ÔToulouse: Beautiful French Cuisine In Branford Restaurant Branford French Seasonal Opening Fine Dining Homepage Jessica Ryan August 21, 2023 What if I told you that there’s a French restaurant in Connecticut that’s exceptional but you likely haven’t heard of it? You won’t find it in Litchfield, Hartford or Fairfield Counties. You will find it in a coastal town in New Haven County. It’s not the Union League Café in New Haven nor is it Bar Bouchée in Madison. The two restaurants have something in common though, and that is Chef Christophe Santos who opened ÔToulouse with his wife Rachelle in Branford last October. Chef Christophe grew up in a family where food was the essence of life and many of his fondest memories came from family gatherings surrounded by food and love. By the tender age of 16 he had already started cooking at various local restaurants near his hometown of Villemur sur Tarn which is near Toulouse. Chef then headed off to work with celebrated Michelin-starred chefs including Jacques Chibois, Alain Ducasse and Johan Leclerre so that he could perfect his culinary skills. Read More
Restaurant L’Ostal Debuts New Bar-Only L’apero Menu Features Interview Restaurant Darien Happy Hour Cocktails Burger French Homepage Andrew Dominick July 21, 2023 Evolution is part of the progression of any restaurant, even one as damn good as Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien.Should you need a crash course in L’Ostal’s Provençal cuisine and on chef-owner and 2022 CRAZies “Chef of the Year” nominee, Jared Sippel, we covered all of that HERE a little more than a few years ago. Read More
See More of Seamore’s! The NYC Based Seafood Joint Opens in Darien Features Restaurant Seasonal Seamore's Darien Seamore's Seafood Darien Homepage Sustainable Openings Andrew Dominick June 26, 2023
Name L’Ostal’s Boozy Happy Hour “Milkshake” and Win Their Limited Burger + Shake Combo Restaurant Contest Happy Hour Milkshake Cocktails Burger Darien Andrew Dominick June 26, 2023 Hey, readers! We’ve got a fun, tasty treat for you if you win this one!We’ve teamed up with one of our favorites, Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien, as they’ve just launched their Tuesday through Friday L’apero menu that’s only available for an hour each of those weekdays. Read More
NYC's Fast Casual NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill Brings Middle Eastern Cuisine to Darien Restaurant Darien Fast Casual Opening Middle Eastern CTbites Team June 12, 2023 In just a few short weeks, the Fairfield County dining scene will welcome NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill opens its doors on June 23rd in Darien, CT. Originating from the heart of New York City, NAYA has gained widespread acclaim for its Middle Eastern flavors. Renowned for drawing long lines during the bustling lunch hour in NYC, NAYA is now set to captivate the vibrant community of Darien, nestled within the lively Darien Commons at 146 Heights Road, Darien, CT 06820. With a commitment to delivering an unparalleled fast casual dining experience, perfected in the Big Apple, NAYA is poised to serve the Fairfield County community. Read More
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. Read More
Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal Features Q & A Interview Celebrity Chef Awards Darien Christopher Hodson November 09, 2022 Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for 2022’s CRAZIES AWARDS “BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR” in this 5 part series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien, CT. Read More
Chef David DiStasi Opens MATERIA Ristorante in Bantam, CT's New Culinary Treasure Restaurant Litchfield Bantam Openings Italian Pasta Fine Dining Chef's Tasting Homepage Jessica Ryan September 24, 2022 Last spring, Materia Ristorante, a most enchanting restaurant nestled in the bucolic town of Bantam in the Litchfield Hills, quietly opened its doors. Like descending upon a picturesque Tuscan villa, entering the scene at Materia is truly an experience from the moment you pull into the driveway. Do allow yourselves to take a moment or two to admire the magnificent setting. The expansive land behind the restaurant, the sights and sounds of the river flowing past all set the stage for what’s to come. You know something spectacular is about to happen. Read More
Flour Water Salt X Karla's Kreamery Bomboloni Ice Cream Sandwich Pop-Up Sept 24th Features Events Dessert Ice Cream Doughnuts Darien Pop-Up Stephanie Webster August 30, 2022 Big news for doughnut ice cream sandwich lovers everywhere. On September 24th, starting at 11:30 AM (and I’d get there nice and early as these will sell out quickly), Karla Sorrentino of Karla’s Kreamery and Rob Vankeuren of Flour Water Salt Bread will come together for a few hours to create some cream sandwich magic. The uniquely delicious Flour Water Salt bomboloni (Italian style doughnut) will have a chance to get intimate with Chef Karla’s new micro batch ice cream. These are two “best in class” desserts so get excited.This unique culinary opportunity will go down at Flour Water Salt located at 20 Grove Street in Darien. While the shop will hold normal hours that day, the ice cream sandwiches won’t get started until 11:30 AM. While both businesses generally take pre-orders, there will be no ordering in advance for this collaboration. Karla and Rob will be assembling sandwiches to order, and expect to simply wait in line for your sweet reward. Read More
