dining in Kent

Restaurant Kent Litchfield County Fine Dining Opening WIne Farm To Table New American

Erik Ofgang

Somewhere between the main course and dessert round during a recent tasting at Ore Hill the palette cleansers arrive in the form of a sorbet. The secret ingredient in the dish is habanada peppers a selectively bred variant of the better-known habanero peppers that Executive Chef Ryan Carbone explains retain the flavors of a habanero without the spice. So you get all these green vegetal notes and it feels like it’s about to get spicy but the heat never comes, Carbone says. 

The sensation, which Carbone describes perfectly, is one of a kind and exactly the kind of flavor that makes dining at Ore Hill such a treat. The ultra-select, ultra-high-end fine dining experience offers a multicourse immersion in local ingredients and chef-driven cuisine and the kind of big-city tasting menu rarely found in Connecticut. This is accompanied by high-end cocktails and a natural wine-driven wine list that doesn’t shy away from bringing some intriguing and intentional funk. 

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Guide To Connecticut Vineyards To Visit in Summer 2024

Restaurant Features Vineyard Wine Shop WIne Wine Trail Highlight Homepage

April Guilbault

Rose All Day. Wine o’clock. Wine not? And remember, Sip Happens! Ah, the battlecries of the summer season! From day trips to special gatherings (any bridesmaids out there?), a bucolic, rambling vineyard is the perfect place to while away sun-drenched hours, maybe learn a little something, nibble a little something (wine and charcuterie go hand-in-hand, after all), and sip a whole lot of somethings. Those somethings are local, delightful and flavorful, handcrafted with skill and dedication, and finished off with a wine barrel full of love. A little note for your summer ramblings and sipping: Entries with asterisks (*) are participating wineries/vineyards on the CT Wine Trail. Pet-friendliness is also noted.

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Soulber Kitchen & Market Expands from Bowl Delivery Business to Full Service Café in Bethel

Features Interview Restaurant Healthy Eats Interview Bethel Vegan Gluten-Free Openings

Andrew Dominick

Sara Oberhammer recalls the day she got her driver’s license at 16. The first thing she did was cruise around her hometown of Bethel to apply to jobs in the hospitality industry. She even quit high school softball so she could waitress.

In February of 2024, just a mere three-minute walk away from where she got her foot in door at Greenwood’s Grille & Ale House, Oberhammer, who’s mostly been a bartender later in her restaurant career, now has a spot of her very own. And it has nothing to do with mixing cocktails, pouring drafts, or serving pub food.

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Former Nosh Hound Food Truck Owner Maycie Ralbovsky Joins Broken Symmetry as Executive Chef

Brewery Features Interview Restaurant Brewery Chef Talk Tasting Tasting Menu Tacos Mexican Craft Beer beer Homepage Broken Symmetry Bethel

Andrew Dominick

Ask any Fairfield County food truck fanatic what their favorite one was over the past handful of years and they’re likely to mention Nosh Hound if they know what they’re talking about.

The stacked sandwiches, the tacos, the burgers, and the bowls, and yes, even the “F” word…FUSION. It all really worked for Nosh Hound. I, for one, sought out Sam and Maycie Ralbovsky’s truck at every Mill River Park event. My final Nosh Hound memory was at Half Full’s Oktoberfest in Downtown Stamford when I obliterated a pork schnitzel sandwich.

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Ruby & Bella’s Opens in SaksWorks on Greenwich Avenue

Restaurant American WIne Cocktails Openings Greenwich Burgers Ladies Who Lunch Homepage

Andrew Dominick

You may not be able to purchase a Polo shirt or a pair of khakis at 265 Greenwich Avenue any longer, but you can set up shop and work remotely there, or you can host a meeting, attend an event, take a yoga or HIIT class, and have a sit-down dinner all under one roof.

What was Ralph Lauren is now SaksWorks, a membership-based work meets life concept. With its flagship in Saks Fifth Avenue and a second in Brookfield Place, SaksWorks Greenwich is part of the company’s expansion that will soon follow with locations in Manhasset and Eastchester in the vacant Lord & Taylor.

We’ll let you decide if this concept or if membership is for you. If it is, and if it isn’t, you can still visit the Greenwich location membershipless (totally aware that isn’t a word) for a cup of coffee, lunch, or dinner.

What’s common in all SaksWorks is an anchor restaurant of some sort. In the case of Greenwich, that restaurant is Ruby & Bella’s, named after owner Richard Baker’s dogs.

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Tim LaBant’s Parlor Sequel Opens in Darien

Features Restaurant Pizza Darien Cocktails WIne Salads Openings Homepage

Andrew Dominick

After opening his first Neapolitan inspired pizza parlor in Wilton at the tail end of 2018, Tim LaBant has a Parlor part two in Darien’s Corbin District.

