Sneak Peek @ ZAZA Italian Gastrobar in Stamford Restaurant Cocktails Italian Stamford Stephanie Webster May 29, 2011 Teaser billboards in the windows of Stamford's soon-to-be-open ZAZA portray a scantily clad woman really "enjoying" her pasta. You can't miss it…that's the idea. The Racanelli family, owners and operators of Pizzeria Molto in Fairfield know how to create a little buzz (as anyone who has waited for a table at Molto on a Saturday night knows all too well). Leveraging the success of Molto, their new venture will continue the tradition of the Italian gastropub and is slated to open in early June. Situated on busy Broad street with sidewalk seating, "ZAZA will have more of an urban feel with an active bar scene." says GM, Nick Racanelli Jr. ZAZA's casually chic interior, covered in white marble, red leather, and oversized images depicting Italian street scenes, is both welcoming and sleek. Black glass chandeliers hang like jewels over the communal tables, begging for the party to begin. The decor is clean and sexy, while the menu aims to please. Here is a sneak peak at ZAZA Italian Gastrobar. Read More
Wine & Food Tasting @ Stamford Museum June 3 Restaurant Events Wiine Tasting Wine Chat Stephanie Webster May 27, 2011 The Stamford Museum & Nature Center will be celebrating 75 years as an educational and cultural treasure on Friday, June 3 at its 75th Anniversary Celebration Wine Tasting. The celebration will begin at 7 pm with fine wines paired with signature dishes and specialties from top local caterers and restaurants. Participating caterers and restaurants include: A Dash of Salt; A•S Fine Foods; Becca Catering; Butterfield 8; David’s Soundview Catering; Frank & Julio Complete Event Planning; Illy Coffee; Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning; Napa & Co.; On the Marc Events; Outdoor Cookers; Shelly’s on the River; Susan Kane Catering; Vin’s Delights; and Wave Hill Bread/Chiappetta Olive Oil. The wines will be provided by BevMax. Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant That Served This... Restaurant Food 411 Stephanie Webster May 26, 2011 Where did we catch this lovely piece of fish? (Winner will receive CTbites swag) One guess per person please. Read More
A Conversation with Joe Bastianich Interview Restaurant Italian Chef Talk Amy Kundrat May 24, 2011 We are counting the days to the opening of Tarry Lodge Enoteca and Pizzeria this summer, Batali and Bastianich's latest restaurant venture poised to open in Westport. Located in the space formerly occupied by Abbondanza, this latest incarnation of the Tarry Lodge concept is lending momentum to the revitalization of the Saugatuck waterfront project. Hungry for more details, we had a quick chat with Greenwich resident Joe Bastianich about the opening, what we can expect from the menu, and why of all places they chose Westport, Connecticut. Read More
Tabouli Grill Opens 2nd Location in Southport Restaurant Middle Eastern Southport Sarah Green May 22, 2011 There seems to be a new trendy area developing just where Westport meets Southport. To borrow from our trendy NYC neighbors, maybe we should call it "Down Under (the exit) Nineteen Overpass" or DUNO. In the past year, we have seen some great new restaurants open in this area, including the oh-so-trendy GREY GOOSE at 246 Old Post Road and the latest COROMANDEL, serving great Indian food at 17 Pease Avenue . Now, luckily for us, a second TABOULI GRILL opened 2 weeks ago at its new location at 3381 Post Road. (Formerly home to Ole' Mole.) TABOULI GRILL is making DUNO it's second home and we quickly made it ours. Read More
leFarm Family Meal: Elevated Pub Grub & Beer Pairing Restaurant Farm to Table Beer Comfort Food Amy Kundrat May 19, 2011 Some meals need no words. The recent "Family Meal" at leFarm was one such event. On the final Tuesday of each month, the restaurant opens up for a single seating and several courses based on the whim of Chef Bill Taibe and his team. This past month featured a down-home family meal based around LeFarm's playful interpretation of pub grub carefully paired with a selection of beers chosen by Saugatuck Grain & Grape. Warning ... the following photos may make you drool on your keyboard. Read More
