Easter & Passover Eats in Fairfield County, CT Ingredients Features Restaurant Holiday Breakfast Dessert Stephanie Webster April 12, 2011 Easter & Passover are just around the corner, and we've been vigilantly scoping out interesting holiday sweets & savories, restaurant reservations, and catering tips to share with you. Here are a few nibbles to get you started on your holiday planning, but this is just a sampling. If you have come across an holiday event or product find, please let us know by posting a comment below. What's Easter Without Chocolate? Belgique Chocolatier in New Canaan is Easter central with 3-feet high chocolate rabbits weighing in at approx. 23 pounds. They also make smaller sizes, as well as chocolate nests with chocolate/hazelnut speckled eggs, chocolate hens and chicks, chocolate eggs to fill with chocolates, bunnies pulling carts with chocolate eggs, etc. Read More
Homemade Matzo c/o Tabouli Grill's Judy Roll Features Holiday Recipe Judy Roll April 12, 2011 Chef Judy Roll of Tabouli Grill has been making matzo for her family for years because nobody should be made to suffer through the "cardboard-y" boxed brands. This recipe differs from the classic version as she brushes the matzo with olive oil and then sprinkles with sea salt and za'tar. Hey..why not? It's amazingly simple. Try it in your home this Passover. Read More
Casa Villa in Stamford: Let Them Eat Tacos Restaurant Stamford Mexican Amy Kundrat April 10, 2011 Taco: noun [ta-ko] A flour tortilla wrapped around a variety of proteins and often garnished with cilantro, as prepared traditionally with endless regional Mexican iterations. Add condiments such as cheese and you’re veering into Tex Mex territory. Compare them to the ubiquitious chain with the cute canine spokesperson, and consider yourself kicked out of the will. Best when served from a Mexican grandmother’s kitchen, a truck in Los Angeles or Stamford, CT. There are many who take their tacos seriously. And for the unfortunate few of them who live in Connecticut, at times it can feel like a futile culinary pursuit. The new Casa Villa in Stamford erases many of those painful memories with a new and practically posh incarnation at 622 East Main Street, in the space formerly occupied by Myrna’s. Read More
Chef Talk: Lolita Cocina's Blanco Sangria Features Chef Talk Cocktails Amy Kundrat April 07, 2011 The Blanco Sangria is a take on the classic red sangria with citrus and brandy. From Lolita: "We start with white wine and build up all the flavors we imagined would be present in the ‘perfect white sangria’. A little vanilla from vanilla vodka, a nice floral- honeyed component from Lillet Blanc and a touch of citrus from Citronage – a bracing orange liqueur. To play up our summertime ideal, we add ripe peaches, lychees, pineapple and grapes. Over ice, it makes you forget you are in CT, but rather on the Mexican Riviera, feet in the sand." Read More
Michele's Pies (& Cafe) Opens in Westport Ingredients Restaurant Westport Breakfast Kid Friendly Dessert Sarah Green April 06, 2011 Michele's Pies of Norwalk has arrived at its latest home in Westport! Situated at the old Baskin and Robbins location at the corner of Bay Street and the Post Road, Michele's Pies is a welcome newcomer to the area - finally, a great place for a patisserie-style breakfast in Westport. Michele Albano and fiance' Kelly Stuart opened the new pie haven last month and it's time to "sing a song of sixpence!" With a variety of delectable treats, Michele's Pies has something for every craving. From scrumptious CHOCCOLATE/BOURBAN/PECAN to KEY LIME to COUNTRY APPLE to the many savory delights including CHICKEN POT PIE, AUSTRALIAN BEEF, and outrageous LOBSTER QUICHE, Michele's Pies are sure to satisfy. And the pies are just the beginning! The shop opens for breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and serves BEAN & LEAF coffee (single origin, fair trade and organic) out of New London. Read More
Food 411: Name the Restaurant that Served This... Restaurant Food 411 Stephanie Webster April 05, 2011
Chef Nicole: Thai Meatballs with Dipping Sauce Features Ask Chef Nicole Thai Recipe Kid Friendly Nicole Straight April 04, 2011 I made these Thai Meatballs with Dipping Sauce last week for my family and they were devoured in record time. Served in a lettuce leaf or over rice, they are big on flavor, but are not overly adventurous for little palates. These are perfect for busy families as the prep time is minimal. Try them in your house, and let us know what you think. Read More
