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CTbites Invites: Happy Hour on the Kawa Ni Rooftop for $39

Restaurant CTbites Invites

ellen bowen July 06, 2016

Are you still kicking yourself for missing the CTbites Happy Hour on the Patio at Artisan last month? No worries… CTbites is excited to offer a second chance to celebrate Summer 2016, this time on the wonderful outdoor rooftop patio of Kawa Ni Westport on Wednesday July 13th from 5:30-7:30 pm ( Raindate Thursday July 14th ) Buy your tickets here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2566107

Overlooking the Saugatuck River, and watching the boats, kayaks and paddleboarders drift by is a special bonus to the evening which for $39 includes Chef Jeff Taibe's creative and delicious appetizers and two beverages of your choice. Enhancing the patio experience are two familiar faces, Carissa and Maddy, from The Stand Juice Bar. They bring with them both their sparkling personalities, as well as some of The Stands juices and a specialty cocktail blend called "Pick Your Poison", to enjoy while nibbling Kawa Ni's Izakaya appetizers like :

Pork Spring Rolls
Mini Tofu Pockets
Peekytoe Crab Rangoon
Ebi Sticks
Kani Salad
Broccoli Salad

CTbites Invites: Happy Hour on The Patio at Artisan for $39

Restaurant CTbites Invites Invites

CTbites Team May 19, 2016

For the third year in a row, CTbites has partnered with Chef Frederic Kieffer and Artisan at the Delamar Hotel Southport for an outdoor Happy Hour on their gorgeous patio and bar. Mark your calendars for Wednesday June 1^st 5:30-7:30, as we kick off “al fresco” dining with assorted appetizers and cocktails.

Priced at $39, the Happy Hour includes a specialty cocktail and a second cocktail or wine or beer. Buy your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2553071

Chef Frederic is preparing a number of signature appetizers both passed and buffet style to accompany a special summer cocktail created by the talented Artisan bartender team.

Menu Includes...

CTbites Invites: White Truffle Dinner at Da Pietro’s Restaurant December 10th

Restaurant CTbites Invites Dinner Events

CTbites Team December 06, 2015

CTbites Invites and Westport's own "celebrity chef" Pietro Scotti celebrate the final weeks of white truffle season with a special four course prix fix dinner for ONE NIGHT ONLY on THURSDAY DECEMBER 10 at 7:00 pm., specially priced at $150 pp. Purchase your tickets Here....

If you have never tasted this delicacy, this is your chance to savor the unique and special funghi foraged in the hills of Alba, Italy at a very special price.

Join Chef Pietro in his intimate and award winning restaurant, Da Pietro's, for four courses that include:

Speakeasy Night at Walrus+Carpenter: CTbites Invites Recap

Restaurant BBQ CTbites Invites Events

ellen bowen May 14, 2014

As the back door opened a crack, a tuxedoed man eyed me and said, “What’s the Password?”… “Bees' Knees” I hesitantly whispered, palms sweaty, and only then I was ushered into the Walrus + Carpenter back room “Speakeasy” for a Throwback Thursday CTbites Invites event on May 8, 2014, of Prohibition cocktails, silent films and the food and music of the Roaring 20’s.

Owner Joe Farrell and GM Adam Roytman were on hand to greet the 30 attendees of this sold out evening, most who chose to follow the Invites suggestion of dressing for the period…every where I looked were Al Capone look-alikes dressed in pinstripe suits and fedoras…Fancy “molls” in fringe dresses, sequined headbands, multiple strands of pearls and fur boas.

Recap: Happy Hours Cocktails Al Fresco @ Artisan, Southport

Restaurant CTbites Invites

sherri daley May 29, 2013

That “drink after work” thing is not really about a drink. It’s an escape from ennui, stale air, the copier just ran out of toner, we didn’t like the tone of that last email from our biggest client, and there’s a personal text message on our cell phone we’ve decided not to answer until later. Much later.

We claw our way out of the office, desperate for a breeze and a cocktail, and begin the search for an outside venue, of which there are precious few, and those include curbside seating on busy streets and tables in parking lots.

But Artisan in the Delamar Hotel in Southport opens their back doors onto an open-air bar and patio where, if you pretend a little bit, you can think you are in Europe.

