One sunny day in Bethel, I was interviewing Sara Oberhammer at her spot, Soulber Kitchen & Market, over lunch, smoothies, and at least one caffeinated beverage. That’s when a smiling face burst through the door with a cookie delivery. Dani LeBlanc and I met ever so briefly, but right after she left, Sara said, “Have you had her cookies?”
After hearing so many good things about X Ramen from my friends, I was looking forward to trying it out myself.
The New York inspired Chicken, Ramen and Boba eatery is the concept of two brothers who grew up locally in Fairfield County, in the restaurant biz. The restaurant is located in the former Wafu space. It’s spacious interior is bright and airy and offers plenty of comfortable seating. The vibe inside is youthful and whimsical, with brightly colored anime posters and TVs lining the walls. In the center of the room, overhead, a lovely display of Japanese umbrellas and lanterns hangs overhead.
X Ramen’s fairly extensive menu is as fun as the decor. The offerings feature various Asian favorites from Ramen to Udon, assorted appetizers from bao buns to fried chicken, dim sum and a creative boba menu offering classic teas, fruit, tease, and fancy “signature” teas and slushies. The dishes are straightforward, simple and uncomplicated, perfectly suited for both the novice as well as the seasoned ‘slurper.’
Foxwoods Resort Casino today announced the opening of Momosan by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, set to debut in spring 2025. The new addition brings the globally renowned chef’s celebrated Japanese cuisine to Foxwoods, marking the seventh location of his acclaimed ramen restaurant. The partnership between Foxwoods and Chef Morimoto continues the resort casino’s commitment to delivering world-class, diverse culinary experiences in a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape.
Sara Oberhammer recalls the day she got her driver’s license at 16. The first thing she did was cruise around her hometown of Bethel to apply to jobs in the hospitality industry. She even quit high school softball so she could waitress.
In February of 2024, just a mere three-minute walk away from where she got her foot in door at Greenwood’s Grille & Ale House, Oberhammer, who’s mostly been a bartender later in her restaurant career, now has a spot of her very own. And it has nothing to do with mixing cocktails, pouring drafts, or serving pub food.
What are you doing on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.? If you’re tuned into the Japanese cuisine scene in New Haven, we know where we’ll find you: Standing in line to be one of the first to experience The Loop, a brand-new marketplace, food court, and kitchen by the enlightened crew that brought us Hashiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar, and Hachiroku Handroll Bar & Tapas. CT Bites was lucky enough to get a private preview, and we’re here to tell you: The Loop is about to revolutionize the way we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
To catch you up: Yuta Kamori was a stranger to New Haven when he opened the first Hachiroku on Orange Street in 2022. But soon, very soon – in spite of not even a sign out front -- he had a passionate fan base and, much to his surprise, an outpouring of support from local chefs and restaurateurs. “I walked in cold,” he recalls, but found “good people here – people who spread the word.” By 2023 he had premiered the second Hachiroku, a spare, elegant sushi bar on State Street, which opened to great acclaim and which, like his first place, quickly became a statewide favorite.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Yuki’s Kitchen, a charming Korean, Japanese and Chinese culinary haven that left me utterly impressed and thoroughly satisfied. From the moment I stepped in to this primarily take-out spot, the quaint friendly ambiance and attentive service set the stage for a memorable gastronomic experience. Ken and Yuki Piao, a husband and wife team, have been in the Fairfield/Westport area for more than +10 years and decided in November of 2022 to open a lovely tiny haven of authentically excellent Asian food. We also had the pleasure of enjoying some special dishes prepared by Yuki’s mother visiting from Korea for 2 months.
I could start with the usual hellos and some intros, but why beat around the bush-let’s dive right in and start with a sandwich you will want to get to know: The Heirloom Reuben. It’s a Reuben of a different color, though; two slices of fresh sourdough bread stuffed full of marinated cabbage, carrots, sautéed onions, sauerkraut, special “Heirloom” sauce, and raw Cheddar or vegan cheese. It’s a two-handed wonder that only the truly skilled can maneuver. It’s also a meat-LESS Reuben. This and many more vegan delights hold court on the most beloved list (aka menu) at the Heirloom Food Co., a healthy eatery in Danielson, one of the towns in the chock-full-of-surprises Quiet Corner of Connecticut. As I mentioned, you are going to want to get to know this place. And this sandwich.
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.
Happily, eating plant-based is becoming easier and more accessible by the day. However, finding decadent desserts and sweets that fit this category have historically been a bit more of a challenge, given that milk, butter, and gelatin is usually involved when making things of the sweeter persuasion. Another challenge: finding gift-worthy artisan treats that are visual treats to the palate as well the eyes. You know, the type of special giant heart box of chocolates that Linus toted around waiting to give to Miss Othmar. At the end of the day, no one wants to be left out, including sweet and chocolate-indulging plant-eaters.
