The former Easton Village Store on Sport Hill Road has a new tenant and it’s a chef you know. Award winning chef, Prasad Chirnomula, and his business partner, Ron Berry, have transformed the space into Gourmet United, a takeout and delivery-based concept that, with Chirnomula involved, definitely features his lauded Indian cuisine alongside Mexican food under one roof.
Some days, you just don’t want to cook at home, but you want to serve yourself or your family a healthy delicious meal. Sure, you can order in from a local restaurant, but those dishes seldom come with an ingredients list, and more often than not, are a long way from locally or organically sourced. Enter Hemma Kitchen, a Fairfield County based meal planning solution to the never ending conundrum…what do I serve for dinner tonight?
In Swedish, the word "hemma" embodies the concept of home. In today's fast-paced world, the significance of eating at home and having healthy meals cannot be overstated and directly impacts our quality of life. Eating at home provides an opportunity to take control of our nutrition, allowing us to prioritize wholesome ingredients. Hemma Kitchen allows you to enjoy healthy home cooked meals every day of the week.
At the helm of Hemma Kitchen is a chef with whom you may already be familiar, Chef Molly Healey. Healey was the owner of the much beloved Manna Toast in Westport before launching Hemma.
Hemma Kitchen offers an a la carte menu, easily browsable online, that changes weekly. Menu items are based on the seasons as well as what Healey can procure at local farmers’ markets and specialty stores carrying organic ingredients. For Healey, finding the very best organic ingredients, sourced as locally as possible, is critical to her mission. 100% of her meat is from Matt Storch’s Saugatuck Provisions. Her organic salmon is from Maine. Everything you find on the Hemma menu is also free from: refined sugar, seed oils, preservatives, gums and fillers
I recently had the opportunity to dine at The Naan in Westport. Located on the Post Road (near Whole Foods) the restaurant is easily missed if you’re not looking for it -- You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled open for this one.
I’ve eaten at my fair share of Indian restaurants over the years. To be quite honest, all of it has been very good. Many places have been delicious, quite a few have been excellent, and a handful have been exceptional. The Naan fits into the latter category. Chef Prashant focuses on the cuisine of his hometown region of Punjab, and with 25 years of experience up his chef’s sleeves, his proficiency is evident in each and every bite.
Between courses at one of his collaboration special events, Prasad Chirnomula spoke to his full dining room about creating a bond with his fellow Connecticut chefs.
“We’ve been doing this for almost a year now, bringing chefs together,” he says. “The whole point of doing this, is we, as chefs, work our asses off. We’re always back in the kitchen on Saturday nights, Sunday nights, holidays, and everything else. I’ve done my share of work, so I said to myself that I’m gonna enjoy what I did for so many years of my life. I want to create a legacy and a bond with people I recognize and know of. Even if I don’t know someone, I’ll pick up the phone, call them, and say, ‘Hey, buddy! How are you doing? Do you wanna cook together?’ This is the hardest industry to work in and food brings people together.”
So this taco and this pizza walk into an Indian joint…
Darbar India located in Branford, Connecticut is a family run business that has been a staple of the Branford community, serving authentic Indian cuisine for nearly 30 years. Sunny, Vinny and their father Haresh Nariyani took over the business in 2008 and this past January they relocated to its current location on Montowese Street.
When we were invited to check them out we naturally had to scope out their Instagram account which was filled with images of pizzas and tacos! Whaaaaat??? We really had to go see what this was all about.
Inside we found a small, modern space flanked by quintessentially Indian artifacts and figurines, punctuated by their fish pond. While the decor might be simple, it’s the food that steals the show. Darbar prides themselves on their traditional flavors and cooking styles. While Sunny and Vinny were both born in the states, Haresh did not come over until 1990.
"Suffer for your art” is the operative phrase when reviewing a hot chicken joint. From the roar of takeoff, to the turbulence, and spine-compressing jolt of landing, you know what’s coming because you’ve bought the ticket and taken this ride before. You can predict the future: it’s the opposite of gambling. In a new study researchers found gorillas will spin themselves until they fall over because getting dizzy is kind of like getting high to them, and that’s fun. Same goes for humans scorching our faces off via chicken breast.
