Filtering by Tag: WIne,Southern

Rye Bird Opens in Fairfield with Southern American Comfort Food

Features Interview Restaurant American Southern Cocktails Interview Openings Fairfield Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Since April of 2024, a new restaurant by the name of Rye Bird, located in the longtime former home of Isla in Fairfield, teased a tasty, affordable, neighborhood restaurant concept. Operated by Post Road Hospitality, Rye Bird officially cracked open its doors on October 19 after hosting some patio preview parties prior to its grand opening. Rye Bird’s founder and president Frank Klein hopes it’ll catch on as the “next neighborhood joint” for a bunch of reasons.

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Ore Hill Offers Elevated Micro Seasonal Dining in Kent

Restaurant Kent Litchfield County Fine Dining Opening WIne Farm To Table New American

Erik Ofgang

Somewhere between the main course and dessert round during a recent tasting at Ore Hill the palette cleansers arrive in the form of a sorbet. The secret ingredient in the dish is habanada peppers a selectively bred variant of the better-known habanero peppers that Executive Chef Ryan Carbone explains retain the flavors of a habanero without the spice. So you get all these green vegetal notes and it feels like it’s about to get spicy but the heat never comes, Carbone says. 

The sensation, which Carbone describes perfectly, is one of a kind and exactly the kind of flavor that makes dining at Ore Hill such a treat. The ultra-select, ultra-high-end fine dining experience offers a multicourse immersion in local ingredients and chef-driven cuisine and the kind of big-city tasting menu rarely found in Connecticut. This is accompanied by high-end cocktails and a natural wine-driven wine list that doesn’t shy away from bringing some intriguing and intentional funk. 

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Guide To Connecticut Vineyards To Visit in Summer 2024

Restaurant Features Vineyard Wine Shop WIne Wine Trail Highlight Homepage

April Guilbault

Rose All Day. Wine o’clock. Wine not? And remember, Sip Happens! Ah, the battlecries of the summer season! From day trips to special gatherings (any bridesmaids out there?), a bucolic, rambling vineyard is the perfect place to while away sun-drenched hours, maybe learn a little something, nibble a little something (wine and charcuterie go hand-in-hand, after all), and sip a whole lot of somethings. Those somethings are local, delightful and flavorful, handcrafted with skill and dedication, and finished off with a wine barrel full of love. A little note for your summer ramblings and sipping: Entries with asterisks (*) are participating wineries/vineyards on the CT Wine Trail. Pet-friendliness is also noted.

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Keep Eating More Walrus: Walrus Alley Celebrates 10 Years & Opens For Friday Lunch

Features Interview Restaurant Walrus Alley Walrus + Carpenter Westport Southern Southern Food BBQ Homepage Interview Live Music Cocktails Craft Beer

Andrew Dominick

“I remember we had just unlocked the doors at Walrus + Carpenter, and the first two customers that came in ordered a Bud Lights and a Coors Light. I heard Adam (Patrick) go, ‘Oh, we don’t have that.’ And one of the guys goes, ‘Fuck you! You won’t last’ That was our first reaction.”

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Preview: Greer Fredericks is Coming Back to Norwalk to Open "Greer Southern Table"

Interview Restaurant Norwalk Southern Food Southern Openings Greer Fredericks

Andrew Dominick

At the tail end of December, I woke up to a text message from Greer Fredericks saying she’s coming back to Norwalk to open a southern themed restaurant. That style of cuisine in a sit-down restaurant setting is something I’ve thought this area has had a need for ever since Fredericks closed Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint some years ago when she moved to New York City and opened an offshoot of Peaches in Manhattan.

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Ruby & Bella’s Opens in SaksWorks on Greenwich Avenue

Restaurant American WIne Cocktails Openings Greenwich Burgers Ladies Who Lunch Homepage

Andrew Dominick

You may not be able to purchase a Polo shirt or a pair of khakis at 265 Greenwich Avenue any longer, but you can set up shop and work remotely there, or you can host a meeting, attend an event, take a yoga or HIIT class, and have a sit-down dinner all under one roof.