Well, these sweets do exist, Virginia, and they are located in Manchester so your plant-loving special someones can partake in all the sweet flavors and beautiful treats as the omnivores. Every sweet produced at Divine Treasures chocolate shop, which has been going strong since 2007, is vegan and gluten-free. In addition, Divine Treasures confections are made with health and enjoyment in mind. These European-style chocolates are crafted with high-quality ingredients but also, and here’s the amazing part, without refined sugar and corn syrup. Diane Wagemann, owner and chocolatier, studied the art of chocolate making in Belgium and Switzerland and then decided to adapt her grandmother’s family recipes to suit the goal of healthier eating. Instead of adding an abundance of sugars, Wagemann wants the inherent taste of the cacao to be the shining star. She sources the chocolate from small family-owned Fair-Trade certified businesses, so you can be sure that no fillers have been added to the chocolate, which sometimes can compromise the vegan integrity.
When you enter Ramen & Bao, the latest culinary addition to Oxford’s Quarry Walk, there is no question that you are in for a memorable experience. Right away, you are greeted by the tranquil sounds of water trickling from a fountain as you turn the corner, signaling that it is time to kick back, relax, and enjoy some delicious ramen, dumplings, steamed baos, or whatever may strike your fancy.
Chef Jin is no stranger to opening up successful restaurants in Connecticut, as Ramen & Bao is a sister restaurant to Natural Kitchen in Milford and Tomo 68 in Naugatuck. So we knew we were in for a treat when we sat down at a carefully presented place setting, complete with ornate soup spoons, bowls, and chopsticks. Needless to say, we were ready to dive in.
In a bleak midwinter, in the midst of a great Pandemic, Sophia Diakoloukas left a successful marketing career to open her restaurant, Urban Greek Kitchen. This fast-casual eatery serves up modern Greek food with a flair. “It’s Greek with a twist” she describes. “I use traditional family recipes and adapt them to satisfy the way we eat today.” Inspired by the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean, Urban Greek focuses on healthy, fresh vibrant ingredients that are satisfying and delicious. Having grown up in the restaurant business, here in Connecticut, Sophia is no stranger to the inner workings of this complicated, fast-paced industry. It’s immediately apparent that she runs a pristinely organized and tight ship. Most of her staff has been with her since the doors opened…and so have her loyal customers.
There’s a new fried chicken restaurant in town and it’s not like any other.
Last summer Lovebird opened its first Connecticut eatery at 2385 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield on the heels of four successful Pennsylvania restaurants (Blue Bell, Bryn Mawr, Doylestown and Newtown.)
Stephanie Wilson Paulson, a long- time friend of founder John Ordway, decided to bring the restaurant to Connecticut and thought Fairfield to be an ideal location.
Lovebird is unique in that it is a celiac-friendly, gluten-free* restaurant that describes itself as a high quality chicken restaurant changing the way fried chicken is done, and redefining the way people are eating fried chicken. Free of GMO's, antibiotics, and unpronounceable ingredients, Lovebird uses only Gerber’s Amish Farm cage-free chicken for their made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and quinoa bowls, with vegetarian and vegan options. Diners shouldn’t overlook their sides, crispy Brussels, fried pickles and mac and cheese, all – of course – gluten-free!
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.
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.
Well it’s that time of year. What to do with all those pumpkin innards after your spawn (or you) have scooped and carved? Obviously, you eat it. Here’s one great idea from Chef Whitney Flood of Nine Main Café in New Preston & Farmers and Cooks, who has created a wonderful Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffin recipe for all of you gluten intolerant folks out there.
Connecticut is full of trailblazing women, particularly in the culinary world. Our ongoing column, “It’s A Woman’s World” is devoted to CT female influencers who’ve forged their own paths, often in food-related fields long dominated by men.
Whether farming the land, bringing healthy food to the masses, feeding an entrepreneurial spirit, or injecting feminism with food, these groundbreaking ladies have set a new definition of women’s work, creating new paths, and setting examples for those who follow.
Sara Oberhammer is someone I’ve personally wanted to feature for a while. Many of you might know her as a bartender at various restaurants around Fairfield County—and if you’ve had several of those mango margaritas with the spicy, salty rim at either location of The Blind Rhino, that was Sara’s award-winning creation.
While you still might catch her mixing cocktails at your favorite haunt, Sara has paved her own path in wellness, offering health coaching, personal training, and meal prepping colorful, nutritious bowls that are vegan, gluten-free, and even the dressings are homemade.
The Shops at Farmington Valley will debut the first Connecticut restaurant location for 110 Grill, rated as “Top 10 most allergy friendly restaurants in America”. 110 Grill is New England’s Fastest Growing Restaurant Group and the opening of 110 Grill Canton will mark the 32nd location for the six-year-old Modern American restaurant group.
Located at 110 Albany Turnpike, the restaurant will feature 110 Grill’s signature modern-American fare with an array of comforting classics and unparalleled gluten-free and dietary restricted menus. Every 110 Grill location features a contemporary, yet inviting atmospherewith a spacious dining room and lounge, private dining room, outdoor patio and a large bar area.
Wicked Gluten Free has created a wonderful Gluten Free Connecticut Dining Guide for 2021. Check it out, and view the complete guide at www.wickedglutenfree.com.
Connecticut has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to gluten-free dining. And, as the number of people avoiding gluten rises at record pace, the number of restaurants working to accommodate them is absolutely skyrocketing. Although this makes going out to eat really fun, it also makes the job of compiling a list of favorites really difficult. And so, we present to you some of our favorite restaurants offering excellent gluten-free options.
Follow the link below for 75+ Connecticut restaurants, bakeries, and fast food spots that are either dedicated Gluten Free or very careful about cross contamination.