Behind the Scenes @ Match Restaurant in SoNo Ingredients Restaurant Farm to Table Norwalk Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger April 03, 2011 “Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity” - Voltaire The latest edition of CTBites’ “Behind the Scenes” series is brought to you from Match Restaurant in South Norwalk, where Matt Storch, its owner-chef and Westport native, has been at the helm of the kitchen for over ten years overseeing this highly acclaimed restaurant that creatively promotes today’s Farm to Table philosophy. For those who have never experienced the incredible activity prior to the day’s first customer entering the restaurant, it is a bustle of activity. Chef Matt led us past the floor to ceiling wood burning pizza oven in the back of the dining room and down a flight of stairs to the restaurant’s subterranean kitchen. Read More
Friday Froth: The Cask Republic in New Haven Restaurant Road Trip Beer New Haven James Gribbon April 01, 2011 How about a little food with our beer this week? After all: drinking on an empty stomach, while entertaining in a "hide the women and children" kind of way, is generally not recommended. So let's travel outside of Fairfield County this week (gasp!), and take a road trip to The Cask Republic in New Haven. "The Cask Republic" may sound like early 18th century Tortuga, but owner Christian Burns has forgone rum, anarchy and pirates in favor of more refined surroundings. This point should come as no surprise from the man who also owns The Ginger Man in South Norwalk. The space is mostly wood and leather - a large bar, communal cocktail tables, and booths encourage an atmosphere of fellowship - and then there are the taps. Fifty-three pleasure dispensers line the left wall behind the bar. Fifty-three, plus one cask engine for dispensing cask-conditioned brews and over eighty bottled beers. That gets all six hands of Vishnu clapping furiously. Read More
Caramel Sea Salt Shake @ Filling Station in New Canaan Restaurant New Canaan Kid Friendly Burgers Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger March 29, 2011 CTBites is pleased to present this month’s sneak peak preview of Filling Station’s April 2011 Special Bacon Blue Cheese Burger and its Special Caramel Sea Salt Shake. Although April 1 is normally associated with jokes and pranks on friends and family, the April monthly special burger and shake is neither as it combines some favorite all time flavors. This month’s Special Burger includes the Filling Station's farm raised 75/25 beef with toppings of thick cut bacon, crumbled blue cheese, crunchy deep fried onions, lettuce, tomato and Worcester sauce infused mayonnaise. When I visited Filling Station Co. today, the staff was busy experimenting with the timing of their new non-pressed burger technique for the recently announced Stamford location and I asked if I could try the April burger cooked with this new method. I performed my ritual of cutting the burger in half and saw that the new method produced a perfectly prepared medium rare. My first bite was delicious. Read More
Dressing Room's New England Lobster & Mussels Features Chef Talk Seafood Recipe CTbites Team March 29, 2011 This classic New England dish is featured on the Dressing Room's dinner menu and is one I've always wanted to make in my own kitchen. Aromatic and satisfying, Chef Vaast's New England Lobster & Mussels is a great recipe for spring entertaining. The Dressing Room uses Wave Hill Bread for dipping, but The Flaxette would do the job nicely as well. Read More
Liana's Trattoria: A Taste of Napoli in Fairfield CT Restaurant Fairfield Italian Robert Zeoli March 27, 2011 PHOTOGRAPHY BY TINA RUPP “I can hear myself speak” was my sentiment shortly after arriving at Liana’s. It’s kind of nice in this age of lofty wine bars and chic locales to find respite at a place on the cozy side that makes an effort to slow the pace down just a little. Despite its small street level space on Tunxis Hill Road in Fairfield, Liana’s Trattoria accommodates a full bar and two high top tables to the left through the entry, with a half wall separating it from the dining room to the right. The ceilings are low and with lights dimmed the ambience is, dare I say, intimate. Liana DeMeglio, who worked for a long time at Pasta Nostra in Sono, greeted and sat us, returning frequently to check on us throughout the meal, while hours before she was in the kitchen making desserts and the ricotta gnocchi renowned by repeat diners. It’s readily apparent that she’s the lady of the house; Read More