Más Tacos Por Favor! La Taqueria Expands to Darien Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Margaritas Mexican Fast Casual Openings Darien Homepage Andrew Dominick August 28, 2022 A little more than two years ago, Dennis Lake opened his fast casual, but gourmet approach to a taqueria right at the top of Greenwich Avenue. Now he’s taken his homemade blue corn tortilla tacos, Mexican side dishes, and margaritas to Darien’s The Corbin District with a second location of La Taqueria.But don’t call it a franchise. Maybe don’t even ask him if that’s the plan, even if it does lend extremely well to damn near every city and town. Instead, Lake would likely prefer you call it a well thought out expansion. Read More
Brian Lewis Opens Second Location of The Cottage in Greenwich Features Interview Restaurant Greenwich Homepage Brian Lewis Openings American Fine Dining Cocktails Andrew Dominick June 05, 2022 Brian Lewis officially has two pair. It’s generally a foldable poker hand, but when it comes to his successful restaurants OKO and The Cottage, that’s a very good thing for the rest of us.The opening of a second location of The Cottage gives Lewis his fourth. OKO times two in Westport and Rye, plus his flagship of The Cottage in Westport.But an exact facsimile of Westport it is not.First off, it looks different. Grayish tan wooden tables and chairs, hues of power blue, wooden beams, and beachy décor are reminiscent of relaxed Cape Cod vibes. It’s also bigger. The dining room, the bar, the kitchen are all more spacious than Westport. Read More
Cugine's Italian Opening in Stamford From Restaurateurs John & Morgan Nealon Restaurant Features Stamford Openings Italian Cocktails Pasta Fine Dining Homepage Stephanie Webster May 10, 2022 Stamford restaurateurs John and Morgan Nealon today announced the opening of Cugine’s Italian in Stamford’s Harbor Point community at 121 Towne Street. The restaurant, expected to open later this Spring, will feature alluring, well-plated Italian cuisine, coupled with refined cocktails and a robust wine list.“Our goal with Cugine’s is to offer not only Harbor Point, but Fairfield County as a whole, an entirely new Italian dining experience,” said John Nealon. “This sophisticated restaurant will invite our guests to take a step back in time and dine in the era of Frank Sinatra, with dark interiors and furniture, beautiful soft mood lighting, a period playlist and classic Italian cuisine.” Read More
Swyft Revisited: Tavern Fare, Fine Dining, and What's Up with Ore Hill Features Interview Restaurant Swyft Kent Swyft Kent Pizza burgers Homepage Fine Dining Ore Hill Andrew Dominick April 29, 2022 So much has changed since we last covered Swyft’s modern tavern concept located on Kent’s main drag.Like most restaurants, Swyft had to deal with pandemic restrictions. But unlike most restaurants, they had to get up off the mat three more times. Lauded chef and partner Joel Viehland parted ways with Swyft around the time COVID shutdowns hit Connecticut.Mere weeks after Viehland’s exit, Swyft’s owner, philanthropist Anne Bass, sadly passed away on April 1, 2020, after a battle with ovarian cancer.And if that wasn’t enough, dynamo pastry chef Anthony D’Amelio went off to pursue other goals sometime last year.We know, that’s a lot to take in.According to Allison Mitchell—who’s essentially Swyft’s Swiss Army Knife as she handles social media, does photography, coordinates events, waits tables, bartends, and somehow fits in marketing duties—Swyft went through a “huge overhaul.” Read More
Pho Fans Opens In Darien with Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant Vietnamese Darien Take Out Lunch Kid Friendly Asian Noodle Soup Pho Sandwich Homepage Jessica Ryan March 30, 2022 Pho Fans, Darien’s newest eatery is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant which opened just a couple of months ago and has already created quite the reputation for itself. The name suits this restaurant well – as those who enter will all quickly become fans! The Connecticut location is the second of the same name; the first is located in Huntington, NY. Vietnamese food is known to be one of the healthiest cuisines with minimal use of oils and dairy. As a result, flavors are light, fresh and balanced. Pho Fan relies on generations-old family recipes that translate well to the modern, health-inspired American palate. Their focus is on health and nutrition while delivering delicious food. You won’t find anything artificial or any additives whatsoever in their food. Read More
Gabriele’s: Old School Italian Steakhouse Opens in Westport Restaurant Steakhouse Steak Westport Fine Dining Pasta Italian Dessert Wine Bar Jessica Ryan January 01, 2022 Located in the space that was originally The Dressing Room next to the Westport Country Playhouse at 27 Powers Court, Gabriele’s opened its doors this winter. Gone are the traces of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Save for the fireplace, the space has been completely transformed. The former rustic vibe has been replaced by plush banquette seating, white linen tables, dramatic chandelier lighting, and beautiful woodwork evokes a classic steakhouse vibe, but the newly light and airy atmosphere offers a modern touch. Read More