What was Ralph Lauren is now SaksWorks, a membership-based work meets life concept. With its flagship in Saks Fifth Avenue and a second in Brookfield Place, SaksWorks Greenwich is part of the company’s expansion that will soon follow with locations in Manhasset and Eastchester in the vacant Lord & Taylor.

We’ll let you decide if this concept or if membership is for you. If it is, and if it isn’t, you can still visit the Greenwich location membershipless (totally aware that isn’t a word) for a cup of coffee, lunch, or dinner.

What’s common in all SaksWorks is an anchor restaurant of some sort. In the case of Greenwich, that restaurant is Ruby & Bella’s, named after owner Richard Baker’s dogs.

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Tim LaBant’s Parlor Sequel Opens in Darien

Features Restaurant Pizza Darien Cocktails WIne Salads Openings Homepage

Andrew Dominick

After opening his first Neapolitan inspired pizza parlor in Wilton at the tail end of 2018, Tim LaBant has a Parlor part two in Darien’s Corbin District.

That particular section of town, according to LaBant, was primed for his style of pizza because it wasn’t represented anywhere else nearby. “I eyed the Corbin District initially and even thought about waiting a few years,” he says. “I didn’t because I figured someone would beat me to it with a similar concept. We wanted to be here first.”

LaBant and his Parlor squad officially started firing up pies in the Forza Forni Pavesi on April 16.

As far as what you can expect from the Darien location, it’s much of what they do well in Wilton. Think pizza, veggies, wine, cocktails, and beer, at least for now. “We might add to the menu,” hints LaBant. “I know people are still doing lots of takeout. No one wants asparagus in a box.”

But that’s not to say there isn’t anything new going down.

Aside from Parlor’s classic margherita, plain cheese, or a pepperoni pizza, there’s a nod to a New Haven tomato pie and an ode to Roberta’s Bee Sting in the “Soppressata” with red sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, basil, chili flakes, and homemade hot honey.

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Saugatuck Grain & Grape Pop-Up Store Opens in Westport to Pay It Forward

Features WIne Spirits Wine Shop Specialty Market Liquor Shopping Westport Openings Pop-Up

Stephanie Webster

For those of us who shop or live in the Westport area, you could hear a communal groan of sadness when Saugatuck Grain & Grape closed up shop by the train station in 2018. It was audible. Owner, Mimi McLaughlin ran her small boutique wine and spirits shop like a family, and every time you walked in that door, she taught you something, or opened your eyes to something new. Shoppers walked out excited about a new small producer wine label, a local distiller they’d never heard of…or a cocktail, made perfectly. Her passion and knowledge of all things “grain and grape” created a brand that took her love of educating the consumer and made her a leader in her field.

Fast forward to 2020 and…wait for it…Mimi is back. Last week she opened a Saugatuck Grain & Grape pop-up location at 1460 Post Road East. You can still lean on her for that perfect red wine recommendation, but it’s different this time around. McLaughin says ”I am back because I came to a realization during quarantine, that what I really want to do, is support the local community, those who need it most.” She has put her money where her mouth is, as SG&G is giving 15% of ALL SALES to local charitable organizations.

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Barcelona Wine Bar Launches Wine Education Series in Partnership with Wine.com

Features WIne Wine Chat Wine Tasting This Week In Wine Education

CTbites Team

Barcelona Wine Bar is launching a new, complimentary wine education series in partnership with Wine.com to bring a taste of Spain home. The best news…after the class, you can buy the wines on Wine.com.

The first class, Iconic Red Wines of Spain will be released on April 28th, and will focus on Rioja, Bierzo, Ribera Del Duero, and Priorat wines. While there are specific wines that are available in a bundle on Wine.com for $89.99, Barcelona restaurants have an expansive range of wines from these regions and participants can call BWB to pick-up wine from one or all of these regions to taste along with the experts. The series was created for any Bierzo, Priorat, Rioja, or Ribera del Duero red wine to pair perfectly for the course.

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Barcelona Wine Bar Hosts "Women In Wine" Events Across CT

Features WIne Wine Dinners

Stephanie Webster

Barcelona Wine Bar is celebrating National Women’s Month with a wine focused series titled, “Women in Wine.” This uncorked event will feature 30 different wines from female wine-makers across Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Uruguay all paired with a chef-prepared culinary experience. They will host these events at all of their locations across CT. It is worth noting that these wines by women are always available at Barcelona but they wanted to take a moment to celebrate some badass women in the wine biz.

