Dante's Pizza in New Canaan: Finally Entering the Inferno Features Interview Restaurant Pizza New Canaan Dante's Pizza Andrew Dominick November 24, 2022 On several occasions, chef Tim LaBant has suggested we check out Dante’s Pizza in New Canaan.“Have you been to Dante’s?”“Have you been to Dante’s yet?”“You gotta try Dante’s. I’d be curious to see what you think.”Before he mentioned it to me a year ago, I hadn’t even heard of Dante’s. I live pretty close to New Canaan, and what’s worse is I frequently visit my favorites there, namely the South Ends, Elm, Locali, and I’ve eaten an obscene amount of Joe’s Pizza. Read More
Nomade Opens in Westport Restaurant Westport Openings Global Cuisine American Cocktails Homepage Jessica Ryan September 04, 2022 With hints from St. Tropez, Ibiza, Cancun and Morocco, it’s hard to pinpoint any one particular region of influence. The vibe here is stunning, almost exotic, upscale yet casual, offering a diners an experience that is very much meant to be shared.I recently spoke with Patrick Jean, Nomade’s co-owner and General Manager – also former owner of the much loved St. Tropez in Fairfield, the now shuttered Pearl at Longshore and Forza, as well as Rive Bistro and Hudson Malone – knew exactly how he wanted to transform the former Tavern on Main space which although cozy, felt dark and cavernous. His vision was to create a place where people would feel as though they were visiting someplace extraordinary and welcoming.While the menu options seem to lean in favor of fish and seafood, there are plenty of animal protein options. I had the privilege of visiting the restaurant twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, thus enabling me to try a variety of dishes. The menu, globally inspired, boasts flavors from the Pacific Rim, Mediterranean basin and areas in between.With all that I tried I found the following to be worth writing home about. Read More
Q&A with Chef Luke Venner of Elm Restaurant, Celebrating 10 Years Features Interview Q & A New Canaan Chef Talk Stephanie Webster April 13, 2022 As Elm Restaurant successfully slides into their 10th year in New Canaan, we sat down with Chef Luke Venner to discuss this impressive milestone in a challenging industry. Elm is known for its friendly, local atmosphere, globally-inspired menu, and focus on fresh ingredients. Venner always has something new up his sleeve to keep diners engaged. Aside from seasonal menu updates, he introduced afternoon tea service in 2021, and navigated the pandemic with innovative to-go boxes. Side note: If you haven’t had his “Animal Style Burger,” you’re really missing out. Here are a few things you may not know about one of CT’s top chefs.What made you want to be a chef?It was somewhat accidental. I started working in a Steakhouse kitchen my freshman year in high school to earn extra cash for gas, the cool shoes, music, etc.. I began washing dishes and before long decided to quit sports to work full time after class. I quickly became one of the top cooks and by my senior year in high school I graduated as the sous chef at only 18 years old.Prior to that, I had always thought I wanted to do something in the biology field and drew most of my inspiration from the outdoors. Back then, food still didn't have much presence on television and I had never picked up a cookbook, but I was drawn to the restaurant energy and I was sure much better ones than I had experienced existed. Ultimately, competitive drive got the best of me and I decided I would push myself as far as I could go in the business I was already in. I applied to a small European style apprenticeship program in Colorado 600 miles from my hometown and, much to my surprise, was accepted. I immediately began training for the next four years under an old world French chef and my life would change forever. Read More