That particular section of town, according to LaBant, was primed for his style of pizza because it wasn’t represented anywhere else nearby. “I eyed the Corbin District initially and even thought about waiting a few years,” he says. “I didn’t because I figured someone would beat me to it with a similar concept. We wanted to be here first.”

LaBant and his Parlor squad officially started firing up pies in the Forza Forni Pavesi on April 16.

As far as what you can expect from the Darien location, it’s much of what they do well in Wilton. Think pizza, veggies, wine, cocktails, and beer, at least for now. “We might add to the menu,” hints LaBant. “I know people are still doing lots of takeout. No one wants asparagus in a box.”

But that’s not to say there isn’t anything new going down.

Aside from Parlor’s classic margherita, plain cheese, or a pepperoni pizza, there’s a nod to a New Haven tomato pie and an ode to Roberta’s Bee Sting in the “Soppressata” with red sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, basil, chili flakes, and homemade hot honey.

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Taproot 2.0: Chef Jeff Taibe Launches Southeast Asian Menu...And It's Delicious

Restaurant Bethel Openings Asian Southeast Asian Chef Talk New Menu Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

“It was like having a sparkler in your mouth,” says beloved Connecticut Chef Jeff Taibe on his early food experiences in Singapore.

Many of us regular CT diners are familiar with his passion and talent for cooking, and his following is testament enough to know that his food….well, sings. There’s even been pomp and accolades from the big whigs, and “Best Ofs,” and yet, he’s been holding out on us. Joking aside, he has flung his flair for Southeast Asian cuisine our way for some time through Kawa Ni, in Westport and, more recently at the original Taproot, and, even more recently, from the On the Fly food truck. BUT, after twenty years-ish, he’s ready to pull out all the stops and bring us his love affair with Singapore on a plate, every single day. Well, the days they are open.

Having spent time in Singapore first as a teen baseball player, then again as a serious cook, you can imagine how that “sparkler” left a lasting impression. Chef Taibe says, he just had to have that depth of flavor on the new menu. “I remember the Miang Kum (which is actually Thai); or The Mee Goreng that he’d have three times a week for lunch. He’d have dosa and chai tea most mornings in Little India or the chicken murtabak, “at 2 in the morning, while a bit tipsy; it woke me right up with how perfect of a bite of food it was.”

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Rice & Beans Food Truck Owner Opens Bottega Italian Kitchen + Bar in Bethel

Features Restaurant Italian Pizza Cocktails Bethel Homepage

Andrew Dominick

About a year ago, while having a few beers at Decadent Ales, I was formally introduced to Jasson Arias, the owner of the popular Rice & Beans food truck. It was there that I got in on a conversation between he and Chris Gonzalez of Hapa Food Truck. Arias talked about wanting to take that next step in the food industry and open a physical restaurant.

Fast forward to now. Arias has graduated from food truck to brick-and-mortar with his newest venture, Bottega Wood Fired Kitchen + Bar.

Bottega, though, is a completely different concept than the delicious, photogenic bowls Arias has become known for. Bottega, translated from Italian to English, means shop, and at this “shop” they’re firing up Neapolitan style pizza along with reimagined Italian classics, and they made damn sure the bar program wouldn’t be an afterthought.

How Arias got here from that chat at a brewery all those months ago isn’t that crazy of a story. “It’s not as complicated as it might seem,” he says. “The space was open. It used to be a wood-fired concept as well, but it was more traditional.”

The space he’s talking about used to be the Rizzuto’s Italian Restaurant & Bar in Bethel.

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Saugatuck Grain & Grape Pop-Up Store Opens in Westport to Pay It Forward

Features WIne Spirits Wine Shop Specialty Market Liquor Shopping Westport Openings Pop-Up

Stephanie Webster

For those of us who shop or live in the Westport area, you could hear a communal groan of sadness when Saugatuck Grain & Grape closed up shop by the train station in 2018. It was audible. Owner, Mimi McLaughlin ran her small boutique wine and spirits shop like a family, and every time you walked in that door, she taught you something, or opened your eyes to something new. Shoppers walked out excited about a new small producer wine label, a local distiller they’d never heard of…or a cocktail, made perfectly. Her passion and knowledge of all things “grain and grape” created a brand that took her love of educating the consumer and made her a leader in her field.

Fast forward to 2020 and…wait for it…Mimi is back. Last week she opened a Saugatuck Grain & Grape pop-up location at 1460 Post Road East. You can still lean on her for that perfect red wine recommendation, but it’s different this time around. McLaughin says ”I am back because I came to a realization during quarantine, that what I really want to do, is support the local community, those who need it most.” She has put her money where her mouth is, as SG&G is giving 15% of ALL SALES to local charitable organizations.

