It's Always a Party @ Sugar & Olives, Norwalk Kids Bites Restaurant Catering Cooking Classes Education Going Green Holiday Norwalk healthy Lunch Sarah Green October 28, 2009 Wish you could throw a party in your own home, where people could meander from room to room to avoid that stuffy, restaurant feel? Hate being stuck at some long, rectangular table where the only person you are speaking to is the one right next to you? (You know, the one that you had been trying NOT to get stuck with.) Want to be relaxed and enjoy the food with your guests while someone else prepares, serves, and cleans up? Want to stop worrying about the red wine spilling on your white sofas? Tired of stressing about the fancy gadgets in your medicine cabinet that people might discover while they “powder” and snoop? Have your (organic) cake and eat it too at Jennifer Balin’s eclectic and fabulous “space” in Norwalk. SUGAR and OLIVES is the name and quirky and sensational is the game! Read More
Brasitas: Latin American Fusion Restaurant Norwalk Stamford Breakfast Latin American Stephanie Webster October 21, 2009 I know some of you are already familiar with Brasitas delectable fare, but for those of you who have yet to find this Latin American gem, read the following carefully. Sure, I was dubious when recently dragged to their somewhat off the beaten path shack in Stamford, but I have since been back several times to enjoy their addictively delicious Latin fusion menu. Brasitas has its roots in Argentine, Peruvian, Columbian, and Cuban cuisine, and chef Norberto Lucero (of Habana in Sono and Grand in Stamford) has combined these countries' ingredients to create an inventive menu with elegantly prepared dishes. Somebody on Yelp used the phrase "You can't judge a book by its cover" when describing Brasitas, and it fits. Walk in and prepare yourself for an artful layering of ethnic spices and flavors. It will have you going back for more. Read More
It's Time to Re-visit The Dressing Room Restaurant Farm to Table Organic Westport Farm Fresh Comfort Food Stephanie Webster October 19, 2009 I know what you’re thinking...why is CTBites reviewing The Dressing Room? Isn't it the most reviewed restaurant in Fairfield County? Haven't we heard it all before? Think again. The Dressing Room has long been the go-to spot for a glass of wine or pre-theater meal, but it seems that Chef/Owner Michel Nischan and Executive Chef John Holzwarth have recently made some changes to their "Homegrown" repertoire. I re-visited The Dressing Room recently at a friend's suggestion to try their new “American Tapas” menu. Just back from vacation on Cape Cod, and feeling the after-effects of the every day, all-fried seafood diet (ok, fine... there was the daily ice cream cone too), I was in dire need of a healthy veggie fix. My friend assured me that with the newly invigorated menu, I would not be disappointed... and I was not. In fact, I was blown away. Read More
Food for the Whole Family @ Rizzuto's in Westport Restaurant Italian Westport Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster October 11, 2009 You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief from local residents when Rizzuto's opened last week in Westport. Situated in the old Conte's location by the train station, this new kid on the block has boasted a packed dining room since opening day. This is remarkable given both the economy (it's reasonable but not cheap), and the cavernous size of the actual dining space. Those who had sampled the fare in the first few days seemed almost surprised by the quality of the food coming from their "Wood Fired" Kitchen and Bar, as if they had given up hope for our town, but now felt renewed. I speak from experience when I say Westport has been waiting a long time for a casual kid-friendly dining space with a little atmosphere and solid food. After the fourth person stopped me in the street to inquire as to whether I had visited this new hot spot, I decided I had best get over there and see for myself what all the buzz was about. Read More
Cozy French Bistro Fare @ Cafe Lola in Fairfield Restaurant Stephanie Webster October 08, 2009 While I was admiring the outdoor seating with it’s Paris cafe chairs and flower boxes brimming with red geraniums, The restaurant with it’s quaint buttercup yellow exterior turned out to be Café Lola, the self professed “love-child” of owners Henri and Ivanina Donneaux. The couple dreamed of a casual, cozy bistro with French comfort food, inspired by their love of Paris and Provence. This wonderful Fairfield cafe is right on the mark. And the Croque Madame is out of this world... Read More