GMonkey: Sustainable Vegetarian Food Truck Restaurant Food Truck Hartford Special Dietary Needs Vegetarian West Hartford Lunch CTbites Team May 18, 2011 I'm no food diva- sure I love a fine dining experience. I enjoy white tablecloths- and the particularly high-end places that scrape the crumbs from your table between courses. But there is a time and a place for this sort of event. Though I love a great restaurant, I am equally satisfied by a well made sandwich, burger, or just about anything from a greasy spoon diner. When I worked in Boston I frequented the street meat kabob purveyor, and enjoyed a couple visits to Clover- a vegetarian food truck. Cheap, hearty, and satisfying, I miss these lunch options more than I miss Barbara Lynch. So when Gmonkey mobile, a sustainable & vegetarian food truck, began tweeting their presence in Hartford earlier this month, I knew I had to try it. Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant That Served This... Restaurant Food 411 Food Porn Stephanie Webster May 15, 2011
Crossing the River: Jordan's Restaurant in Westport Restaurant Greek Home Delivery Pizza Westport Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green May 15, 2011 There is a powerfully moving gospel song about crossing the River Jordan, but the fact that Jordan's of Norwalk recently crossed the River Saugatuck into Westport is what makes my wayward soul call out "Hallelujah!" Jordan's Restaurant and Pizza is a tried and true Greek/Italian establishment with FAMILY RUN written all over it. Pappa Nikos (Nick) and Mama Haroula (Carol) Ouzounidis came from their tiny town of Agios Loukas in Greece to Connecticut in the 70's and bought the original Jordan's at 369 Westport Ave in Norwalk. Now, with three locations to oversee, the three Ouzounidis children are taking over at the helm to keep things running smoothly, And with that honor, there is a dish named for each child - there's John's (Ionnis) Bread (with ricotta, melted mozzerella and marinara sauce), Lazaros (Larry) Chicken (sauteed with tomato, feta and garlic), and my drug of choice, the Kitsa Pella Salad (which you can read about in detail in my Colossal Salad review from last year.) Read More
Farm Dinners w/ The Schoolhouse's Tim LaBant Restaurant Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster May 13, 2011
Barcelona's BBQ Blowout & Cookbook Demo Restaurant BBQ Events Fairfield Stephanie Webster May 12, 2011
Sunset Picnic on the Hill @ Ambler Farm in Wilton Restaurant Local Artisan Local Farm Wilton Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster May 11, 2011 Enjoy a bit of the Berkshires in our own backyard at the "Sunset Picnic on the Hill" @ Ambler Farm. Spread out your picnic blanket on the hill a la Tanglewood or join your friends under the tent for farm-fresh fare and live music as the sun sets over Ambler Farm. The evening will kick off with a champagne greeting complemented by local artisanal food prepared by A Delicious Affair and homemade desserts. Celebrate our local harvest with the tasty menu below. Read More
"What's Cooking in Bridgeport" Dining Deals Restaurant Bridgeport Events Stephanie Webster May 10, 2011 Bridgeport is proud to announce the second annual "What's Cooking in Bridgeport" week from Monday, May 16 to Sunday, May 22, 2011. What's Cooking in Bridgeport is a week long event showcasing the unique range of dining and entertainment options across the Park City. Throughout the week, over 40 restaurants are offering special promotions, providing a great opportunity for people across the region to enjoy food and fun in Connecticut’s largest city. From 2-for-1 prices to free appetizer, drink and dessert specials, What’s Cooking in Bridgeport has something for everyone. Participating restaurants include Read More
Cafe D'Azur Opens in Darien w/ French-Lebanese Fare Restaurant French Middle Eastern Kid Friendly CTbites Team May 08, 2011 What do you get when you combine a Greek-Lebanese restaurateur with a French chef? A Mediterranean bistro with brasserie flair. In Darien, a town long on Asian eateries and upscale pub fare, a true ethnic restaurant is a welcome addition. In fact, Cafe D'Azur Mediterranean Bistro & Creperie's opening was highly anticipated by those of us familiar with Myrna's eponymous restaurant in Stamford, a popular lunch spot. I dropped in on Cafe D'Azur a couple weeks after it opened Read More