The Port of Call Cocktail Lounge Opens in Mystic with Globally Inspired Menu Restaurant Openings Mystic Cocktails Bar Bar Menu Global Cuisine Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe April 01, 2022 How does Mystic do it? In such a small area, there’s a steady stream of creativity and passion, delectable food, and now, with The Port of Call, there’s a reason it has become my home away from home.Dripping with history, the new two-in-one stop, is a complete experience. With a friendly Welcome from manager Nancy Hankins, your eyes, mind, and belly (not necessarily in that order), will be lit up and spun into a whir of pleasure when learning about the location’s past, the collaborations forged, not to mention the top notch drink and food offerings. Notice, I said drink then food….The “Million Miles” Bar is front and center as you walk through the stately, yet otherwise, unassuming exterior. That’s because the drinks, or shall I say beverage program, is the first star on stage. Although we often enter a restaurant hungry, we are being not-so gently, happily hypnotized first by the drinks that will then be paired by knock-out plates honoring global ports. We’ve been conditioned to think about the food before deciding what drink to pair with it; The Port of Call is asking us to think in reverse: “Wet” your palates first, sailors. Helmed by Jade Ayala (who also rocks the booze next door at Oyster Club) and Sebastian Guerrero (of NYC’s Dante and Mother of Pearl), your drink will come with a “generous pour,” as my feller put it, and a side tale about the area’s notorious seafaring past. Read More
Grace Farms New Canaan Launches 100% Fair Trade Organic Tea, Coffee & Cookie Line Features Tea And Coffee New Canaan Lunch Gift Guide Jessica Ryan November 03, 2021 When was the last time you visited Grace Farms? The stunning 80-acre space in New Canaan, Connecticut that supports initiatives in the areas of nature, arts, justice, community, and faith, and encourages participation locally and globally is a treasure to visit. Pritzker Prize-winning River building, is the focal point, having become an integral part of the landscape. Designed to resemble a rambling river, five transparent glass-enclosed buildings that each live beneath one flowing roof. Here you will find The Sanctuary, a 700-seat amphitheater; the library, a staffed library with resources related Grace Farms Foundation's initiatives; the Commons, a community gathering space with 18-foot-long tables; the Pavilion; a welcome reception and conversation space with tea service; and the Court, an incredible underground recreational space used by local children and schools. Wander around the 80 acres of open meadows, woods, wetlands, and ponds and soak up all the breathtaking scenery.In 2021 Grace Farms Foods was launched by Grace Farm’s Founder Sharon Prince along with Adam Thatcher to share with the world and invite everyone to be part of their mission by offering our signature cookies, coffee, and tea. Read More
Black Rock Social House Opens in Bridgeport with Globally Inspired 100% Gluten-Free Menu Restaurant Black Rock Bridgeport Gluten-Free Allergy Friendly Celiac Friendly Global Cuisine Italian Mediterranean homepage Homepage Jessica Ryan May 28, 2021
Afternoon Tea Service Arrives at Elm in New Canaan Features Restaurant Afternoon Tea New Canaan Pastries Tea Homepage Andrew Dominick May 02, 2021 If we lived in 1840’s England, most of us in middle class and below wouldn’t be allowed to have afternoon tea. Now that we’re past the 19th Century—and living in America in the joyous years of 2020 and 2021—tea, tiny sandwiches, and snackable sweets before dinner is for all to enjoy, regardless of status.Afternoon tea in present day Connecticut can be found, though places that offer it are few and far between, but there’s a new one going down on Fridays by Luke Venner at Elm in New Canaan.Venner told us that the idea for tea and bites came about when he was reminiscing with colleagues about their days in Manhattan and wanting to offer a New York City experience for locals. “It’s good for a neighborhood place like Elm because people aren’t going into the city as much as they used to,” he says. “But city people are coming here, so why not try to recreate that?”What Elm is doing is all kinda classic of a tea service but with Elm’s twist on it.Expect to see mini cucumber sandwiches…but with caviar. A ham and cheese sammy follows the fancy trend as it’s topped with a sliver of black truffle. And there’s a foie gras macaron. You get the idea.Venner mentioned that he drew inspiration from Gabriel Kreuther’s tea program at the Baccarat Hotel.“He was the former chef at The Modern and that (afternoon tea at the Baccarat) was one of the best I’ve had,” he says. “Offering this has become such a fun, creative outlet for me.” Read More
