Filtering by Tag: Chicken,Latin Fusion

Lao Cocina Opens in Bridgeport: Laotian X Puerto Rican Fusion Cuisine

Features Interview Restaurant Openings Interview Bridgeport Puerto Rican Laotian Latin Fusion Homepage

Andrew Dominick

When the popular Venezuelan-meets-Mexican mashup, Mil Sabores, vacated their original brick-and-mortar at 2043 Fairfield Avenue and went onto opening a bigger restaurant further down the street, they left their digs to another tenant, even if it is for a limited run. Lao Cocina, a Laotian and Puerto Rican fusion spot, that’s mostly takeout, is filling out the rest of that lease. Created by the husband-and-wife team of April Khanthaphixay, her husband, Daniel Colon, and Daniel’s uncle Sergio, they’re mixing their respective cultures for a new kind of concept.


Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Happy Monkey in Greenwich + Now Serving Lunch

Features Interview Ingredients Restaurant Jean-Georges Vongerichten Jean-Georges Happy Monkey Greenwich Greenwich Latin Fusion Latin American Homepage

Andrew Dominick

A bowl arrives at my table, and I’ve never seen arroz con pollo like this before. Pan seared chunks of chicken just barely peek out of the rice. And the rice? It looks a perfect midpoint between fluffy and al dente. It’s clearly well-seasoned, sucking up all that stock and sofrito.

But something about it strikes me.


Alma Bistro Cocina Latina Opens in Norwalk With Delicious Nuevo-Latino Soul Food

Restaurant Latin American Latin Fusion Norwalk South Norwalk Openings Happy Hour Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Alma Cocina brings soul to Norwalk’s Wall Street area.  

I recently had the opportunity to visit the newly opened Alma Bistro. Just a couple of weeks old, this Latin-fusion eatery features delicious Nuevo-Latino soul food with an upscale twist and promises to be the darling of the Norwalk restaurant scene.

Alma Bistro Cocina Latina was founded by Alma Miranda, Ulises Jiminez, Don Rene and Norberto Lucero out of a deep love for food that is authentically Latino. We have some real star power here. 


Cluck Cluck: 7 Questions with Ben Pote of Wildacre Rotisserie in Greenwich

Interview Restaurant Chefs Chef Talk Local Chef CT Chef Fast Casual Chicken Vegetarian Greenwich Family Friendly

Andrew Dominick

In June 2022, Wilton resident Ben Pote opened Wildacre Rotisserie, a new fast casual concept whose signature is an expertly roasted heirloom chicken and an overall menu that’s all about freshness and quality.

This “Cali-style” chicken joint isn’t only bird-focused, though, as it’s got plenty in terms of vegetarian options—including a whole roasted za’atar seasoned cauliflower.


Po-Yo Peruvian in Danbury: Empire of the Incas Owner Opens Pollo a la Brasa Focused Spinoff

Features Restaurant Interview Peruvian pollo a la brasa Danbury Homepage Fast Casual beer Chicken

Andrew Dominick

Chicken-n-beer may be the title of a 2003 Ludacris album, but it’s also a spinoff concept brought to you by a Danbury mainstay, Empire of the Incas and owner David Aliaga.

At Po-Yo, the savory focus should be easily guessed is you’re familiar with Peruvian cuisine and one of its popular dishes, pollo a la brasa. We even dig that the restaurant’s name teaches the masses how to properly pronounce “POLLO,” although, those who’ve watched enough Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are likely well-versed in its pronunciation.


Wildacre Rotisserie to Debut in Greenwich (via Hey Stamford!)

Restaurant Openings Chicken To-Go Take Out Lunch Cos Cob Greenwich Mediterranean Gluten-Free

Hey Stamford!

Wildacre Rotisserie, a new fast casual rotisserie restaurant, will make its debut in Greenwich, CT in Spring 2022. Led by former Starbucks and sweetgreen culinary leader and Fairfield County resident Ben Pote, the restaurant will bring a fresh take on traditional rotisserie to Cos Cob. The concept of the eatery, both in cuisine and design, is inspired by California with a thoughtfully curated menu that offers something for everyone.

Rotisserie chicken and slow-roasted cauliflower are at the heart of the menu, complemented by entree-style salads, plant-forward sides, and sauces that are made in-house daily, with thoughtful pops of flavor throughout. The chicken, for example, is rubbed with bay leaf, oregano, and fennel pollen, giving it an herbaceous, savory flavor, while the whole-roasted cauliflower is sprinkled with za’atar, a Middle-Eastern herb blend. Wildacre’s salads are hearty enough for lunch and dinner, or to eat alongside a whole roasted chicken or cauliflower. Guests can order a la carte or select a bundled meal, which offers the choice of either a rotisserie chicken or slow-roasted cauliflower main plus two sides and two sauces. Side dishes range from french fries to roasted brussels sprouts, and the majority of the menu is gluten-free. The California influence shows up throughout the menu, which features ingredients like fennel pollen, meyer lemon, and avocado, and flavors inspired by Mediterranean, Central American, and Asian cuisines.

Read the complete article on Hey Stamford!


Bombar’BQ: Delicious Latin Fusion Food Truck in Byram

Features Interview Restaurant Food Truck Greenwich Byram Latin American Latin Fusion Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Finding article subjects can, at times, be difficult. I know that for me, the best resources are often chefs and restaurant owners. One questions that comes up often when we run into each other is, “Where have you been eating lately?” Sometimes we’ll randomly send a text or DM when we feel passionately about an establishment, or in this case, a food truck!

The tip about Bombar’BQ came from Nathalia Gonzalez, who owns the wonderful Colombian restaurant Antojos in Norwalk. “Their food is delicious!” she wrote to me. “You have to come by and try them!”

When I had time to visit, she even threw in her recommendations of a carne asada taco, an arepa, and a creation called “Bomba Fries” topped with smoked brisket as per Nathalia’s suggestion.

I hopped in my Jeep after a gym session and punched the address into Google Maps. I noticed it was just off Mill Street in the Byram section of Greenwich. Cool. Easy enough. No traffic on 95? Even better. Eighteen minutes later, I pulled up by Ebb Tide Boat Rentals and spotted the Bombar’BQ trailer sitting right on the side of the bait & tackle shop. I love fishing, but I certainly wasn’t there for sandworms or bunker.

Before knowing what Bombar’BQ is all about, getting to know its owner, Ruddy Bollat, is essential.

Bollat didn’t have a background in the hospitality industry until he came to the U.S. a decade ago. In fact, he was an accountant in his home country of Guatemala. “In my country it’s hard to succeed in the restaurant/hospitality industry,” he says. “I’ve always been passionate about food, so when I came to the U.S. I saw an opportunity. Since I was an accountant, being good with numbers helped me succeed as a chef here.”

From there, Bollat got bit by the restaurant bug when he took a job a bartaco Westport as a dishwasher. It wasn’t long until he was offered an opportunity to cook on the line. It was onward and upward after that. “I was hungry to succeed,” he says. “It took me two years before I became the executive chef of bartaco in Stamford. In 2016, I transferred to Barcelona Wine Bar. I worked in Norwalk, D.C., Denver, and Philly.”

After his long stint with the Barteca Restaurant Group, Bollat worked as the kitchen director at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, then with Hudson Grille in White Plains, and he helped out at Hudson’s other concept, Lilly’s.

Right around the time Bollat made the decision to do his own thing, the pandemic hit. “It was hard to open a restaurant, so we decided to open a food trailer,” he says. “The plan was to have a Latin BBQ fusion concept. A lot of the techniques and spices we use are influenced by Central and South American cultures.”

And that’s how Bombar’BQ was born.