Filtering by Author: Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger
South End to Open in New Canaan
Restaurant Openings New Canaan
The expanding number of New Canaan restaurants continues with the announcement of the newest addition, South End, which will open prior to Labor Day on Pine Street next to New Canaan Wine Merchants and feature the culinary creations of Chef Nicholas Martschenko. He is joined at South End by his business partner Keith Siskind, the former General Manager of Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, who will oversee the front of the house.
Dine With Design 2012 Recap @ The Philip Johnson Glass House
Restaurant Events New Canaan
On June 9, the second annual Dine with Design Event occurred on the incomparable grounds of the Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan and presented some of the most imaginative and brilliantly designed food selections that have ever graced this legendary compound. Six extraordinary chefs who exemplify the farm-to-table philosophy of Darryl Eckstrine’s “Harvest to Heat” cookbook and numerous artisans converged in the morning, braving the mist and light rain and created dozens of culinary delights including foie gras profiteroles; farro pasta with a duck heart ragout; citrus cured sardines with Calabrian chilies; plus numerous interpretations of lamb and pork bellies. As I marveled at the chefs’ creativity and tasted each of their dishes, it became apparent that the guests would experience an amazing culinary adventure.
Beach Burger/ Mr. Frosty's:Topping Contest Finalists
We would like to thank all of our readers who developed some incredible combinations in CTbites "Create Your Own" Beach Burger Topping Contest. We received thirty different hamburger entries and sixteen milk shake recipes. We met with Anthony Luciani, owner of Beach Burger, and went through each entry; it was an incredibly difficult decision. With so many creative choices and equally creative names such as the “Black and Blue Burger” and the “Want S'Mores”shake, it was challenging to narrow the field, but here are our top five finalists in the Burger Contest and the top three finalists in the Milk Shake Contest:
Hryan – “Beach Bum Burger” - avocado, bacon, arugula, tomato and basil mayo
Alex D’ - “The Ultimate Pizza Burger”- Stuffed with fresh Buffalo mozzarella and pepperoni and topped with Marinara sauce and fresh basil. Served on Focaccia Bread
Lee – “Black and Blue Burger” - Blue Cheese stuffed patty, blackening spice, Sriracha blue cheese dressing, bacon, shredded lettuce, crispy fried onions, and tomato
Dine With Design @ The Glass House: Chef Update
Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Artisan Local Farm New Canaan
The second annual Dine with Design will happen June 9, 2012, on the magnificent and incomparable grounds of Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan. With the tremendous success of prior year’s food presentations, the afternoon will again feature incredible tasting menus designed and prepared by some of the most renowned and respected chefs in America. Several of the chefs are featured in Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer’s cookbook, Harvest to Heat and this year’s day and evening lineup will create one of the most delicious culinary experiences of the season.
The participating chefs include three locals, Jeremy McMillan from The Farmhouse Restaurant at The Bedford Post Inn, Frederic Kieffer from Artisan in Southport, and Tim LaBant from The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton; two chefs from Cambridge, MA, Tony Maws from Craigie on Main and Ana Sortun from Oleana; plus Missy Robbins from A Voce in New York City and Gabriel Rucker from Le Pigeon in Portland, OR. The last two of the featured chefs, Missy Robbins and Gabriel Rucker present two vastly different paths up the culinary ladder and as well as approaches in their current restaurants.
Estia's American Opens in Darien: Breakfast & Beyond
Restaurant Brunch Darien Local Farm Breakfast Comfort Food
When restaurateur Colin Ambrose decided to follow his wife and three daughters and return to Fairfield County from the eastern end of Long Island, he brought with him a reputation for delivering creative farm to table cuisine. As the former owner/chef of Estia’s in Amagansett and the current owner of Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor, Ambrose is celebrating his Darien homecoming by opening his latest restaurant, Estia’s American. After Ambrose settled on the location that formerly housed Ole Mole, he immediately set to create a rustic Americana décor that included American flags created from book spines, relaxing beach paintings and his personal collection of cookbooks and novels, including several by his uncle Stephen Ambrose.
Best Burgers in Fairfield County: 2012 Edition
Restaurant Darien Delicious Dives Fairfield Norwalk Stamford Westport New Canaan Comfort Food Best of CT Burgers
“It is the Americans who have managed to crown minced beef as hamburger, and to send it round the world so that even the fussy French have taken to le boeuf hache, le hambourgaire.” – Julia Child
Forget the fish, hold the pasta, toss the vegetables to the side…May is National Burger Month, thirty-one days dedicated to one of my favorite culinary creations …the hamburger. And in honor of this great event, CTbites is please to highlight both the places that were included in the two Recommended Hamburger Lists from 2011 plus additional establishments from my continuous search for scrumptious hamburgers.