Shout Out: Best Japanese in Fairfield County? Restaurant CTbites Shout Out Japanese Stephanie Webster March 27, 2011
Last Chance for Bishops Orchards CSA Ingredients Features Local Farm Farm Fresh Stephanie Webster March 24, 2011 Bishops Orchards is 30 spaces away from hitting their maximum number of CSA sharholders this year. If you have been contemplating being a part of the Bishop's Orchards CSA this year, don't miss your opportunity. They will be taking registrations online through this Sunday, March 27. There are 3 CSA options for you to choose; a Full Share, a Half Share and a Flower Share. The flower share is one you can either add onto a Full or Half Share, or participate buy into alone. Click here for more information. What is a CSA? CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture" and refers to a program where yourlocal farmer (Bishop's Orchards) offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Each share entitles members to a weekly box of fresh-picked produce, discounts & specials Read More
Napa & Co's Sea Bass w/ Artichokes & Blood Oranges Features Chef Talk Seafood Recipe Stephanie Webster March 23, 2011 For my money, there is nothing better than being a fly on the wall in a top notch kitchen. Watching a talented chef doing what they love is akin to a trip to the opera (or maybe that's just me). I had such a experience when I asked Arik Bensimon, Executive Chef at Napa and Co. to share a recipe from his current repertoire. And what's a recipe without a proper beauty shot? For this, we had to make the dish. Join us in the kitchen for Chef Arik's Black Sea Bass with Chickpeas, Artichokes and Blood Oranges. Read More
Chickens For All @ Audubon Greenwich Ingredients Features Events Local Farm Stephanie Webster March 22, 2011 Raising your own chickens is getting more popular each year and getting easier, too. For anyone who has had the pleasure of eating a fresh poached egg, still warm, straight from the coop, it's akin to the richest of savory desserts. Bright yellow yolks, firm whites...makes you think it's worth investing in some chickens. If you're nodding your head, read on for a great event we caught on The Fairfield Green Food Guide: On March 27th, get inspired to start your own coop and learn the basics of how to get started when Melina Brown, founder of the Southern CT/Westchester Backyard Poultry Meetup, and Derek Sasaki and Traci Torres, local experts and owners of Norwalk-based My Pet Chicken LLC, visit Audubon Greenwich to discuss the how-to of raising your own chickens. This event will include a short presentation, a screening of the acclaimed film, 'Mad City Chickens', and ample time for Q&A. Read More
It's All Good At Lakeside Diner in Stamford Restaurant Delicious Dives Diner Stamford Breakfast Lunch Kid Friendly Sarah Green March 20, 2011 How many CTbites contributors does it take to order chicken salad, a breakfast burrito, a Grecian omelet, a reuben sandwich, grilled blueberry muffins, pancakes, apple pie, coffee milkshakes and the worlds' BEST homemade donuts to top it all off? Apparently only 3. But the full bellies and groans were all worth it due to the great food and fantastic retro atmosphere at the LAKESIDE DINER in Stamford. Located at the bottom of the ramp of exit 34 off the Merritt, this joint offers the quintessential diner experience. So much so, it has been used as a location in several films including "College Road Trip." It isn't large and it isn't fancy. This is authentic diner fare done right. Mel, I would kiss these grits anytime. Read More
Pinot Party @ BONDA March 22nd Restaurant Wine Dinners Stephanie Webster March 20, 2011 BONDA Chef Jamie Cooper will be hosting a Pinot Wine Dinner Tuesday March 22nd @ 7PM with Fat Cat/Fountainhead pouring their favorite Oregon gems. The boys of Fountainhead will be at Bonda along with Jim Anderson of Patty Green Cellars. It's a Pinot Party and one of the most passionate Pinot experts, Mike Pelletier will be on hand alongside special guest, Jim Anderson of Patricia Green Cellars, featuring ’09 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir. Check out BONDA's tasty menu below: Read More
