Creole Pizza & Cabaret @ Two Boots in Bridgeport Restaurant Bridgeport Creole Pizza Lunch Kid Friendly Marcy Shinbaum November 06, 2009 Walking into this funky spot in Bridgeport immediately makes me yearn for my Brooklyn hipster days. I spent the early 90’s in Brooklyn with my future husband and Two Boots was a place we frequented. This CT outpost really brings me back. Stepping in underneath the retro neon martini sign outside, a very mod theme continues. The walls are adorned with mardis gras beads and concert flyers and the long counter and tables shine in a combination of lipstick red and shiny chrome. And then there’s the smell…garlicky, spicy and yeasty. Two Boots may have built its reputation on Creole pizza, but my nose knows there more going on here. After quickly being seated for lunch I am handed a kitschy menu, which immediately draws me in. Blackened catfish, jambalaya and po’boys. I’m nearly drooling, but wait there’s a long list of specials too. Today the chef must have found some great portabello mushrooms because there’s a run on them. They’re tossed in the salad special; they’re featured in a pasta special and on a po’boy too. Lucky for me, I love portabellos. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Chicken Pot Pie...Easy Comfort Food Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Nicole Straight November 05, 2009 A few days ago I had some puff pastry left over from one of my cooking classes, and given the autumn chill, I decided to make a chicken pot pie. I used to love these growing up, and my mother loved making them-- remove from freezer, open box and bake 40 minutes. My recipe is not quite that simple as it is made from scratch, but short of a frozen entree, this chicken pot pie is as easy as it gets. Don't be intimidated by the ingredients. The foundation for this savory baked pie is the mirepoix (diced onion, celery and carrot) which you can purchase from Trader Joe's. Now how's that for convenient? Feel free to leave out whatever veggies you don't have on hand, and don't be afraid of frozen vegetables. If you're tight on time, they can be a great shortcut. Enjoy, and watch my step-by-step video for additional cooking tips. Easy Chicken Pot Pie Read More
Pizzeria Molto in Fairfield is Molto Bene Restaurant Fairfield Italian Pizza Deanna Foster November 04, 2009 Deciding where to go for lunch has always been a highly situational dilemma for me. The right place can depend on my mood, the purpose – are we going just for fun or is there work to be done, the number of people involved and the occasion, if any. Too often, my stable of choices has seemed just one horse short of a winner. Recently, however, I had two excellent lunches at Pizzeria Molto in Fairfield, one for work and one for pleasure; the food and the atmosphere were just right on both occasions. Molto occupies a large, corner space in the Brick Walk Promenade and despite its size it is immediately warm and inviting. The front of the room holds an assortment of tables with café chairs; then leads to an expansive space lined by a row of booths on one side and a lengthy bar with red leather studded bar stools on the other. The vibe is reminiscent of a French Brasserie, where you’d be greeted with a hearty “Bonjour”, but the menu and the food definitely shout “Mangia”. Read More
CLOSED! Helados Vazques Gelato: Fall in Love in Bridgeport Restaurant Bridgeport Mexican Kid Friendly Dessert Marcy Shinbaum October 30, 2009 Remember falling in love? Pulsing with excitement at the prospect of your lips meeting for the first time? Well it was years ago for me but I’ve found that feeling again and I just can’t get enough of...gelato? Okay, not just gelato, but gelato so good it has worked its way into my dreams. Helados Vazquez has stolen my heart. Don’t let the Spanish name fool you; this gelato is straight off of Rome’s via de Condotti. I first wandered into this tiny shop in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport after seeing a movie at the Showcase movie theaters, it’s right down the street. As I opened the door, subtly Spanish décor and the feel of a European coffee shop greeted me. Was I really in Bridgeport? Read More
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
Halloween Recipes: Screamin’ Meanie Pulled Pork Bites Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight October 24, 2009 Here is yet another fun and tasty party pleaser. We have listed two techniques for the creation of this delicious dish. Your selected preparation will depend on your expendable time, and your desire for home made fare vs. store bought ingredient assembly. We made these both ways over the weekend, and you will be happy with the results either way. If you are not a regular pulled pork eater, try it. The sweetness of the BBQ sauce, and the tenderness of the slow cooked pork makes this a real treat. Technique #1 I'm short on time: Screamin’ Meanie Pulled Pork Bites (Mini corn bread and pulled pork sandwiches) Read More
Easy Halloween Party Recipes Part 1: Bloody Fingers Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight October 24, 2009 Halloween is around the corner, and this week, in honor of this ghoulish holiday, CT Bites will feature a daily recipe to help you plan the perfect Halloween party. These dishes are both adult and kid-friendly, and are simple time-saving delicious meals that will leave you plenty of time for dress-up. This is the first in our series, and really... what defines the real joy of Halloween more perfectly than eatable severed body parts? These "Bloody Fingers" are an updated version of a perennial favorite, pigs in a blanket. I like to use chorizo, but you could substitute chicken apple sausage or Portuguese linguica. Bloody Fingers in a Blanket (AKA chorizo in puff pastry) 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
Soup's On!! 17 Bean & Barley Soup Mix from Trader Joe's Features Ask Chef Nicole Soups Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight October 21, 2009 Soup season is upon us bringing to the table a plethora of wonderful Fall dinner options. I am always on the hunt for interesting new contenders for my weekly line-up, so I jumped on a tip from a friend who recommended that I check out the 17 Bean & Barley Mix from Trader Joe’s. The bag's ingredient list has an interesting assortment of, you guessed it, 17 types of barley and dried beans, including black eyed peas, pinto, lentils and navy. You would certainly enjoy this bean mix up straight, but I decided to throw in some added protein and a little varied flavor with the help of some smoked turkey wings, (although you could use a ham hock or bacon as well). Here’s my recipe for Hearty Bean & Smoked Turkey Soup. This soup can also be made vegetarian by omitting the turkey and using vegetable stock. It is a simple weeknight entree everyone will enjoy. Read More