Viva Barcelona Restaurant Fairfield Greenwich Norwalk Spanish Stamford New Haven CTbites Team October 05, 2009 The downtown Stamford fun quotient rose dramatically with the early-summer addition of a Fairfield County stalwart -- Barcelona Wine Bar and Restaurant. Having enjoyed many festive, delicious meals (and pitchers of sangria) over the years at Barcelona in both SONO and Greenwich, I wondered if the new Stamford location would compare favorably, or if the restaurant’s sixth outlet would start to feel too much like a chain. I needn’t have worried. Barcelona in Stamford has a bustling urban bistro vibe all its own, and its energy and warmth spill out onto lower Summer Street thanks to a large, open sidewalk dining area. Handwritten chalkboard menus, warm wood floors and well-trained staff will make this the perfect setting for comfortable eating all year round. Read More
BFF with BSF (Burgers, Shakes, & Fries) in Greenwich Restaurant Byram Greenwich Comfort Food Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas September 28, 2009 Just off I-95 in one of Greenwich’s grittier, but up-and-coming ‘hoods," Burgers, Shakes & Fries (BSF) is just so cool. It’s fast, funky, fresh and affordable dining done right, with a focus on – you guessed it – the all-American meal. Having taken the lighter route on my last few visits there, eating only a grilled chicken sandwich (a delicious option for non-burger lovers), on my most recent trip, I went to town. From the simple and straightforward menu, I ordered a single, 1/3 lb. burger with American cheese, tomatoes, pickles and raw onions with a side of “special sauce,” fries and a chocolate shake. Instead of the typical bun, burgers come on butter-griddled bread and unless specified, are cooked medium rare, to perfection. First bite of that burger and I knew I’d found a superstar…tasty, moist and worth every calorie. Read More
Gourmet Comfort Food @ Burger Bar and Bistro Restaurant Norwalk Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Stephanie Webster September 25, 2009 This post on Burger Bar and Bistro ran as our first review in June 09. We've received several recent requests for a write up on this burger-licious venue, so we decided to re-run it in case you missed it the first time around. Since June, they have done a huge renovation with additional seating and an expanded bar. They have also added thin crust pizza to their repertoire to round out their perfect pre-movie menu. Seriously folks...it's a darn good burger. Read on... Looking for a good pre-theater eating spot, we decided to try the reputed master of comfort food, Burger Bar and Bistro in South Norwalk. We were a large group, including six children, so we opted for the spacious outdoor seating. We grabbed the menus from buckets placed mid table, and I watched as my husband and every child old enough to read grinned with delight. Read More
Lunchtime Oasis @ The Drawing Room in Cos Cob Restaurant Cos Cob Tea And Coffee Breakfast Lunch r2d2 September 22, 2009 Tucked behind Cozy’s Cuts for Kids in Cos Cob, is a gem called The Drawing Room. It is a combined 12-seat tea room and home décor boutique, with a garden patio that extends the tiny restaurant in the warm seasons. After many years of living and dining in Fairfield County, I thought I had exhausted all lunch possibilities, until a friend took me to The Drawing Room and I had one of those ‘aha’ moments where I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about it earlier. Opened in 2005 by husband and wife, Michael and Kenleigh Larock, The Drawing Room is a perfect spot to meet a friend for a quiet lunch. And if the weather cooperates, you can’t beat dining al fresco on their cozy patio, amidst a small herb garden, where you might even observe your server picking a few mint leaves to garnish the daily selection of infused tea. On a recent balmy September afternoon, I sat on the patio and enjoyed just such a lunch and solid catch-up session with a friend. Read More
Chop Chop to the Village Luncheonette in Wilton Restaurant Wilton Lunch Kid Friendly kerry barlas September 21, 2009
Learn While You Lunch @ Sport Hill Farm Features Restaurant Cooking Classes Education Organic healthy Farm Fresh Lunch Stephanie Webster September 19, 2009 Sometimes as Fairfield County residents, it is easy to get wrapped up in the daily suburban grind, a world of strip malls and meals on the go. Given all the white noise of routine life, it is nice to occasionally escape from the carpools and commuting…and head to the farm. With its open space, beauty, and serenity, you can be transported...nourished. Many of us journey to the fields as an annual Fall ritual to pick pumpkins and apples, drink cider, or get lost in a hay maze, but the beautiful farms of rural CT can offer much more than just kid-friendly fun. Last week I attended a "Meet Me at the Farm" lunch on the Sport Hill Farm in Easton. Read More