Occasionally on the rides we buy, something unexpected happens. It may be a “Yes, thank you for waiting: we currently have no idea where we sent your bags,” or it may be “So sorry, there’s a mechanical issue on your cross-Atlantic flight, and you’ll have to stay in a free room in Reykjavik for 24 hours and watch the Aurora Borealis.” Could go either way. Which is why it’s pretty cool to find an Indian/Nashville hot chicken smashup on Howe Street in New Haven.
Okay, let’s be honest. When a foodie hears Michelin star, we can’t help but take notice. There’s a reason the ding and shine of that star draws attention. It means someone’s talents have not only been noticed, but they have consistently delivered The Best of what they do. And that is why making a special trip to Athithi Indian in Wilton was a must for me, and I now declare, a must for you. This new gem opened in the fall and is led by the first Indian Chef to receive a Michelin Star (now two) Chef Hemant Mathur.
I will never call myself an expert of any culinary realm or culture—even though I truly geek out over a few–I can say Indian food continuously has me under a spell. I also never seem to have an Off switch with it either, but that is something I rarely regret. There is just something about the combination of spicy, warm, floral, and earthy aromas and flavors that hit more intensely than other cuisines that I can rarely shake. Even before I continue, I promise, if you are a fan of this cuisine in the slightest, make a reservation; you will be under the spell too.
The Michelin Guide on Chef Mathur opens with, “If there’s a creative force behind New York’s trending Indian Restaurant scene, it’s Hemant Mathur.” Now a few years later, with the experience of six restaurants to his name, Connecticut diners get to experience some of that magical force with Athithi in Wilton.
You’re probably still recovering from the seasonal avalanche of candy corn, but the “other” holidays are now peeking around the corner-and it’s always better to be ready for them when they jump out at you. Whether for cozy and familial Thanksgiving gatherings, spirited and sparkly holiday parties, a Let’s-Get-2023-Right New Year’s celebration or any of your special events and holidays next year, these caterers will help you feast and fete with panache. Best part about this listing is that many of these caterers work throughout the entire state of Connecticut and even the tri-state area. Go forth and celebrate! Here are 18 Connecticut Caterers who will make your next event a stress-free delicious success!
Tired of cooking? Or maybe you love to cook but just can’t face the stove one…more…night. There are a million reasons why help is sometimes needed in the kitchen: a dear friend had a baby and hasn’t slept in 3 weeks, a neighbor is sick, your parents are getting older and you want to make sure they eat well, you’ve been away on vacation and would love to have some meals for when you return, or, well, you’re just plain sick of cooking (as we mentioned). It is vacation time, after all. Whether you need prepared meals for someone special or just to supplement your own cooking and streamline life a bit, there are plenty of options that make it easy. And delish! That’s precisely why we are highlighting these eight fantastic services. Some cater to dietary needs, some focus on local or organic ingredients, and all offer many tasty options to satisfy.
Here are 8 home meal delivery services we have enjoyed in Connecticut.
It makes sense that the name of this now one-year old, bright spot in New Haven means FIREWORK. Its innovative, delicious dishes are bold and vibrant and the space pops out like none other. I typically prefer a dimly lit space when eating out and yet Pataka’s electrifying, glowing design, produced in part by Box 8 Creative, will mesmerize you and make you a believer; this fast casual, one-of-a-kind, veggie Indian experience, could not be any other way. It’s as if it is Diwali everyday. In addition to being a part of his father’s restaurant Sitar (in New Haven since 2006), Harry Singh has already created a local institution with House of Naan under his belt since 2016; so, knowing the demands and demographic of New Haven, a serious pocket of CT’s culinary creativity, was a given.
