The Schoolhouse Restaurant @ Wilton's Millstone Farm Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Farm Wilton Liz Rueven August 25, 2011 On a perfectly clear and balmy night last week, 60 diners gathered at Millstone Farm, Wilton, to dine alfresco in the field adjacent to Betsy and Jesse Fink’s farm house . Tim LaBant, Chef and owner of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale Restaurant, was focused and in good humor as he checked last minute details and greeted familiar faces. Enthusiastic attendees sauntered down the hill towards one very long, white draped table dotted with glowing candles and jam jars filled with brightly colored flowers from the fields. Read More
Beer Dinners @ The Ginger Man in SoNo Restaurant Events Norwalk Beer Stephanie Webster August 24, 2011 Here's a little something for the beer drinkers amongst us (the ones tired of hearing about all those darn wine dinners). The Ginger Man is offering monthly beer dinners, each featuring 5 beers from a brewery or importer, paired with and used in a 5 course meal. On Monday August 29th at 7:00 The Ginger Man will be featuring Cisco Brewers from Nantucket Massachusetts! Here's how it works: The evening kicks off promptly at 7pm with the first round of beers, a light appetizer or salad, accompanied by an introduction to the brewery representative and a little history on the brewery. 4 more courses will follow, including a cheese course and dessert. During each course the guest brewer will share some information about the beer, as well as how it pairs with the food. Read More
Past & Present Pizza Memories at Sonny’s Restaurant Norwalk Pizza Andrew Dominick August 23, 2011 We have all had fond memories as a child. One of mine starts with my dad not being around much. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “That doesn’t sound so fond.” Still, once a week, my father would come pick me up and take me out for pizza at Sonny’s in Norwalk. Every Friday I would know that dinner meant pizza with my dad. He would pull up in his car and I would run out and hop in the passenger seat. The ride was a quick one over to West Avenue. I remember always being excited to pull up anticipating thin-crust goodness. Read More
Pacific Foods Reopens in Fairfield as Saigon Deli Restaurant Asian Fairfield Specialty Market Vietnamese Lunch Elizabeth Keyser August 22, 2011 Lovers of Bánh mì, the Vietnamese sandwich, were crestfallen when Pacific Foods (1561 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield (203) 220-9450) closed just a few months after opening. I’m thrilled to report it’s back, under the same management. Good news is that this hole-in-the-wall storefront now has three tables for eating in. As CT Bites previously reported, the menu offers summer rolls, pho and bubble tea, and there’s a small grocery section. But here’s what you have to order: the bánh mì. It could be described as a Vietnamese sub. Like a sub, the classic version combines cold cuts and crisp vegetables. But this light, well-proportioned sandwich is not an over-stuffed meat- feast, and each component reveals the way that the French colonization of Vietnam melded the flavors and cooking techniques of the two cultures. Read More
Paci in Southport: An Italian Treasure Restaurant Italian Southport Comfort Food Chris Grimm August 21, 2011 I know, what’s with a preface to a review? Is it some admission of not being able to objectively evaluate a place? Or a built-in excuse for the inevitable “don’t just be a cheerleader for a pricey restaurant” response? Who knows? It could be anything - but I do feel like sharing my biases about Paci in Southport. First, they’ve been open in Southport for fifteen years, about as long as I’ve lived in Westport – so there is a hominess and familiarity to the place that I appreciate. There aren’t many constants in life, but for nearly a third of my years, Paci has been there. Read More
Stamford Restaurant Week Starts August 22nd Restaurant Events Restaurant Week Stephanie Webster August 20, 2011 Mark your calendar. Stamford Summer Restaurant Weeks start Monday August 22nd and continues through Monday September 5, 2011. This year, 28 of Downtown Stamford’s restaurants are offering special prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. View the complete list of participating restaurants below: Read More
Napa & Company Recap: Ode to a Blogger's Feast Restaurant Events Stamford Sarah Green August 18, 2011 Sometimes, a culinary experience is so sublime, Calliope is evoked. On Monday evening, 16 bloggers were invited to experience NAPA & CO, featuring their talented Executive Chef Arik Bensimon. We came, we ate, we were inspired. Tiny tidbits were passed, 6 courses were served, and wines were perfectly paired . But prose wouldn't do it justice. Only through poetry and some visual food porn can you, too, feel a part of our pilgrimage to edible rapture: Read More