Cocktail Naming Contest Restaurant Cocktails Stephanie Webster May 07, 2011 WIN a FREE Lunch for 2 @ Rizzuto's in Westport. Here's How... This is your chance to name Rizzuto's new signature cocktail, a summery blend of: Rizzuto's House-made Coconut-Infused Amber Rum (yum!), Rizzuto's House-made Spiced Rum, House-Squeezed Pineapple Juice, & Cranberry Juice If your Cocktail name is selected, it will be featured on their new menu & you will receive a FREE LUNCH FOR TWO @ Rizzuto's. Cocktail names must be submitted by June 1st. Post your submission below (include email) , or if you're shy, feel free to send it to us directly. We welcome input from readers. If you see a name you like...post your vote! Read More
May 13th Bubbly Dinner @ Fat Cat Pie Co. Restaurant Events Norwalk Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster May 05, 2011 On Friday May 13th, join Fat Cat Pie Co & Fountainhead Wines for sparkling pairings with Terry Theise Treasures. It’s their May ‘Grower Bubbly’ Dinner with Leif Sundström, Portfolio Manager for Terry Theise Estate Collections. Having attended their last effervescent event, these noteworthy dinners are a wonderful way to gain insight into a portfolio or indivudual grower. Some of the bottles opened for these events are simply impossible to find in the states or have been created in such small quantities that they are cost prohibitive. If you like your bubbles, this is one to check out. You can review the complete pairing menu below: Read More
Café Chocopologie Offers New Tasting Events Restaurant Events Wine Dinners Dessert Amy Kundrat May 04, 2011 Café Chocopologie is teaming up with chocolate guru Clay Gordon, author of Discover Chocolate as well as the man behind the site The Chocolate Life, to create a new series of sophisticated events designed to entice serious foodies and chocoholics to the South Norwalk Café and retail outpost of Knipschildt Chocolatier. Aiming to offer an experience beyond the usual wine dinner, Chocopologie and Gordon have orchestrated a series of events that combine intriguing pairings of chocolate and spirits. The first came in April -- a five-part pairing of scotch and chocolates -- combining Knipschildt chocolates with five single malts Scotches. What’s not to love about that? Read More
Cinco de Mayo Burgers & Shakes @ The Filling Station Co Restaurant New Canaan Kid Friendly Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger May 03, 2011 This month’s Special Burger and Shake at the Filling Station in New Canaan celebrates Cinco de Mayo by offering a departure from its traditional hamburger ingredients. The May 2011 Special pairs a Chorizo Burger with the Special Shake of the Month, Dulce de Leche. The former combines the spiciness of a house made chorizo patty with the mild flavors of queso fresco, lettuce, tomato and house-made lime cilantro crema, while the latter adds a different ingredient to its Dulce de Leche interpretation. Read More
Cinco de Mayo Dining & Parties in Fairfield County Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster & Amy Kundrat May 02, 2011 Two Boots in Bridgeport: Two Boots will host a "Cinco De Mayo Happy Hour Fiesta" on Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. Two Boots is located at 281 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT. Boxcar Cantina in Greenwich: Specials abound at Boxcar. Their drink special will be the General Zaragoza Margarita, a famously boozy frozen margarita topped with a splash of house-made sangria. As for eats, a Cinco Sampler, a New Mexican-inspired platter of organic chicken tinga, Niman Ranch carne adovado; and a Taco Sampler is on the menu. Boxcar Cantina is located at 44 Old Field Point Road in Greenwich, CT. Taco Loco in Bridgeport: $5 Margaritas, $3 Coronas till 6:30Pm. Give aways, Live music for lunch and dinner, which we will have a special menu. Taco Loco is located at 3170 Fairfield Avenue in Brideport, CT. Read More