The hotel itself provides privacy from traffic on three sides, and the tiny street that abuts the fourth is private. Bicycles are lined up in sturdy racks, rattan furniture and Adirondack chairs are scattered in conversational groupings, and flowers hang from trellises and bloom in pots and boxes; hence, the name: the Pergola, Patio, and Garden Bar.

Invites Recap: New Nordic Dinner at Chocopologie c/o Fritz Knipschildt

Restaurant CTbites Invites Events

ellen bowen April 26, 2013

So what happens when creative and innovative chefs are given the chance to create a special dinner inspired by their homeland, Denmark and The World’s Best Restaurant, NOMA of Copenhagen??

Well…a 10 Course “New Nordic” Dinner with Fritz Knipschildt of Chocopologie presented by CTbites Invites, turns into a true culinary happening. I lost count, but 10 courses turned into 16 courses, each paired with local wines from CT, Upstate NY and Long Island and beers from local breweries; Southport Brewing Company and City Steam of Stratford.

But first a little food history as Fritz explained the evening ahead. In November 2004, on the initiative of the Danish chefs René Redzepi and Claus Meyer of the then newly opened NOMA restaurant, chefs and food professionals from all the Nordic countries met in Copenhagen to discuss how best to develop what they called the "New Nordic Cuisine." In particular, they sought to emphasize the need for what they described as "purity, simplicity, and freshness" as well as increased use of seasonal foods. Restaurants were encouraged to develop traditional dishes making use of ingredients benefitting from the local region's climate, water, and soil.

As Fritz stressed, this cuisine was taking the farm-to table movement one step further, by foraging the earth for unique flavors and ingredients by using fresh herbs, moss, edible flowers and burnt hay to enhance the flavors of each dish.

Invites: Celebrate CT! An Evening of Craft Beer & BBQ @ Bar Q

Restaurant CTbites Invites

CTbites Team February 16, 2013

Join Bob Le Rose (of Bobby Q's) and CTbites for an evening celebrating "CT's Own!" Enjoy Craft beers from local CT breweries and 4 course dinner of CT BBQ as only BarQ can prepare it on Tuesday 2/26 7 to 9 pm for $40 per person. Buy tickets.

Taste and enjoy an authentic dinner of four courses of original CT BBQ, a dessert of Snickerdoodle Bacon Ice Cream Sandwich, all while washing it down with delicious beers from three local Connecticut micro-breweries, Half Full, City Steam and Two Roads Breweries.

Menu includes:

Invites: Hurricane Sandy Benefit Dinner @ Oaxaca Kitchen

Restaurant CTbites Invites Mexican

CTbites Team November 24, 2012

Join CTbites and Oaxaca Kitchen in Westport for a special evening on Thursday 11/29 7:30-9:30 to benefit Connecticut Food Bank for $55. A special 5 course menu presented personally by Chef Prasad Chirnomula includes signature OMG Margarita and Sangria & $20 of each ticket will be donated to Connecticut Food Bank's Hurricane Sandy Virtual Food Drive.

Chef Prasad will be on hand to explain the inspiration for both of his top rated restaurant concepts, Thali and Oaxaca. He will discuss his methedology and use of authentic spices as well as the similarities between his Mexican and Indian influences.

Napa & Co. CTbites Invites Recap...The Importance of Pairing

Restaurant CTbites Invites Events Stamford

Amy Kundrat October 17, 2012

Owner Mary Schaeffer, with new chef Leonardo Marino, guided thirty lucky diners on an evening of off-the-menu dishes and signature wine pairings for CTbites Invites latest event at Napa & Co. on September 27. An exceptional five-course seasonal pairings menu served to showcase the breadth of the restaurant's food and wine program, the new talent in the kitchen, and some of fall’s best seasonal flavors such as fig, squash and chestnut. Guests even got to take home a bottle of Toast, a sparkling white wine Napa & Co. commissioned for the restaurant.

Invites: 5 Course Latin American Wine Dinner @ Brasitas

Restaurant CTbites Invites Norwalk Latin American

CTbites Team October 13, 2012

Join BRASITAS owner, Jaime Guerrero and Norwalk manager, Fabio Rojas, for an all inclusive special dinner and wine pairing featuring Latin Fusion cuisine on October 23rd from 7:30-9:30 pm at Brasitas Norwalk. This event is $70. VIEW FULL MENU HERE.