Back to School with Clarke Culinary Showroom Ingredients Restaurant Chef Talk Cooking Classes Norwalk Amy Kundrat August 16, 2011 Summer is winding down and school is nearly back in session. With that sobering news I decided to take it upon myself to reprogram the negative connotation with this time of year and embrace the classroom. Clarke Culinary Showroom has a terrific line-up beginning late summer and into fall with new classes and a couple of new yet familiar faces such as Prasad Chirnomula of Thali and Michel Nischan. Clarke's classes are known for their small class size which encourages an intimate atmosphere and the ability for guests to get up close and personal with the chefs. For a chance to win two tickets to a class of your choosing vote in Clarke's contest called "Vote for your Favorite Chef." The full list continues to change daily, so check-back soon as Clarke add classes, chefs and details: Ice cream and Lollipops with Fritz Knipschildt on August 25; Tuna: Head to Tail with Matt Storch on September 1; Scandanavian Cooking with Fritz Knipschildt on September 15; Hors d'oeuvres with Chef Rui Correia on September 14; A Lesson in Spice with Prasad Chirnomula on September 29; A Special Night with Michel Nischan on October 6; Fritz's Favorite Pies With a Twist with Fritz Knipschildt on October 20; A Night with Chef Rui Correia and Portugese Cooking on October 27; The Freshest Ingredients with Michel Nischan on November 3; The Bounties of the Fall Market with Matt Storch on November 10; and A Winner's Class: The Art of Cooking with Root Vegetables with Fritz Knipschildt on November 17. Read More
Short & Sweet Cupcake Truck: A Mobile Bakery in CT Restaurant Bakery Food Truck Kid Friendly Dessert Margie Treisman August 16, 2011 The scene at Cove Marina today was, in a word, cute. The green and white striped cupcake truck was cute. The owners, 16-year old twins Kate and Gavin Nelson, were cute. And the cupcakes themselves were, yes, very cute. But there’s much more to the Short and Sweet Cupcake Truck. The truck is actually a fully equipped mobile commercial kitchen/bakery. The young Nelson twins are not just accomplished bakers and entrepreneurs, but also authors (with two published children’s books between them) and philanthropists (founders of The Gift of Words, a non-profit foundation providing books to children in underserved communities). Not bad for two high school juniors who don’t yet have driver’s licenses (their dad drives the truck)! And the cupcakes don’t just look good – they taste great. But more on that later. Read More
1st Ever New Canaan CT Restaurant Week Restaurant Events New Canaan Stephanie Webster August 15, 2011 New Canaan's First-Ever Restaurant Week will take place during the week of August 26 - September 3, 2011. Special prix fixe menus will be available at the restaurants below, but there is more than dining during "The Taste of the Town Stroll." Donations to the New Canaan Food Pantry will be accepted between 6 - 9 PM, Thursday, August 25th at designated areas in exchange for an opportunity to win fabulous prizes. Participating restaurants include:Tuscan, Fifty Coins, Cherry Street East Café, Gates, Plum Tree Restaurant, Cava, Roger Sherman Inn, Thali, Solé, The Pine Social, Kouzina, Club Sandwich. (Check back here for updates.) Read More
Tavern in Monroe: Modern Comfort Food in N. FC Restaurant Monroe Beer Comfort Food Kid Friendly Burgers Amy Kundrat August 13, 2011 Utter the word “tavern” and the mind conjures images of dimly-lit rooms, Hungry-Man portions of protein and white starches, with deep fried renditions of both. Upsell this concept to northern Fairfield County in the hands of two seasoned restaurateurs and you get Tavern in Monroe.Located on a busy stretch of Rt. 25 just between Newtown and Trumbull, Tavern is already attracting a steady crowd in just under two months of operation. The after-work crowd is drawn to its handsome whiskey barrel studded bar and families clamber to fill the outdoor patio and comfortable vibe with family-friendly menu. Read More
Asian Treats at Pacific Food in Fairfield Ingredients Restaurant Asian Fairfield Specialty Market Vietnamese Emily Sackett August 10, 2011 Every once in a while something new comes to town that we just have to explore! This time, it’s Pacific Food on the Black Rock Turnpike that adds a little bit of Asian flavor to the shopping options in Fairfield. We visited Pacific Food recently to see what kind of eclectic goodies we could fill our shopping carts with. After all, it’s about time we started using our wok pans for something worth wok-ing! Pacific Food is a unique Asian market open almost three months in a small shopping center just as Blackrock Turnpike splits into Tunxis Hill. The small footprint of the grocer packs a punch – offering counter-style favorites such as Vietnamese sandwiches, Japanese-style smoothies in a rainbow of flavors and a decided-upon favorite, traditional Chinese Bubble Tea. Read More
The Schoolhouse's Tim LaBant @ Ambler Farm Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster August 09, 2011 The details of Tim LaBant's Ambler Farm dinner have been announced. On Saturday September 10th, Wilton's very own award-winning chef, Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton, will present an organic harvest feast + Ambler's own produce. Arrive to cocktails on the Farm. Supper served family-style in the Ambler fields. Tours of this beautiful property will be offered, (one of the oldest farms still in use in Fairfield County)...as well as other diversions. ON THE TABLE-Roasted multicolored Ambler peppers and eggplant with ricotta, olive oil, herbs,sunflower seeds and grilled Wave hill toast-Mason jars with pickled beetsFIRST COURSE-Salad of assorted fresh Ambler Farm tomatoes accompanied with cornbread, Crème fraiche and grilled green onionsMAIN COURSE-Slow roasted Berkshire pork shoulder-Summer succotash (zucchini, Summer squash, pearl onion,bacon,peas and corn)-Confit potatoes with nasturtium, fennel pollen, frisee with goat cheese dressing Read More
