Have a conversation with Seleste Tan for just a few minutes and the word that comes to mind is “humble.” Tan’s bakery, Lady Wong Patisserie, with two locations in New York City, speaks about it like she never expected it to be the megahit that it is. “I did it for a hobby during the pandemic and I never thought it would be big,” she says shyly. Her confections, inspired by flavors from her home country of Singapore, and travels throughout Southeast Asia, are her muse. And that hobby? It turned into national coverage in all the big food publications and then some.
It’s been a year since Max Hospitality officially took over the bar at Hartford’s Goodwin Hotel, but after a two-month renovation period in the fall, Bar Max now boasts a fresh look with a brand-new menu.
The Hartford-based restaurant group, with multiple eateries throughout Hartford County and western Massachusetts, expanded its territory in the capital city by partnering with the Goodwin Hotel in early 2024. Restaurateur Tyler Anderson, who had previously operated Terreno Restaurant and Bar Piña in the space, closed his concepts there as he moved on to new projects, including a culinary director role at Ore Hill & Swyft in Kent.
It was a natural fit, as the boutique hotel is right next door to its flagship Max Downtown, said Steven Abrams, Max Hospitality’s vice president, who is a partner in Max Downtown and the group’s other city restaurant, Max’s Trumbull Kitchen. But the owners decided not to launch another restaurant out of the Terreno space.
Veteran restaurateur Jody Pennette is no stranger to opening restaurants and bars all over the world, but his latest, Music & Industry in South Norwalk is different from the rest. This one, you see, is his, and his alone. “This is the 505th one I’ve opened, and it’s the only one I own,” he says. “I’m like a songwriter versus being a singer—I’m creating things for other people to perform. I size them up to see what I can do for them and try to deliver something that’s going to be a market worthy story.”
The former ON20 Restaurant, known for its soaring views of the Connecticut River and other area landmarks, has been fully renovated and reimagined, with even more stunning panoramic vistas of the capital city. The industrial-chic interior has an expansive bar, an open kitchen with gleaming stainless-steel appliances, private dining spaces and jaw-dropping glimpses of the sky from nearly every vantage point.
ON20, a celebrated white tablecloth establishment for many years, closed during the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020, but two years ago, Hartford Steam Boiler’s leadership began reaching out to key people to start conversations about reopening the restaurant.
Fire by Forge is a Pan-American inspired restaurant that opened in spring of 2023 and has been receiving accolades ever since. Flavors, ingredients, cooking techniques, and even the wines and spirits are drawn from across the Americas, with a strong lean toward what is local, sustainable, and fresh.
Forge City Works serves the community but also provides hands-on job training in customer service, hospitality, and culinary arts for people who have barriers to employment.
From a cantina to a brasserie. From Mexican to French-ish. But for Colt Taylor, the idea of his space on Branford’s N Main Street is for it to stay as a neighborhood spot. With that said, Taylor’s Los Charros Cantina is out as of August 31 and he immediately got to work on bringing a version of his acclaimed Old Saybrook restaurant, The Essex, a bit further south. At The Essex Brasserie, Taylor’s idea is a super casual, come as you are spot, that’s not only allowed him and his staff to streamline their thought process every day by not doing two very different menus and styles of food, it’s also to give his customers something they’ve been asking for.
Now almost three years old, Michelle Greenfield’s Allium Eatery started out, as she puts it, “small.” Her restaurant, inside, is also small. Put a dozen people in there and it feels full. When the weather cooperates, Allium can take some walk ins for patio dining, otherwise you have a choice between either the 5:30 seating or the 7:30. n this case of “small,” small is good, and Greenfield’s restaurant is one of the hottest tickets in town.
No website, just social media, and they’re more active on Instagram, FYI. And chances are, when a table does wiggle free from a prior reservation on busier nights, it’s a given that someone will see their Instagram story announcement and snatch it right up.
