Team Bill Taibe brought Arthur Avenue to Danbury CT, at the 6th Souterrain (a.k.a. Underground Dinner). The venue was Stanziato's Wood Fired Pizza, and the restaurant swap allowed diners to enjoy not only a little piece of Little Italy, but some unique dishes and flavors made possible by the wood fired oven prominently featured in Matt Stanczak's kitchen.
Only 40 lucky guests managed to gain access to Souterrain #6, as it sold out in a matter of minutes, but those who responded quickly were treated to what felt like dinner on a cozy Mulberry alleyway. Marsha Glazer magically transformed the casual dining space with clotheslines (note bras and undergarments above), checkered tableclothes, and lights strung throughout. The menu was epic and featured roughly 12 courses (I stopped counting at some point). Arik Bensimon, Executive Chef at le Farm, was a key player in the menu creation, alongside Matt Stanczak, and dishes included: An outrageous Octopus Panzanella, Pickled Veggies, Baked Lima Bean Bruschetta, Calzone, Porchetta, Mortadella, an all inclusive medley of Roasted Squash, Affogato, and of course Italian cookies.
Enjoy the photo gallery above...and if you would like to be a part of the next Souterrain, contact them and ask to get on their email list for future events.
As the 3rd Fork It Over fundraising event for The Westport Farmers’ Market approached this past Sunday night, one could only wonder...what next? Market Director, Lori Cochran, and her team of chefs had served up 1) an old fashioned outdoor clam bake and 2) a 198 pound Pig, but what for round 3, and who would be the mystery chef?
The early Sunday morning email revealed a promising location (The Whelk), but more seafood? Not so much. The Mexican straw hats and pinatas gave it away. We were crossing the border. The Whelk had been transformed into El Whelk and we were all in for a night of tacos, tequila, and tripe soup. [VIEW IMAGE GALLERY HERE]
The 10 lucky winners of The CTbites Greenwich Wine + Food Festival Giveaway have been selected and contacted. Congrats to those who have received free tickets to the festival as well as credentials for access to the CTbites Blogger Lounge. We look forward to seeing you there.
For those who did not win this round, we've got plenty more Giveaways coming up. Stay tuned!
It is with a heavy heart that we report this bit of foodie news. Chef Rob Troilo, owner of Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro in Norwalk has closed his doors as of yesterday. Known for a killer breakfast and casual tasty dining, Nicholas Roberts will be missed. Chef Troilo has been researching other possible spaces for his restaurants and catering business for several years now, as the current location has been challenging (and "lacking in proper heat and AC" says Troilo). The current lease on his Norwalk space was up for renewal and he has decided to pass.
Chef Troilo says "I have several other opportunities in the works." He will let us know when there is something definite, but Troilo assures us he will be back soon.
It was all about Pig at the 2nd of four “Fork it Over” fundraising dinner to benefit the Westport Farmers’ Market last Sunday night. The event was hosted at the Cannon Grange, an appropriate fit for an event that champions local producers given the Grange's deep roots in Wilton's agricultural history. The surprise Chef team was none other than Chef Johnny Vaast of The Dressing Room and Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Food Advocate and Chef Michel Nischan was also on hand throughout the evening, but his culinary skills took a back seat to his musical talents.
The Guest Chef Cooking on October 6th gave these clues to CTbites. The FIRST PERSON TO GUESS THE CHEF BELOW WINS a basket of fabulous swag from local CT vendors courtesy of The Westport Farmers' Market. Good luck!!
What is your favorite ingredient? Right now...roasted tomato juice. Next month? Who knows?
Hobby when not cooking? Coaching my children sports teams
10 lucky CTbites readers will WIN TICKETS to the Greenwich Wine & Food Festival & PASSES to the CTbites Bloggers Lounge, (reserved only for press).
How to Win? It's easy. 1) All entrants must be FACEBOOK FRIENDS & CTbites Newsletter Subscribers (sign up on the left). 2) Just tell us you'd like to win one of these FREE TIX below in the comments section.
We will announce the winners on Thursday October 3rd. Must be 21+ to enter.
Sunday night harkened the first of four highly anticipated “Fork it Over” fundraising dinners to benefit the Westport Farmers’ Market. Market Director, Lori Cochran, added a dash of mystery this year as guests submitted their RSVP’s (quickly I may add as the events sell out in a matter of minutes), without any knowledge of the location or the chefs participating in any of the four culinary evenings.
