Celebrate Shelton, a private city-wide initiative in its 11th year is thrilled to announce Food Trucks on the River, and several exciting community collaborations.
Food Trucks on the River, an exciting two-day festival will take place on Friday, May 30th, from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM, and Saturday, May 31st, from 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM at Veterans Memorial Park in Downtown Shelton. In case of inclement weather, a rain date is set for Sunday, June 1st.
“An impeccably built comedy. Destined to please crowds!” – THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
As caramelized onions and garlic fry up onstage, tempers are boiling over. Theresa Rebeck’s sizzling contemporary comedy, set in the kitchen of a boutique Brooklyn restaurant, wrestles hilariously with the conflict between art and commerce. We’re delighted to present this one-of-a-kind ‘workplace’ comedy in its Connecticut debut featuring actors Jasen Salvatore, Ricky Davis Jr., Melani Carrié and Brian Yeun in the state-of-the-art performance space at Lachat Town Farm.
Brilliant, hot-headed chef Harry scores a mention in a food magazine with his signature scallops, and his business partner Mike finally sees profits within reach. The only problem is Harry refuses to recreate his masterpiece for the masses. Mix in a shrewd restaurant consultant and a waiter with dreams of his own, and it all goes to hell in this hilarious and insightful play that asks us to consider where art ends and commerce begins. Seared premiered to great acclaim off-Broadway in 2019 and received four Outer Critics Circle awards.
CTbites is excited to be the Media Sponsor for an incredible dining event going down on June 22nd, DINNER ON MARKLE, “Cultivating Seeds of Community.”BUY TICKETS HERE
29 Markle Court, awarded “Best New Restaurant” at the 2023 “Crazies Awards” is taking the “Outstanding In The Field” concept and bringing that long communal table dining experience to the streets of downtown Bridgeport. This is going to be an unforgettable event you will not want to miss.
The community dinner, "Dinner on Markle," will be held Saturday June 22nd, 3-8PM and the experience will span the entirely of Markle Ct in front of the restaurant. Chef Damon Daye and Wesley Arbuthnot have created an evening filled with local artists, creative drinks, live music and a four-course dinner al fresco that will focus on the bounty the season has to offer from our local CT farms.
The evening will be set under the stars, surrounded by an exhibit of incredible community art brought to you by Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.
“Cultivating Seeds of Community” will elevate local creativity, community, and art. A portion of the proceeds will benefit “The Green Village Initiative” and “The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.”
Join the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomyand the Culinary Arts and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Julia Child Award, June 1st at 6PM.
On June 1st, join Jacques Pépin and the Jacques Pépin Foundation, in his home town of Madison, CT, alongside CT celebrity Chef Renee Touponce for a Jacques-inspired menu at the coastal Madison Beach Hotel. They’ll be raising a glass to Jacques & Julia.
Have you always wanted to meet the culinary legend, Lidia Bastianich? Well now is your chance.
The Westport Young Woman’s League is pleased to announce that it will be hosting their Grants Awards Luncheon featuring celebrity chef and guest speaker, Lidia Bastianich. The fundraiser luncheon will be held on April 29, 2024, from 11:30 am – 2:30pm at the beautiful Branson Hall at Christ & Holy Trinity Church, 75 Church Lane in Westport, CT. Get your ticket here.
Lidia Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, successful restaurateur and the owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. She has published numerous cookbooks in addition to hosting her Emmy-winning television series Lidia’s Kitchen, Lidia’s Italy in America, and Lidia’s Italy. Among the numerous awards and accolades, Lidia has earned seven James Beard Awards and two Emmy Awards. In 2022, Lidia received the Silver Award from APT for 25 years on Public Television.
At one end of a non-descript strip mall in Orange is a new restaurant called Ji Be Chuan — You could call it a noodle joint or a soup joint, but that’s not an altogether accurate description. Although its roots stem from China, Ji Be Chuan isn’t exactly a Chinese restaurant either. A Chinese franchise which was founded in Shuzhou, China has over 400 locations in China with a growing international presence. There are 50 restaurants in the US including one in New York City, and one here in Orange, Connecticut.
This franchise is unique in that about 50% of the menu features original Ji Be Chuan recipes, but franchisees are allowed to supplement with their own recipes and dishes. For this reason, the Orange location features a unique blend of Asian influences and flavors from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and, of course, China. This “flexible franchise,” as owner Jin Lin refers to it, allowed him to incorporate pho and ramen with the traditional Chinese dishes. There is something for everyone, and something familiar to everyone.
Don’t miss Taste of Wishes 2023!! This is our favorite culinary event of the year!
Taste of Wishes is a celebration of celebrity chefs, delicious food and granting wishes for children with critical illnesses. Join us on Tuesday, October 3th at Aitoro Appliance (401 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851) for an unforgettable evening of culinary delights. GRAB YOUR TICKETS HEREbefore they sell out!.
They've gathered some of the best chefs in the area to create a menu that will tantalize your taste buds. From savory appetizers to sweet desserts, there's something for everyone. And while you're enjoying the evening, you'll be helping to make wishes come true for children who need them most. Plus, you'll get to meet some of the children and families who have been impacted by the work we do.