Chef Parra will introduce each dish, while Fabio will expertly pair each course with wines from the extensive wine list at Brasitas, featuring wines from all over the world including Argentina, Chile and Spain.

CTbites Invites Fall 2012 Lineup

Restaurant CTbites Invites

ellen bowen September 07, 2012

CTbites Invites is back from summer break with an exciting lineup of insider culinary events and food experiences including Wine Dinners, Cooking Classes, and themed dining events at Napa & Co, Chocopologie, Brasitas, Bernard's, Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro, and SoNo Baking Company. Keep a eye out for these happening in the next few months.

For those not yet familiar with our Invites series, CTbites partners with chefs and restaurants all over Fairfielld County (and beyond) to bring our readers innovative culinary-minded events, with behind-the-scenes access and exclusive experiences on some of the most interesting culinary happenings in the region. This past year we hosted over 40 Invites with over 1000 “foodie” attendees! We believe life is too short for bad food.

Invites Recap: "Happy Hour" @ Dressing Room

Restaurant CTbites Invites Westport

Nic Barbera July 31, 2012

As you enter Dressing Room, it is the perfect combination of elegance and charm that attracts you. When you sit down, it is the warmth that settles you in. After you have eaten, it is the substance and quality that relaxes you into a food inspired ‘coma.’ Once you have left, it is the overall magnanimity of the Dressing Room restaurant that will entice you back.

Recently, CT Bites sponsored an event at the Dressing Room, known as “Happy Hour on the DR Patio.” The evening was used to promote that which head chef/owner Michel Nischan has set as his restaurants overarching ideal, comfort. From the specialty cocktails, to the stunningly made hors d’oeuvres, this is the type of happy hour that I would be a regular at.

Invite: 6 Course Italian Wine Dinner at Rizzuto's w/ Owner Bill Rizzuto

Restaurant CTbites Invites

CTbites Team June 10, 2012

Fresh from a research trip throughout the vineyards of the Italian countryside, Rizzuto's Restaurant and Bar owner Bill Rizzuto will host an all-inclusive 6-course Italian Wine Dinner on Monday, June 25 from 7 to 9 pm for $55 at Rizzutos's newest location in Stamford. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.

CTbites readers are invited to share in this playful multi-course Italian meal paired with wine varietals of the Donnachiara Winery in Avellino, Italy.

The 6-course menu begins with Rizzuto's signature antipasti reception. The following courses include a yellow fin tuna crudo, asparagus panna cotta with crispy fried rock shrimp and black truffle vinaigrette, followed by an artichoke confit ravioli, and a 24-hour braised lamb, fresh mint, English peas, and oven-roasted tomatoes. Finishing the savory with a main course of grilled veal sirloin, with sheep's milk ricotta roman "gnocchi," and braised cavolo nero with rosemary fig jus.

CTbites Invite: Blue Lemon Cooking Demo & Lunch Recap

Restaurant CTbites Invites Westport Lunch

Meaghan Morelli May 23, 2012

Blue Lemon chef Bryan Malcarney can clean, prep and sear a baby squid in just under 10 minutes, all while making small talk with a patio full of hungry diners. In fact, he makes it look pretty easy.

“That’s my job,” the affable chef joked to a lunch crowd last week at a cooking demo organized by CTBites. The lattice and flower enclosed patio was packed with avocational foodies who had jumped at the chance to learn from one of the area’s most established chefs through the CTBites Invites program, which has regular offerings to take people behind the scenes in some of Fairfield County’s most respected kitchens.

Cooking Demo & Lunch w/ Chef Malcarney of Blue Lemon

Restaurant CTbites Invites

CTbites Team April 27, 2012

Join CTbites & Blue Lemon chef/owner, Bryan Malcarney, for a cooking demo and lunch on the beautiful patio in Sconset Square, Westport. For easy scheduling, we've got two dates from which to choose; Thursday May 17 or Friday May 18 from 11:30- 1 pm. Reserve Your Seat Now.