An IKEA Smorgasbord...No Assembly Required Ingredients Features Specialty Market Swedish New Haven Sarah Green October 20, 2009 "IKEA, Swedish for common sense," is how the commercial goes. Yet my common sense seems to escape me while shopping there. Although the products are nifty and super cheap, it is NOT my greatest talent to build beautiful furniture from planks of wood, a package of bolts, and a direction sheet that has only arrows as its vocabulary. Yet back I go, trip after trip, filling my cart with baskets of every size, shape, and dimension and spectacular flower-shaped light bulbs that may or not fit in American lamps. "What’s the sense?" I have asked many times. Now I know. It’s all about the sense of TASTE- The IKEA food mart rocks! Tack sa mycket, (thank you) Bjorn! Now I must confess, I lived in Stockholm for years so my taste for things Swedish is admittedly subjective. So, to be fair and unbiased in writing about the food, I decided to have a Smorgasbord with my Westport peeps so they could tell me their unadulterated opinions. Here's how it went down: Read More
Wine Chat: Wine Pairings for Fall Flavors Ingredients Features Darien Fairfield Ridgefield Specialty Market Westport Wine Chat CTbites Team October 19, 2009 Fall is here. And beyond the obvious weather changes: frost alerts, foliage color and the end to most farmers’ markets, there are other exciting changes in the lives of wine enthusiasts: Fall marks the start of the red wine drinking season! Sure we drink red wine in the Summer, but enthusiasm for the darker reds is tempered by the weather, and the kind of red wine experiences that appear easily from a slight chill in the air can at best be forced in the heat of outdoor dining. But as the leaves start falling and people begin to spend more time indoors, out comes the Le Creuset for stews, Emile Henry for roasts, the cast iron skillets for, well, that restaurant style pan seared rib eye. We all know that wine is made for food – and Fall food is made for red wine. So, here, in an inaugural ditty on wine in CT Bites, we wanted to share with you not only our unfettered enthusiasm (break out the mandolines – we’re talking the kitchen variety not featured instrument in Rod Stewart’s Maggie) for the high season of food and wine with some recommendations about what to try and buy across the next few months leading up to Winter. (See our local resource guide with recommendations below.) 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
Ask Chef Nicole: Quick & Easy Mini Meatloaves Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Nicole Straight October 16, 2009 Sometimes the meatloaf can be a daunting dinner entree...not because it is difficult to prepare, but because it is lacking visual appeal when sliced table-side. In thinking about how to make the meatloaf a more attractive kid-friendly entree, I decided to pull from my arsenal the kitchen pan most pleasing to the under 12 set...the muffin tin. Recreated in smaller, (and dare I say cuter) rounds, this classic comfort food is both delicious and healthy, especially with the added vegetables sneaked in the mirepoix base. (Hey, if Reagan was able to count catsup as a vegetable, I'm counting carrots, celery and onion.) If you are somebody who purchased those ridiculous brownie pans to maximize the crispy edges, you will love these. Enjoy! Watch Chef Nicole's step-by-step video for proper mini meatloaves preparation. Read More
Halloween Party Recipes Part 2: Caramel Popcorn Balls Kids Bites Features Ask Chef Nicole Holiday kids activity Kid Friendly Dessert Nicole Straight October 14, 2009 What's a party without the popcorn? These sweet and salty treats are always a favorite (remove spiders before eating). This recipe lends itself nicely to child participation...as long as they don't mind getting a little sticky. To amp up the gruesomeness, melt some white chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler and add 2-3 drops of red food coloring. Then drip the "blood" over the finished popcorn balls. For a more savory snack, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the caramel. Caramel Popcorn Balls 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
This Meal's on Wheels: Big Green Truck Pizza Features Catering Pizza Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 30, 2009 It was a sunny September morning, and I was headed to Orange CT for a hot date at a golf tournament. No, this was no golf pro - I was meeting up with the cooking team of The Big Green Truck Pizza. For those unfamiliar with this meal on wheels, The Big Green Truck is a stroke of catering brilliance…a vintage truck outfitted with a wood fire brick oven that goes where the party is. Not only do they serve up a meal that pleases every age, but the food prep stays out of your house - no fuss; no muss. And if this is not enough, there is the entertainment factor of watching a team of three construct up to 60 pizzas an hour and toss them into a fiery furnace. Pizza, salad, gelato from Gelateria Giuliana (a local fave)…perfect party pleaser. On the day I visited, they were serving up some of their renown New Haven-style brick oven pizza near hole #5 at the Orange Hills Country Club. Read More
Ask Chef Nicole: Healthy Mac n' Cheese with Prosciutto Features Ask Chef Nicole Recipe Comfort Food Kid Friendly Stephanie Webster September 30, 2009 Last week I dragged my kids over to Chef Nicole's house on a quick errand, and this dish was cooling on the kitchen counter. It looked decadently delicious. She claimed it was healthy. I grabbed a fork and dug in with my kids close behind with utensils of their own. Everybody agreed this was a keeper in the weekly repertoire. Now, when the kids beg for mac n' cheese, I whip out this recipe. The skim mozzarella and low-fat milk take the guilt out of an ordinarily heavy dish, and you'd never know the fat was missing. And doesn't Proscuitto make everything taste better? No more boxes...or pretty much. Try it with your family. Let us know what you think. (Healthy, but don’t tell the kids) Macaroni and Cheese with Proscuitto 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
