Guinness Milkshakes @ Filling Station Co. Restaurant Events Dessert jfood March 02, 2011 Beer + ice cream = Filling Station's March milkshake. Yup...they've done it again. Last month we enjoyed the sweet crunchy nostalgia of the Cap'N. March brings a taste of the Irish with their (non-alcoholic) Guinness Chocolate Milkshake. And what better to accompany your extra stout frozen dessert than a Buffalo Wing Burger? Ok mates...drink up and report back. Here is the full report from our own jfood: Read More
Fat Cat Pie Co.'s Butterscotch Pudding Features Chef Talk Recipe Dessert Stephanie Webster February 28, 2011 Chef Robert Herlihy, Chef at Fat Cat Pie Co., puts out a darn fine thin crust pizza, but if you've never tasted his Butterscotch Pudding, you are missing out. This dessert has garnered a cult-like following amongst those in the know. Personally, the obsession stems from a subtle saltiness hiding under the smooth sweet pudding. I thank Chef Herlihy for sharing this recipe with us. If you sample this dish at Fat Cat Pie Co. or in the comfort of your home, let us know what you think. Read More
Behind the Net Pizza @ The Darien Ice Rink Restaurant Darien Pizza Amy Kundrat February 27, 2011 An affinity for hockey or a hot tip was the only way you’d discover Behind the Net, a concession stand in Darien’s ice rink that is serving up slices of New Haven style apizza heaven—until now. Behind the Net opened on September 1, 2010 in the concession space adjacent to the busy suburban ice rink just beyond Darien’s Post Road. Home to dozens of youth hockey games and practices, the rink also welcomes open skate nights and is teeming with families, practically guaranteeing a hungry audience. Thankfully for us, word soon spread that mere steps from the ice was purportedly some real-deal New Haven pizza—a pizza style characterized by an adherence to a thin crispy crust, decent charring from a super hot oven, fresh San Marzano tomato-based sauce, and mozzarella. Read More
Chili Con Carne via The Parsley Thief Features Recipe Comfort Food katie vitucci February 24, 2011 I was given my first French oven {a.k.a. a Dutch oven, or an enameled cast iron pot} about 10 years ago, by my mother-in-law. For years now, a smaller version has been on my wish list...something more practically suited for a family of four & everyday cooking. So, when I recently won a gift certificate to a cooking store, I finally took the plunge & bought myself one! It's been sitting on my stove for a week now...bringing a smile to my face every time I look at it. I christened the pot with a lovely, Sunday roast chicken. Next up, I wanted to make some kind of stew, pot roast, or chili suitable for the cold, winter days we've been having. This Chili Con Carne recipe is what I decided on. Read More
Chef Bick's Keeler Tavern Farm-to-Table Dinner Restaurant Chef Talk Amy Kundrat February 23, 2011 In the heart of Ridgefield, a Farm to Table-inspired dinner will be served at the historic Keeler Tavern in Ridgefield on Saturday, March 5 with Chef Michael Bick orchestrating the “sophisticated rustic menu.” The six course menu (see full menu below) will be paired with wine and studded with local and organic ingredients. This dinner is $95 per person, RSVP by February 28 at 914.572.5648 or email Tara@somethingsfishycatering.com. This dinner originated from an Earth Day dinner benefitting the Chefs Collaborative, an organization that works with chefs and the food community to celebrate local and sustainable foods. Read More
Filling Station Co. Celebrates 1 Year w/ Great Giveaways Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster February 22, 2011 And in case, you couldn't read that, here are the details: Read More
Ten China Bistro in Wilton: 10 For 10 Restaurant Asian Chinese Thai Wilton Kid Friendly Sarah Green February 20, 2011 Why TEN? The new TEN China Bistro in Wilton had a lot to live up to, giving itself a number like that. We would be the ones to decide if TEN was indeed an appropriate rating. We were diners on a mission. Chef/Owner Eric Xie would have a lot of "splainin" to do if the food at TEN ended up as anything less. There was only one way to find out...EAT! So eat we did. There are many reasons to try this new Asian fusion restaurant, (in the same plaza as SOUP ALLEY). Would we give it a 10? Well, here's the verdict: Read More
leFarms' Bill Taibe Nominated for James Beard Award Restaurant News Stephanie Webster February 17, 2011 Mr. Delicious (or so Bill Taibe's shirt read at the most recent Souterrain) has landed himself a nomination from The James Beard Foundation for "Best Chef Northeast." Taibe was the only Connecticut nominee in the "Best Chef: Northeast" category. The James Beard Foundation Awards have been deemed “the Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine, and are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs, as well as food and beverage professionals. Final nominees will be announced at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Portland on March 21 and simultaneously live via the Foundation's Twitter page, @beardfoundation. Read More
