Terra Gaucha, Connecticut’s only authentic Churrascaria or Brazilian Steakhouse located at Stamford Town Center, 280 Tresser Blvd. in Stamford has announced a Grand Opening on Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The new restaurant will occupy the former space of the Cheesecake Factory in the heart of downtown Stamford. This prime location is easily accessible with plenty of parking. A special introductory price for lunch and dinner will run through the end of October.
Feels like we were all just stuck home together and dreaming of getting OUT and low and behold, now we can! Let’s start with getting those kiddos some cool stuff to do once school lets out. Let’s hear it for cooking camps! To learn (in a fun way) about food, where it comes from, what the heck we can do with it, and yummm, how it tastes-what could be better? Follow it with some parent-kid trips to your local farms or farmers’ markets, and lookie there, you’ve just filled the calendar a bit for the summer months. Here’s to brilliant and tasty new discoveries!
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 The former rustic vibe has been replaced by plush banquette seating, white linen tables, dramatic chandelier lighting, and beautiful woodwork evokes a classic steakhouse vibe, but the newly light and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.
Greenwich’s classic old school Italian steakhouse is opening in Westport. Here’s the scoop from Dan Woog’s 06880.
Danny Gabriele lives in Greenwich. He ran a successful restaurant — Gabriele’s — there for years.
But he loves Westport too. Three weeks from now, a new Gabriele’s opens here.
The location — next to the Westport Country Playhouse — is storied. For years, it was the site of Player’s Tavern. Paul Newman and Michel Nischan founded The Dressing Room there. Most recently, it was Positano.
From the outside, the new Gabriele’s will look similar (with enhanced patio furniture and a new pergola).
New outdoor furniture was delivered yesterday to Gabriele’s. Still to come: the pergola, and finishing the exterior.
Inside though, it’s an entirely new, completely gutted and renovated space. A handsome, glass-backed bar with high-top tables sits on the left; couches and booths offer seating options throughout; a new dining area opens up in the rear. A new patio was built out back, too.
Gabriele’s is bright and light. But one thing has not been touched: Paul Newman’s fireplace.
Craving something sweet but not in the mood for the full indulgence of ice cream? Do you want something that tastes just as good without as much guilt? Have no fear, Dave’s Gourmet Paletas has just opened in downtown Fairfield serving up 20 flavors of homemade paletas…made fresh daily. These pops are far cry fro from the average popsicle as paletas are made entirely from whole ingredients, delicious things…like fresh fruit and nut butters. Dave’s Paletas also feature gluten free, dairy free and vegan options with a menu ranging from classic flavors like strawberry and banana to more unique ones like matcha and mango chamoy. Paletas are a traditional Mexican frozen treat and owner and CEO Dave Rock says,
“We wanted to offer standard flavors, traditional ones that everybody likes, but we also wanted to sprinkle in some of the more uniquely Mexican options like a mango chamoy.”
Episode #4 of our Chefs At Home series is here…and it’s a heathy, simple and delicious recipe you can make all summer long. Chef Anthony Rinaldi, formerly Exec Chef at Kawa Ni in Westport, currently the Chef for Greenwich Country Day School, has been having some fun in his kitchen with this recipe for the Chia Seed Pudding. This recipe has 15 grams of protein and is easy enough for any kid to make themselves! Get your kids cooking and enjoy!
Chef Dan Kardos has made his mark on the Connecticut restaurant industry over the past two decades. He’s been the operator, the owner, and, of course, the chef of local favorites like Stratford’s Oar & Oak. This summer, he’s turning to something even sweeter.
Kardos recently opened Oar & Oak Creamery, a 10x6 soft serve ice cream truck currently stationed at Knapp’s Landing in Stratford. The truck, Kardos emphasized, isn’t some extravagant ice cream parlor with dozens of flavors and toppings galore. It’s straightforward yet refreshingly original.
It’s interesting that with all the restaurants to grace our local communities – from the sushi to the noodles, the vegetarian and vegan, the French, Mexican, Italian, Indian and Asian, to seafood – that we don’t have many steakhouses. So when I was invited to attend a media dinner at Blackstones Steakhouse last week I was quick to respond.
With locations in Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk and Southport, Blackstones is a name you should know – even if you’re not a meat eater. Each restaurant is slightly different in style and menu. The Southport location is reminiscent of the old world steakhouse.
Dan Giusti was not used to failing in the kitchen.
At 29 years old he had been named the head chef at Noma in Copenhagen, making him a de facto high priest of fine dining. As the leader of the kitchen of one of the world’s most critically acclaimed restaurants, he was tasked with executing owner and executive chef René Redzepi’s vision and making sure the culinary dreams of those who had spent years and months planning their visit to Copenhagen to dine at Noma came true. Giusti was good at this.
But three years into the job, Giusti walked away to tackle the seemingly never-ending enigma that is school lunch. With Redzepi’s blessing and investment, Giusti founded a new company called Brigaid that sought to put skilled chefs at the helm of cafeteria kitchens in schools across America. The idea was “getting chefs who would never choose to do this work to do this work,” Giusti says.
Leo Kelly, a 6 year old first grader in Fairfield CT has dreams of becoming “King,” well, the Shirley Temple King that is. Leo aspires to be the childhood arbiter of all things Shirley Temple (yes, the popular childhood beverage) , and he is making his way around Fairfield County doing just that. You can find him on Instagram at @theshirleytempleking, so heads up local restaurants owners. Time to get your Shirley Temple game on fleek.