Experience Restaurant L’Ostal's Spectacular Summer Menu Restaurant Darien French Menu Update Fine Dining Wine Bar Homepage Jessica Ryan August 03, 2021 Last month Restaurant L’Ostal’s Chef Jared invited us back to sample the new summer flavors. His menu changes regularly to keep things interesting but remains concise, keeping options to a minimum. There’s enough of a selection to please the palate yet not too much as to overwhelm. This of course is intentional; there’s just one chef in the kitchen and he wants perfection. And perfection is what you will get.I’d like to say that L’Ostal is for the adventurous, inquisitive, and those familiar with the flavors from the Pyrenees to Provence, or would like to become so. So if Steak Frîtes or French Onion Soup is what you're after, you’ll have to look elsewhere – at least during the warmer months which beckon flavors that are vibrant, green and fresh. What you will find here, at L’Ostal, are some of the best damned Escargots and Oeuf Mayonnaise made with Provencal mustard, pickles, onion and croutons. (I wrote about those from our last visit here.) Read More
Introducing The Charles Underground: Darien Butcher Shop's After Hours French Alter Ego Features Restaurant Darien Darien Butcher Shop Underground Dinner French Homepage Andrew Dominick August 01, 2021 It’s past 6 p.m. The Darien Butcher Shop is closed. You cruise by and you see people inside. Some are standing, others are sitting at community tables, and they’re all probably enjoying a glass of vino while they chat, laugh, and catch up.You can’t walk in for a slab of bacon or a thick, bone-in ribeye, so what’s actually happening?Four days per week, Peter Crawford transforms his business into The Charles Underground, a French-inspired eatery, and the shop’s after-hours alter ego.The Charles is where Crawford, a former New England Culinary Institute graduate who has worked with Charlie Palmer, Jean-Georges, Neil Gallagher, and Terrence Brennen, gets to step back into his passion as a classically trained French chef.Foie gras and dry-aged steak? Sure. Homemade boudin blanc sausage with Robuchon potatoes, and morel mushroom sauce? They have done that, too.Lending a helping hand in the front of the house is someone you might recognize from his time at Kawa Ni. Anthony Rinaldi acts as a restaurant jack-of-all-trades at The Charles, whether he’s waiting and bussing tables or assisting in the kitchen with cooking and occasionally washing dishes. Read More
Tim LaBant’s Parlor Sequel Opens in Darien Features Restaurant Pizza Darien Cocktails WIne Salads Openings Homepage Andrew Dominick May 17, 2021 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. Read More
Restaurant L'Ostal Opens in Darien with Beautiful Provençal Cuisine Restaurant Darien Openings French Italian Spanish Provencal Fine Dining Tapas Homepage Jessica Ryan April 18, 2021 Darien finally gets a serious contender in upscale dining, bringing New York City excellence to the area without the city prices. Rooted in history and steeped in tradition, Restaurant L’Ostal celebrates the cuisines of Southern France and its neighboring communities from Catalonia, the Languedoc, Provence and the Alps of the Piemonte region of Italy with precision and accuracy.Before I share my own culinary experience, you must meet Chef Jared Sippel and General Manager and Sommelier Joe Cracco. Read More
Sail Away at The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic with Chef David Standridge Restaurant Mystic Brunch Seafood Fine Dining Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe March 31, 2021 From what was once considered the most dangerous water park--Action Park in Vernon, NJ--to a waterway that is far less risky, way more inviting, and definitely has a more delicious restaurant, Chef Standridge knows a thing or two about pivoting throughout his career. His dossier is full and eclectic, with a range of bartending and cooking experiences in New Jersey, Manhattan, Houston, and back to New York City working with the legendary Joël Robuchon, and earning two Michelin stars.Like the Seinfeld show leaving on a high note, Standridge left the masses in New York and settled in the historic, tourist town of Mystic with his family two years ago. And, as he and his wife were starting a family, the timing just felt right. The ball was rolling to open The Shipwright’s Daughter in the stunning, newly revamped hotel The Whaler’s Inn at the top of last spring, then boom, you guessed it: Pandemic. So, having to pivot even before starting, his ingenuity was put to the test. And yet now, after watching him for the better part of two days, I’m not surprised he did it. Frankly, he didn’t just do it and make it work; the restaurant is booming and is OUTSTANDING. From the ambiance and an inventive menu, to stellar service and a collaborative sensibility, this restaurant, this chef, this place, must be on every list of To Dos for Mystic, for dining, and for Connecticut. Read More