Greenology Kitchen, Plant Based Eatery, Opens in New Canaan Restaurant New Canaan Healthy Eats Juice Bar Juice Cleanse Smoothies Vegan Specialty Products Special Dietary Needs Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Breakfast Lunch Stephanie Webster March 23, 2021
Nick Martschenko Opens Mexican-Inspired SE The Back End in New Canaan Features Restaurant Interview New Canaan Mexican Lunch Cocktails Homepage Openings Andrew Dominick March 20, 2021 Nick Martschenko is every so closer to his monopoly on New Canaan’s restaurant scene. Even if that’s not the goal, he’s inching towards it with what’s now a downtown dining trifecta.His latest venture, The Back End, is different. You can’t compare it to his flagship fine dining South End. And it’s not reminiscent of the laid-back but chatty speakeasy-meets-pub atmosphere of SE Uncorked, that stars “snacks + taps” (and cocktails and one damn fine burger).“I wanted it (The Back End) to have Miami vibes, at least I want it to have that feel,” Martschenko says. “I envision it with the bar windows wide open, a super casual setting with lots of colors, lots of pink. Ruth (Stiefel) helped a lot with the design.”The Back End is Mexican. Well, sort of. A more accurate description is Mexican inspired with a fine dining twist, and a little fast casual tossed into the mix.“It’s elevated Mexican food,” Martschenko says. “I’m not gonna say we’re traditional, but we bear the traditional values of what we do. It’s different. I don’t know how to do it any other way.” Read More
Plum Plums Cheese Opening in New Canaan Features Restaurant Openings New Canaan Cheese Cheese Shop Specialty Market CTbites Team March 16, 2021 Attn: Cheese lovers. This just in from New Canaan Advertiser…Elixirs for mocktails, a choice of 65 cheeses and coffee sourced from women farmers in Kenya will all be coming to New Canaan next month.Plum Plums Cheese is moving with its gourmet goodies from its Pound Ridge, N.Y., location to 149 Cherry St. in New Canaan on April 1.The 7-year-old enterprise, owned by spouses Gayle Martin and Michael Riahi, will be expanding its offerings with butchered meats in addition to the charcuterie, soups and sandwich options. The new location is 1,100 square feet, compared to the 700-square-foot space in New York.“We know the back story of every item we sell. If cheese, meat, bar of chocolate or jar of jam,” Martin said. “Our primary focus of cheese.”Read the full article on New Canaan Advertiser. Read More
El Segundo Debuts New Brunch Menu in South Norwalk and New Haven Features Restaurant brunch Norwalk New Haven Global Cuisine Mexican Latin American Asian Breakfast Homepage Andrew Dominick January 16, 2021 The owners of The Spread and El Segundo have had an extremely busy 2020.Chris Hickey, Andrey Cortes, Christopher Rasile, Shawn Longyear, and Carlos Baez decided to close their Spread sequel in Greenwich at the end of July, an announcement that came on the heels that they relocated their South Norwalk flagship to the former Harlan Publick space in the Ironworks development, adjacent to their global street food concept, El Segundo.Oh, and that’s not all. Their follow up to a closure and a relocation, was to open a Downtown New Haven double of El Segundo at the tail end of August.That’s a lot of action.But with all that comes even more change in the form of El Segundo’s brunch menu.Brunch was always a thing at El Segundo Norwalk but it’s the New Haven opening that sparked the change according to Hickey.“The new menu is totally in line with the New Haven opening,” he says. “Brunch was instantly popular in New Haven, so we wanted to bring it to SoNo, too.” Read More