Grande Burger Opens in Stamford Restaurant Cocktails Stamford Comfort Food Burgers James Gribbon August 07, 2011 Sometimes you just want to go out - no specific plans, no goals for the evening besides just wanting to go hear loud music and blow off steam. It would be nice to have a few drinks, you think, but whatever will do: just get me a beer/cocktail/shot, man. Sometimes you're just in an "eat to live" kind of mood, and anything filling will do. Other times you're more discerning, selective: you could really go for a burger, but generic "burger" arriving wrapped in paper won't cut it. For those times, there's the new Grand Burger in Stamford. Yes, the former G/R/A/N/D ultra lounge has been re-imagined as a burger place, and the menu is the result of the discerning eye of Executive Chef Nick Bilello, creator of Burger Bar in SoNo. Read More
Shout Out: Best Ice Cream / Frozen Dessert in Fairfield County Restaurant CTbites Shout Out ice cream Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster August 07, 2011
"Will Drive 4 Food" Dinner @ Bernard's in Ridgefield Restaurant Events Specialty Market Wine Dinners Amy Kundrat August 05, 2011 Bernard's Restaurant in Ridgefield will be hosting a "Will Drive 4 Food" dinner on August 21 at 6 p.m., inspired by the recent trip of 109 Cheese & Wine owners Monica & Todd Brown. This family style seven-course meal will take place at a single long table in the garden of Bernard's Restaurant, the first event of its kind at the restaurant. (See menu below). The inspiration was a recent cross-country trip the Browns took in their vintage 1963 Porsche 356, traveling through California, Oregon and Washington and the midwest. In addition to enjoying the scenery and enjoying some amazing meals, they were Read More
Food, Friends & Fun at New Canaan Farmers’ Market Ingredients Restaurant Farmers Market Local Artisan Local Farm New Canaan Farm Fresh CTbites Team August 04, 2011 The past few years have seen a spike in the amount and popularity of Farmers’ Markets, and the New Canaan Farmers' Market is no exception. Every Saturday morning from May through November vendors and townspeople crowd into (and around) the Municipal Parking Lot across from the town library. They come here to shop for local produce, pick up breakfast or lunch, and mingle with family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. The market is still small compared to others in the area, but the number of vendors and buzz around it is on the rise as more and more people seek quality, fresh food and want to know where it comes from. Read More
The Filling Station Co. August Burger & Shake Restaurant New Canaan Comfort Food Kid Friendly Dessert Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger August 03, 2011 The August 2011 Filling Station Special Burger and Shake combine another full flavored hamburger with a sweet flavorful tribute to another of my favorite fruits with the “Steak Burger” matched with a sweet Cherry Shake. The Steak Burger includes the Filling Station’s farm-raised hamburger topped with the newly introduced secret-recipe steak sauce, raw onions and tomatoes. Similar to last month’s BBQ Special, this month’s special delivers bold flavors to complement the mild organic beef. The FS steak sauce was developed over many months of experimentation to deliver a flavor profile that pays tribute to the Peter Luger Sauce’s vinegary-tomato based variety. Read More
Sono Baking Company is Opening in Westport Restaurant Coffee Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Dessert Stephanie Webster July 28, 2011 Yep...You heard me correctly. The Sono Baking Company is expanding their bakery mecca and opening up shop in Westport. This Sono institution has just signed a lease on the charming new barn at the A & J Farm Stand, right on the Post Road (seen above). The Westport location will feature a cafe serving grab-n go-items as well as a full espresso bar to accompany their wide selection of baked goods, cakes, pastries, cookies and artisan breads. Owner John Barricelli says "We hope to be open in late August or early September." We hope so too. A good espresso is hard to come by around here. Welcome to the neighborhood. The Sono Baking Company @ The A & J's Farm Stand 1680 Post Road East, Westport. Read More
Chef to Farm Dinner Series w/ Max Restaurant Group Restaurant Farm to Table Local Artisan Local Farm CTbites Team July 25, 2011 CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE TO LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY As the July sun softened beneath the vineyard, diners gathered in Simsbury on Thursday night to enjoy another Chef to Farm dinner at Rosedale Farms, in partnership with Max Restaurant Group. Now in its third season, Chef Scott Miller and the Max Chef to Farm team will delight diners with a truly local menu for another six Thursday evenings through October. View photo gallery here. Each three-hour feast begins with a wine tasting reception featuring Rosedale wines. After the reception, stroll through the vineyard or take a hayride to an elegant tent filled with lights and music, set peacefully between the vineyard and the cornstalks. Past events have featured Bombster Bros. seafood from Stonington, pork belly from Rowland Farms in Oxford, and vegetables sourced right from Rosedale Farm. Guests enjoy four- to six- courses of local, seasonal ingredients, designed to highlight the best available that day. Read More