Tickets to each event are $55 and are available for purchase via Eventbrite (links below):

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Bar August: Chic, Romantique, et Delicieuse

Restaurant WIne Wine Bar New Haven Charcuterie Bar French Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

“It feels like we’re in the Village,” said my gal-pal who joined me for my much anticipated jaunt to Bar August in New Haven. We can’t always explain it, but most of us can conjure an image that falls in line with what “the Village” is? It’s small and cozy, brick and historic, refined but not over the top, with a dash of European flair. And, with the lively scene that New Haven has already, Bar August is just a primo location from the start. Built in people-watching from its side-street, almost corner digs, and a menu that will knock your socks off, Bar August  has IT.

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Birdman Juke Joint Opening In Bridgeport with Real Soul Food from Top Chef, Chris Scott

Restaurant Openings Bridgeport Comfort Food Celebrity Chef Southern Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

“It’s about the chicken…” says Chef Chris Scott (Top Chef Season 15), telling his new Connecticut fan base a story at his sold out Pop Up last Thursday night. And he’s about to knock nutmeggers socks off left and right with what he calls Real Soul Food, not the “gentrified” sort we’ve heard about or tasted before. There’s a story attached to the chicken, to the greens and black-eyed peas; there’s a story about the people who originally brought us the food. Real Soul Food is not just the celebrated dishes we’ve come to know and love. Chef wants everyone to understand the heritage behind this cuisine, and really hear about the ones who toiled long and hard for the meals we know as southern soul food. It’s time we learned about the Birdman; and Chef Scott is just the one to deliver the tale. He is passionate, he is immensely knowledgeable, he is experienced, and he just so happens to be one freakin’ amazing Chef.

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Union League Café Celebrates 25 Years in New Haven CT

Restaurant New Haven Lunch Brunch WIne French American Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Union League Café is frequently mentioned as one of Connecticut’s best restaurants. They’ve won multiple awards in various publications—in fact, it’s one of the more acclaimed places in the state—and they’ve been a New York Times darling three different times. Additionally, Union League’s chef/owner, Jean Pierre Vuillermet is recognized as a Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, translated, a Master Chef of France. Awards aside, Union League Café is set to celebrate what’s arguably its greatest achievement, their 25th anniversary. 

To celebrate this quarter century milestone, ULC is rolling out a handful of throwback dishes inspired by their first 25 years. All October long, diners will have the option to partake in a three-course, prix fixe tasting for $55 per person, or $79 if you’re down for carefully selected French wine pairings alongside your meal.

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Sandy Hook’s Nouveau Monde Wine Bar Has Paris-Bistro Feel

Restaurant Sandy Hook French Lunch WIne Wine Bar

Connecticut Magazine

Looking for French fare, with an exceptional wine list? Connecticut Magazine reviews Nouveau Monde Wine Bar in Sandy Hook, CT. 

At some point during your visit to Nouveau Monde Wine Bar, you will start to crave wine.

Maybe this craving will begin when you walk in and see the steampunk elegance of the main dining area, a space that feels equal parts bar, classic cafe, restaurant and offbeat library. Perhaps it will strike as you read the wine list itself, a thick document that goes on and on like a William Faulkner sentence punctuated by descriptions such as “spicy yet fruity, red wine drinkers’ rosé.” Maybe it will begin when your server asks, “What type of wine do you usually drink?” and you realize “IPAs” is not an acceptable response.

Or, at least, that’s what happened to me. 

This newfound appreciation of wine capped (or in this case, corked) a visit to the restaurant that, to put it in language a wine lover would understand, was a rich, full-bodied evening highlighted by notes of cellared ambiance, clean, bright food flavors that were anything but dry and a sweet, rich finish courtesy of a knockout dessert.

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Southern Connecticut Wine Company Invites You To Make Your Own Wine

Features Ingredients Education Cooking Classes WIne Wine Tasting Vineyard Wallingford

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

In 2016, Forbes Magazine claimed to have discovered the “secret to happiness.”  “Spend money on experiences, not things,” they told their readers.  CNN took it one step further.  “That's in part because the initial joy of acquiring a new object, such as a new car, fades over time as people become accustomed to seeing it every day…,” they reported.  “Experiences, on the other hand, continue to provide happiness through memories long after the event occurred.”