Los Molcajetes: Seriously Authentic Mexican in Norwalk Restaurant Catering Delicious Dives Delivery Service Norwalk Mexican Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green September 18, 2009 My husband spent a good deal of his youth in Mexico City and has always claimed that his favorite meal is a Mexican meal. Not me. Until last week, I must admit that Mexican food had always been my least favorite option when choosing to eat ethnic. It always seemed too heavy, too cheesy, too beany, (and yes, too gassy!) So I was skeptical when my foodie friend (who got a tip from a ctbites reader) and I entered Los Molcajetes (211 Liberty Square) in South Norwalk for a lunch-time feast. The restaurant is located in a non-descript strip mall, just before the bridge that takes you to the Norwalk Aquarium. Nothing spectacular about that. The tables are Formica and the décor consists of enormous posters of Aztec warriors, gods, calendars, etc. Again, nothing spectacular. The menu is “muy grande,” which I also took as a warning sign. O me of little faith! We have been back three times this week. Read More
Eat Close to the Source @ "Dinners at the Farm" Restaurant Organic South Glastonbury Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster September 12, 2009 Dinners at the Farm has hosted its final meal for the season, but for those of you who missed out of this exceptional dining event, make sure you make this a priority for next summer. If you didn't read our post on this last spring, Dinners at the Farm is a series of dinners hosted on farms throughout CT, using ingredients that are produced locally, and benefiting organizations that support our local farming community. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about driving an hour and a half in the rain to The Old Maids Farm in South Glastonbury to eat dinner in a possibly mosquito laden field. But despite Dinners at the Farm's rustic backdrop, the dining experience was a perfectly run 5 star culinary affair. From the first corn fritter and warm spiced whiskey sour cider, passed as the sun was setting, to the magic of the beautiful candle-lit tent with its white clothed communal tables..it was a perfect evening. Read More
EspressoNEAT Opens in Darien...Coffee Done Right Restaurant Coffee Darien Tea And Coffee Dessert David Webster September 10, 2009 After moving back to CT after 7 years in Seattle, there were a number of adjustments I had to accept in making Fairfield County my home (again). Some were trivial, like relearning how to drive in the snow, while others were more signficant: Income taxes and humidity for example. But no other trade-off was as frustrating as my fruitless search for a great cup of coffee. I'm happy to report that while humidity and taxes may be here to stay, my espresso quest is finally over. You may be wondering what I'm making such a fuss about. You might be thinking "Aren't there Starbucks all over the place? Doesn't America Run on Dunkin? What's the difference?" If so, I'd say we have much to discuss. You see, coffee is actually a lot like wine. Both require an obsession with quality sourcing, solid application of repeatable scientific methods, and an attention to detail that borders on compulsion. Think I'm crazy? Here's a primer on the subject. And for better coffee at home, here's some further reading. Overwhelmed? Intrigued? Good. Because I'm going to make this very simple for you. If you want a great cup of coffee, of any variety, get your next caffeine fix at Espresso NEAT. Read More
Tea Time in Norwalk: The Enchanted Teapot-CLOSED Restaurant Norwalk Tea And Coffee Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 31, 2009 On a little street in Norwalk, stands a little house, with a little pink dining room, and 6 little tables covered in lace and mismatched china. No, this is not the lore of fairy tales, it is The Enchanted Teapot…Tea House, Treasures and Art Gallery, or so the sign says. As you step into its surreally quaint surroundings, you are reminded of stepping into a less dusty version of grandma's attic. Covering every surface are teapots in every shape and size, nick knacks, antiques and a whole lot of charm. The owners of The Enchanted Teapot, Wilma Barbour and Christina Williams, opened up shop after collecting teapots, cups and saucers for 30 years. And you would believe it. But, it is not all about the treasures. People come to this little teahouse to relax, sip some of their small but well chosen tea selection and sample Williams' tea sandwiches and baked goods. I decided to fulfill my three girls' yearly quota for playing tea party and sample the real food at this oh-so-sweet Norwalk tearoom. Read More
