Filtering by Tag: Australian,Monroe

Posh Tea Room Opens in Monroe With Traditional Afternoon Tea

Restaurant Tea Time Afternoon Tea Monroe Opening Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Hidden in plain sight in Monroe in a non-descript complex featuring small suburban business is a little gem called Posh Tea Room. While the building’s façade might be non-descript, once inside you enter a world of calm, with lavender walls, white table cloths topped with silver and China, delicate steaming pots of tea, where a pianist sits at a baby grand sending notes of jazz and classical music swirling into the air, setting the tone for what promises to be a relaxing afternoon. In an instant the worries and stresses from the world outside begin to melt away.

Posh Tea is the result of Laurie Giles Shipp’s life-long dream. Lori who grew up locally in Trumbull, in a neighborhood filled with families of British engineers, was completely taken when the family next door invited her and her mother to tea one afternoon. At the tender age of six, this would leave a lifelong impression. She was completely taken with the formality, elegance and the ritual of this afternoon affair. 


Isla & Co. Opens in Fairfield CT with Australian Inspired Fare

Restaurant Openings Fairfield Australian Outdoor Dining Cocktails

Jessica Ryan

I had the opportunity to attend a media dinner at the newly opened Isla, a restaurant featuring Australian fare. I wasn’t sure what Australian cuisine was but I was excited to check out this new eatery located in the heartbeat of downtown Fairfield right next to the community theater.

The restaurant itself is small, but when the weather is good it can take advantage of the wonderful courtyard area outside and more than double its seating capabilities. The restaurant’s design is minimalistic with dark green subway tiles lining the lower half of the crisp white walls dotted with hanging greenery and navy banquettes with café tables offer up seating. The back of the restaurant opens up to show diners the “behind the scenes” where they can watch bartenders crafting up delicious cocktails and, beyond, the chef in the kitchen preparing delectable fare. Let’s move on to that, shall we?


Aussie-Influenced Flinders Lane Opens in Downtown Stamford

Restaurant Stamford Australian Bar Comfort Food Seafood Lunch Brunch Homepage

Andrew Dominick

If you hear anyone mention Flinders Lane in Stamford, it’s not a street they’re talking about, it’s a restaurant. More specifically, it’s an Australian-influenced restaurant. If you’re as bewildered as I was when I found out this type of cuisine had arrived in Downtown Stamford—and as curious too—keep reading.

I sought out more info. The common-sense thing to-do was to check out Flinders Lanes’ website, where “Modern Australian” is described as “We take inspiration from the cuisines of nearby Southeast Asia and subtle influence from the food of British settlers mixed with that of Greek and Italian immigrants.” I still found myself scratching my head, wondering if this was accurate. I have a few Australian friends so I fact checked with them and both said that this sounded right, and one added, “We don’t have much ‘real’ Aussie food. Meat pies and tomato sauce, maybe.”


Flinders Lane, Australian Cuisine, Opens in Stamford via Hey Stamford!

Restaurant Australian Stamford Openings Seafood Brunch

Hey Stamford!

This just in from Hey Stamford!

In the ever changing landscape of the Stamford dining scene, there are consistencies:  Pizza places, Steak Houses, Italian restaurants, etc.. etc … I’m not complaining.  I love it all.  But when I have a chance to share news of something a bit different, I get excited.   That’s how I feel about Flinders Lane.


DrewbaQ Food Truck: BBQ Sandwiches "Smokin' the Streets of CT"

Restaurant BBQ Food Truck Monroe Comfort Food

James Gribbon

More barbecue is a good thing, and if you're not on board with this basic fact, then you can just get out of my face. It was with this cardinal rule of life firmly in mind that I hit the road in search of a new truck on the Connecticut food scene - a truck selling barbecue and barbecue accoutrements. The fact that this particular Friday found the DrewbaQ food truck at Veracious Brewing Company in Monroe was a purely unrelated coincidence, to be sure. It would be a grave disservice to you, our beloved CTBites readership, if I did not take full advantage of this entirely unforeseen circumstance so, in humble service to your unending curiosity re: all things food and beverage, I had several beers with my BBQ. So that I might report on pairings, you see. 

Macdaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese Bar in Monroe

Kids Bites Restaurant Monroe Special Dietary Needs kids activity Comfort Food Kid Friendly

CTbites Team

And now a word from our 10 years old food critic....

Hey kids, guess what? Want to win a free Mac Daddy’s T-ShirtMac Daddy’s will give the first 10 kids to correctly guess the amount of macaroni boxes used to fill the pan on the wall (described below) a free t-shirt Contest ends on November 20th. Mention CTbites to enter. 

What do you think of when you think of macaroni and cheese? A small box of Kraft mac and cheese? Well… now I think of Macdaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese Bar, an amazing macaroni and cheese restaurant with at least 20 different kinds of macaroni. I had thought that Macdaddy’s was going to be bigger than it was (they can seat about 25 people) but that didn’t mean it wasn’t good. Macdaddy’s is a quick service restaurant (which means that you order at a counter and they bring the food to your table). 


Tavern in Monroe: Modern Comfort Food in N. FC

Restaurant Monroe Beer Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers

Amy Kundrat

Utter the word “tavern” and the mind conjures images of dimly-lit rooms, Hungry-Man portions of protein and white starches, with deep fried renditions of both. Upsell this concept to northern Fairfield County in the hands of two seasoned restaurateurs and you get Tavern in Monroe.

Located on a busy stretch of Rt. 25 just between Newtown and Trumbull, Tavern is already attracting a steady crowd in just under two months of operation. The after-work crowd is drawn to its handsome whiskey barrel studded bar and families clamber to fill the outdoor patio and comfortable vibe with family-friendly menu.   


Lake Zoar Drive-In: Burgers & Dogs With a View

Restaurant Delicious Dives Monroe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Photos: c/o Michael Stern, Roadfood.comThe Lake Zoar Drive-In is located on Route 34 in Monroe (many Navigation systems do not recognize the website town of Stevenson) slightly less than 7 miles east of I-84. This stand-alone burger and dog shack has occupied this same stretch of beach overlooking Lake Zoar for over 20 years and the current owners have been grilling burgers and dogs for over 17 years; they must be doing something right. That something is a burger with plenty of toppings, some of the best French Fries in Connecticut plus a soda...all for under $10.

Stepney Kitchen: Creative Farm-To-Table Fare

Restaurant Farmers Market Local Artisan Monroe Farm Fresh

Multiple Eaters

Amy Kundrat on Stepney Kitchen

Chef Jason Hall spends each Tuesday driving from farm to farm in and around Northern Fairfield County looking for the bounty that will fill his menu at Stepney Kitchen. Located strategically at the intersection of Rt. 59 and Rt. 25 in Monroe, CT, Stepney Kitchen is in the epicenter of what may be some of Fairfield County's most bucolic and farm-dense townships.  The neighboring towns of Easton, Newtown, Oxford and Shelton enjoy a deep agricultural heritage that is being honored today by dedicated farmers and chefs such as Jason Hall at Stepney Kitchen. 

On a recent evening, the kitchen was bursting with rhubarb as it enjoys its seasonal peak, arugula, ripe and delicious strawberries and piles of garlic scapes.  In fact, after my meal Chef Hall sent me packing with my very own bag of garlic scapes. "Right now we are getting lots of beautiful late spring items like sugar snap peas, really nice lettuces, baby vegetables like turnips, squash blossoms and we are running through the end of a very prolific strawberry season- the strawberry gazpacho w/ fennel and grilled shrimp has been a staple item for the last couple of weeks," said Chef Hall.