Here (in alphabetical order) is a list of recommended hamburgers from Greenwich to Westport to enjoy during National Hamburger Month.
Stamford's @Bar Rosso v2.0 Redux
Restaurant Cocktails Italian Pizza Stamford Lunch Kid Friendly
It has been a roller coaster first year for @Bar Rosso in Stamford. Given the renewed level of excitement for this stylish Italian food and wine bar, I decided to return and investigate the buzz. And I am glad that I did.
The totally revamped menu, designed by the new operating managers Giovanni Gentile and Rosario Procino, presents more casual and traditional Italian selections. More importantly, the new management team has brought in a supremely talented pizza maestro, Giuseppe Quattromini, a trained Italian baker from the Puglia region of Italy, and he is serving one of the best pizza crusts I have ever tasted. It was thin, yet crispy and strong enough to hold the toppings without folding; soft, light, and airy in texture, baked in a traditional 750-degree wood burning oven. The end result was outstanding.
Beach Burger’s "Create Your Own" Burger & Milk Shake Contest
Ingredients Giveaway
CTbites and Beach Burger of Norwalk are proud to announce the 2012 “Create-a-Burger & Milkshake” Contest. CTbites readers will have the unique opportunity to design 2 new items on Beach Burger’s menu: The signature "2012 CTbites Hamburger & CTbites Milk Shake.
The winning combos in each category will be included on the Beach Burger menu, and the two winners will be treated to four combo burgers and any 4 milkshakes from the Beach Burger.
The rules are pretty simple…
1. Choose the toppings that you believe would make the ultimate combination using Beach Burger’s all natural beef patty OR
2. Design a new combination milk shake
3. Post your burger and/or milk shake combos below.
CTbites Readers Create New Pies for Pizzeria Rosso
Restaurant Bridgeport Greenwich Norwalk Pizza
Add this to the CTBites’ mantra - Sharing seven different and unique pizzas is a great way to spend an evening.
Several of us performed the enviable task of judging six of the great pizza combinations that readers submitted to determine which would be included on the menu of Pizzeria Rosso’s new location in Greenwich and the combination that will earn the title of “CTBites 2012 Pie Combo.” And true to the mission of CTBites of guiding our readers to delicious food, all of them were so fantastic that Owner / Chef Pat Pascarella agreed that ALL OF THEM will be included on the Greenwich menu.
So congratulations to each of these winning combinations:
Giveaway! Win Dinner for 2 at elm Restaurant
Giveaway
For those of you who missed this exciting CTbites Giveaway at the bottom of our review of opening night at elm Restaurant in New Canaan:
One lucky CTbites readers will win a complimentary dinner for two guests (excluding gratuity and alcohol) at elm Restaurant exclusively from CTbites!
Just follow these simple steps:
STEP 1: First “Like” the elm Restaurant Facebook Page.
STEP 2: “Like” or “Comment” on our elm Restaurant review posted on the CTbites Facebook Page.
Contest end at midnight this Friday April 20th, 2012
Opening Night at Elm Restaurant in New Canaan
Restaurant American Farm to Table Local Farm New Canaan Lunch
At 5:44PM on the first day of spring, March 20, 2012, the kitchen at elm Restaurant in New Canaan hummed to life as it received an order from the dining room. This was no ordinary order, it was the restaurant’s first. The order ticket began…Appetizers – 1 grilled Spanish octopus, 1 citrus cured hamachi, 1 local lettuces from Millstone Farm, 1 roots, shoots, fruits and leaves, and 1 soft farm egg ravioli… elm was officially open. The outstanding staff that Chef Brian Lewis had assembled sprang to action. The months of planning, the weeks of training, the hours of preparation were now tested as the guests arrived and the orders placed.
Jake’s Wayback Burgers Opens in Stamford
Restaurant Stamford Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly Burgers
Whenever a new place that is dedicated to hamburgers opens in my ‘hood I just cannot resist the magnetic field that pulls me to give it a try; and I could not resist when Jake’s Wayback Burgers opened in Stamford.
I arrived early enough to avoid the lunch-rush and ensure that the staff could focus on my order. True to my first-visit tradition, I ordered a cheeseburger (a little over 3 ounces of meat) with bacon and grilled onions ($3.19), a small order of French fries ($1.99) and a small (listed on the menu as 12 ounces) chocolate shake ($2.89). Each item is made to order so I watched as the hamburger hit the grill, the fries plunged into the fryer and the shake whipped in the mixer.