The Lila Rose Opens in Stamford: Sophisticated, Deliciously Playful, and a True Dining Experience Restaurant Openings Tapas American Global Cuisine Cocktails Stamford Bar Brunch Homepage Breakfast Jessica Ryan December 03, 2020 A couple of months ago John and Morgan Nealon (owners of the ever popular Taco Daddy) partnered up with Chef Mo Major, General Manager JJ Henao, and Mixologist Dave Cohade to create a restaurant experience like no other. This restaurant is The Lila Rose, a luxurious, sophisticated, whimsical and (I dare say) over-the-top restaurant.The interior, dressed entirely in shades of pink and gold, is distinctly feminine with a flirty vibe that’s sophisticated yet playful. The Lila Rose is a delicious feast for the eyes offering up so much exquisite detail, you can’t possibly take it all in.I had the opportunity to sample their menu a couple of weeks ago. With so few opportunities to “get away” these days, the Lila Rose fills that void, offering guests a truly memorable experience. This is the type of venue where you’ll want to slip into something more beautiful and we noticed that the guests thought so too. Read More
Barcelona Wine Bar Launches CONSERVA: Online Specialty Foods Shopping & Lifestyle Site Features Ingredients Website Shopping Online Store Specialty Market pantry Global Cuisine Openings Online Shopping Homepage Stephanie Webster December 01, 2020 It’s always exciting to see a company whose positioning in the marketplace you have loved and respected for years, launch a brand that is such a logical extension of their business, that you almost have to say, why didn’t they do this sooner? Sometimes it takes a pandemic to have the time and space to look into the soul of your business and ask, what’s next? Barcelona Wine Bar has done just that with the launch of their new online specialty foods shopping and lifestyle website, CONSERVA.What is CONSERVA? Quite literally, Conserva are foods that have been conserved or preserved (either packed in oil, vinegar, or pickled). Barcelona Partner, Adam Halberg, broke it down for us. “During the Spanish Civil War, when people didn’t have access to fresh foods, they invented canning to take the abundance from the coast and farms of Spain and package them in bulk. This was their war time pantry.” In current day Spain, “conserva” is considered a high end specialty product, and diners can find bars throughout Spain and Portugal that exclusively serve canned goods (with a side of Vermouth, of course). Adam continues, “In high end restaurants, the last page of a menu will often feature food that quite literally comes out of a tin…and they are often the most expensive thing on the menu.” Read More
Rosie New Canaan: 16 Years of Uber Delicious Global Comfort Food Restaurant New Canaan Global Cuisine American Baked Goods Comfort Food Mexican Dessert Breakfast Brunch Lunch homepage Homepage Stephanie Webster November 01, 2020 Walking in to meet the legendary “Rosie” of Rosie New Canaan, I had full clarity within 30 seconds as to what has made this uber delicious global comfort food spot so beloved for 16 years. Sure, it’s the 2 pound blueberry muffins that could make a grown man weep, and the love that goes into the 6 hour stewed black beans in Rosie’s hueveos rancheros, but truly it is Rosie Bonura herself that makes this place feel like home (but with far better fare than you’d find in your own kitchen). She herself is the perfect recipe of creative energy, passion, and love for her community. This New Canaan fixture, whom I came to realize, after sitting streetside with her, knows everyone in the town by name, came racing out of the kitchen to greet me (we’d never met in person), virtually hugged me, (cuz’ Covid), and said “I need to get a batch of cookies out of the oven, I’ll be right back.” Read More
El Segundo Opens in New Haven with Global Street Food Restaurant New Haven Global Cuisine Thai Korean Mexican Puerto Rican Chinese American Burgers Cocktails Openings Jamaican Homepage Kristin L. Wolfe August 23, 2020 What a full circle moment. I first met our editor Stephanie Webster, affectionately known as Boss Lady, almost two years ago at El Segundo in SONO before I started eating myself silly for ctbites. So, I’d say it’s fitting that I get to bring you the news that the segundo El Segundo is opening in New Haven THIS TUESDAY, August 25th. It makes PERFECT sense that a place that consistently delivers super friggin delish-us Global Street Food, land in a town like New Haven, which is a gorgeous microcosm of what our bruised little world has to offer. Read More