This past Summer, a quiet transition began to take place at 975 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. The much adored Arethusa was closing its doors making way for a new French country-style restaurant. This wasn’t exactly a case of “in with the new and out with the old,” because although the name on building has changed, Le Mazet has very much incorporated the Arethusa into the fold.
It’s still quite a challenge to get a dinner reservation at Le Mazet, and we felt incredibly lucky to score a 5PM seating last week. As soon as we sat down, after taking in the stunning décor, we got right to work scouring the menu.
Owner Jared Cohen joined us briefly to talk about this new venture. Formerly with Republic, Cohen took a little time off to regroup and redirect his focus when he got together with his good friend Jacob Studenroth, owner of The Wise of Dog, a local liquor store. The idea for Le Mazet was born; a French country restaurant featuring “La Conserve” (Conserva) and Rotisserie. Studenroth helped shape the restaurant’s vision and was also brought on board to curate the wine program. Something was still missing – every restaurant needs a chef. Joe Cusano, a young and very talented chef was the last piece of the puzzle. Cusano, a graduate of Johnson & Whales and trained in classic French Cuisine, was brought on to join the team. Most recently he was Chef de Cuisine at the Max Restaurant Group where he had been for 10 years.
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.
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.
The iconic Greenwich restaurant known for its exceptional cuisine and timeless charm, is commemorating its 20th Anniversary this year, marking two decades of culinary excellence and cherished memories.
Located at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel and founded in 2003, L’escale boasts an award-winning menu and extraordinary wine program. The restaurant’s stunning setting, décor and cuisine instantly transport you to the Cote d’Azur, if only temporarily (and without the need to step on a plane!) The picturesque setting conjures images of an Auguste Renoir painting of diners lunching au dehors,en plain air, and Edith Piaf serenading in the distance. The restaurant sits above the docks on the harbor with the stunning picnic boats and yachts below. L’escale represents a quiet, understated luxury, and whether it’s caviar or a juicy burger you’re craving, you’ll find these items and many more on the menu.
Parkville Market, a hub of international cuisine, has graced Hartford with four new vendors. Taiwan Night Market, the Taste of Portugal and KOJI2GO have opened, and we hear that Flor do Mar has launched since we visited with a completely gluten free menu, each adding new, exciting, flavorful dishes to an already highly tasty market.
Parkville opened during the height of the pandemic in May of 2020, starting with only five vendors, all take-out. Now, three years later, the market is vibrant.
“Now being at 21 vendors we’ve really rounded out the different, uniqueness to the food that we offer,” Matt Sousa, Vice President of Operations at Parkville said. “If we’re lacking something then we go out and try to find whatever it is.”
There’s a lot to celebrate at Rive Bistro in Westport. Owner Eric Sierra is thrilled to be celebrating the restaurant’s 10th Anniversary. In addition to this great achievement, Sierra who is stepping away from the kitchen recently brought Chef Roland Olah on to take the helm. After having won a green card in the lottery, Olah left his homeland of Hungary in 2009, along with his position of Executive Chef at the renown Café Erté, to take a chance and pursue a dream in the states. Knowing that he could always return home, he and his wife along with their then young daughter began anew in New York City under the tutelage of Chef Daniel Boulud. Olah would then move to Connecticut to plant some roots. He served as Executive Chef at Martel in Fairfield as well as the now shuttered and well received Brasserie Bruxelles in SONO.
Ridgefield’s West Lane is about to look a whole lot different after the transformation of Bernard’s Restaurant and Sarah’s Wine Bar to The Benjamin, brought to you by a trio of well-known Norwalk restaurateurs in Dave Studwell and Rob Moss of Washington Prime and B.J. Lawless of BJ Ryan’s Restaurant Group.
Brasserie St. Germain opened quietly though to much fanfare this past week. Named after St Germain des Pres, the quaint Parisian neighborhood, in the 6th arrondissement. Owners Frank Bonnaudet and Virginie Kharouby are no strangers to the Ridgefield restaurant scene. After nearly 10 years, the owners of the former Sucre Sale decided to shut down the smaller, casual eatery to make way for this newer, slightly more formal concept with its larger menu and more expansive dining areas.