Hot summer days and you don’t feel like cooking. The stove, oven, even the grill…it’s all so hot. But hold on a minute there, maybe *you* don’t have to! With a little foresight (read: now), your kids can learn to cook this summer, get inspired and whoa-oh, looks who’s not in the kitchen anymore?! Beyond your parental joy, though, kids will enjoy learning cooking skills, whipping up some pretty cool menus from around the globe and even having a cooking competition or two just to test their mettle. Just be sure to sign up your aspiring chefs soon, these classes and camps fill up quicker than hot grease will jump out of a pan!
It’s as much a part of Philadelphia folklore as Benjamin Franklin, the Liberty Bell and Rocky Balboa – just a whole lot tastier. Connecticut foodies can now obsess over a new food truck, M&M Steaks, which will specialize in Philly cheesesteaks. Owned by Philadelphia native, Dan Mullineaux and food industry veteran, Hector Medina, M&M Steaks has launched and hit the streets of Stamford and has parked at 110 High Ridge Road (Lord & Taylor parking lot) with a few Friday evening dates this summer at Half Full Brewery.
Have you heard this lovely little conversation often during the summer months? Kids young and old let that horrifying phrase fall from their lips at an astounding rate. Are you just cringing thinking about how you will derail these declarations for 10 weeks? Well, now you can consider yourself informed and prepared to battle the cries of blahs and beat the little buggers at their own game! We’ve got some tasty ideas so that you can wave goodbye to boredom, and say hello to a creative and fun summer (not to mention, delicious). Maybe your kids will even treat you to a meal or two along the way. Maybe you’ll get the last laugh this summer…
Four young aspiring chefs are one step closer to making their dreams of attending culinary school a reality after being named finalists in Rachael Ray’s “Cook Your Way to Culinary School” competition. On Tuesday, February 13th, Jules Esposito, an 18-year-old high school senior from Wallingford, CT, will be cooking to win! She has had her sights set on culinary school since the 2nd grade. She started a baking blog in middle school and is part of a culinary program that has allowed her to manage a food truck and cater events.
“I fell in love with New Haven,” he said.“My real estate agent was helping me find a location; he told me to come take a look, and I knew on first sight the space was perfect.”
Marini, 46, has been part of an international restaurant family for decades. Born in Montreal, where his parents settled after their native Rome, the Marini clan left Canada and wound up in Bridgeport,starting Marisa’s Restaurant in 1989. Marisa’s then moved to Trumbull in 1997.
Marini references fate often, starting with his name: Attilio Caesar Marini. “Attilio was my grandfather on my dad’s side. Caesar, my grandpa on my mom’s side. The two greatest conquerors in history…I was destined for leadership!” he said with a laugh . He attended college to study finance and intended a career in corporate law. But the kitchen proved to be a more compelling draw.
“My intention for the Cast Iron Chef Chop House is to create an old-school steakhouse, along the lines of New York’s Old Homestead or Peter Luger’s. I butcher on-premises…pre-cuts from the wholesaler are expensive…so I pass those savings along to my patrons.
'Tis the season, but when you get tired of shopping, take a break with your family, and enjoy some leisurely holiday baking. Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes has mastered the art of gingerbread (as you can see above), and they have been kind enough to share their recipes for Gingerbread Cookie Dough as well as a special (slightly more structurally sound) Gingerbread for Houses. It's a fine line when it comes to gingerbread.
If you decide to embark on a house of your own, please share it with CTbites and send us a photo.
Stew’s Christmas Cookie Milk will be back in stock at at all Stew Leonard's stores in Connecticut this week. This is the second consecutive year they’ve sold this special milk.
Stew Leonard's Christmas Cookie Milk is sweet, creamy milk that has the same flavor as a sugar cookie that’s been dunked in milk. It comes straight from award-winning dairy farms in upstate NY and is free from artificial growth hormones (rBST) and antibiotics. This milk goes from the farm to each of our stores in as little as 24 hours.
Stew Leonard's Christmas Cookie Milk is available only for a limited time and is sold in a ½ gallon glass container for $5.99.
Stew Leonard’s Apple Pie Milk a la Mode celebrates the season with the flavors of crisp fall apples and Stew Leonard’s dairy-fresh vanilla ice cream. It comes straight from their award-winning dairy farms in upstate NY and is free from artificial growth hormones (rBST) and antibiotics. This milk goes from the farm to each of their stores in as little as 24 hours. Stew Leonard's Apple Pie Milk a la Mode will be available starting on October 30 for a limited time. It is sold in a ½ gallon glass container for $5.99.
A trip to Ridgefield, Connecticut would not be complete without a visit to the quintessential ice cream parlor and candy mecca that is Deborah Ann’s Sweet Shoppe. Offerings span from homemade chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. There is even an entire room devoted to nostalgic candies and gummy treats. I am always looking for fun and interesting food experiences and packaging. During one of my recent visits to the shop/food safari, I noticed a wall of cotton candy made by Chocolate Storybook. The brand’s assortment offers upwards of 50 flavors including sweet and savory delights like Bacon, BBQ sauce, Atomic Fire, Pancake and Syrup, Frosted Donut, PBJ, seasonal desserts and fruits, merlot, and even a gender reveal option. The most unusual flavor however was Trump hair! The jury is still out on that one. You can add these to the list of memorable hybrid sweet treats trending these days.
Fried ice cream is a thing again! At least it is in Stamford.
If you haven’t heard the sweet whispers and the sizzle of the hot oil, the concession stand at Cummings Beach has a brand-new resident.
Drop & Fry was started by two city residents, Irving Diaz and Mario Forte, friends since freshman year of high school. They came up with the idea to batter-dip-and-fry pound cake-coated balls of ice cream, after being dissatisfied with fried ice cream desserts at Mexican and Asian restaurants, where you’d typically see if offered. They also saw an opportunity to capitalize on selling a sweet treat that’s not all that common in Fairfield County.