Elm Restaurant in New Canaan: Exploring Chef Luke Venner's Excellent Seasonal American Menu Restaurant American Lobster Burgers Seasonal New Canaan Lunch Breakfast Homepage Andrew Dominick July 19, 2020 Before Luke Venner debuted as Elm’s executive chef and partner, the New Canaan restaurant already had a following amongst townies, and there’s more than a good chance you heard Elm get name dropped as one of Fairfield County’s overall best. Five years later, it’s safe to say that Venner isn’t only hitting his stride, but he’s also having fun developing Elm’s dishes from what they once were. Once thought of as being, dare I say, “fancy,” Elm, under Venner, is approachable.The “seasonal New American” theme still exists, and it’s still a tough table to snag on a peak dine out day. The differences at Elm are now presented in the form of comfort. Sure, there are menu holdovers like tuna (or steak) tartare but if you’ve taken a half decade break from eating here, you won’t recognize it for what it once was. Read More
The Spread in SoNo Moves IronWorks Complex, Re-Opening This Week! Restaurant Openings South Norwalk SONO American Global Cuisine Cuban Asian Happy Hour Bar Cocktails Norwalk Homepage Stephanie Webster June 07, 2020 The Spread you know and love from Main Street in South Norwalk has some new digs and a whole new summer look. Spread owners Andrey Cortes, Chris Hickey, Chris Rasile, Shawn Longyear and Chef Carlos Baez have taken their much heralded menu and rustic industrial vibe, and moved down the street, next door to their sister spot, El Segundo. The new spot resides in the old Harlan Public location within the IronWorks complex, and it comes with one of the most beautiful outdoor dining spaces in Fairfield County. Loyal diners and regulars….don’t worry. The menu will feature all of the usual favorites such as their Brick Chicken and Ricotta Gnocchi but Chef Baez has a few surprises up his chef’s coat. Read More
Takeout Chronicles: Joe’s Pizza, bartaco, Cafe Silvium, & Twelve Percent Beer Project Restaurant Take Out To-Go New Canaan Mexican Tacos bartaco beer ct beer homepage Pizza Andrew Dominick May 31, 2020 As some Connecticut restaurants begin the slow process of reopening with outdoor dining, you’ll either rush right out, ease back into it, or wait a bit longer when it comes to reintroducing yourself to your favorite eateries based on your level of comfort. Regardless of where you stand, it’s a safe bet that your dining repertoire will still include takeout.With that said, and on the heels of James Gribbon’s takeout picks, I’ve got a bunch worth checking out.At the very beginning of quarantine, one of my first orders came from an oldie. Joe’s Pizza has been open since 1967, almost two decades before I was born. I’ve actually had my entire life to try it, but here I am in 2020, a Joe’s newbie. Read More
Cooking Classes with Indian Master Chef Prasad Chirnomula, The Scholar of Spice Features Indian Cooking Cooking Classes New Canaan New Haven Kristin L. Wolfe January 14, 2020 In addition to blazing trails with restaurants (Thali, INDIA, Indian Kitchen) Chef Prasad has begun to make his fans swoon on a more intimate level with a regular cooking school series. What a special treat. I recently went to one of his Sunday classes and came away with a whole new passion for Indian cuisine. And believe me, I’ve already been a giant fan for years. (Jackson Diner, Queens anyone? I lived in Jackson Heights for ten years). Read More
Organika Kitchen Opens on Main Street in New Canaan Restaurant New Canaan Vegan Vegetarian Lunch Breakfast Openings Jessica Ryan October 19, 2018 Nearly one year after announcing its plans, vegan and vegetarian, Organika Kitchen, officially opened Monday in downtown New Canaan at 96 Main St.Owners, Gino and Cathy Riccio are excited the new location for their organic plant-based eatery, the first having met with great success in Southport. While many alleged healthy eateries have been popping up all over the place, Organika Kitchen takes the idea of healthy eating to a new level. Organika is more than a restaurant Gino explained, “It’s an experience that is as much about the food as it is the customers and the employees.” Organika opened its doors in August to praise from vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike. Cathy expanded on her husband’s thoughts. “We felt that we needed to be eating healthier. Read More