A Guide to Juice Fasts in Fairfield County CT Ingredients Restaurant Special Dietary Needs Specialty Market healthy CTbites Team February 17, 2011 If you’re not going three times per day, then something’s not right ,”says Glen Cavallo, who, along with Lisa Storch, owns Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe in Fairfield, where I’m sampling one of the Super Smoothies that is bottled up for customers doing the Café’s Five Day Juice Cleanse. To hear Glen, and other cleansing gurus like Carissa Delicicchi at The Stand in Norwalk, and Carrie at Kaia Café in Westport, talk, it seems that most of us could probably use a little “cleaning out” every now and again. A Juice Cleanse is a nourishing diet consisting of liquid food allows the digestive organs time to rest and heal from the toxins of modern living. They give your body a break from bad habits like caffeine and alcohol and reset the palette for healthier foods. Read More
Ridgefield Restaurant Week Starts February 20th Restaurant Events Ridgefield Amy Kundrat February 16, 2011
LeFarm's Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg Features Chef Talk Recipe Bill Taibe February 15, 2011 On New Years eve we came across a a dish for Spaghetti with Braised Veal Leg on leFarm's dinner menu. My husband (A.K.A the braise-master) decided to sample the slow-cooked meat to compare it to his own braised meat explorations. The analysis proved positive. Bill Taibe's braise had kicked our "you know whats," and layered atop fresh spaghetti, the dish was richly comforting. When winter weather abounds, it's time to hunker down and get cooking. Read More
Shout Out: Where & What Did You Eat for V-Day? Features Restaurant CTbites Shout Out Stephanie Webster February 15, 2011
Westport Restaurant Week Starts February 27th Restaurant Events Stephanie Webster February 14, 2011 Westport Restaurant Week returns, offering great deals on dining out. From Sunday, February 27 through Saturday, March 5th there is simply no need to cook at home. Some of the participating restaurants include: Acqua Ristorante, Blue Lemon, Bobby Q's, DaPietro's Restaurant, La Villa Trattoria, Manolo, Thali, River House, Matsu Sushi, Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Restaurant and Bar, Splash Restaurant & Bar, Coromandel, Tavern on Main, and more! Participating restaurants will offer a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu throughout the entire week. Read More
Savor Pizza: Norwalk's Healthier Pizza (& Gluten-Free) Restaurant Norwalk Organic Pizza Special Dietary Needs healthy Kid Friendly Liz Rueven February 13, 2011 Pizza is easy to love. Who doesn’t relish gooey mounds of cheese over even the most basic sauces and crusts? But for diners concerned with their health, it is no secret that most pizza is loaded with fat and sodium. For those with gluten allergies or intolerance, pizza parlor pizza is off limits. SAVOR PIZZA in Norwalk is a dream come true for pizza lovers with gluten sensitivities and diners who are mindful of eating lower fat, less salt and organic ingredients. For those with gluten intolerance, it may become your go-to spot for take out pizza, the meal you thought you would never be able to eat again. Read More
The Schoolhouse's Chef LaBant: Extra Credit on Yelp Features Chef Talk Recipe Stephanie Webster February 10, 2011 Chef LaBant of The Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton is doing his homework. The followng is an exchange from a Yelp reviewer, Andrew R. Fairfield, CT, who posted a comment on a dish he had particularly enjoyed at The Schoolhouse, Braised baby carrots with a harissa sauce, dates, fried crispy chic peas and mâché. A few weeks later, LaBant responded with the recipe for this very dish. Here's the post and the recipe: "Back tonight 2 weeks later and will add that I was privy to one of the single best first courses I have had in a restaurant in quite a long time. Braised baby carrots with a harissa sauce, dates, fried crispy chic peas and mâché - there was an underlying hint of garam masala that united the dish and played off the spicy harissa. BRAVO chef! & might I add -not a spec of meat." --Andrew R. "Here is my personal recipe if you are ever so inclined to make it" -- Chef LaBant Read More
Robert Sinskey Wine Dinner @ The Dressing Room Restaurant Events This Week In Wine Kathleen Hall February 09, 2011 On Tuesday, February 22nd, 7PM, The Dressing Room will host a very special wine dinner featuring the organic and biodynamic wines from Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Dressing Room Chef Jon Vaast will create a five-course farm-to-table menu that will pair perfectly with Sinskey’s elegant selections. The complete menu for this evening is below. The Dressing Room is known for its commitment to using natural and organic ingredients, a perfect fit for Robert Sinskey’s winemaking philosophy. I can’t wait to try the two together. Hope to see you there on February 22nd ! The Menu Read More
The Dinners at the Farm 2011 Schedule is Up! Restaurant Events Farm to Table Local Farm Stephanie Webster February 08, 2011
Ad: Play With Your Food - Spots Still Open in Fairfield!! Restaurant Advertisement Stephanie Webster February 08, 2011 Play with your food is back for a little Valentines Day romance, and there are a few spots left. If you have never seen & eaten @ Play With Your Food, the concept is simple. During their 12noon -1:30 p.m. program, audiences are first treated to a pre-performance buffet lunch (catered by venues such as Spin & Span Market, Nicholas Roberts, DaPietro's, and The Pantry), before enjoying 3 one-act plays and a follow-up discussion with the actors. It is a combined social and theatrical experience, diverse and compelling entertainment to be savored mid-day during the work week. It is also the perfect break from suburban life. The Greenwich and Westport 2011 season are sold out but there are still spots available in Fairfield for the February 15th show. Read More