Those looking to invest in a meaningful experience can find a solution tucked away in Wallingford, just off the highway, but hidden from view.  Southern Connecticut Wine Company, located in an unassuming garage-like building behind the railroad tracks, affords people the unique opportunity to create their own wine over the course of a season.  I had the chance to be an honorary co-op member for the day and witness a little bit of what they have to offer.

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Peaches Juke Joint in Nowalk: Two Guys Enjoy Some Southern Hospitality

Restaurant Norwalk Southern Bar

jeffrey schlesinger

CTbites has been following Greer Fredericks since she opened Mama’s Boy in Norwalk in 2013. She believed that low country southern cuisine could tantalize Fairfield County diners, from shrimp & grits, chicken and waffles to mile high desserts. Mama’s Boy’s food started the trend where down home, stick to your ribs cooking with bold flavors, deep fried, with cheese and calories were an accepted cuisine. Greer’s newest venture is Peaches’ Juke Joint, a fun-loving, take off your shoes, leave your inhibitions at the door and have some fun with a side of food. She hired Paul Failla to oversee the kitchen; many will remember Failla from his days at neighboring Bar Sugo. Ctbites was recently invited to sample Chef Paul’s newest creations and feel the vibes at Peaches.
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Outrageous BBQ at Mason Dixon Smokehouse in Stamford

BBQ Southern Stamford Bar Comfort Food Lunch

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

World-class BBQ returns to CT with the homecoming of renowned pitmaster Nestor Laracuente, who is overseeing the kitchen at Mason Dixon Smokehouse in Stamford. When I heard that Nestor was teaming up with Mason Dixon, I was ecstatic, the mounds of his perfectly prepared meats that I raved about at Hoodoo Brown were indelible etched in my memory. Would Mason Dixon fill the void that I have felt for months? Bottom line…yes, the food is spectacular.

Laracuente is a soft-spoken lover of meats and Southern rock who spent years perfecting his craft. After leaving CT last year, he returned to Brooklyn where he spent time with his buddy at Beast of Bourbon in Bed-Stuy. His time was spent experimenting with new rubs, new dishes, waiting for the right opportunity for his return to Connecticut. His newest venture, of which he is part-owner, opened a few weeks ago and it is slowly expanding the menu. 

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Soul Tasty Opens in Stamford: Southern Food from the Soul to the Table

Restaurant BBQ Delicious Dives Southern Stamford To-Go Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

Fairfield County offers some of the best food in the country, from trucks to fine dining, and when a restaurant serves food from the soul, it is special, it is uplifting, it makes you overjoyed. Every now and then I visit a new place that fits all these categories. Stephanie Webster, my CTbites partner, and I were looking for a new place for a lunch meeting and we chose Soul Tasty...we wanted to see what the buzz was about. It is located on Main Street in Stamford at the end of a dead end that doubles as the entrance to a pedestrian bridge and parking is incredibly difficult, have patience, it is worth it.

Soul Tasty is the brain-child and dream of Chef Jean Gabriel, Jr. When you walk in, you can feel the love. The walls are brightly painted, a little graffiti on the rear counter pronouncing FEED YOUR SOUL and a colorful menu above the hot trays holding the products of the chef’s homage to the Southern recipes of his grandmother.

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CT Coast & Country Winter Wine Trail 2016

WIne Wine Tasting

CTbites Team

Looking for something fun to do this winter? The CT Coast & Country Winter Wine Trail is made up of a select few wineries from the CT Wine Trail. They are teaming up to offer you a Mini-Passport Program from January 2nd through April 3rd. Participating wineries are Bishop’s Orchards Winery in Guilford, CT, Gouveia Vineyards and Paradise Hills Winery, both in Wallingford, CT. Visit all wineries by April 3rd, have your passport card stamped at each winery, and enter to win one of the multiple prizes. All prizes this year total over $2,500. Some prizes are listed below, along with rules and more information on participating wineries. “Like” their Facebook page for more information and updates.
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