Brasserie St. Germain is an ode to Paris, from the décor – with hand-painted murals in the main dining and bar area that are bright and lively, to the more formal, high end dining area in the back. The restaurant seats between 75-80 people, and judging by what we saw, the space will fill very quickly. Former Sucre Sale diners have been eagerly anticipating this opening. The cozy ambiance suggests a relaxed dining experience, diners will not be rushed.
The Hartford Yard Goats baseball season begins Thursday, April 6, 2023, with the first pitch against the Bowie Baysox scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but all who partake in the experience at Dunkin’ Park – as the stadium has been recently renamed – know that watching the game is just one element of the overall experience.
For West Hartford residents and others from throughout the area who enjoy the Yard Goats, a night at the Dunk includes a chance to sample some unique and perhaps not-all-that-healthy food items. And while this year’s menu of offerings is a bit less “extreme” than it has been in other years, there are many delicious must-try items.
“It’s definitely one of the more exciting years for food here at Dunkin’ Park,”
said Yard Goats President Tim Restall, who has a food and beverage background and looks forward to the annual reveal of the menu created by chef Joe Bartlett and his team.
“We’ve kind of drawn away from the crazy, crazy foods,” Bartlett said a sneak peek showcase event for reporters Monday. “We wanted to draw back to the ‘classic ballpark.'”
Chef Tyler Anderson and Hands On Hartford have launched a remarkable new restaurant concept just in time to dine out and give back this holiday season. Gather55 restaurant opened this Fall in Hartford with a monthly rotation of guest chefs who will serve up a “by-reservation-only” $42 prix fixe menu. Chef Tyler Anderson, who is handling the Chef programming kicked things off, followed by Chef Billy Grant of Restaurant Bricco in December, and then Emily Mingrone of Tavern on State in January. Each evening, approximately 20% of the tables are reserved for diners who can’t pay the full price. The goal is to create a place where everyone can celebrate and enjoy a delicious meal in a comfortable and caring environment.
Several months ago, I’m certain my reaction to my dear friend, Katy, mentioning RSVP was something like, “Yeah. That means respond.” If we’re being technical, it’s actually “répondez s'il vous plait” or translated from French to English, “respond, if you please.”
Until Katy finished her thought by telling me that RSVP a French restaurant in Litchfield County that she heard about from one of her friends who’s a bartender. “He raves about it,” she said.
As is always the case, time passed. We kind of forgot about RSVP and barely looked into it for weeks, even months. Only occasionally we’d briefly bring it up, referring it as “THAT French place in Cornwall.”
Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, Cora Cora Peruvian Restaurant and the Ludena family that own it, are finally getting the recognition they deserve. All of their hard work and dedication to serving traditional, authentic Peruvian food handed down through family recipes has helped not only them, but Connecticut also, gain recognition on the national food scene with not one, but two nominations by the James Beard Foundation. First for Outstanding Restaurant, and second for Best Chef: Northeast.
If you live in Connecticut, you may recognize Matthew Kirshner. He is the pastry chef, bread baker, and owner of the popular Sandy Hook newcomer, Uncle Matt’s Bakery and Café, but he has spent time baking in our fair state for over 20 years. Kirshner has graced the kitchens of The Roger Sherman Inn, Wave Hill Breads, Bantam Bread Company, and even the Russian Tea Room in NYC. (Side note: Wave Hill and Bantam were just awarded “Best Bread in CT” by Food & Wine). But in June of 2021, after years of being covered in flour in other people’s kitchens, Matt decided it was time to get dirty in his own. Thus, one of Sandy Hook’s most beloved spots, Uncle Matt’s Bakery, was born, serving breakfast, lunch, as well as a wide array of outrageously good pastries, and artisan bread.