Alas, diners waited for weeks, running through possible guest chef scenarios in their heads, and waiting for the morning of the event when news would arrive.
The inaugural event was held at The Grange in Fairfield, and the first Chef in the Fork it Over lineup was none other than Matt Storch of Match Restaurant assisted by Jeff Spence of The Chelsea.
On the lawn guests were greeted with the smell of grilled sausages in 3 varieties from Saugatuck Craft Butchery, a peek into Chef Storch’s La Caja China smoke box filled with Norm Bloom’s oysters, clams, and lobsters, and a bar with expertly crafted Cocktails and wine pairings from Saugatuck Grain and Grape. What we had here was an old fashioned end of the summer Clam Bake. The evening was looking good. If you missed it, no worries, we've got lots of photos. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
CTbites is proud to be one of this years sponsors for the Community Plates’ Food for All 2013 fundraiser which will Showcase Fairfield County’s Newest Restaurants and Top Chefs.
Ok people. We shouldn't need to convince you to support Community Plates and all that they are doing to end hunger in Fairfield County (and yes, there are 100,000 food insecure people living in Fairfield County right now). The "Food For All" event kicks-off an initiative to rescue 3,000,000 meals and celebrates impact of volunteers, food donors, service agencies.
For one night only the area’s newest restaurants and some established favorites will come together to help Community Plates end hunger in Fairfield County. The celebratory evening, which begins with a VIP cocktail reception (6:30-7:30) featuring an Oyster Bar by Norm Bloom & Son, followed by the main event (7:30-10:00), will include chefs and tasting tables, dancing and more. Tickets are now on sale via Eventbrite.com.
Follow us on Instagram and tag #CTbites on your favorite food shots in & around Connecticut. We may just repost them, or include them in a weekly Instagram roundup on CTbites.com.
If you are a foodie, by now, you have likely heard about the legend of the Cronut™. If you're a foodie and have been hiding under a rock and have not yet heard about the pasty hybrid taking the food obsessed world by storm, you should read this. The Cronut is a half croissant, half doughnut created by Chef Dominique Ansel in May of 2013, and since their launch, New Yorkers have been waiting in line for hours (or paying scalpers) to get one of these decadent dessert items, making it the most viral (and hyped) indulgence to date.
Although I did not manage to get one of these during a recent trip to NYC, I'm pleased to announce that the rumors are true...all four locations of Stew Leonard's are selling their own version of the complicated Cronut, named "Cro-Dos!" The word "cronut" is trademarked by Ansel. Half croissant and half donut, these babies are 162 layers of butter and dough deep fried to golden perfection. And you don't have to wait in line for HOURS to buy them! $3.99/2 pack. Available now here at Stew's! I particularly enjoyed their hash tag:#ohyeswedid
On any given day, Chef Geoff Lazlo can be found in his vegetable garden, with his young family, or in the kitchen atThe Whelk in Westport. After years of working at renown restaurants such as Blue Hill Stone Barns, Chez Panisse, and most recently Gramercy Tavern, Geoff came back to CT where he was born, to join team Bill Taibe. “I made an effort to work at the very best restaurants while I was in New York City,” says Lazlo, “but I was never really an urban person. When I was 5 years old I turned my sandbox into a garden.” As passionate locavores who care deeply about the integrity of each and every ingredient, Taibe and Lazlo would agree that this has been a perfect match.
After a few months at Le Farm which Geoff says “was a great opportunity to be in a small chef driven kitchen after Gramercy Tavern," Geoff took over the helm at The Whelk (recently voted Best Seafood Restaurant in Fairfield County). When asked about The Whelk, Geoff said, “I’m a really academic guy and I like the challenge of approaching seafood with multiple cooking methods.” “Bill and I have a similar spirit, but we come at food from two different angles. I cook clean and light, and Bill encourages me to add that last ingredient that pushes it further.”
The highly anticipated taco hot spot, Bartaco, will officially open their doors in Westport at 4PM tonight for dinner service. CTbites got inside early to check out the new styling dining room on Westport's Saugatuck River at 20 Wilton Road. This location will feature an outdoor patio, alongside their signature design elements and the now familiar just walked off the beach casual vibe. However, this new location is truly unique. Over the past year Bartaco has been researching Westport's archives, and guests will be delighted to find historic images seen throughout the restaurant, harkening back to Co-Owner Sasa's childhood in yes...Westport.