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Barcelona Wine Bar Launches Wine Education Series in Partnership with Wine.com

Features WIne Wine Chat Wine Tasting This Week In Wine Education

CTbites Team

Barcelona Wine Bar is launching a new, complimentary wine education series in partnership with Wine.com to bring a taste of Spain home. The best news…after the class, you can buy the wines on Wine.com.

The first class, Iconic Red Wines of Spain will be released on April 28th, and will focus on Rioja, Bierzo, Ribera Del Duero, and Priorat wines. While there are specific wines that are available in a bundle on Wine.com for $89.99, Barcelona restaurants have an expansive range of wines from these regions and participants can call BWB to pick-up wine from one or all of these regions to taste along with the experts. The series was created for any Bierzo, Priorat, Rioja, or Ribera del Duero red wine to pair perfectly for the course.

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Barcelona Wine Bar Hosts "Women In Wine" Events Across CT

Features WIne Wine Dinners

Stephanie Webster

Barcelona Wine Bar is celebrating National Women’s Month with a wine focused series titled, “Women in Wine.” This uncorked event will feature 30 different wines from female wine-makers across Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Uruguay all paired with a chef-prepared culinary experience. They will host these events at all of their locations across CT. It is worth noting that these wines by women are always available at Barcelona but they wanted to take a moment to celebrate some badass women in the wine biz.

Tickets to each event are $55 and are available for purchase via Eventbrite (links below):

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Bar August: Chic, Romantique, et Delicieuse

Restaurant WIne Wine Bar New Haven Charcuterie Bar French Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

“It feels like we’re in the Village,” said my gal-pal who joined me for my much anticipated jaunt to Bar August in New Haven. We can’t always explain it, but most of us can conjure an image that falls in line with what “the Village” is? It’s small and cozy, brick and historic, refined but not over the top, with a dash of European flair. And, with the lively scene that New Haven has already, Bar August is just a primo location from the start. Built in people-watching from its side-street, almost corner digs, and a menu that will knock your socks off, Bar August  has IT.

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Taproot & Redding Roadhouse Owners Take Over The Holbrook Farm Business

Features CT Farms Farm Fresh Local Farm CSA Bethel Farm Stand

Maddie Phelps

More than 40 years ago, John and Lynn Holbrook purchased 12 acres of land in Bethel, Connecticut to open their very own family farm. With a mere 2 acres available for farming, the Holbrooks were tasked with maximizing space while remaining environmentally friendly. The rest is history.

While the Holbrooks still own the spectacular farmland, as of this past March, four new faces have joined the farming family. Jeff Taibe, Stephanie Sweeney, and Sean and Erin Reilly decided to tackle the business side of things when the previous tenant opted not to renew her lease. With Taibe and Sweeney owning their restaurant, Taproot, and the Reilly’s owning the Redding Roadhouse, the four decided to merge the Bethel and Redding communities with Holbrook Farm as their link.

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Don't Miss Chef Jeff Taibe's Monthly Bushido Pop-Up Dinner at Taproot in Bethel

Restaurant Bethel Japanese Organic Local Artisan Sushi Pop-Up Dinner Homepage

Andrew Dominick

When Jeff Taibe opened Taproot in the second half of 2017, our Amy Kundrat summed up this Fairfield County gem beautifully. “Creative, seasonal, down-to-Earth, and hyper-local” (because damn near every ingredient comes from Connecticut farms) are all words she used. That summation is dead-on accurate. 

And yeah, you should run there. I wish I listened to her closing sentence and didn’t wait so long for a stellar culinary experience. Bethel isn’t THAT far, and Taproot is worth the drive. When I did go, I deserved the ribbing. “Hey, man! It only took you a f*cking year to get here!” Taibe joked. 

From the shareable, addictive apps, to carefully crafted cocktails, and braised pork cheeks that flaked apart with a slight twist of my fork, it was my favorite meal in Connecticut in 2018. 

All of the above is a well-deserved shout-out, but I’m not giving you a Taproot update. I’m dishing on the restaurant’s one-Sunday-per-month mood swing called “Bushido.” 

Bushido, as you can probably surmise, is a Japanese pop-up concept. The birth of Bushido is a story in itself. 

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Union League Café Celebrates 25 Years in New Haven CT

Restaurant New Haven Lunch Brunch WIne French American Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Union League Café is frequently mentioned as one of Connecticut’s best restaurants. They’ve won multiple awards in various publications—in fact, it’s one of the more acclaimed places in the state—and they’ve been a New York Times darling three different times. Additionally, Union League’s chef/owner, Jean Pierre Vuillermet is recognized as a Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, translated, a Master Chef of France. Awards aside, Union League Café is set to celebrate what’s arguably its greatest achievement, their 25th anniversary. 

To celebrate this quarter century milestone, ULC is rolling out a handful of throwback dishes inspired by their first 25 years. All October long, diners will have the option to partake in a three-course, prix fixe tasting for $55 per person, or $79 if you’re down for carefully selected French wine pairings alongside your meal.

