Filtering by Tag: bar,The Granola Bar

Old Mill Grocery & Deli: Rescued and Reopened in Westport

Features Interview Restaurant Westport Deli Sandwich Sandwiches Pizza Beach Eats Openings Old Mill Grocery The Granola Bar Homepage

Andrew Dominick August 13, 2022

On the heels of a slick renovation at their Rye, NY location, The Granola Bar founders, Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily are at it again. This time, however, their focus is in Westport. No, not at their flagship of TGB, but in the Compo Beach area at Old Mill Grocery & Deli.

Old Mill, though, is a very different venture for this dynamic duo. But before Mountain and Noorily could put their magic touch on this neighborhood gem, a lot had to happen.

First, the building that was built in 1919—which had been many iterations of Old Mill and a few Elvira’s in an over 100 year span—needed to be saved after the owners up to last year, Betsy and Hal Kravitz, moved out of Westport, putting a longtime neighborhood favorite at risk of being purchased and demolished for what likely would have been another beach area home.

J.B. Percival: Craft Cocktails in Fairfield

Features Interview bar Cocktails Fairfield Pub Cocktail Lounge Mixology classic cocktails Homepage

Andrew Dominick May 28, 2022

Punch “J.B. Percival” into Google Maps and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying an expertly mixed drink in Fairfield County’s only straight up cocktail lounge. All that’s left is actually finding the entrance.

Your GPS will tell you “you’ve arrived,” and you’ll likely be close, whether you’re parked at Fairfield Metro or parallel on Unquowa Street. There’s still a bit of legwork left. Head down Donnelly Walk, spot a handful of outdoor seats, and you’ll ultimately see their logo and “Permittee Amy O’Shea” decaled on the glass door.

If you’re just now hearing about J.B. Percival, it might be because O’Shea and her husband, Billy, opened their doors at the start of 2020. Nine weeks after they began mixing drinks and pouring pints, they were shut down for on-premise everything like every bar and restaurant was. Like most, they pivoted to a takeout model selling to-go cocktails, cocktail kits, wine, eggs, honey, masks, hand sanitizer, and even vegetables. As restrictions eased, J.B. Percival started slinging drinks for outdoor patio consumption, and then, finally, it was back to welcoming customers back indoors.

Kawa Ni Japanese Izakaya in Westport Expands to Double Its Size

Restaurant Features Westport Homepage Japanese Cocktails bar Bar Menu Openings

Stephanie Webster April 21, 2022

If you appreciate good food, and you live in the state of Connecticut, you’ve likely spent some time at Chef Bill Taibe’s Japanese izakaya spot in Westport, Kawa Ni. This small cozy culinary gem, bathed in warm woods, vintage Japanese posters and that perfect restaurant buzz, has hosted many a night for sake bombs (gong ringing included), tofu pockets, chicken karaage, Szechuan pork dumplings and a bowl of spicy miso ramen just for good measure.

As a frequent Kawa Ni diner, the only downside of being a guest at this popular Japanese style pub is scoring a reservation. Sure, they welcome walk-ins, and their very friendly staff always does their best to find a way to seat you a seat at the bar, or up on the rooftop patio if the season is right. However, historically, if you had an urgent last minute crazing for their pork rib confit, landing a table without some advanced planning, wasn’t the easiest task.

The Granola Bar in Rye Launches After Hours Upscale Bar Menu

Features Interview Road Trip Restaurant The Granola Bar Rye Westchester bar cocktails bar food burgers Homepage

Andrew Dominick March 23, 2022

Riddle me this. The Granola Bar begins each morning frothing lattes, stacking egg sandwiches, and spreading avocado on sourdough. If they switch it up after hours by dimming the lights, mixing cocktails, popping corks, and serving up dry-aged smash burgers, caviar topped hash browns, and trout roe deviled eggs, what’s it called then?

The Bar.

Sorry that wasn’t as clever as a puzzle presented by a certain Batman villain.

But nevertheless, what’s happening at The Granola Bar’s Rye location is something worth spilling. And it all goes down in a setting that’s fit for Gotham City. All the marble, mirrors, palms and live garden walls make it feel like a cross between Manhattan chic and Miami Beach. It’s fit for date night, girl’s night (or guy’s night!), and a quick after work drink. Psst! The Bar opens at 5. Just an FYI for those who need a fast post-work fix.