I’ve got to be honest. I really don’t like to cook. I LOVE to eat, but like many parents, the daily dinner drama is, well, just that…a ground hogs day “oh lord not again” situation. For this reason, I have spent a good deal of time, sampling and reviewing the local meal delivery services/caterers who can provide me with a dinner experience that feels “home cooked” but only involves my heating things up in and around my oven. #lazyandlovingit
One might think that identifying this type of local ‘heat & eat’ meal delivery service would be an easy task, but the requirements involved in successfully prepping large quantities of food that fares well in transit, and then is to be re-heated by an “at home cook,” is trickier than you might think. Meal prep like this requires determining the proper balance of par-cooking dishes, heating instructions for dummies, and developing meal plans that work for any and all family dynamics.
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).
At Sherkaan’s first pop-up last Thursday night, the Flipindian Feast, I had to swim through the the hungry crowd and make my way to, literally, the last seat available at the long copper bar. From the pervading tiger logo (Sherkaan means Tiger King in Hindi) and hindi phrases on the walls, to the cascade of bicycles hanging from the ceiling, diners are definitely transported to the packed spaces of a Southeast Asian hot spot. In addition to all the things to look at, pungent spices filled the room; they were so entrenched in the air that my hair smelled of them the next morning.
Restaurateurs/husband and wife team of Dipika Behera and Jaiprakash Agarwal (JP), bring a combined 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry to their latest venture, Vedas Indian Cuisine. Recognizing the gain in popularity of Indian cuisine and the upwards trend of take-out and delivery, the talented duo opened Vedas in Norwalk in 2015 and recently opened their second location in Westport, small eateries and kitchens that focus on take-out and delivery service for this bold, flavorful, and healthy cuisine.
Dipika and JP hail from Mumbai, India, and both received their bachelor’s degrees in Hospitality Management. Fans of the local Indian food scene may recall the duo’s first local Indian restaurant ventures, Tawa and Chili Chicken in Stamford, and the Kebab Factory in Norwalk.
If Sherkaan, the name given the Indian restaurant that succeeded vegetarian Thali Too (2008-2018) in New Haven’s Broadway District in the space behind the Apple store, sounds strangely familiar, it should. The name is taken from Mowgli’s chief antagonist in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, the sly Bengal tiger—Shere Khan.
Owners Ankit Harpaldas and Puneet “Pete” Ramchandani are experienced restaurateurs with a playful streak that runs as deep as the mean streak in Kipling’s menacing tiger. Harpaldas and Ramchandani also own Taprock Beer Bar & Refuge in the Unionville section of Farmington, a restaurant with an affinity for modern design, unusual drink options and quirky fun food sensibilities.
A testament to the evolving palate of Fairfield County, South Indian restaurant chain Godavari has opened in the former Burger King location on the Post Road in Norwalk, just past Bow Tie Cinemas.
While there is no shortage of many excellent Indian restaurants in the area they tend to follow a uniform menu of what native South Asians recognize as “Indian restaurant food”, a cuisine based mainly on the foods of northern India and less often cooked at home.
The menu at Godavari also features many of these specialties, especially those that have become beloved by American diners like Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, and Tandoori meats but it’s the staggeringly extensive menu of dishes from around the subcontinent that really make this franchise restaurant shine.
Celebrated Chef Prasad Chirnomula has announced that he is closing Thali Too and Oaxaca Kitchen at the end of this month. After serving the New Haven population for nearly 10 and 7 years respectively, and having received many accolades and other distinctions, THALI TOO and OAXACA KITCHEN will permanently close their doors later this month. Prasad stated that expansion efforts with restaurants in other markets in Connecticut and the costs associated with that have resulted in financial strains that forced the closing of the majority of his restaurants. Chef Prasad is optimistic that he will reinvent his brand with new and fresh concepts that will again meet the ever-changing culinary needs of these communities.
Featuringclassic Indian favorites and South Asian twists on international flavor explorations, House of Naan in New Haven can best be described as hipster Indian fare (in a good way) in a fresh, modern setting replete with vibey alternative and chill tunes, some with an eastern fusion.
The eatery opened eight months ago and is the first restaurant for chef Harinder Singh, who learned his craft at Sitar, a beloved traditional Indian restaurant owned by his family in New Haven for the last twelve years.