This three course lunch will include:

Golden beet gazpacho; Chef Bryan's award winning grilled baby squid (complete with recipe demo) over arugula & endive salad with bleu cheese, celeriac, caramelized walnuts and cider vinaigrette...voted Best by Connecticut Magazine!

CTbites Invites: Coromandel Wine Dinner Recap

Restaurant CTbites Invites Norwalk Wine Dinners Indian

Andrew Dominick April 08, 2012

“The goal of this evening is so you will dare to order a glass of wine next time you dine at a restaurant.” Those were the words of Coromandel’s managing partner, chef, and jack of all trades, Gopi Nair at the latest CTBites Invites event where Indian cuisine was paired with wines from around the world.

But wine with Indian food? It is possible. Apparently wine was popular among Indians thousands of years ago but as time passed the country became integrated which resulted in wine becoming all but obsolete. Nair explained to the dining room of food fanatics that he did not grow up pairing wine with food but people should not stray from marrying the two. “You can come to an Indian restaurant and order wine,” Nair said. “You don’t have to order beer or a martini.”

Recap: Cooking Demo & Lunch w/ Barcelona's Chef Helton

Restaurant CTbites Invites

Meaghan Morelli March 05, 2012

Helton DaSilva knows how to work a room. The 26 year-old native of Brazil is currently the Executive Chef at Barcelona in Fairfield, but his talents expand beyond the kitchen. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of watching him in action, courtesy of CTBites Invites.

It was a chef demo and lunch, and the ladies who were lunching met Chef Helton’s enthusiasm and raised a flirt or two. “Are you married?” one woman ventured after the chef had introduced himself, much to the tittering pleasure of the crowd.

And this was before sangria was served.

The demo lunch was a mix of insider tips and delicious dishes with more than a dash of Chef Helton’s charm thrown in.

Coromandel Dinner, Wine Pairing & Culinary Education

Restaurant CTbites Invites Wine Dinners Indian

CTbites Team March 04, 2012

Join Coromandel SoNo's Gopi Nair for an exclusive dinner and wine pairing, hand crafted for CTbites Invites. Gopi will be our "gastronomic host" for a unique 3 course dinner on Thursday March 22 from 7-9:30 pm.

The evening will begin at the bar with appetizers and wine, followed by a sit down dinner with innovative and authentic Indian cuisine. Gopi will explain the preparation and history behind each dish and will select wines to enhance the meal's flavors and spices.

This CTbites Invites event is $65 per person and promises to leave you knowledgeable and appreciative of fine Indian cuisine and wine.

Find out more here.

Cooking Demo & Lunch w/ Barcelona's Chef Helton: $35

Restaurant CTbites Invites

CTbites Team February 02, 2012

Looking for some new cooking tips to expand your repertoire, or do you just love to eat? Join Executive Chef Helton DaSilva of Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar in Fairfield for a one hour cooking demonstration followed by a 3 course tasting lunch featuring: escarole with marinated white beans and sherry/bacon fat dressing, pan seared scallops with Meyer lemon sauce and applewood smoked bacon and roasted quail with arrope and figs.

Bring a friend and enjoy Barcelona's famed sangria while Chef Helton leads you through a taste of Spain.

Demo begins at 11:00 am followed by lunch at 12 Noon. CLICK HERE for more information.

Bobby Q's BBQ & Craft Beer Dinner Recap

Restaurant BBQ CTbites Invites Westport

James Gribbon January 21, 2012

BBQ has achieved cult status in America. Like any fervent belief, splinter factions have arisen. Most people think of the tomato-based variety found in Kansas City and the deep south as "BBQ sauce," but adherents to the Memphis dry-rub sect or acolytes of the vinegar or mustard based churches of North and South Carolina will defend their take on slow smoked spirituality with manic passion. These churches and their branch faiths march under myriad banners, but they can all sit together at the same table and play nice under any tent serving beer. "Harmonious variety" would be an apt descriptor for the latest CTBites Invites event on Jan 12 at Bobby Q's in Westport.

Bobby Q's Barbeque & Grill is the creation of owner Bob LeRose, who partnered with Greg Zanella of Northeast Beverage Corp., one of the area's largest microbrew distributors to enhance four courses of beautifully prepared BBQ dishes and a final chocolate course with expertly paired craft brews.