A Hidden Gem Shines in Norwalk Restaurant American Catering Norwalk Breakfast Lunch Stephanie Webster August 27, 2009 Last Saturday night we followed an anonymous tip from a ctbites reader...a reader I need to thank. Apparently, in a small shopping center off Main Street in Norwalk sat a food gem, a hidden treasure with beautifully prepared organic and local sustainable produce..or so this reader said. The restaurant was Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro. The restaurant's web site revealed a catering company open for breakfast, lunch and Thur.-Sun. dinner dining. We were skeptical as we pulled up to the non-descript exterior, flanked by Hot & Speedy Pizza. However, as we walked past the glass case of wonderful looking prepared foods, the thrill of finding something undiscovered was upon us. We were directed to a casual but pleasant dining room with about 10 tables. Candles and trees donned with Christmas lights provided relaxed lighting, while chalk signage covering several black board painted walls gave a whimsical flourish to this minimally designed space. We handed over our wine (as it is BYOB) and hoped for the best. Spoiler alert....It was one of the most inventive and delicious meals I have had in Fairfield County. If this is the first you are hearing of Nicholas Roberts..make this your next meal out. Read More
Pho Saigon: Real Pho...Really off the Beaten Path Restaurant Asian Bridgeport Delicious Dives Vietnamese Stephanie Webster August 24, 2009 In Fairfield County, Vietnamese cuisine is not as plentiful as other asian cuisines, so you really have to dig deep, and go where the Pho is...wherever it is. I recently received a tip from a CT Bites reader that good Pho was to be had in Bridgeport at a small mom & pop restaurant called Pho Saigon. We rallied our enthusiastic tasters and headed out to Iranistan Street in Bridgeport, an area that is definitely "off the beaten path", but you do what you've gotta do for good food. You won't find this place in Zagats. We entered what seemed to be the living room of a small corner house, furnished with gum-ball machines, plastic floral table cloths, and big pots of luke warm tea on the tables. Clearly, dining here was about the food, not the decor. We were greeted warmly, although not in English (which is generally a good sign that the food will be authentic), and escorted to a clean table piled high with squeeze bottles of fiery sauces and jars of fish paste. Lucky for us, the menu had translations, so we ordered half of the 21 item menu (as most dishes were under $7) and waited for the food to arrive. Read More
Valencia Luncheria: Venezuelan Beach Food Bargain Restaurant Catering Delicious Dives Norwalk Venezuelan Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 19, 2009 Photo: c/o Valencia LuncheriaAlthough my husband and I had done several drive-bys, we dismissed Valencia Luncheria as a divey lunch spot, not worthy of the much-anticipated weekly date night… oh how I regret not getting there sooner. Stepping into Valencia is like wandering off the beach to grab a bite in a small Latin American, seaside town. In fact, Chef Michael Young (of Habana and Ocean Drive fame in SONO), has dubbed his cuisine “Venezuelan beach food”, and this 16-seat restaurant with its mango-colored walls, heaping plantains, and chalkboard menu listing today’s arepas and empanadas, is a slice of Latin heaven. Read More
Le Pain Quotidien: A Little Bit of Belgium in New Canaan Restaurant Bakery New Canaan Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster August 12, 2009 I never imaged that I’d be writing about a restaurant chain on this blog, but I would be remiss if I didn’t put into words my love for Le Pain Quotidien. When the New Canaan location opened their doors in the Spring of 2009, I was there the very first day, waiting patiently (or not so much) for my steel cut oatmeal, soft boiled eggs, divine apricot jam, and home made organic breads. I couldn’t wait for my latte, served in a bowl, not a cup, forcing you to pick up the warm beverage with both hands in an almost loving way. I could just barely see through the window to locate the jars of praline spread, agave nectar, and honey on the tables. A sigh of relief…it was all there… Read More
Pho Mekong: Thai? Vietnamese? Who Cares...It's Good! Restaurant Asian Thai Vietnamese Westport Stephanie Webster August 06, 2009 UPDATE: Pho Mekong has closed. Shake Shack coming soon! There are certain meals you just can't cook at home...especially as a white woman. We have tried in our local gourmet club to master the art of Asian cooking, but after a full day's search for the 30 obscure ingredients required for a basic dish like Pad Thai, we decided our next craving for coconut and curry would be better satisfied with take-out. We had heard rumors of a local favorite, Pho Mekong, on the Westport/Southport border. Needing a quick pre-movie bite last week, we headed over to find out if the food held up to the buzz.... Read More
