Now in its second generation of family ownership, Coracora is helmed by sisters Chef Macarena Ludena and co-owner Grecia Ludena. First opened in 2011 by their parents Luisa Jimenez and Hector Ludena,
Coracora has since built up its loyal clientèle based on three main pillars -- high-quality ingredients, a warm and welcoming family-like experience, and top-notch customer service. All dishes are made in- house and without artificial preservatives, furthering Coracora's dedication to excellence and authentic Peruvian cuisine.
Coracora will take the space formerly occupied by Rosa Mexicano who recently closed their doors in West Hartford.
Fiesta! is now open in Stamford’s West side neighborhood (conveniently located in the Shop Rite shopping center.) The Rojas family opened this location, their fifth restaurant, this past November, continuing in their dedication to share authentic Peruvian cuisine and culture with the Fairfield County community.
Alberto Rojas’ opened the first Fiesta! location nearly 30 years ago. The Peruvian businessman and entrepreneur came to the States in the 1980s and has owned numerous local businesses over the years including those in the dry cleaning, travel and marketing industries. Rojas, a youthful 76, welcomed us warmly, and with pride, to his newest eatery.
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.
Currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, Cora Cora Peruvian Restaurant and the Ludena family that own it, are finally getting the recognition they deserve. All of their hard work and dedication to serving traditional, authentic Peruvian food handed down through family recipes has helped not only them, but Connecticut also, gain recognition on the national food scene with not one, but two nominations by the James Beard Foundation. First for Outstanding Restaurant, and second for Best Chef: Northeast.
You might hear the name The Rockin Chicken (TRC) and think it’s yet another really good chicken-themed joint, like West Hartford’s Chicken Citizen & Donuts, Wethersfield’s El Pollo Guapo, Newington’s Rooster Co. or the Elm City’s Hot Haven Chicken. But you’ll see it’s actually so much more. Since TRC opened in June, 2016 on Franklin Avenue in Hartford, it has been my go-to for Peruvian food, long one of my favorite cuisines.
TRC is owned by Dr. Miguel A. Colán and his wife, Kate. The genial couple doesn’t just own the business but the building as well. For Miguel, a Hartford chiropractor, it was an almost-weekly family tradition growing up in Lima to visit pollerias a la brasa, popular local restaurants specializing in charcoal rotisserie chicken. TRC grew out of his desire to recreate that dining experience for Hartford-area restaurant-goers.
For nearly a decade, Mezón Restaurant has been thought of as one of Connecticut’s premiere Latin eateries by word of mouth and its seen its fair share of media recognition—they are fresh off Connecticut Magazine Reader’s Poll wins for Best Latin in Fairfield County and the runner-up for Best Latin in the state. And that’s saying something considering they didn’t even know they were nominated and because of that, they didn’t publicize it.
Four years ago, our own Lou Gorfain sang Mezón’s praises after a small tasting of ceviche, pan seared pulpo, Dominican fried chicken, and churros. But everything food deserves an update, especially considering there’s a new chef at the helm, an obviously newer menu, and a haven for craft cocktails.
Oh, and I’m pretty sure Lou and Kristin are the only ones at CTbites who have been to Mezón. For Stephanie and me, we uttered the same thing, “I’m embarrassed I hadn’t been here before.”
Ever since its debut in 2010, The Fez in Stamford made a name for itself as an eclectic hotspot. Around the corner from Napa and Company and across the street from Barcelona Wine Bar, the Fez offered an alternative experience: nightclub vibes, live music, crimson walls, esoteric wines by the glass, and Spice Route cuisine. When it closed its doors in the summer of 2015 for renovations, its followers (including me!) didn’t know what to expect. I recently had the opportunity to visit The Fez 2.0 for myself. They invited me to participate in a five-course Chilean Wine Dinner, and I eagerly accepted.
It turns out that The Fez 2.0 is largely the same- and I mean that in the best possible way. New owners Fred and Nancy Laist embraced the original features that defined The Fez in its previous era. The menu includes many of the same items. Live music remains at the forefront. (They are already booked up Thursday-Sunday through March of next year!) Kristen tends the bar. The interior, though expanded to include more seating, continues to feels small and intimate. The stage remains at one end of the restaurant, with a handful of tables and booths in front of it. Red walls still complement dark wood and varied upholstery.
There’s a new Latin pulse beating on West Park Place in Stamford and it goes by the name ACUARIO (Aquarium, in Spanish.) Funky, warm and charming, the new Peruvian jaunt is the latest culinary jewel from the treasure box of Saida and Nicolas Oshiro, who opened the original ACUARIO in Port Chester in the 1980s. This new ACUARIO is in the worthy hands of Oshiro offspring, Eduardo, and his wife, Beth, and they know what’s cookin’. We’ve dined at ACUARIO twice and each time the restaurant has been packed, with many patrons speaking Spanish - ALWAYS a good sign.
You know that little place, right around the corner? The one that serves just that dish you were craving? The one that serves food you just know comes from a parent or grandparent’s tried-and-true recipe? You know the place, your go-to joint, always reliable, where you don’t have to dress up and you don’t have to spend a fortune? Well, “La Esquina,” literally, “the corner,” is just THAT place, serving up authentic South American yummies with home-style flare and flavors that impress.
La Esquina Latin Grill,right on “the corner” at 50 Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, is a labor of love for the young and extremely talented co-owner and head chef, Robert Monegro. Chef Robert grew up in Stamford with his Guatemalan mother and Dominican father, both chefs. He decided that after learning all he could by growing up in the kitchen of his parents’ restaurant, Flamboyant in Stamford, he would put his own mark on the culinary map of Fairfield County. And he is doing just that.
Word of mouth, and great word at that, brought me to The Spread, a spanking new dining hot spot in Sono. Two months young, the restaurant is the result a partnership of four guys, all with two decades-worth of bar and restaurant experience combined, plus one young and very talented chef, Arik Bensimon. Formerly the Executive Chef of Napa & Co., Chef Arik brings the food in this rustic yet hip joint to a level of excellence and seriousness not seen in Fairfield County in some time. The Spread’s menu is global in scope. It represents a range of cultures--Arik’s Moroccan background and French training, the partners' of Costa Rica, Italy, and France with a dash of New York and California in the mix. Indeed, the menu is all over the place, locally sourced and international, but somehow this eclectic mishmash works. Though dishes are simply titled on the menu, they are, in fact, complex and beautifully executed.
I’ve enjoyed food from many different countries over the years but funny enough, never from Peru. So with three friends in tow, I decided to try Fiesta Atlantic, a Peruvian restaurant in Stamford. Having eaten Venezuelan and Mexican, I expected a fusion of both. It turns out Peruvian food is indeed a melting pot of different cultures but surprisingly, the food is notable for its Italian and Chinese influences. In the 18th century, Lima was the financial center of a vast Spanish Viceroyalty. Chinese laborers and Italian settlers washed up on its South Pacific shores bringing their own spices and cooking techniques.
To paraphrase Bogey, I’ll just say that - Of all the joints in all the towns in Fairfield county, we walked into “The Fez.” It was a rainy evening and I could have sworn I saw Rick and Ilsa running for cover from the deluge. They should have come in! This new Moroccan-style restaurant at 227 Summer Street in Stamford, co-owned by Bharat Patel and Eric Monte, is an alluring respite from whatever storm you are escaping. It’s cozy and warm. And it’s very cool. “Cool? In Fairfield County?” you ask. Indeed - Here’s looking at The Fez, kids.
The physical space is deliciously inviting with sexy red walls and dim lighting.