“Let’s get a drink”. “Come over for a drink!”. There’s nothing more convivial than sharing a drink together with a person or a whole group of favorite persons. And isn’t the ol’ saying -it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? Well, here’s a historical “reason” to raise your glasses high-Oktoberfest, the beloved, ancient event involving mouthwatering beers, so much (too much? never!) merriment and some fabulous lederhosen. Oktoberfest-ivities run pretty much the entire month of September and into October, so there are plenty of chances to raise that stein. And remember, we all put our lederhosen on one leg at a time. Prost!
Sluuuuuurp. Siiiip! Sip! Just a few of the sounds you might hear when consuming a steaming hot bathtub-sized bowl of delicious, noodlicious ramen. Whether you’ve got a simpler bowl of noodles and broth on the brain or one brimming with a myriad of toppers, not much is more satisfying than slurping to your heart’s content. To take the chill off these end-of-winter days, we’ve got the consummate listing for your next craving. Dive on in, the slurping is good!
Here are 25 Spots for great ramen in Connecticut.
If we missed a Ramen spot you love, please contact us.
CTbites is very proud to be a media sponsor for year one of the exciting event below, an event that celebrates the culmination of Black History Month. We share that honor with The New Canaanite, where writer, Laura Ault, originally posted this article detailing the Stand Together Against Racism (S.T.A.R)’s Soul-Fête event, going down on March 2nd. Here’s the scoop. Grab your tickets now before they sell out!
With their customary knack for creating connection, Stand Together Against Racism (S.T.A.R) has created an immersive cultural celebration. Soul-Fête, which will explore the culinary journey from Africa to America, will welcome you to the Carriage Barn at New Canaan’s Waveny Park on March 2nd from 7-9 P.M., wrapping up Black History Month in an unforgettable way. Music will be provided by local band The Misfits, and chef Damon Sawyer of Bridgeport’s 29 Markle Ct. will take us through the past, present, and future of Black food. What’s in store for us? Well, for one, there will be a mac ‘n’ cheese tasting.
Greenwich Wine + Foodtoday announced its final schedule of weeklong festivities and participants that will comprise its 10-year anniversary celebration this October, with tickets on sale for all events. Beneficiaries include two national non-profit organizations with roots in Connecticut - The Jacques Pépin Foundation and Wholesome Wave. Premium sponsors include Wagoneer and Greenwich Hospital.
“With the one-month countdown officially ON, I’m thrilled to share the final details for our monumental anniversary celebration,” said Suni Unger, founder and CEO of Unger Media, the parent company behind Greenwich Wine + Food and Serendipity magazine. “We are especially thrilled to be co-hosting more than ten events throughout the week, on-location at our favorite restaurants and bars in our local communities. These carefully curated, intimate celebrations are truly allowing us to applaud local talent in the area, and paired with our Gala on October 7, I am so proud of the programming we’re offering this Fall and our partner beneficiaries.”
“Early Dismissal,” Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ latest “Good Brews for a Cause'', is set to debut at the annual Change in the Air Festival on June 18th in New Haven, CT. The Good Brews for a Cause initiative donates a portion of beer sales to support non-profit organizations. Early Dismissal, a passion fruit-infused IPA was made in collaboration with New England Brewing Company (NEBCO). The charitable donation will benefit the CT Brewers Guild African American Brewers Scholarship, a scholarship fund promoting diversity in the craft beer industry.
The Glass House Summer Party is back! After a two-year hiatus, The Glass House is excited to be returning to an in-person celebration on Saturday June 11th, and once again welcome guests to celebrate on site with us for our 15th Anniversary. After opening our doors in 2007 as a public museum, The Glass House has remained a site of international significance. It is our mission to maintain this special place by raising funds to preserve our campus and collections.
This year’s fundraising event invites guests to explore the grounds with a locally sourced picnic lunch by Elm, while enjoying special performances by award-winning tap dancer and choreographer, Ayodele Casel and musical stylings by Paul Sevigny. Picnicking is enjoyed throughout the site – tatami mats on the Pavilion, pillow lounges by Dedar Italian textile company, or reclining on the pristine grass of the Glass House lawn. In between performances, join us for rosé by The Pale, lawn games or view our curated auction of over 120 lots of art, design, luxury experiences, and mingle with supporting artists.
Join Grass & Bones in Mystic on January 28th for a Dry Aged & Natural Wine Dinner. A six course dinner cooked by Chef James Wayman and his team—Oyster Club in Mystic is having a Happy Hour glow up! Every day, 4-5pm—Artisan is adding an extra incentive to start out 2022 on the right foot, with their NEW "5-6-7 Happy Hour" 3:30-6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the Tavern—Clean Juice Simsbury opens Jan 22nd with USDA-certified organic juices—Join Wakeman Town Farm for a workshop about how to make your own Fire Cider, an old-school elixir that is having a moment—Ambler Farm is offering a fun Valentine's Tea for Two + Cookie Decorating Kit.Grab your Valentine's Party For Two Kit here.