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Sandy Hook’s Nouveau Monde Wine Bar Has Paris-Bistro Feel

Restaurant Sandy Hook French Lunch WIne Wine Bar

Connecticut Magazine

Looking for French fare, with an exceptional wine list? Connecticut Magazine reviews Nouveau Monde Wine Bar in Sandy Hook, CT. 

At some point during your visit to Nouveau Monde Wine Bar, you will start to crave wine.

Maybe this craving will begin when you walk in and see the steampunk elegance of the main dining area, a space that feels equal parts bar, classic cafe, restaurant and offbeat library. Perhaps it will strike as you read the wine list itself, a thick document that goes on and on like a William Faulkner sentence punctuated by descriptions such as “spicy yet fruity, red wine drinkers’ rosé.” Maybe it will begin when your server asks, “What type of wine do you usually drink?” and you realize “IPAs” is not an acceptable response.

Or, at least, that’s what happened to me. 

This newfound appreciation of wine capped (or in this case, corked) a visit to the restaurant that, to put it in language a wine lover would understand, was a rich, full-bodied evening highlighted by notes of cellared ambiance, clean, bright food flavors that were anything but dry and a sweet, rich finish courtesy of a knockout dessert.

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Mecha & Mézon Launch Eat Justice Food Truck

Restaurant Food Truck Bethel Noodles Asian Breakfast Brunch American Latin American Catering Homepage Local Farm

Stephanie Webster

Mecha Noodle Bar & Mézon owners, Tony Pham and Richard Reyes, are excited to announce the launch of their new food truck, Eat Justice. The truck will open its window to the public on Friday, June 15th, at Holbrook Farm in Bethel. The Eat Justice food truck rolls into the CT food scene with some pre-existing street cred, and we're not just talking about our beloved noodle slurping shop founders. Beneath the new pink origami pig exterior resides the bones of the EGGZ food truck, purchased from Matt Stanziato. Lucky us, the truck will continue to feature EGGZ' killer breakfast sandwiches, but Pham and Reyes will expand the menu to include "Daily Inspirations" ranging from Banh Mi to a classic Cubano. Bonus... you don't need to hunt down the Eat Justice truck. It will reside at Holbrook Farm every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 8am-1pm, like clockwork. This is a great reason to head to Bethel. 

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Bethel’s Broken Symmetry Offers San Diego-Inspired Burritos in Brewery Setting

Restaurant Brewery Mexican Bethel Openings Beer CT Beer

Connecticut Magazine

We are happy to share this exciting burrito news from Connecticut Magazine.

The opening-night crowd filed into the postcard-worthy red building that was once a railroad station but had just officially become Broken Symmetry Gastro Brewery. Eight-hundred pints of beer were poured as people thronged around tables, overflowing into the aisles and then outside onto a patio area.

Many, like me, were intrigued that a new brewery had opened in the Greater Danbury area. But that wasn’t the only reason we left work early and endured long lines and unintentional, mosh pit-like jostling.

We were there for the burritos.

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Lebanese Market & Cuisine in Bethel: A One-of-a-Kind Find

Restaurant Bethel Middle Eastern Lunch Comfort Food Delicious Dives

Connecticut Magazine

Connecticut Magazine shares a unique Middle Eastern find in Bethel, Lebanese Market & Cuisine. 

Restaurants have so overused the word “fresh” when describing their ingredients that it has been stripped of most of its meaning. But when chef Hassan Bou Hodiv of Lebanese Cuisine in Bethel says he only uses “fresh” ingredients, he means it. Like, really means it.

The shelf life on the restaurant’s tabbouleh: 30 minutes.

“After a half-hour, it’s not good for a customer,” he says.

This is hard to believe, but take a bite of this tabbouleh filled with bright green parsley and mint, accented by finely chopped onions and tomato coated in olive oil and lemon juice, taste the way the flavor of each ingredient pops, crisp and clean, and your doubts will evaporate.

The tabbouleh is the best I’ve had and the other Middle Eastern cuisine offered at the restaurant — including addictive falafel sandwiches and shawarma — is as good as, and arguably better than, any you can get in New York City. Though it has little online presence, an unassuming location on Stony Hill Road in Bethel, and a name that lacks flair, Lebanese Cuisine is an elite restaurant.

It was opened five years ago by Sam Baddour. A few years ago, Baddour brought Hodiv onboard as chef and partner and says he told him, “It’s your restaurant. Do whatever you want.”

Hodiv transformed the spot, drawing on the culinary traditions taught to him as a child in Lebanon. “My grandmother, always she cooked. I helped her,” he says. He moved to the U.S. in 2004, and prior to his work at Lebanese Cuisine he ran Falafel House in West Haven.

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