In conjunction with this launch, diners will find some exciting new taco options on the menu. Taco additions include: Falafel, Fried Oyster, Curry Shrimp, Wild Boar and Sesame Ribeye. Check out the video for more information and a full tour of Bartaco Westport.
Sugar & Olives in Norwalk has been known for their inventive homemade indulgences, but with pastry chef Cindy Bearman at the helm, Sugar & Olive's bake shop is becoming serious business. Their bakery department not only offers cakes to order as well as favorites such as homemade devil dogs, pop tarts, decadent oreos, and porridge cakes, but they are also offering a range of pastry classes for both novice and serious bakers (even kids).
Cindy Bearman brings years of experience as the opening chef for ABC Kitchen in NYC, and has worked at Le Cirque, and with Daniel Boulud. Her creativity and knowledge mingled with Sugar & Olive's dedication to sourcing local and organic ingredients from farms such as Arethusa Farm milk (Litchfield CT) and Speckled Rooster Farm eggs (Westport CT), make them a go-to spot for any birthday or sweet craving. They also offer wheat free and nut free desserts for those with food sensitivities.
Pastry classes at Sugar & Olives are hands on affairs and heavy on technique. From Frosting 101 to Gum Paste Flowers, their is something for everyone this Summer. Check out a few of the classes below, or go to Sugar & Olive's web site for a complete listing of classes.
It's that time of year again. Sono Restaurant Week is back from June 2-16 running for two delicious weeks this year. Why 2 weeks? Scott Beck of Match Restaurant responded "Every year we have gotten feedback from people that wished that we could extend Restaurant Week for an additional week so that they might get to go to more than one place so we decided to give it a try."
"There are 15 restaurants participating this year which is largest number of restaurants we have ever had so everyone is pretty excited" says Beck. SoNo also has some great new restaurants such as Nola Oyster Bar, Mama's Boy Southern Table, Estia's, and The Spread, for people to try. And, of course all the staples in SoNo are participating again. People can check out the list of all the participating restaurants and their Restaurant Week menus online at www.connecticutrestaurant.
You can view the complete list of participating restaurants below. Happy eating...
You’ve heard us talk about Community Plates before. In fact, CTbites readers make up almost 80% of Community Plates’ volunteer driven work force delivering rescued food to those in need in Fairfield County. Well now we need to reach out to our New Haven readership to do the same. Community Plates has recently announced their New Haven launch and they need your help.
Community Plates is a non-profit organization that connects food to people in need of it, by rescuing good food that would otherwise be thrown away and delivering it to hunger relief agencies. Community Plates has lined up food donors in New Haven and is adding more every day, but they need your help to complete the direct transfer of the food to those who need it. They are hoping to sign up 100 food runners by the end of May 2013. Be a part of the solution and sign up here.
To be involved with the Community Plates initiative, volunteers are asked to commit to just one food run or bin collection a month (15 – 20 minute effort). It’s simple. Just pick up a few bins at your local restaurant or grocery store and drive them to a receiving agency, such as a food pantry or soup kitchen.
CTbites has some big news for fans of James Beard nominated chef Bill Taibe and his Westport restaurants, Le Farm and The Whelk. Guests to both will find exciting changes and a couple of new faces in the kitchen at both of these Westport hot spots. Chef Arik Bensimon (The Spread, Napa) has already settled into Le Farm’s cozy chef's quarters, and Geoff Lazlo (Le Farm, Gramercy Tavern, Blue Hill Stone Barns) has moved from his post at Le Farm to head the busy kitchen at The Whelk.
CTbites sat down with restaurateur and chef Bill Taibe to discuss the new starting lineup, and get some insight into the future plans for these immensely popular dining spots.
When asked why Bill Taibe chose Arik for Le Farm, Taibe smiles and says "I’ve always been trying to get Arik over to Le Farm." Ever since Bill left Napa where Arik Bensimon worked as his sous, he knew he wanted to cook with him again. “We really clicked from day one,” says Taibe. "Arik has a beautiful elegance and rusticness to his food style. Our food just makes sense together." Having worked together before, the chef and owner already have a strong understanding of each others styles and expectations. Taibe went on to explain that, "sometimes the way I do things is the harder way, and Arik understands, it takes a long time to do things right."