I lived in Japan for four years in the early 2000s. I spent much time eating my way around Tokyo and the Kanto sprawl. Surely much has changed in those 20 years since I left. Still, I long for the food I left behind. Not the flashy foods of trendy restaurants I visited (and loved). I miss the fried chicken skewers from 7-11, Circle K egg salad sandos, and the noodles of all the quick-bite ramen shops without chairs, for none of which I remember names. Yoshinoya, Pot & Pot, and sushi go-rounds that didn’t serve elaborate rolls. I miss all the places in the cavernous Shinjuku Station underground with their window displays of plastic katsu curry and oyaku-don.
Yeah. It’s the love the Japanese food culture places into even it’s fast(ish) food that I’ve sought since coming back to the states. Occasionally, some of my old friends who were there with me will send pics of some gem they found in a strip mall. I do the same. But of the handful of places that I found, none takes me back there like Menya Gumi.
Angel Cheng opened Menya Gumi in March 2020, right as the pandemic hit the U.S. Menya survived to deliver an upgraded touch to the food of my past. Cheng works somewhere between Japanese tradition and American food crazes.
Who doesn’t love a wedding? Wait…what? Did you know that Oktoberfest got its start in 1810 as a celebration of the wedding of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen? (please try saying that last name after a stein of brew.) We can get onboard with any wedding celebration that involves giant pretzels, bratwurst for miles, and beer flowing like a Bavarian river. Another little factoid for you to thrill your beer-buddies with: the current Oktoberfest in Germany only serves beer from the original six breweries in Munich. Our list, lucky for you, is a tad longer. You can call that a win and not even have to fly anywhere. Oktoberfest, weddings, whatever you are celebrating-Raise those steins! Prost!
Enjoy these 25+ spots to celebrate OKTOBERFEST in Connecticut!
Gotham Burger Social Club teams up with Winfield Street Coffee for a POP UP to remember on July 11th 12-4pm ( Rain Date - July 10th 12-4pm.) This collaboration will include the award winning Gotham Smash Burger paired with Aperol Spritzers, Pasta Salad, Artisan Tater Tots & Nutella Stuffed Cookies as add ons. Local vendors like Longford’s Ice Cream will be scooping their small batch, along with Living Juice spiked with Cylinder Vodka and RowHouse Stamford will be show casing what they offer on their Rowers. Note: this will be a pre order event all info on Instagram : @gothamburgersocialclub.
RHK Seafood Boil and Bar, located at 19 North Water Street in the heart of SoNo across the street from the Maritime Aquarium, is launching a new Wednesday “Aperitif Hour.” Beginning Wednesday, June 30, the weekly special will run from 4-8pm. For $23.99, guests can select one beverage (choice of house red or white wine, beer, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Campari Spritz or Aperol Spritz), and following in the European tradition, receive a rotating selection of “Chef’s Choice” small bites.
Join Washington Prime Sono for their 7th Anniversary Yacht Party on Thursday, July 22nd. They set sail at 9:00PM with DJ Norbs 3000 spinning and kicking off the beats. The Patio Deck will have a Tiki Tequila Bar sponsored by Olmeca Altos 100% Agave Tequila! We also have High Noon Seltzers in the house all night long!! No Cover Charge. Dress to Impress. All White or Hawaiian Style. This Event is a 21 and Over Event Only.
Did ya know?? You can buy straight off the boat local oysters, clams and lobsters from The Oysterman’s Daughter, a small ‘hidden’ shop located at the boatyard where Copps Island oysters are harvested and distributed nationwide. It was created with the intention of providing fresh shellfish straight off the boats to the consumer from the folks at Copps Island Oysters. It is a lifestyle shop selling an assortment of different products unique to boaters and beach lovers alike.
At a hillside shopping center overlooking nothing more fashionable than the far ridge line of the Housatonic River and Sikorsky’s helicopter factory steams a great bowl of pho. It’s a standard bo vien with beef meatballs, ordered lightly rich with small convex globules of transparent oil magnifying both light and flavor in the broth. I’ve recently dosed a bite with a slice of positively infernal green pepper. A less varied quarantine diet has apparently softened my usually spice-calloused tongue. My eyes are watering, and my nose is running. I’m in heaven.
Amongst the bright and airy courtyard of the Waypointe Apartments resides Haruki Ramen & Izakaya.
Owners, Lily Nimonjiya and Ben Chan, first opened Haruki’s doors in February 2020. They wanted to bring a new side of the Japanese culture to Fairfield. Most importantly, they wanted to showcase what you’d normally find in an izakaya in Japan. “I want to highlight that there is more to the Japanese cuisine than sushi and ramen,” says Nimonjiya.
So, what is an izakaya? In Japanese, it directly translates to, “stay sake shop.” It is a casual drinking establishment with small bites. A more colloquial comparison for an izakaya would be a pub or a tapas bar. Alongside their izakaya offerings, there are also options for ramen and rice dishes. And of course, craft cocktails and an extensive list of sake—47 kinds to be exact.