Elm Restaurant Opens March 20th in New Canaan
Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm New Canaan Lunch Kid Friendly
CTBites readers and residents of New Canaan who are eagerly awaiting Chef Brian Lewis’ cuisine at elm Restaurant will soon enjoy this new addiition to the New Canaan culinary scene. Elm's much anticipated opening is scheduled for March 20 to coincide with the first day of Spring.
The facade of the building and the interior space has been beautifully updated to reflect a sleek and minimalistic architectural style. The feel of the restaurant is airy and open and offers ambiance that is warm, relaxing, and stylish. The layout includes a large, handsome pewter-covered bar separating the main dining area from the less formal bar seating. A Chef’s Table with a view into the immaculate kitchen can be quickly enclosed behind sliding glass panels for a private dining experience for up to twelve guests. And if you like to watch, grab a chair at the four-seat tasting table where Chef Lewis will prepare and present special menus to lucky guests.
Pizzeria Rosso's CTbites Pie Contest Winners
Restaurant Norwalk Pizza
Many thanks to everyone who submitted recommendations for the new “CTbites 2012 Pie Combo” to be included on Pizzeria Rosso's menu. Over forty unique combinations were submitted in both the savory and sweet categories.
CTbites reviewed each of the entries with Pat Pascarella, owner of Pizzeria Rosso, and after careful consideration we are pleased to announce that one sweet creation received so much enthusiasm that we unanimously decided to name this delicious combination a winner. Congratulations to...
Boulevard 18 French Bistro Opens in New Canaan
Restaurant French New Canaan
Un autre grand restaurant Français ouvre dans New Canaan. Oops, I got ahead of myself. What I meant to say was another noteworthy restaurant, Boulevard 18, a French Bistro and Wine Bar, officially opened last Friday in New Canaan and the food is well worth a night out.
The 62 Main Street address has been transformed into a little bit of Paris by owners Steven Semaya, Luciano Ramirez, Henry Rosenbaum and Chef/Owner David Raymer (Strada 18 in Sono).
Tim’s Philly Steaks Opens in Norwalk
Restaurant Delicious Dives Norwalk Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly
Tim’s Philly Steaks opened on Westport Avenue in Norwalk several weeks ago and I am not one to resist the calling of bread, meat, cheese and grilled onions. So I braved the weather to try one of my favorite sandwiches, and I was not disappointed.
Many years ago I was taught that eating a cheesesteak is always performed while in “the position.” This entails standing with your legs positioned directly beneath your shoulders, a slight bend forward at the waist, a second bend at the neck with your jaw protruding and always use two hands on the sandwich. The goal is to avoid any of the delicious ingredients landing on your chest or stomach. So when I sampled Tim’s cheesesteak while seated at a table (there are three booths and four tables inside) it was an unusual feeling, but I still assumed “the position” of leaning forward and I successfully consumed the sandwich sans accident
Carpe Diem Opens w/ Northern Italian in New Canaan
Restaurant Italian New Canaan Lunch
Food lovers of New Canaan rejoice! Carpe Diem, a Northern Italian inspired restaurant by Alan Basaran, has opened and the housemade pastas are delicious. As CTBites presented earlier, Basaran, a North Stamford resident and owner of Carpe Diem Restaurant in New York City, is excited about creating delicious Northern Italian cuisine in New Canaan, his wife’s hometown.
Carpe Diem Opens in New Canaan CT w/ Upscale Italian
Restaurant Italian New CanaanBistro/ Gastro Pub Boulevard 18 to Open in New Canaan
French New Canaan
Boulevard 18 is scheduled to open during the latter half of January 2012 on Main Street in New Canaan. The restaurant will offer a French Bistro / Gastro-pub experience from the décor, to the beer and wine selections, to the traditional fare offered in Parisian bistros. The second venture by the team of Chef David Raymer, Steven Semaya, Luciano Ramirez and Henry Rosenbaum, Boulevard 18 will maintain the same philosophy as its sister Italian café restaurant, Strada 18 in SoNo, of quality food at quality prices.
Chef Raymer described Boulevard 18 as “going back to my roots.” After leaving college to form a rock band in NYC, Chef Raymer supported his life as a musician by gaining experience and working his way up the ladder in the kitchens of several of New York’s glamour restaurants, including Joanna’s Restaurant and Gotham Bar and Grill.
